Best practices for segmenting B2B contacts in Koala for targeted outreach

If you work in B2B sales or marketing, you know the pain: a big, messy contact list. Cold emails that land with a thud. Outreach that feels like shouting into the void. If you’re using Koala and want to cut through the noise with targeted, relevant outreach, good segmentation is where you start. This guide lays out clear, no-fluff strategies for breaking your contacts into groups that actually make sense—and get results.

This isn’t a list of generic “best practices.” It’s a practical playbook for segmenting B2B contacts in Koala, written for people who want more deals and less busywork.

Why Segmentation Matters (and Where Most People Mess It Up)

Before you dive in, it’s worth getting clear about what segmentation actually does for you:

  • No more spray-and-pray: You send the right message to the right people, instead of spamming everyone.
  • Better response rates: People are more likely to reply if you’re speaking to their actual needs.
  • Cleaner data = less confusion: Well-segmented lists make it way easier to track what’s working.

Common mistakes: - Segmenting just for the sake of it, with no real plan. - Overcomplicating things with a million micro-segments. - Failing to keep segments updated as your data changes.

You don’t need to become a data scientist. But you do need a system.

Step 1: Get Your Data in Order

You can’t segment contacts if your data’s a mess. Before anything else, take a hard look at what’s in Koala:

  • Audit your contact fields: What do you actually have? Company size, industry, location, job title? Or a mishmash of half-filled blanks?
  • Standardize where you can: “VP, Sales” and “Vice President - Sales” should be the same thing. Fix typos and merge duplicates.
  • Fill in the gaps: If you’re missing key info (like industry or company size), decide if it’s worth the manual work to fill in, or if you need to add those fields to your forms.

Pro tip: Don’t bother segmenting on fields that are wildly unreliable or almost always blank. You’ll just end up with weird, tiny lists.

Step 2: Define Segments That Actually Matter

This is where most people get tripped up. The best segments are the ones that connect directly to your outreach strategy. Here are some tried-and-true ways to slice your B2B list:

  • Industry: Obvious, but useful. Your pitch to a SaaS company will be different from your approach to manufacturing.
  • Company size: Enterprise, SMB, startups—they all care about different things.
  • Job function or seniority: Messaging a CTO isn’t the same as talking to a Procurement Manager.
  • Geography: Sometimes, location really does matter (think regulations, time zones, language).
  • Engagement: Who’s opened your last email, clicked a link, or attended a webinar?
  • Lifecycle stage: Lead, prospect, customer, or churned account? Don’t treat them all the same.

What to skip: Don’t bother segmenting on vanity fields (“favorite color,” “LinkedIn follower count”) unless you have a very good reason. Focus on what actually helps you personalize outreach.

Step 3: Build Segments in Koala (Without Losing Your Mind)

Time to get into Koala and make it real. Here’s how to set up segments that won’t leave you drowning in complexity:

  1. Start broad, then get specific.
  2. Create a few big, obvious segments first (e.g., “SaaS Companies,” “Manufacturing,” “Enterprise Accounts”).

  3. Test your outreach on these before you start slicing things too thin.

  4. Use tags and custom fields.

  5. Koala lets you tag contacts or add custom fields. Use these, but don’t create a new tag for every random detail.

  6. Example: Use tags like “Webinar Attendee,” “High-Value,” or “Needs Demo.”

  7. Set up dynamic (smart) lists where possible.

  8. If Koala supports smart lists, use filters like “Industry = Healthcare” AND “Company Size > 500 employees.”

  9. This keeps your segments up-to-date automatically.

  10. Document your logic.

  11. Drop a note or use a shared doc to record how you’re defining each segment. You’ll forget in three months. Trust me.

Pro tip: Don’t go crazy with nesting or overlapping segments. If you’re spending more time managing lists than reaching out, you’ve gone too far.

Step 4: Tie Segments to Real Outreach

Segmentation is worthless if you’re not actually using it to tailor your outreach. Here’s how to make it count:

  • Write targeted templates: Don’t just swap out the company name. Reference industry pain points, company size challenges, or regional trends.
  • Send at the right time: If you’ve got a segment in Europe, don’t blast them at 6am their time.
  • Test and tweak: Measure which segments respond best, and adjust your message or offers accordingly.
  • Automate without losing the human touch: Use Koala’s automation for personalized follow-ups, but don’t let it sound robotic.

What doesn’t work: Generic outreach “at scale” that just happens to be sorted by job title. People can spot a lazy mail merge from a mile away.

Step 5: Keep It Simple—But Keep It Current

Segmentation isn’t “set it and forget it.” Your list will get stale if you don’t check in:

  • Review segments regularly: Once a quarter is fine for most teams. Are the right people in the right buckets?
  • Cull old or low-engagement contacts: If someone hasn’t opened an email in a year, consider removing them or putting them in a re-engagement segment.
  • Update fields as you learn more: Got new data from a call or LinkedIn? Add it to Koala. Better data = better segments.

Pro tip: Don’t get sucked into endless data cleaning. Good enough is usually good enough, especially if you’re a small team.

Three Real-World Segment Examples (Steal These)

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are a few segments that actually move the needle for B2B teams:

  1. “Decision Makers at Target Accounts”
  2. Filters: Job title includes “Director,” “VP,” or “Head of,” plus target company list.

  3. Why it works: Cuts straight to the folks who can say yes.

  4. “New Leads from Last 30 Days”

  5. Filters: Created date in last 30 days, not yet contacted.

  6. Why it works: Fast follow-up closes more deals.

  7. “Dormant Customers”

  8. Filters: Last interaction > 6 months ago, previously purchased.
  9. Why it works: Re-engagement campaigns here can revive old revenue.

You don’t need 20 segments. Start with a few that are easy to manage and clearly tied to your goals.

What to Ignore (and What to Watch Out For)

  • Don’t chase every trend. You don’t need AI-driven micro-segments or “predictive intent scoring” unless you’re a massive enterprise. Most of it’s not worth the hype.
  • Avoid analysis paralysis. Don’t stall your outreach while you try to make perfect segments.
  • Watch for segment bloat. If you can’t remember what a segment is for, you probably don’t need it.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often

Segmentation is a tool, not an end in itself. Start simple, focus on what actually helps you write better outreach, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. The best teams don’t have the fanciest lists—they have lists they actually use.

Get your data in shape, pick a few meaningful segments, and reach out with something worth saying. That’s how you break through the noise.

Now, get back to selling.