Did you know that the average person receives about 100 work emails every day? That’s a lot of competition for attention in someone’s inbox. But when businesses send more targeted emails to specific groups of customers (email segmentation), they can make up to 7 times more money from their email campaigns. Let’s learn how to make your emails stand out and get better results.
What is Email Segmentation?
Email segmentation is the practice of dividing your email subscribers into specific groups based on their characteristics, behaviors, or preferences. Instead of sending identical messages to your entire email list, email list segmentation allows you to deliver more targeted and relevant content to different groups of customers. With this approach, each subscriber receives messages that match their specific interests and needs.
Why Should You Care About Email Segmentation?
Let’s look at why segmenting email list is worth your time:
- Better open rates: When people receive emails that match their interests, they’re more likely to open them. It’s like getting a package that says “specially picked for you” – you’d probably want to see what’s inside.
- More people click through: Imagine receiving an email about winter coats when you live in Hawaii – if you get an email about beach gear, you’re more likely to click and check it out. That’s what good segmentation does – it matches content with interest.
- Higher sales: When you send the right message to the right people, they’re more likely to buy. For example, if you know someone recently bought running shoes, sending them an email about running socks or workout clothes makes more sense than advertising luxury bags.
- Happier customers: When customers receive emails that actually matter to them, they feel understood and valued. This builds trust and keeps them coming back.
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Simple Ways of Segmenting Email Lists
By Basic Information (Demographics)
For example a clothing store sends different email catalogs to different age groups. Teenagers receive emails about the latest fashion trends, while parents get emails about both adult clothing and kids’ wear.
By Location (Geography)
For instance, a restaurant chain sends lunch special announcements at 10 AM in each time zone, not all at once, ensuring the message arrives at the right time for everyone.
By Customer Behavior
Let’s say an online bookstore notices a customer usually buys mystery novels. They send them recommendations for similar books and notify them when their favorite authors release new books.
By Interests and Lifestyle
For example, sports equipment stores segment customers into groups like “runners,” “cyclists,” and “gym-goers” based on their past purchases and browsing behavior.
How to Start Segmenting Your Emails: A Step-by-Step Guide
Implementing email segmentation might seem complex, but breaking it down into manageable steps makes the process straightforward and achievable.
Step 1: Clean Up Your Email List
- Remove email addresses that bounce back.
- Delete duplicate entries.
- Update outdated information.
- Remove inactive subscribers (those who haven’t opened your emails in more than 6 months).
Step 2: Gather the Right Information
- Add relevant fields to your sign-up forms.
- Create surveys for existing customers.
- Track website behavior.
- Monitor purchase history.
- Pay attention to email engagement.
Step 3: Create Your Segments
Start with 2-3 basic segments and grow from there. Here’s an example:
- New subscribers
- Regular customers (bought in the last 3 months)
- VIP customers (spent over a certain amount)
Step 4: Plan Different Content for Each Group
For example:
- New subscribers: Welcome series, basic product information.
- Regular customers: Product updates, mid-tier offers.
- VIP customers: Exclusive deals, early access to sales.
Step 5: Test and Improve
- Try different subject lines.
- Test different sending times.
- Compare different types of content.
- Track which emails work best for each group.
Smart Tips for Better Results
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Making too many segments: Having 50 different customer groups isn’t helpful if you can’t create unique content for each one.
- Ignoring mobile users: Over 60% of emails are opened on phones. Make sure your emails look good on mobile devices.
- Not testing enough: Don’t assume what works for one segment will work for another. Always test your emails.
- Forgetting to update segments: Customer behavior changes over time. Regular updates keep your segments relevant.
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Remember that the goal isn’t just to send more emails but to send better, more relevant emails that your customers actually want to receive. Taking time to segment your audience and analyze your results will lead to stronger customer relationships and better business outcomes.