ICP Validation
Checking incoming leads against the ICP that actually buys.
Workflow
Step 1ICP Definition
ObjectiveKnow the buyer who closes.
InputClosed-won data
OutputICP definition
Key activities
Define the ICP from outcomes, not intuition
Decision points
Who actually buys?
Tools: AnalysisRoles: Founder · sales
Success: ICP defined
Quality gate: Go: evidence-based. Loop back: guess.
Why it matters
- ICP drift is silent — the accounts you win today can drift from the ones your product was built for. Validation catches it at the lead level.
Best practices
- Define the ICP from closed-won, not intuition.
- Make fit criteria explicit and observable.
- Feed rejected leads back to refine the ICP.
Common mistakes
- ICP based on who you want, not who buys.
- 13338
- Ignoring the drift signal in the rejects.
Key questions
- Is this lead the buyer who closes?
- Does the reject stream tell us the ICP moved?
Agents that drive this
ICP ClarifierQualifier
Tools we use · alternates in [ ]
Clay[ Bitscale, Enrow, Insycle ]HubSpot[ Salesforce, Pipedrive, Attio ]Supabase[ Postgres, Firebase ]