The Concept of an ‘Ideal’ Customer Profile (ICP) is Outdated

Provisional Customer Profile (PCP) is the future

Startups are constantly told to define their

Ideal Customer Profile.

It seems like a logical first step.

But what if the word IDEAL is actually setting us up for failure?

Startups are experiments

The problem with the word “ideal” is that it…

1. Creates a false sense of certainty

(where there’s none)

Startups operate in a constantly changing landscape.

A rigid focus on an “ideal” customer can blind us to new opportunities and make us resistant to adapting our product or marketing as we learn more about the market.

2. Ignores the iterative nature of startups

Startups are experiments

We test, we learn, and we refine our understanding of our customer base.

An “ideal” customer profile, by definition, is fixed.

It doesn’t allow for the evolution that is fundamental to a startup’s journey.

3. Limits growth potential

By narrowly defining our “ideal” customer, we might miss out on other valuable customer segments.

This can restrict our ability to expand into new markets and stifle our overall growth.

What we actually have are assumptions about who our customers are.

These assumptions are subject to change.

They are provisional.

Instead of an ideal, what we have is a Provisional Customer Profile.

Provisional Customer Profile (PCP) is a more accurate way to think about your target customer.

Here’s why.

1. Flexibility

A PCP allows for adjustments as the startup learns and grows.

Imagine a startup initially targeting small businesses only to discover, through customer interviews, that their product is a better fit for enterprise-level clients.

With a PCP mindset, they’ll have no problem adapting their strategy.

Ditch ‘ICP’. Embrace ‘PCP’.

2. Realism

PCP recognises that the “perfect” customer is often a myth.

Your understanding of who your customer is will evolve over time.

Look at any successful startup. Their initial target market is rarely the same as their customer base a few years down the line.

PCP acknowledges this reality and encourages a more iterative approach.

3. Adaptability

PCP encourages a more agile approach to product development and marketing.

Instead of clinging to a rigid “ideal” customer profile, a startup with a PCP mindset can quickly pivot their messaging or product features based on what they learn from the market.

This agility is vital for a startup to have a chance of making it.

There’s nothing fixed about a startup journey.

The startup world is the embodiment of unpredictability.

The concept of Ideal Customer Profile is outdated.

Ditch ICP.

Embrace the provisional nature of assumptions about who your customers are.

Embrace PCP, a Provisional Customer Profile.

Who is your PCP?