Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Prompt
Prompt
I want to define my ideal customer profile for [PRODUCT/SERVICE]. Here's what I know about our best customers: - Industry: [e.g. B2B SaaS, professional services] - Company size: [e.g. 50–500 employees] - The problem they were trying to solve: [describe] - Why they chose us: [describe] Please help me: 1. Define 3–5 firmographic criteria (industry, size, geography, tech stack) 2. Define 2–3 behavioural signals that indicate buying intent 3. Write a one-paragraph ICP summary I can share with my team 4. Suggest 5 questions I can use to qualify leads against this ICP
Why it works
Grounding the ICP in data from actual best customers rather than who you think you should sell to produces a descriptive ICP rather than an aspirational one, which is far more useful for qualification. Separating firmographic criteria (company attributes) from behavioural criteria (what they do and care about) reflects the two-dimensional qualification that experienced salespeople use. The 'who to exclude' section prevents reps from pursuing accounts that look right on the surface but historically don't close or churn.
Watch out for
ICPs built from too small a sample (fewer than 10-15 best customers) will reflect noise rather than signal. If your customer base is small, supplement with lost deal analysis (why did similar companies buy from competitors?) alongside won deal patterns. Also review the ICP every 6-12 months — as your product and market evolve, the ideal customer shifts.
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