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Growth Models

Stop chasing everyone (Here’s why)

Published about 1 year ago • 2 min read

If you’re trying to sell to everyone, you’ll end up selling to no one.

This isn’t just a catchy phrase. It’s the harsh truth I’ve seen play out again and again.

Thanks to the ol' VC crowd who get so much airtime on social, too many business owners think they need to "go big" and capture as much of the market as possible right off the bat.

They look at the biggest brands — the HubSpots, the Nooms, and the Apples of the world — and think,

"If I just do what they’re doing, I’ll win."

Truthfully... You won’t.

These brands aren’t growing because of brilliant marketing anymore.

They’re growing because they already own the market.

They’ve got the name. They’ve got the recognition. They can afford to be broad and, if we're being honest, pretty crap with their messaging.

You can’t (at least not until you've owned your market).

If you’re trying to get your first (or next) 10, 20, or even 100 clients, you've gotta start smaller.

You need a beachhead market to go after.

The smaller and more specific your Ideal Customer Persona (ICP), the faster you’ll see results.

Here’s why:

  • More specific = clearer messaging. The right people see your offer and instantly know it's for them.
  • More specific = easier targeting. Ads, outreach, and content become 10x easier when you know exactly who you’re talking to.
  • More specific = better referrals. People in tight circles know each other. When you win with one, you win with many.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Why am I not converting?” This is probably it.

Most people build their ICP like this:

“People who want to grow their business.” (too broad)
“Busy entrepreneurs.” (still too broad)
“Solopreneurs making $10k/month.” (getting warmer, but still needs work)

What you really want is something like:

“Solopreneurs in the US making $10k/month with info-products. They’ve hit a plateau and have just launched their second product to break through, but they’re struggling to scale email sales.”

Those first examples are gonna keep you busy but not productive.

You'll be chasing your tail trying to find the 1 in 100 people who actually might be a good fit for your offer.

But that second one?

It gives you everything you need to refine your offer, identify the best channels for promotion, and craft a message that appeals to that specific audience.

Specific ICPs lead to specific messaging which leads to specific action — in our case, sales.

If this sounds like something you need to fix, I made a video walking you through the process.​

In it, I’ll show you:

  • The “Beachhead Approach” to ICPs — how to start small, win fast, and scale from there.
  • The 4 essential traits of a profitable ICP — and how to map them for your own offer.
  • How to avoid the trap of chasing total addressable markets (a mistake that costs people millions).

​👉 Watch the ICP Video Here​

Look, if you’ve been "active" but not "profitable" — this is probably why.
It’s not about working harder. It’s about getting specific.

​👉 Click here to watch the video now​

Stop chasing the crowd. Start capturing clients.

Talk soon,

Pete "storming the beachhead" Boyle

P.S.

Want a little more direct help from me? Here's a few ways I could help out.

​

Vagrants, Vagabonds, and Villains Ltd, Unit 16535, 13 Freeland Park, Wareham Road, Poole, Dorset BH16 6FA
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Growth Models

Analysing and experimenting with growth marketing

I've spent ~10 years helping digital brands grow. I share what I know and what I'm experimenting with in this newsletter.

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