Most businesses chase every opportunity and wonder why their sales process feels like pushing water uphill. The problem? They never defined their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Without clear target criteria, you waste time on prospects who'll never buy or aren't worth selling to.
Here's a 30-minute workshop that will transform your targeting and double your conversion rates.
The TARGET Framework
Use this systematic approach to define your ICP:
T - Transaction Value Analysis
**Minimum viable deal size:**
- What's your minimum profitable transaction?
- What deal size justifies your sales effort?
- What's your average customer lifetime value?
- What budget range do ideal prospects have?
A - Authority and Decision Making
**Decision-making structure:**
- Who has buying authority?
- What's the typical approval process?
- How many people influence the decision?
- What's the average sales cycle length?
R - Requirements and Pain Points
**Problem-solution fit:**
- What specific problems do you solve?
- How urgent are these problems?
- What's the cost of not solving them?
- What alternatives are they considering?
G - Growth and Timing Signals
**Buying readiness indicators:**
- What events trigger buying decisions?
- What growth signals indicate readiness?
- What time-sensitive pressures exist?
- What seasonal factors affect purchases?
E - Environment and Context
**Business environment:**
- What industry/sector characteristics?
- What company size and structure?
- What technology and infrastructure?
- What geographic and market factors?
T - Traits and Characteristics
**Behavioral patterns:**
- How do they research and evaluate?
- What's their communication style?
- What values and priorities drive them?
- What success metrics matter to them?
The 30-Minute ICP Workshop
Minutes 1-5: Best Customer Analysis
**List your top 5 best customers:**
- Highest value transactions
- Easiest sales processes
- Most profitable relationships
- Best long-term partnerships
- Highest satisfaction scores
Minutes 6-10: Pattern Recognition
**Find common characteristics:**
- Similar company sizes
- Common industry factors
- Shared pain points
- Similar decision processes
- Common buying triggers
Minutes 11-15: Worst Customer Analysis
**Identify patterns to avoid:**
- Longest sales cycles
- Most price-sensitive prospects
- Highest churn rates
- Most demanding customers
- Lowest profitability deals
Minutes 16-20: TARGET Framework Application
**Define specific criteria:**
- Transaction: £10,000+ annual value
- Authority: C-level or VP decision maker
- Requirements: Specific pain point urgency
- Growth: Expanding company or new initiative
- Environment: 50-500 employee technology company
- Traits: Data-driven, growth-focused culture
Minutes 21-25: Qualification Questions
**Create discovery questions:**
- Budget qualification
- Authority identification
- Need confirmation
- Timeline determination
- Process understanding
Minutes 26-30: Disqualification Criteria
**Define clear deal-breakers:**
- Budget constraints
- Wrong decision maker
- Poor timing
- Misaligned expectations
- Cultural misfit
Common ICP Mistakes
Too Broad Definition
"Any business that could use our product" isn't an ICP. Narrow focus increases conversion rates.
Demographic-Only Focus
Company size and industry matter, but behavioral and situational factors often matter more.
Static ICP Thinking
Your ICP should evolve with your product, market understanding, and business goals.
"When you try to sell to everyone, you sell to no one. Define your ideal customer so clearly that they recognize themselves in your marketing."
Implementation Strategy
Week 1: Complete the 30-minute ICP workshop
Week 2: Test ICP criteria with current prospects
Week 3: Refine based on real-world feedback
Week 4: Train team on new qualification standards
Remember: a clear ICP isn't about excluding opportunities—it's about focusing your energy where you'll win consistently and profitably.