Overview
Personas define which individuals to reach at target companies using contact-level parameters. Personas must be linked to at least one ICP to function.
Prerequisites: Read Understanding ICPs and Personas to learn parameter modes fundamentals.
How Personas link to ICPs
Company qualifies for an ICP
Individuals at that company are evaluated against linked Personas
Individuals matching both ICP and Persona become qualified prospects
If a Persona isn't linked to an ICP, it won't be evaluated for that ICP's prospects.
How to create a new Persona
Navigate to ICPs & Personas → Personas tab
Click Add Persona
Enter Persona Title (e.g., "Sales Development Leaders")
Add unique Code (e.g., "SDR_LEADERS")—cannot be changed after creation
Add Include and/or Exclude parameters
Click Update draft
Pro tip: Use the duplicate button (between edit and delete icons) to copy an existing Persona and modify parameters.
Recommended Persona structure by GTM motion
For PLG (Product-Led Growth) companies
Create 2 Persona types:
Product Champions
End users who love and actively use your product
Advocate internally for wider adoption
Typically mid-level ICs or managers in relevant functions
Decision Makers
Executives who control budget and purchasing decisions
Director, VP, or CXO level
Approve and sign contracts for paid plans
For Hybrid or SLG/Enterprise companies
Create 4 Persona types:
Product Champions
End users who will use your product daily
Advocate for your solution internally
Typically mid-level professionals in relevant functions
Decision Makers
Primary budget holders and final approvers
VP or CXO level
Sign contracts and own the relationship
Buying Committee
Stakeholders who influence the purchase decision
May include other department heads, IT, operations
Need to be informed and supportive
Blockers
Individuals who can stop or delay deals
Typically Finance (budget concerns) and Security (compliance concerns)
Must be identified early and addressed proactively
Pro tip: Even if someone is a "Blocker," you still want to identify them. Knowing who might object lets you address concerns before they derail your deal.
Available Persona parameters
Headline
Keywords in LinkedIn headlines.
Format: Comma-separated keywords
Typical mode: Score
Example: "product manager, customer success, end user" (Product Champion)
Job Title
Specific job titles.
Format: Comma-separated titles (include abbreviations)
Typical mode: Filter
Example: "VP Sales, Chief Revenue Officer, CRO" (Decision Maker)
Seniority Level
Job level.
Values: Entry Level, Mid-Level, Senior, Manager, Director, VP, CXO, Owner, Partner
Typical mode: Filter
Example: "Director, VP, CXO" (Decision Maker), "Mid-Level, Senior, Manager" (Product Champion)
Function
Job function/department.
Values: Executive, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Business Development, Finance, Engineering, Product, HR, Customer Success, etc.
Typical mode: Filter
Example: "Finance" (Blocker), "Sales, Marketing" (Product Champion)
Total Years of Experience
Career length.
Format: Range slider (0-70 years)
Typical mode: Score
Example: 10-70 years (Decision Maker), 3-15 years (Product Champion)
Years of Experience in Current Role
Tenure in current position.
Format: Range slider (0-70 years)
Typical mode: Score
Example: 1-70 years (prioritize those established in role)
City
Professional location by city.
Format: City names
Typical mode: Score
Country
Professional location by country.
Format: Comma-separated countries
Typical mode: Score or Filter
Follower Count
LinkedIn audience size.
Format: Range
Typical mode: Score
Example: 500+ (Product Champion who can amplify your solution)
Connection Count
LinkedIn network size.
Format: Number range
Typical mode: Score
Is Creator
Actively publishes content.
Values: Yes/No
Typical mode: Filter for influencer campaigns, Score for prioritization
Example: "Yes" (Product Champion who creates content)
Is Influencer
Recognized influencer status.
Values: Yes/No
Typical mode: Filter
Is Premium
LinkedIn Premium member.
Values: Yes/No
Typical mode: Score
Creator Hashtags
Hashtags used by creators.
Format: Hashtag keywords (without #)
Typical mode: Score
About (Bio)
Keywords in LinkedIn About section.
Format: Comma-separated keywords
Typical mode: Score
Example: "scaling, growth strategy, revenue operations" (Decision Maker), "hands-on, implementation, power user" (Product Champion)
Experience Keywords
Keywords across work experience.
Format: Comma-separated action keywords
Typical mode: Score
Example: "built, scaled, launched, led" (Decision Maker), "implemented, optimized, managed" (Product Champion)
Experience Titles
Previous job titles in history.
Format: Job title keywords
Typical mode: Score
Example: Previous IC roles before becoming executive (Decision Maker with hands-on background)
Skills
LinkedIn skills.
Format: Comma-separated skills (use exact LinkedIn skill names)
Typical mode: Score
Example: "Financial Planning, Budget Management" (Blocker - Finance), "Information Security, Compliance" (Blocker - Security)
Schools
Educational institutions.
Format: School names
Typical mode: Score
Degrees
Educational achievements.
Format: Degree names or levels
Typical mode: Score
Languages
Languages spoken.
