ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
A clear description of the customer type you’re best positioned to serve. ICP is iterated continuously as you learn.
Definition
A clear description of the customer type you’re best positioned to serve. ICP is iterated continuously as you learn.
More context
ICP is the practical definition of who you are building for and selling to. In Strategic Growth Hacking, ICP is not a one-time document—it’s an evolving set of hypotheses refined through experiments and learning.
Why it matters
A clear ICP reduces wasted acquisition, improves conversion quality, and sharpens messaging and prioritization.
How to use it
Document what you know, collect new insights continuously, and update ICP when experiments reveal new segments or invalidate assumptions.
Common pitfalls
Treating ICP as static, or using overly broad segments that don’t help decisions.
Related terms
- Acquisition — The “getting users/customers” stage. In AAARRR, it’s the step where people first start using or signing up.
- Conversion — A defined action that indicates progress (e.g. lead, signup, purchase). Conversions must have consistent definitions across teams to avoid confusion.
- Learning experience — A mindset where outcomes (including failures or execution issues) are treated as learning that improves future decisions and process quality.
- KPI Definitions — A shared set of definitions for metrics like “lead” so different teams (e.g. marketing and sales) mean the same thing when they talk about numbers.