The Challenge of ICP’s and Complex B2B buying Committees

In 2025, B2B tech companies are facing a paradox: more leads, yet fewer that convert into real revenue. 

The common diagnosis we are seeing: A poor Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). 

Many are talking about needing an ICP, and many businesses we speak to have some level of ICP. But is a poor ICP really the whole story? 

Let’s break down why tech companies are struggling with lead quality, how they measure it, and importantly; what they can do to refine their ICP to engage the right customers at the right time.

Why Most B2B Companies Struggle to Pin Down a Strong ICP

Many B2B tech companies fail at defining a realistic ICP because they either cast the net too wide or base their ICP on outdated assumptions. Here’s why this continues to happen:

• Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) – Many companies avoid narrowing their focus, thinking that targeting multiple industries increases revenue potential. Instead, this leads to diluted messaging and unqualified leads.
• Over-Reliance on Gut Feeling – Instead of analyzing the data, many companies define their ICP based on internal assumptions, ignoring market shifts and even ignoring data directly from their own customers.
• Market Complexity – Unlike B2C, where purchasing decisions are often made by individuals, B2B deals involve multiple stakeholders with varying priorities, making ICP definition more complicated. This seems to become more complex every year with the evolution of business not to mention increased pressures from governing bodies regulatory requirements.
• Lack of Iteration – Companies treat ICP as a “set and forget” document instead of a dynamic framework that evolves based on data and feedback.
• Sales & Marketing Misalignment – Sales teams prioritize short-term deal closures, while marketing focuses on top-of-funnel activity. Without collaboration, ICPs often fail to reflect real buyer behavior.

Is It Harder to Define ICP in B2B Than B2C?

Yes, and here’s why:

• Longer Sales Cycles – B2B decisions often take months, with multiple touchpoints required before a deal is closed.
• Multiple Decision-Makers – A typical B2B sale involves a buying committee, meaning your ICP must consider different job roles, priorities, and objections.
• Industry-Specific Needs – Unlike B2C, where needs are often universal, B2B solutions must be tailored to industry-specific pain points, making ICP refinement crucial.
• High Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC) – Mistargeting in B2B is costly. Pursuing the wrong ICP leads to wasted resources and longer sales cycles without results.

Why Do B2B Companies Target Too Many Industries?

• Pressure to Scale Fast – Many startups and growing B2B companies believe that targeting more industries will accelerate growth, but in reality, it often leads to unqualified leads and a stretched sales team.
• Lack of Market Data – Some companies don’t invest in deep market research, leading them to assume all industries could benefit from their solution.
• Sales-Led Growth Strategies – In organizations where sales teams drive ICP decisions, there’s often pressure to chase any lead, even if they’re outside the ideal audience.
• Investor Pressure – Companies looking to impress investors often overestimate their total addressable market (TAM) and try to serve too many industries.

How to Use Marketing and Sales Outreach to Engage Multiple Decision-Makers

In B2B sales, you’re not selling to one person, you’re selling to an entire buying committee. Here’s how to engage different stakeholders effectively:

1. Segment Your Outreach – Customize messaging for different decision-makers, such as CTOs (technical focus), CFOs (ROI focus), and end-users (usability focus).
2. Use Multi-Channel Engagement – Combine email, LinkedIn, events, podcasts, and account-based advertising to reach different roles effectively.
3. Leverage Personalization – Use intent data and engagement history to tailor content that resonates with each stakeholder’s specific concerns.
4. Create Role-Specific Content – Develop whitepapers, case studies, and ROI calculators that address each decision-maker’s priorities.
5. Align Sales & Marketing Messaging – Ensure marketing campaigns prepare decision-makers for sales conversations, creating a smooth transition through the funnel.
6. Implement Account-Based Marketing (ABM) – Focus efforts on high-value accounts, creating customized outreach that speaks to multiple decision-makers within the same organization.

Quality leads from quality customers

Lead quality isn’t just about defining a good ICP, it’s about continuously refining it, aligning teams, and optimizing lead generation strategies based on real insights. Interviewing your current customers, partners, industry leaders will give you deeper insights into the reasons and processes that lead those businesses to make decisions.

Companies that take a proactive approach to ICP refinement will not only generate better leads but will also improve conversion rates, shorten sales cycles, and increase revenue efficiency in an increasingly competitive market.