If you’re running account-based marketing (ABM) campaigns and drowning in lists, filters, and tags, you’re not alone. ABM only works if you’re targeting the right accounts, but most teams waste time fiddling with messy data or chasing the wrong leads. This guide is for hands-on marketers, SDRs, and anyone using Harmonic to zero in on the accounts that actually matter.
Let’s cut through the noise and get to what works, what doesn’t, and how you can filter and segment accounts in Harmonic without losing your mind (or your quarter).
Why Filtering and Segmenting Actually Matters
Here’s the thing: ABM isn’t magic. It’s about focus. If you don’t filter out the noise, you’ll burn budget and time on accounts that’ll never buy. And if your segments are too broad—or too weirdly niche—you’ll end up with campaigns that either flop or go nowhere.
Filtering helps you find the “who.” Segmenting helps you decide the “how.” If you get these two right in Harmonic, everything else (intent data, outreach, messaging) gets easier.
Step 1: Get Your Data House in Order
Before you even open Harmonic, clean your CRM or spreadsheet. Garbage in, garbage out. Here’s what actually matters:
- Firmographic data: Industry, company size, HQ location—basic stuff, but easy to mess up.
- Technographic data: What tools or platforms do they use? Don’t overthink it. Just get a shortlist of what matters to your product.
- Engagement signals: Website visits, event attendance, email opens—if you track it, make sure it’s not full of noise.
Pro tip: Don’t waste time on vanity fields (“number of Twitter followers”). Stick to what you can act on.
Step 2: Build Useful Filters in Harmonic
Harmonic gives you a buffet of filters. Most people pile on too many, then wonder why their segment is empty. Here’s how to build filters that actually help:
a. Start with the 2-3 Variables That Matter Most
Don’t get lost in the weeds. Most ABM campaigns start with these:
- Industry: Use real industry codes, not just text search. “Tech” means nothing—pick “Cloud Infrastructure” if that’s your wheelhouse.
- Company size: Headcount is usually more reliable than revenue (which everyone lies about).
- Funding stage: If you sell to startups, filter for “Series B and above” or whatever makes sense for you.
Set ranges you can actually service. If your product costs six figures a year, skip the 10-person shops.
b. Layer, Don’t Stack
Start with broad filters, then layer on more as you go. Example:
- Filter for US-based SaaS companies with 100–500 employees.
- Layer in “uses Salesforce” if that’s important.
- Final pass: Engagement with your site in the last 90 days.
This way, you see how each filter shrinks your list. If you stack everything at once, you’ll end up with a list of two companies—one of which is your cousin’s garage startup.
c. Avoid “Hype Filters”
Don’t get distracted by shiny features like “AI-powered intent.” If you can’t explain what a filter does to your boss in 10 seconds, ignore it until you’ve mastered the basics.
Step 3: Segment Intentionally (Not Just Because You Can)
A segment should answer: “Why would I message this group differently?” If you can’t answer that, you’re just making extra work.
a. Segmentation That Works
- By buying stage: Early research vs. ready-to-buy. If you can tell, great. If not, don’t fake it.
- By use case: If your product solves different problems for different industries, segment by that—not just by NAICS code.
- By trigger events: Recent funding, new leadership, job postings for skills related to your solution.
b. Segmentation That’s Usually a Waste
- Overly granular geography: Unless you’re running local events, “companies in Omaha” probably isn’t a real segment.
- Random firmographics: “All companies founded in 2018” is trivia, not a segment.
- Interest signals you can’t verify: Don’t build a “high intent” segment based on one webinar sign-up.
c. Keep Segments Actionable
If you can’t write a unique email for a segment, it’s too broad or too narrow. Three to five segments is usually plenty to start. More than that, and you’re just complicating things.
Step 4: Test and Refine (Don’t Set and Forget)
Even the best filters and segments go stale. Here’s how to keep things fresh:
- Revisit filters every month. Did your “ideal” account change? Did you get weird results?
- Spot check the list. If you see companies that clearly don’t fit, tweak your filters. Trust your gut.
- Ask sales for feedback. If they tell you your “hot” segment is ice-cold, believe them.
- Don’t chase every new Harmonic feature. Fancy new filters come and go. Stick with what works until the data proves otherwise.
Pro tip: Document your current filters/segments in a shared doc. That way, when things change, you’re not starting from scratch.
Step 5: Sync With Outreach—Don’t Let Good Segments Die in a Spreadsheet
Segmenting is worthless if the list just sits there. Make sure you:
- Sync segments to your CRM or outreach tool. Harmonic usually integrates with major platforms—set up that integration early.
- Train the team on what each segment means. If sales doesn’t know why “Segment 2” matters, it won’t get used.
- Monitor performance by segment. Which ones are responding? Which are duds? You can’t fix what you don’t track.
What to Ignore (Or At Least Be Skeptical Of)
- Over-engineered scoring models: If it takes more than five minutes to explain, it’s probably not helping.
- Intent data without context: “They visited your website” could mean anything. Look for patterns, not one-offs.
- The “perfect segment” myth: Don’t chase it. Good enough is better than perfect and never shipped.
Wrap-Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Filtering and segmenting in Harmonic isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overcomplicate. Start small, focus on the signals that matter, and don’t let perfect become the enemy of done. The best ABM teams keep their filters and segments simple, review them regularly, and aren’t afraid to throw out what isn’t working.
Remember: a segment that gets used—even if it’s rough around the edges—beats a “perfect” segment that just sits in your dashboard. Iterate, learn, repeat. That’s how you actually move the needle.