Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Plan Writer · Marketing Glossary
How Do You Create an Ideal Customer Profile?
Some customers pay on time, stay for years, and send their friends. Others cost more than they bring. An ideal customer profile describes the first group so you can find more of them. This guide shows how to build one from your own records and use it in marketing and sales, from Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA, business plan writer.
Questions? Call or text (321) 948-9588. Dr. Paul answers personally.
Last Updated: 11/07/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
The Short Answer
What Is an Ideal Customer Profile?
How to create one: list your top customers by profit and ease, write down what they have in common, and turn it into a one-page profile covering who they are, what they need, how they buy, why they pick you, where to find them, and the red flags. Startups build a first draft from interviews and test it.
Who Is Your Best Customer, Exactly?
In Plain English
A One-Page Picture of Your Best Customer
An ideal customer profile is a one-page description of your best customer: who they are, what they need, and where to find more of them.
Selling to everyone usually means selling to no one in particular. A clear profile tells you where to spend your marketing money, and where to stop.
Watch: Target Customers
Watch Dr. Paul on Target Markets
Primary and Secondary Target Markets
How to describe your main customer and your second-best customer in a business plan. (1:56)
The Sweet Spot: Your Target Market
A quick look at finding the customers who fit you best. (1:39)
A Real-World Example
The Cleaning Company That Found Its Best Accounts
A commercial cleaning company in Jupiter, Florida serves offices, gyms, restaurants, and homes. Its best accounts, the ones that are steady, pay on time, and are easy to schedule, turn out to be medical and dental offices with 5 to 20 staff.
It builds its profile around them and stops chasing one-time home jobs. Outreach gets easier because the company knows exactly who to call. A cleaning company business plan with a profile like that has a much sharper market section.
From Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest
Dumpster Dani and the Bakers Who Call Back
Doctor Owl was riding shotgun in Dani’s box truck as she swerved from a furniture delivery to a garden-mulch haul to a birthday cake.
“Load it up, it’s as good as there!” Dani shouted, taking a corner on two wheels.
When they finally stopped, Doctor Owl asked three questions. “Which customers pay you the most? Which cause the least trouble? And which ones call you back?”
Dani thought for a long time. It was the bakers. The ones who needed flour moved every single week.
Doctor Owl wrote Bakers who need weekly hauling at the top of a scroll.
Dani frowned at it. Then she nodded. The next week, Dani on the Run visited every bakery in the forest.
Want more lessons like this? This story comes from Book 4 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series.
Dr. Paul’s Insight
Dr. Paul has clients build the profile from their best existing customers before writing a marketing plan.
Put It to Work
A One-Page Ideal Customer Profile
Two ways to build it:
| Route | How |
|---|---|
| A: Existing business | List your top 10 customers by profit and ease, then write down what they have in common. |
| B: Startup | Interview 10 to 15 likely buyers and add industry research. Write a first draft, label it a hypothesis, test it with your first customers, and revise after 90 days. |
Watch Out
Pitfalls When Building a Customer Profile
A startup’s first profile is a guess. Test it before you bet the budget on it.
If everyone fits, the profile is not doing its job.
Your busiest customers are not always your best ones.
Your best customer can change as the business grows.
Why It Matters
Benefits of an Ideal Customer Profile
- Marketing money aimed at the right people
- Higher close rates
- Better-fit customers
- A sharper market section in the plan
In Your Business Plan
How Ideal Customer Profile Shows Up in a Business Plan
Lenders want to know exactly who will buy. A specific target customer, backed by current accounts, is far stronger than “anyone who needs cleaning.”
Sample plan excerpt: Marketing Plan, Target Customer
“The company’s ideal customer is a medical or dental office with 5 to 20 staff within 15 miles, needing cleaning three to five nights a week. These accounts make up most of current recurring revenue and are the focus of Year 1 outreach.”
FAQ
Questions Owners Ask About Ideal Customer Profiles
What is the difference between an ideal customer profile and a target market?
How detailed should an ideal customer profile be?
Can a business have more than one ideal customer profile?
More From the Series
Keep Building Your Business
Every book in Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series teaches one subject through short stories, real terms, and one-page worksheets.
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Dr. Paul is a business consultant and author with 14+ years of experience and 1,000+ written business plans. He works with owner-run small businesses on plans, financial projections, and the systems that let a business run without the owner doing everything. This page is part of the glossary for Marketing for Small Businesses, Book 4 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal, marketing compliance, or other professional advice. For decisions about your own business, consult a qualified professional.