You will hear this term quite a bit when you get into email marketing, because it’s how you maximize your return here. Simply put, email segmenting is when you separate your master email list into smaller groups based on shared characteristics and behaviors.

Creating these smaller groups allows you to personalize content and send the right content to the right person, at the right time. But what does this look like and how do you get started?

Well, for starters… checkout the free crash course I made you that quickly reviews this.

Free crash course for email segmenting

If you haven’t seen the free email segmenting crash course, I highly recommend enjoying the free YouTube video. 

After you review the crash course, you’re ready to dive in and get more technical. So, let’s review what you can expect from this article.

Email segmentation guide:

• What is email segmenting?
• How to segment your email list?
• Why should you segment your email list?

What is email segmenting?

Now, you already know that email segmenting is creating small groups based on behaviors and shared characteristics. This is typically accomplished by tagging your customer accounts after an action occurs. By creating customer tags and assigning them to profiles, you aren’t simultaneously segmenting them into new list.

When you create these segments, you’re telling your email management system that when you choose to send something to a segment, you don’t want anyone else to receive that content.

You can create segments based on products bought, date subscribed, spend tier, abandoned carts, inactive accounts and more. Doing this consistently helps you track where your leads are in the buyers journey, which tells you what to send them and when.

If you haven’t watched the free crash course, now is the time to do so. 

How to segment your email list?

Segmenting your email list depends on the software you use. If you use Shopify, then you’re in luck because I made a video tutorial explaining how to accomplish this.

In summary, you need to go to customers and use the prompt box to populate different groups of customers. Try creating groups based on spend tier, first order date, loyalty and most bought products. Then press save segment and label the segment based on the shared characteristics.

You can double check your email segments two ways, clicking the drop down menu in the upper left corner above the prompt box. In this menu, you can see all of your customer segments.

Secondly, you can check your customer segments in your email portal under marketing. Open a new email and in the send to who section, open the drop down menu and scroll until you see your new segments at the bottom.

Congratulations! You just created your first email segments with ease. Now, this may be time consuming, but it can be very rewarding. So, don’t forget to be consistent and create workflows that segment your new subs automatically.

Learn how to do that here: Email Marketing 2: Step by Step guide To email marketing with Shopify

Why should you segment your email list?

While I could list hundreds of reasons to segment your email list, let’s review my top 3:

1. If you don’t segment your email list, you send everyone the same content. This leaves no room for personalization or meeting your readers needs. The point of email marketing is to nurture your audience, answer their questions and provide applicable solutions to their problems. You cannot successfully do this without a segment strategy.
2. Without segments, you end up sending irrelevant content to all of your email subs at some point. For example, segments make sure you don’t send emails about buying a product to customers who already bought that product. To avoid sending irrelevant content, you create segments that tell you what behaviors customers have taken. This helps you understand where they are in the buyers journey and how you can continue to provide value to them.
3. Email segments help you send multiple emails a week without coming off as spam or overbearing. Without segments, you feel self conscious about sending multiple emails a week, even though this is what’s recommended. If you have 15 segments and email them each 1-3 times a week, that’s 20-35 emails a month. When done properly, everyone will receive content relevant to them. Without segments, you’re wasting time and sending random content to the wrong people at the wrong time.

If you never segment your email list, you’ll never see the longterm benefit of email marketing. Segments help you get to know your leads and customers, so without them your marketing efforts fall on deaf ears.

Heres some more examples of segments to help you get started right now: Different email segments to create

 If this quick overview of email segments was helpful to you, let me know by commenting down below and sharing via social media + tagging me. I’d love to hear your questions and feedback.

After all, I do love making content that helps you win Business Bestie!