If you’re sending B2B emails into the void and getting crickets, it’s probably not your writing—it’s your contact list. Segmenting your contacts in Jasper isn’t just about feeling organized. It’s about sending the right messages to the right people, so you actually get replies (and, if we’re being honest, maybe a sale or two). This guide is for anyone tired of spray-and-pray outreach, and ready to make their CRM actually work for them.
Why Bother Segmenting? (And Why Most People Get It Wrong)
Look, “segmentation” sounds fancy, but the basics are simple: Not every contact cares about the same pitch. Lump everyone together and you’re guaranteed to be ignored by most of them. But go too far—making a million tiny segments—and you’ll spend all your time organizing and none of it selling. The goal is to find the sweet spot: enough detail to be useful, but not so much you get bogged down.
Step 1: Clean Up Your Contact Data First
Before you even think about segments, make sure your data isn’t garbage. Garbage in, garbage out. If your contacts are riddled with typos, missing fields, or ancient info, you’ll waste time and look unprofessional.
What to do: - Merge duplicates. Jasper’s duplicate detection is decent, but don’t trust it blindly—eyeball the merges. - Standardize fields. Decide on one format for job titles, industries, company names, etc. “VP of Mktg” and “Vice President, Marketing” should be the same. - Fill in the gaps. If key info is missing (like industry or company size), you’ve got two choices: research it, or move that contact to a “needs info” holding pen. - Ditch the zombies. If a contact hasn’t opened, clicked, or replied in two years, archive them. They’re not coming back.
Pro Tip: Don’t get paralyzed by perfection. Clean up the top 20% of your list that actually replies first—then work your way down.
Step 2: Decide What Really Matters for B2B Segmentation
A lot of guides say you need to segment by every possible field. In reality, only a few things tend to move the needle in B2B. You want to group people based on what will actually change your approach or messaging.
The basics that usually matter: - Industry/vertical: Tech, healthcare, manufacturing, etc. - Company size: SMB, mid-market, enterprise. - Job function/seniority: Decision maker vs. end user vs. influencer. - Location: Sometimes relevant, especially for regulations or local events.
What usually doesn’t move the needle: - First name/last name - Favorite color (yep, seen it) - Birthday (unless you’re literally sending gifts)
If you’re not sure if a field is useful, ask: “Would I send this group a different message than another?” If not, skip it.
Step 3: Build Segments in Jasper That You’ll Actually Use
Let’s get practical. Jasper lets you create custom fields, filters, and tags. Don’t go overboard. Start with a few broad buckets, then get more specific only if you see a real need.
How to build useful segments: 1. Set up your fields. Make sure you have fields for industry, company size, job title, and location. Add others only if you have a plan for them. 2. Use tags for quick wins. Tags are flexible for things like “hot lead,” “event attendee,” or “needs follow-up.” Don’t let your tag list become a junk drawer, though. 3. Create saved filters. Jasper’s filters are the backbone of segmentation. Set up saved searches like: - CTOs at SaaS companies with 100-500 employees - Marketing VPs in healthcare, US-only - All contacts in EMEA region tagged as “Q2 prospects”
- Review your segments quarterly. Delete or merge ones you never use.
Pro Tip: If you can’t remember the last time you used a segment, you don’t need it.
Step 4: Match Segments to Messaging and Workflows
The point of segmentation is to make your outreach more relevant (and less annoying). Don’t just group your contacts—actually use those groups to tailor what you say and how you follow up.
How to make segments work for you: - Write outreach templates for your top 2-3 segments. Don’t rewrite the wheel for every group—just tweak intros and pain points. - Set up automation rules in Jasper to move contacts between segments when they take action (open, click, reply, etc.). - Use segments for reporting. Track which groups open, reply, or buy more. Stop wasting effort on the duds.
What not to do: - Don’t send the same generic message to every segment and call it a day. - Don’t create ultra-specific segments you never use (“CEOs named Chris from Boise”). - Don’t forget to actually look at your results and adjust.
Step 5: Keep It Simple (Seriously)
The fastest way to kill your outreach is to overcomplicate things. Fancy segmentation is useless if you never use it, or if it takes so much time that you avoid outreach altogether.
Here’s what works best: - Stick to 3–5 main segments to start. - Automate what you can, but keep an eye on what’s actually happening. - If a segment isn’t getting different treatment, merge it with another.
Watch out for: - Overlapping segments (where people end up in multiple lists and get spammed). - Segments based on “nice-to-have” info, like hobbies or alma maters—unless you’re genuinely personalizing at scale (most aren’t). - Letting segmentation become a project in itself. Outreach is the main event.
Step 6: Learn and Adjust
No plan survives first contact with reality. Segmentation isn’t “set it and forget it.” The best teams review their segments monthly, see what’s working, and cut what isn’t.
How to stay on track: - Check which segments are actually converting. - Drop or combine segments that don’t perform. - Ask your team (or yourself): “Did this segment help us write better emails or close more deals?” If not, simplify.
Quick Segment Ideas That Actually Work
If you’re stuck, here are a few segment ideas that get results for most B2B teams:
- Current customers vs. prospects: Send upsell/cross-sell to one, introduction to the other.
- Buyers vs. users: Tailor value props to who’s reading.
- Lost opportunities: Win-back campaigns a few months after lost deals.
- Event attendees: Quick follow-ups after a conference or webinar.
- Key accounts: Hand-picked list for white-glove treatment.
Honest Takeaways: What to Ignore
- Don’t chase perfect data. Good enough beats never sending.
- Don’t build segments you can’t maintain. If it feels like you’re doing data entry for data entry’s sake, you probably are.
- Don’t get distracted by what’s trendy (“AI-powered micro-segments!”) unless you have the basics down first.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Useful, Not Perfect
Segmentation in Jasper is supposed to make your outreach smarter, not give you a second job as a database admin. Start simple. Use segments that help you send better messages, not just prettier reports. Review what’s working, kill what isn’t, and don’t be afraid to adjust as you go. The goal: more replies, less busywork. That’s what actually moves the needle.