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How to use SIC codes?

Written by Bourhan Sbalbal

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR: ✅ Self-Serve

Stage: Trial / Onboarding / Live

Owner: CS

Last updated: 2026-7-27

TL;DR

  • SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes are official numeric identifiers for specific business activities.

  • SIC Codes let you target with more precision than general Industry categories.

  • Best used when you already know the exact classification for your ICP.

  • Combine with Industry and Employee Range for tightly defined targeting.

When you'd use this / Why it matters

Industry categories are broad. SIC Codes are granular. If your offer is built for a very specific type of business — not just "Retail" but specifically "Used Car Dealers" — SIC Codes let you get there precisely.

Why the SIC Code Filter matters

SIC Codes determine:

  • Exact business activity classification

  • Precision beyond general industry labels

  • Ability to target sub-niches that Industry alone can't isolate

If your offer only works for a narrow slice of a broader industry, using Industry alone will bring in too many irrelevant companies. SIC Codes fix that.

Using SIC Codes keeps your lists:

  • Highly specific

  • Free of adjacent-but-irrelevant business types

  • Aligned to official classification standards

When you should use the SIC Code Filter

Use SIC Codes when:

  • You know the exact classification code(s) for your ICP

  • Your offer serves a narrow sub-category within a larger industry

  • Industry-level filtering is returning too broad a mix of companies

How the SIC Code Filter works

  1. Open the SIC Code filter panel

  2. Use the search bar to find codes by number

  3. Check the box next to each relevant code

  4. Selected codes appear in the right-hand panel

  5. Click Save

You can select multiple SIC Codes to cover related sub-classifications.

Example workflow

Step 1: Identify your target codes

Example: 8011 (Offices of Doctors of Medicine), 8049 (Health Practitioners)

Step 2: Search and select

Type the code or business type into the search bar and check the relevant boxes

Step 3: Combine with other filters

  • Add Company Location

  • Add Employee Range

  • Add Job Titles

Example use cases

Example 1: Medical billing software

  • SIC Codes: 8011, 8049

  • Outcome: Only physician offices and health practitioners, no hospitals or pharmacies

Example 2: Legal tech for small firms

  • SIC Codes: relevant legal services codes

  • Outcome: Excludes large enterprise law firms if paired with Employee Range

Example 3: Software for auto dealerships

  • SIC Codes: relevant vehicle dealer codes

  • Outcome: Targets dealerships specifically, not auto parts retailers or repair shops

Pro tips for best results

  • Use SIC Codes when Industry feels "too wide" for your niche

  • Search by keyword in the SIC search bar if you don't know the exact code

  • Combine multiple adjacent codes to avoid missing close variants of your ICP

  • Pair with Industry filter for a belt-and-suspenders approach to precision

Expected outcome

You should now be able to:

  • Find and apply the correct SIC Codes for your ICP

  • Use SIC Codes to narrow beyond general Industry targeting

  • Build highly specific, sub-niche lead lists

  • Avoid wasted credits on loosely related businesses

Final takeaway

Think of SIC Codes as your precision instrument.

  • Industry gets you in the right neighborhood

  • SIC Codes get you to the exact address

Use SIC Codes when your offer demands surgical accuracy.

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