How to Find the Sweet Spot with Your ICP

When you’re starting a business, it's tempting to think that reaching as many people as possible is the surefire way to success. However, we've come to realize that trying to cater to everyone often leads to catering to no one. Take coaching for example – imagine juggling roles as a life coach, business coach, money coach, and baby-rearing coach all at once. It's just not feasible to be an expert in everything and serve everyone. 

Seth Godin, marketing guru extraordinaire, says, “If you’re selling to everyone, you’re selling to no one.” 

Trust me – he’s right.

In order to stand out against the competition, you have to be a master, not a jack of all trades. To narrow down your scope, we recommend detailing an ICP or an ideal customer profile or persona. Focusing your efforts and attention down to the minutia will help you tailor your marketing efforts and move you toward a successful business. Let’s take a closer look at why defining your ICP is so important.

Where Should I Start with My ICP?

Does it ever feel like something is off in your efforts to find new business? Maybe you aren’t aligned with your ICP. 

Understanding your customer is vital, but equally important is understanding yourself. It's not about adjusting what you do to fit potential customers but recognizing your strengths and finding those who align with them.

Any business should focus on what it does best. Trying to sell services outside of our expertise wouldn't be a successful strategy. This is where the concept of the ideal customer profile (ICP) is crucial – making sure you're helping people with the problems you're uniquely equipped to solve. If your ICP isn’t the type of customer who needs what you have to offer, everything you do moving forward is likely to be off. 

Understanding who you are and what you offer allows you to detail who your customers are and what problems they need to be solved.

Can I Be Too Specific When It Comes to My ICP?

In short? Nope.

We’ve already discussed why your ICP can't be everyone, but is there a danger in getting too specific? Not really. The key is to identify that sweet spot – the smallest viable audience. Avoid the extreme, like targeting a group consisting only of you, your sister, and your mom. Instead, aim for a niche that's narrow but not too restrictive. By striking this balance, you can effectively tailor your marketing efforts to resonate with a focused demographic while still allowing room for growth and expansion. Remember, precision in targeting leads to more meaningful connections and higher conversion rates. Specificity is an asset, not a liability

Can I Have Multiple ICPs?

While the idea of having multiple ICPs may seem appealing, it's crucial to proceed with caution. Diluting your message by trying to appeal to too many diverse segments could lead to confusion. Here's some cautionary advice– the more ICPs you develop, the closer you get to appealing to everybody, which really means you’re appealing to nobody. However, there are some exceptions.

 Let’s use a conflict resolution specialist as an example. While the primary ICP might be the owner of a medical practice, a secondary ICP could be someone aspiring to become a conflict resolution specialist. The key is having different messages for different ICPs without straying too far from your core expertise. Targeting too many unrelated segments, like divorce or elder care, can dilute your message. Instead of being a specialist in healthcare mediation, you risk becoming just a mediator – and in a sea of mediators, standing out becomes a challenge.

Having multiple ICPs isn't inherently wrong, but maintaining a balance is crucial. It's about offering different services tailored to specific ICPs without losing the essence of what makes you unique in your field. Specialization and focus are the keys to long-term success. 

Need help identifying your ICP? Contact us here.