One of the most significant mistakes B2B companies make when defining their target market and executing outreach is not segmenting their target market into Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs). At Appt., I've learned that relevance and timing are the keys to effective B2B sales outreach. In this article, I'll share some insights and tips on how to build lists and send relevant messaging at scale.

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Target Market vs. Ideal Customer Profiles

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A common misconception in the B2B world is that target market and ICP are the same thing. However, your target market (TM) is the total group of companies you can work with, defined by attributes and triggers. Your ICPs are specific segments within that target market, also defined by attributes and triggers. Your TM can have multiple ICPs, and understanding how they all fit together is crucial for successful outreach.

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Failing to segment your TM into ICPs will result in bland messaging that fails to resonate with anyone, leading to poor response rates and a tarnished brand reputation. To optimize your outreach, you must first understand how your TM breaks down into ICPs, identify the different use cases for your offering, and spot triggers that may indicate a company is in the buying window. This approach will allow you to send timely and relevant messages that stand out from the competition and set more meetings.

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Let's break down an example to illustrate the importance of segmentation and relevance.

 

Imagine you own a marketing company that sells promotional products. Your target market could include companies in healthcare, insurance, and higher education, ranging from 2.5k to 10k employees, all within the US. Within this target market, you might have multiple ICPs, such as:

 

Healthcare companies with 5k-10k employees

Insurance companies with 2.5k-5k employees

Higher education institutions with 5k employees

Each ICP may have multiple use cases for your offering. For example, healthcare companies might need new patient welcome kits, or they might celebrate nurses week with custom promotional items. Each use case can have its own triggers, such as budgeting cycles, personnel changes, or industry events. Identifying and understanding these triggers will help you optimize your outreach timing.

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Next, consider the different personas within each ICP. These groups of job titles and responsibilities should be addressed in a way that resonates with their specific role in the company. By tailoring your messaging to these personas, you can significantly increase the relevance and effectiveness of your outreach.

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The Power of Relevance at Scale

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When you can effectively segment your target audience and deliver highly relevant messaging, you'll see a significant increase in engagement and appointment setting.

 

Consider the impact of reaching out to new patient coordinators at hospitals at the end of Q3 to discuss their budgeting for next year's patient welcome kits. This targeted, timely message will be much more effective than a generic message about your promotional products sent at a random time of year.

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At Appt., we take a deep dive into our clients' markets and offerings, working closely with them to segment their target market into ICPs. We then identify use cases and triggers for each ICP, allowing us to craft highly relevant messaging that speaks directly to the needs and concerns of each persona. By doing so, we ensure that our clients' outreach is timely, personalized, and effective.

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In a world where inboxes are inundated with generic sales pitches, the power of relevance at scale cannot be overstated. B2B companies can greatly benefit from taking the time to understand their audience, segment their target market into ICPs, and create tailored messaging for each use case, trigger, and persona. This approach not only leads to better response rates but also positions your brand as a credible and knowledgeable partner.