Startup glossary

What is an ideal customer profile?

An ideal customer profile, or ICP, describes the type of customer for whom an offer solves a meaningful problem and can be delivered effectively. It helps a team decide whom to approach, serve, and exclude.

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How to use this concept

Build an ICP from observed problems, buying triggers, operating context, and adoption requirements. For B2B businesses, distinguish the organization from the people who use, buy, and approve the product. Review real cases and counterexamples, then update the profile as evidence changes. An ICP based only on broad demographics is usually too vague to guide an outreach or product decision.