Segmentation

Email list segmentation is what you should be doing with all of your addresses; to send calculated hooks to your most likely buyers, and boost engagement with those who’ve slipped by the wayside.

By dividing up your email lists, however, you choose your categories, you can deliver more relevant information and messages to your recipients. Let’s face it, not everyone on your list (or lists) joined at the same time, for the same reason, or with the same needs.

Segmenting your lists gives you a chance to give subscribers more of what they want, and less of what they don’t.

Typical segmentation methods

There are many ways to divide up your databases. How you do it can depend on your business, product, or service, or some other significant data.

If you knew every one of your subscribers personally, you could send them exactly what they wanted, but sadly, you don’t, so you have to make some educated choices.

Many marketers segment their lists like this:

• Geographically – If your service relates to a specific area or region, or you provide events around the country or globe, then where your subscribers are is all-important.
• B2B specialization – When working with other businesses, you will have products or services that are more appropriate to some than others. Split those lists up to satisfy their needs.
• Content-specific segments – Where you can track a customer to what they’ve bought, looked at, or shown interest in, send them information that relates to what you already know appeals to them.
• Behaviour-specific segments – Can you learn about your customer about how long they spend reading your emails, which pages or products they click on, do they always read your content? Do they never read your content? All of these factors can help you re-engage disinterested subscribers, or milk the most eager!

More creative segmentation methods

• Send a survey out – If you really want to know what interests your subscribers—ask them! People love a quiz or a survey, especially if there’s something in it for them. Give them a voucher or a discount code for their efforts.
• How much do they spend? – Track down your most loyal and regular customers and make sure they don’t miss new lines and offers. If the big spenders have stopped spending, send them discounts to lure them back in.
• Buying behaviour – Can you track the products on an e-commerce site that your subscribers are viewing? Is there a campaign you can use to draw them into a purchase? What are they looking at? What do they want?
• Buying frequency – For customers who buy from you regularly, perhaps emailing them about your loyalty program will ensure they don’t ever stop. It could be just the thing to prevent them from jumping ship.

There are many different ways of segmenting your email lists. All you have to do is figure out which are the best ways to boost your engagement and conversions.