Format: Language names
Typical mode: Score
Configuring parameters
Adding Include parameters
Click Add Include
Select parameter
Enter criteria
Choose Mode (Filter or Score)
If Score mode, weight defaults to 10 (can be adjusted)
Save
Example Persona configurations
PLG Product Champion example
Job Title: "Product Manager, Customer Success Manager, Sales Operations" (Filter)
Seniority Level: "Mid-Level, Senior, Manager" (Filter)
Function: "Sales, Marketing, Operations, Customer Success" (Filter)
Headline: "operations, implementation, optimization, efficiency" (Score, weight 15)
Experience Keywords: "implemented, optimized, managed, built" (Score, weight 10)
PLG Decision Maker example
Job Title: "VP Sales, CRO, VP Marketing, CMO, VP Operations, COO" (Filter)
Seniority Level: "VP, CXO, Owner" (Filter)
Function: "Executive, Sales, Marketing, Operations" (Filter)
Headline: "revenue, growth, strategy, scaling" (Score, weight 20)
Total Years of Experience: 10-70 (Score, weight 15)
Enterprise Product Champion example
Job Title: "Sales Manager, Marketing Manager, Operations Manager" (Filter)
Seniority Level: "Manager, Director" (Filter)
Function: "Sales, Marketing, Operations" (Filter)
Headline: "team lead, hands-on, implementation" (Score, weight 15)
Experience Keywords: "led, managed, implemented" (Score, weight 10)
Enterprise Decision Maker example
Job Title: "VP, SVP, EVP, C-Suite" (Filter)
Seniority Level: "VP, CXO" (Filter)
Function: "Executive, Sales, Marketing, Operations" (Filter)
Headline: "revenue, growth, transformation, strategy" (Score, weight 25)
Total Years of Experience: 15-70 (Score, weight 20)
Enterprise Buying Committee example
Seniority Level: "Director, VP" (Filter)
Function: "Product, Engineering, IT, Operations" (Filter)
Headline: "product, technology, infrastructure, operations" (Score, weight 15)
Total Years of Experience: 8-70 (Score, weight 10)
Enterprise Blocker example (Finance)
Job Title: "CFO, VP Finance, Finance Director, Controller" (Filter)
Seniority Level: "Director, VP, CXO" (Filter)
Function: "Finance" (Filter)
Skills: "Financial Planning, Budget Management, FP&A" (Score, weight 15)
Enterprise Blocker example (Security)
Job Title: "CISO, Chief Security Officer, Security Director, VP Security" (Filter)
Seniority Level: "Director, VP, CXO" (Filter)
Function: "IT, Engineering" (Filter)
Skills: "Information Security, Cybersecurity, Compliance, Risk Management" (Score, weight 15)
Headline: "security, compliance, risk, governance" (Score, weight 15)
Adding Exclude parameters
Click Add Exclude
Select parameter
Enter criteria
Save
Example: Exclude Job Title "Intern, Associate" to filter out junior roles from Decision Maker personas.
Linking Personas to ICPs
Personas are automatically available for linking when you create or edit ICPs. Linked Personas are displayed in the ICP configuration and list view.
Strategy: Link all relevant Personas to each ICP. For PLG ICPs, link Product Champions and Decision Makers. For Enterprise ICPs, link all four Persona types.
Publishing and managing Personas
Publishing
Complete configuration
Click Publish Persona
Confirm
Note: Publishing an ICP automatically publishes all linked Personas.
Moving to Draft
Open Persona configuration
Click Move to draft
Confirm
Editing Live Personas
Changes apply immediately. System will prompt for confirmation.
Duplicating
Click the duplicate button (between edit and delete icons) to copy a Persona.
Deleting
Click delete icon → confirm. Cannot be undone.
FAQs
How many Personas should I create?
For PLG companies: Start with 2 (Product Champion, Decision Maker).
For Hybrid/Enterprise companies: Start with 4 (Product Champion, Decision Maker, Buying Committee, Blockers).
You can create multiple variations of each type (e.g., separate Product Champions for Sales vs. Marketing functions).
Do I need to link a Persona to an ICP?
Yes. Personas must be linked to at least one ICP to be evaluated.
Can I link one Persona to multiple ICPs?
Yes. A single Persona can be linked to multiple ICPs. This is common when the same role exists across different company segments.
What's the default score weight?
All Score mode parameters default to weight 10. Adjust based on importance.
Should I use Filter or Score for job titles?
Typically Filter for precise role targeting. Use Score if you want flexibility across similar roles with different priorities.
Why would I create a "Blocker" Persona?
Blockers can derail deals. Identifying them early (Finance for budget concerns, Security for compliance) lets you address objections proactively before they stop the purchase.
How is "Influencer" different from "Creator"?
Creator = actively publishes content. Influencer = recognized influence and larger following. Influencers are typically a subset of Creators with significant reach.
Should Product Champions be senior or junior?
Depends on your GTM motion. For PLG, Product Champions are often mid-level practitioners (Manager, Senior IC). For Enterprise, they might be Directors who manage teams using your product.
Can the same person be multiple Persona types?
In the system, a person is assigned to one Persona. However, in reality, a VP of Sales could be both a Decision Maker and a Product Champion. Configure your Personas so the most important role (Decision Maker) captures them first through ICP priority and Persona linking strategy.