If you’re running B2B campaigns and using Aisdr to manage your contacts, you already know: blasting out the same message to everyone is a waste of time (and money). But segmenting your audience can be a pain, and it’s easy to get lost in features, filters, or overthinking the “ideal” setup. This guide is for marketers, sales teams, and anyone who wants real, actionable ways to segment B2B contacts in Aisdr so you can actually send better messages—not just make prettier lists.
Why segmentation matters (but don’t overthink it)
Here’s the deal: Segmentation helps you send the right message to the right person. That’s it. You don’t need to get fancy or build 50 micro-audiences. The goal is to make your messaging relevant enough that people actually care, but not so granular that you’re managing a spreadsheet nightmare.
What does matter is starting with segments that reflect real differences in your audience—think industry, company size, or buying stage. Skip the “10,000 ways to slice” approach unless you have a massive team and unlimited time (spoiler: you don’t).
Step 1: Get your data in order
Before you can segment, you need decent data. If your contact records in Aisdr are a mess, any segmentation will be too. Here’s what to check:
- Consistency: Are industry fields filled out the same way? (e.g., “Software” vs. “SaaS” vs. “software”)
- Completeness: Do you actually have the data you want to segment by? If not, can you get it, or do you need to adjust your plan?
- Duplicates: Merge or delete them. Nothing kills a campaign like sending two versions to the same person.
Pro tip: If your data imports from other tools (CRM, LinkedIn, spreadsheets), standardize fields before importing. Otherwise, you’ll spend hours cleaning later.
What to ignore:
- Segmenting on “nice to have” fields you barely populate. If 80% of your records are missing “Revenue,” skip it as a segment.
- Overly creative custom fields (“Favorite lunch order”)—they don’t drive results.
Step 2: Choose the segments that actually matter
Not every filter in Aisdr is worth using. Stick to segmentation that lines up with how people buy from you or how you actually plan to personalize messaging. Here are the ones that work in real B2B campaigns:
The “Core Four” B2B Segments
- Industry
- Probably the most useful. Messaging for a SaaS company is different from manufacturing.
- Company size
- “Enterprise” vs. “5-person startup” need very different approaches.
- Job title or function
- Decision-maker? Influencer? IT vs. marketing? Tailor your pitch.
- Buying stage
- Are they new leads, in a nurture sequence, or ready for a sales call?
Optional (if your data is good enough)
- Location: Useful for events or compliance, but not always a big driver in B2B.
- Tech stack: If you sell something that plugs into other tools.
What doesn’t matter (usually): - Hyper-granular filters (“Accounts with 1,047-1,049 employees in Nebraska”)—unless you have a very good reason. - Vague psychographics (“Innovative mindset”)—hard to action and usually just guesswork.
Step 3: Set up segments in Aisdr
Aisdr’s segmentation tools are pretty straightforward, but it’s easy to go overboard. Here’s the simple way:
- Create segments using filters
- Go to your Contacts view.
- Use the filter bar to select your segment criteria (e.g., “Industry is Healthcare” AND “Company Size is 100-500”).
- Save segments
- Aisdr lets you save these as dynamic lists, so they update as new contacts come in.
- Name segments clearly
- “NYC SaaS >500 employees” is better than “List 7.” You’ll thank yourself later.
- Test with small batches
- Pull a segment, send a test message, and see if the right people get it.
Pro tip: Start with fewer segments. It’s better to nail messaging for four audiences than send bland, half-baked emails to twenty.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too many segments: You’ll end up with tiny lists and no time to personalize.
- Overlapping segments: Make sure your criteria are mutually exclusive if you want clear reporting.
- Forgetting to update: If your segments are static, you’ll miss new contacts. Use dynamic lists when possible.
Step 4: Map your messaging to each segment
Now you’ve got your segments—so what? The magic happens when you actually tailor what you say.
- Industry: Reference challenges or jargon that matter to that sector.
- Company size: Talk about scale (or simplicity) depending on who you’re talking to.
- Job role: Address pain points specific to decision-makers vs. users.
- Buying stage: Don’t send “book a demo” emails to people who barely know you.
What works: - Personalization at the segment level—no need for creepy 1:1 stuff. - Swapping out a paragraph or two, not rewriting the whole email.
What to skip: - Over-personalizing based on weak data (“Hey, saw you like tennis on LinkedIn…”). It’s awkward and rarely lands in B2B.
Step 5: Track, tweak, repeat
Even the best segments aren’t set-and-forget. Here’s how to keep them useful:
- Review open, click, and response rates by segment in Aisdr. If one segment is flopping, re-check your assumptions.
- Prune dead segments. If nobody’s biting, merge or drop the segment.
- Update segment criteria. As your business or audience changes, so should your segments.
Pro tip: If you’re getting bogged down, simplify. Go back to bigger buckets and only add complexity if you see a clear benefit.
A few honest takes
- Don’t chase “perfect” segmentation. You’ll never have perfect data or segments. Good enough beats never sending at all.
- More segments ≠ more results. B2B buyers want relevance, not hyper-targeted tricks.
- Test, don’t guess. If you’re not sure a segment will work, try a small campaign before rolling out wide.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, keep it moving
Segmenting B2B contacts in Aisdr isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to get stuck fiddling with filters when you should be talking to customers. Start with the basics, focus on segments that match real differences in your audience, and keep your lists—and your messaging—simple. Iterate as you go. You’ll get better results (and spend less time fighting your software).