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Ideal Customer Profile & Unique Selling Proposition as the basis of marketing success

By   ·  2 minute read

An Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is the first thing to know for your sales reps and marketing team. Understanding the target audience and how to communicate with them saves time and money and generates more high-potential leads.

Many things need to be considered, but it is always different for every company. Here are the key factors to start with:

  • Industry: Why this specific industry? Who would advantage the most from your offer?

  • Employee count: how big the companies should be to reach your goals? 

  • Location: what market has the potential for your product or services?

  • Revenue: especially important for medium or high-priced products/ services.

  • Job title: what roles should your leads perform in the company? 

According to Gong.io, answering "who should you NOT target?" is also essential. Check it when talking to a client or simply by researching partners or related information on your lead's website. An example would be a customer that already uses a competitive product. 

By defining these key characteristics, you'll be able to work out your way to your client's heart or at least to a successful deal. And don't forget to refine the ICP with your teams regularly.

If you know your ICP, your audience, it will be easy to create a compelling, Unique Selling Proposition (USP). It's not even something you make; it already exists; you have to see and present it right. 

So what is USP?

A unique selling proposition is the sales tool to present your product uniquely. A good USP should answer the questions:

  • How is your product different?

  • What is unique about it?

  • How does your product stand out?

Every sales rep can answer these questions, but it is crucial to keep it short and exceptional.

A USP should be learned by heart by sales and marketing teams, so you are always ready to present your product in the best light. You can follow these steps that will help you:

1. Find a problem, solve it

A well-crafted USP promises your customers to solve a specific problem. Your clients probably have different issues, so that the USP can be created according to your customer types. 

2. Make it memorable

And no, we are not talking here about including something eccentric (although for some companies, it may work). Leave your customers with a hint that only you can deal with your clients' needs. 

3. Get feedback from your existing clients.

What do they like about your product? Why is your company one and only for them? You might think you know the answers, but be assured that some replies will leave you positively surprised. 

Cultivating the right ICP and USP will make the whole marketing process development the right direction, leaving you with "higher profit and faster sales cycles" © Gartner. 

Next time I will share the ICP and USP of Ender Turing Sales and Customer Care Performance Excellence platform, so you see how these tips work.

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