If you work with customer data, you know the drill: leadership wants insights, sales wants leads, marketing wants to slice and dice everyone. But out of the box, most tools—including Kular—only get you so far. To actually get value, you need custom account segmentation that fits your business. This guide cuts through the fluff and walks you through what actually works, what to skip, and how to avoid overcomplicating things.
Why bother with custom account segmentation?
Let’s be real: most “default” segmentations are generic. They might sort by industry, company size, or region, but that’s about it. Useful if you’re blasting newsletters, not so much if you want to:
- Spot expansion opportunities
- Prioritize accounts for sales
- Flag churn risks before they happen
- Actually answer the questions your team’s asking
Custom segmentation lets you define what matters—whether it’s product usage, contract value, renewal date, or that weird metric your CEO swears by. But it’s easy to go overboard. The goal isn’t to slice your data 20 ways; it’s to make it useful.
Step 1: Figure out what questions you're actually trying to answer
Before you even open Kular, get clear on why you’re segmenting. Ask yourself (and your team):
- Who do we want to target or treat differently?
- What decisions will this segmentation drive?
- Are we trying to spot growth, churn, or something else?
Pro tip: If you can’t tie a segment to an action, skip it. More segments = more noise.
What to avoid: - Creating segments “just because” (e.g., every plan tier, every region, every possible status) - Segments no one uses after a week
Step 2: Audit your data—don’t assume it’s all there
Kular can only segment on data it has. Before you start building anything, double-check:
- Do you have the right fields? (e.g., MRR, industry, last login)
- Is the data accurate and up to date?
- Are key fields missing or inconsistent?
What works: - Running a quick export and spot-checking a handful of accounts - Mapping out which data lives in Kular vs. somewhere else
What doesn’t: - Assuming your CRM is “clean” (it’s not) - Building segments on fields with spotty data (garbage in, garbage out)
Pro tip: If you’re missing a key field, fix that first. Otherwise, your fancy segmentation will be meaningless.
Step 3: Define your segmentation logic—keep it simple
Here’s where folks get lost in the weeds, building “mega segments” with 12 filters. Don’t. Start with the 2-3 factors that matter most.
- Pick actionable criteria:
- Examples: Current plan, product usage, last activity date, support tickets opened, contract renewal month
- Set clear rules:
- “Active accounts with >$5k MRR and at least 3 logins in last 30 days”
- “Accounts with no activity in 90 days and contract ending this quarter”
- Don’t get too clever:
- Avoid stacking “OR” and “AND” logic until your head spins
- If you can’t explain a segment in one sentence, it’s probably too complex
Pro tip: Sketch your segment logic on paper first. If it’s a mess, it’ll be worse in Kular.
Step 4: Build your segments in Kular
Now, finally, open up Kular and start building. The UI is pretty straightforward, but here are a few things to watch for:
- Use filters, not formulas, where possible: Simpler is better. The more custom code or logic, the harder to maintain.
- Name segments clearly: “Q2 Renewal - High Touch” beats “Segment 17.”
- Test with real accounts: Pull up a few accounts you know should (and shouldn’t) be in each segment. Check if they show up as expected.
What works: - Building a “catch-all” segment to sanity-check - Iterating—don’t expect to nail it first try
What doesn’t: - Creating 20 micro-segments before rolling out to the team - Relying on one person to build all segments (get feedback)
Pro tip: Document the “why” behind each segment. Future-you will thank you.
Step 5: Pressure-test your segments
Don’t just assume what you built is right. Take a minute to:
- Spot-check the biggest accounts in each segment
- Ask sales/support/CS if the segments make sense
- Look for weird outliers (e.g., dormant accounts in “top customers”)
If you find mistakes, tweak the logic. This is normal. No one gets it perfect on round one.
Step 6: Roll out and actually use them
This is where most teams drop the ball—great segments, but no one actually uses them. Make sure:
- The right people know where to find the segments in Kular
- Each segment ties to a real workflow (e.g., renewal outreach, marketing campaign)
- You have a plan for updating segments as your business changes
What to ignore: - Overly fancy dashboards that no one checks - Segments that drive no action
What works: - Embedding segments into team meetings, reviews, or automated reports - Asking for feedback on what’s useful (and what’s not)
Step 7: Review and prune regularly
Segmentation isn’t set-and-forget. Every few months:
- Check which segments actually get used
- Delete or combine anything stale or redundant
- Update logic as your business changes
Pro tip: Fewer, better segments > dozens of forgotten ones.
A few honest takes
- Don’t try to segment everything. More filters = more maintenance = more headaches.
- Start with business questions, not features. Just because Kular can filter on something doesn’t mean you should.
- Iterate. Your first version won’t be perfect. That’s fine. Make it better as you go.
Wrap-up: Keep it simple, keep it useful
Custom account segmentation in Kular can be powerful—but only if you stay focused. Don’t chase every possible slice. Start with the questions that actually matter, build simple segments, and make sure people use them. The rest? Ignore it. Segmentation is never “done,” so keep it light and keep iterating. You’ll get more value with less hassle.