Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Template for Small Businesses
If your marketing feels like “throwing spaghetti at the wall,” your ICP is probably too vague. Use this copy/paste template to define exactly who you serve, what they need, and how to reach them.
Copy/paste ICP template
You can complete this in ~15 minutes. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s clarity.
Primary customer typeThis prevents “marketing to everyone” which usually converts no one.
Core job-to-be-doneCustomers buy outcomes, not features.
Top 3 pain pointsPain points become your best website headlines and ad angles.
Decision triggersKnowing “why now” helps you craft stronger calls-to-action.
Where they find youSmall businesses win by focusing on a few channels, not all channels.
What convinces themThis tells you what proof to show (reviews, before/after, guarantees).
Filled example (so you can model it)
A good ICP reads like a real person you can picture—not a generic demographic.
Example ICP
IDEAL CUSTOMER PROFILE (EXAMPLE) Business: Local landscaping + lawn care 1) Primary customer type - Homeowners (30–55) with full-time jobs who want their yard to look great with minimal effort. 2) Core job-to-be-done - “Make my yard look great without me spending my weekends doing it.” 3) Top 3 pain points - They don’t know what to do season-to-season (fertilizer, weeds, mowing schedule) - They’re embarrassed by patchy lawns / weeds - They’ve had unreliable providers who don’t show up 4) Decision triggers - Spring starts / HOA warning / hosting a party / listing a home for sale 5) Where they find you - Google Maps search (“lawn care near me”), neighborhood referrals, local Facebook groups 6) What convinces them - Before/after photos, clear pricing, “we show up” guarantee, 5-star reviews
Turn your ICP into messaging
Once you know the person, writing website headlines becomes much easier.
Outcome headline
Pain-point headline
Proof-first headline
Want the fastest way to lock this in?
Fill in your ICP + pain points + positioning in one place, then download it as your "source of truth" for website copy and social posts.
Continue Building Your Brand Strategy
Ideal customer profiles are part of your complete brand strategy. Explore these related topics to build a comprehensive positioning and messaging system.
Brand Strategy Hub
Ideal customer profiles are part of our comprehensive brand strategy framework. Explore positioning, messaging, customer insights, and differentiation to build a complete strategy.
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