If you’re reading this, you’ve probably got a pile of leads in Aptiv and a sneaking suspicion you could be getting more out of them. Maybe your conversion rates are flat. Maybe you’re sick of sending generic emails that don’t land. This guide is for the marketer, sales rep, or founder who wants to actually make Aptiv work for them—without drowning in theory or wishful thinking.
Step 1: Get Your Lead Data House in Order
Before you segment or nurture anything, make sure your lead data isn’t a mess. Garbage in, garbage out.
Here’s what to check: - Duplicates: Merge or delete them. If two reps are working the same person, you’re wasting time. - Missing fields: If “industry” or “company size” are blank for half your leads, fix it now—scrub your imports, or set up mandatory fields. - Contact info: No email? No phone? Don’t pretend you’ll “get it later.” Fill in the gaps or remove the lead.
Pro tip: Don’t obsess over perfection. Just make sure your top 2-3 segmentation fields are filled for 80%+ of leads.
Step 2: Decide What Actually Matters for Segmentation
Not every data point is worth segmenting on. The trick is to pick the stuff that actually changes how you’d talk to or market to a lead.
Skip the fluff. Focus on: - Demographics: Industry, company size, role/title - Behavior: Downloaded a whitepaper? Attended a webinar? Opened last 3 emails? - Source: Did they come from a paid ad, organic search, or a referral?
What usually doesn’t matter: - Lead score that’s just a sum of random points - Vague “interest level” fields nobody updates
Real talk: If you can’t list 1-2 ways you’d market differently to a segment, it’s probably not worth segmenting on.
Step 3: Build Your Segments in Aptiv
Now, get into Aptiv and actually build these segments. Don’t overcomplicate it.
How to do it: 1. Go to your leads dashboard. 2. Use filters: Pick your key fields (like “Industry = Healthcare” or “Last Activity = More than 30 days ago”). 3. Save as a segment (or “view,” if that’s what Aptiv calls it). Name it something obvious.
Types of segments that work: - Hot leads: Recent activity, high intent - Dormant leads: No engagement in 45+ days - By persona: Roles like CEO, IT Manager, etc. - By stage: New lead, qualified, proposal sent, etc.
Don’t: Create 20 segments you never use. Start with 3-5—enough to take action, not get lost.
Step 4: Map Out (Simple) Nurture Flows
This is where most people blow it: They either spam everyone with the same stuff, or try to build a 30-step sequence nobody finishes.
Here’s what actually works: - Short, relevant sequences: 2-4 emails or touchpoints for each segment. - Personalization: Reference the segment’s pain points or interests. “Saw you’re in healthcare—here’s how we help folks like you.” - Spacing: Don’t email every day. 3-5 days between touchpoints is usually fine.
For each segment, answer: - What do they care about? - What’s the next step I want them to take? - What info or proof do they need to move forward?
Example: - Dormant leads: “Hey, haven’t heard from you in a while. Still interested in X? Here’s a new case study.” - Hot leads: “Saw you checked out our pricing page—want to hop on a quick call?”
Don’t: Build a nurture flow you wouldn’t want to receive yourself.
Step 5: Automate in Aptiv (But Don’t Set and Forget)
Aptiv has automation—and yes, you should use it. But it’s not magic.
To set up automations: - Pick your segment. - Set triggers (e.g., “If no reply in 7 days, send follow-up”). - Choose your action (send email, assign to rep, update stage, etc.). - Set exit rules (e.g., “If replied, stop sequence”).
Good uses of automation: - Welcome emails for new leads - Re-engagement nudges for dormant leads - Reminders for sales reps to follow up
What to avoid: - Over-automating. If every step is robotic, people notice—and tune out. - Never checking results. Automations break. People change jobs. Watch your metrics.
Pro tip: Every month, review the last 30 days’ results. Which emails get opened? Which triggers work? Kill or tweak the duds.
Step 6: Score and Qualify—But Keep It Real
Lead scoring is only helpful if it matches reality. Too many CRMs assign points for things that don’t matter.
For Aptiv, try this: - Score high for behaviors that show real intent (booking a call, requesting a demo, repeat site visits). - Ignore vanity metrics (like opening one email or clicking a random link). - Have a human review hot leads before passing to sales.
Don’t: Let “score 70+” be your only qualifier. Sales will waste time on “hot” leads who just like clicking emails.
Step 7: Track What’s Working (and Kill What Isn’t)
You don’t need a 20-page report, but you do need to know: - Which segments convert best? - Which nurture flows get replies or meetings? - Where do leads drop off?
Aptiv basics: - Use dashboards for quick views on conversion rates by segment. - Check email open/reply rates per sequence. - Ask sales what’s actually closing.
Cut ruthlessly: If a segment never converts, or a nurture flow gets no replies, either fix it or kill it.
What to Ignore (For Now)
- AI “personalization” that just swaps in a first name. People see through it.
- Overly complicated lead scores. Keep it simple and human-check the best leads.
- Super-detailed segmentation. You don’t need 50 micro-audiences. Start broad, then refine.
Wrap-Up: Keep It Simple, Improve as You Go
Don’t let “segmentation and nurturing” become another endless project. Clean up your data, pick a few real segments, send relevant stuff, and watch what happens. If something works—great, do more of it. If it flops, try something else. Keep it simple, stay skeptical, and keep moving. That’s how you actually get higher conversion rates in Aptiv.