Your ICP Is Too Broad: Use This Messaging Drill to Cut the Fat

May 9

You launched your product for "startups." Or maybe it was for "B2B marketers," or "sales teams."

But now your growth is stalling.

Your messaging is getting ignored. Your cold emails go unanswered. Website visitors bounce. Your conversion rates flatline. You’re attracting some of the right people… but mostly a lot of the wrong ones.

The truth? Your ICP — your ideal customer profile — is too broad. And when your ICP is too broad, your message has to be too vague.

Here’s the uncomfortable reality: if your messaging tries to speak to everyone, it resonates with no one. The good news? You don’t need a better product. You need sharper focus. And there’s a simple messaging drill that can help you cut the fat.

Let’s walk through it.

Why Broad ICPs Kill Your Message (and Your Growth)

When founders define their ICP too broadly, it usually comes from a good place — ambition. You want to serve more people. You don’t want to turn anyone away. You want to keep your options open.

But here’s the problem: vague ICPs force you to write vague copy. And vague copy is invisible.

Compare these two homepages:

Homepage A: “The all-in-one platform for teams to collaborate and grow.”
Homepage B: “Close deals faster without chasing updates. Built for 3–10 person sales teams sick of CRM admin.”

Guess which one gets more demos?

Specificity is magnetic. It creates recognition. It makes your reader say, “That’s me.”

The Messaging Drill: Trim Your ICP Until It Hurts (Then Go One Step Further)

If you want your messaging to land, your ICP has to be uncomfortably narrow. Not forever — but especially early on.

Here’s the drill:

1. Pull up your last 10–20 customers

Look at who’s actually getting value from your product. Who’s sticking around? Who upgraded? Who’s referring others?

Pattern match:

What’s their job title?
Company size?
Industry?
Team structure?
What problem did they solve with you?

Highlight the most common threads. You’re looking for similarities that go beyond demographics — you’re looking for shared pain.

2. Write a “Who It’s For” Statement — Then Rewrite It Tighter

Start with something like:

"We help B2B sales teams manage pipeline more effectively."

Now make it tighter:

"We help 3–10 person sales teams who are tired of updating spreadsheets and want cleaner forecasts."

Still too broad? Try:

"We help early-stage SaaS founders and their first sales hire stop drowning in messy CRMs."

The tighter it gets, the more your messaging will resonate.

3. Rewrite Your Homepage Headline Using the New ICP

Now take your narrow ICP and test how it changes your headline.

Original (broad):

“Manage your deals and grow your business.”

Rewritten (narrow):

“Forecast revenue in minutes — not hours. Built for founders managing sales in Google Sheets.”

That second version speaks directly to a real, painful situation. It’s not generic. It’s not polished. It’s real. And it connects.

But What About Everyone Else?

Here’s the fear: “If we go too narrow, won’t we turn away customers who don’t fit that mold?”

Yes. And that’s the point.

Because right now, those edge cases aren’t converting well anyway. They need hand-holding. They churn. They give you false signals about what your product should do.

You don’t need more leads. You need better-fit ones. Leads who:

Convert faster
Activate sooner
Stick around longer
Tell their friends

And that starts by writing for one person, not everyone.

The Compound Effect of Narrowing Your ICP

When you narrow your ICP, your entire go-to-market strategy improves:

Better copy. Your homepage, landing pages, and ads suddenly sound like you’re reading your audience’s mind.
Stronger outbound. Cold emails get replies because you’re speaking to specific pain.
Simpler positioning. You know exactly how to describe what you do — and why it matters.
Faster product feedback. You’re learning from the right users, not random edge cases.

Most importantly, your early momentum becomes sustainable growth. Because now you’re not chasing everyone. You’re converting the right ones — and doing it consistently.

Final Thought: Narrow Now to Widen Later

You can broaden your ICP later. You can move upmarket, add segments, explore new use cases. But not yet.

Right now, you need clarity. You need a message that cuts through noise. You need focus.

That starts with trimming the fat. Defining your ICP so tightly it feels a little scary — and then building your message around that.

Action step: Open a blank doc and write: “Our product is perfect for…” Then finish that sentence in the most specific way possible. Use your own customer data. Don’t let yourself be vague. That sentence is your new compass.

Because when you speak to one person clearly, you’ll attract many more — and they’ll actually convert.

Still Speaking to Everyone (and Converting No One)?

If your SaaS messaging feels vague or your funnel’s filled with the wrong-fit leads, the problem isn’t your product — it’s your positioning.

We help early-stage founders sharpen their ICP and craft customer-first messaging that attracts better-fit buyers who convert faster.

Let’s tighten your focus so growth gets easier.

👉 Book your free, no-obligation strategy session here.

Or email me directly at admin@jeffriesdigitalmarketing.com

David Jeffries