If you’re in B2B marketing, sales ops, or customer success, you’ve probably stared at a mountain of data and wondered: “How do I stop sending emails to the wrong people?” Segmentation is the answer, but most tools make it harder than it should be.
This guide is for folks who want to use Leanlayer to actually segment B2B audiences in a way that’s useful, not just “busywork for dashboards.” I’ll show you how to use advanced filters to slice and dice your audience, point out what’s genuinely helpful, and flag stuff you can skip.
Let’s get right into it.
Step 1: Know Your Actual Goal (Don’t Skip This)
Before you click anything, figure out what you’re trying to do with segmentation. Otherwise, you’ll waste hours fiddling with filters and end up with a mess.
Ask yourself: - Are you prepping a campaign for a specific industry? - Trying to find upsell targets who haven’t logged in lately? - Want to exclude dead leads from your pipeline?
Pro tip: Write your goal down in one sentence. Seriously. Example: “I want a list of SaaS companies with 50-200 employees who haven’t responded to our last two emails.”
Why this matters: Leanlayer’s filters are powerful, but too many options can become a rabbit hole. Map your outcome first, then work backwards.
Step 2: Get Your Data House in Order
Advanced filters are only as good as your data. Garbage in, garbage out. Here’s a quick checklist before going further:
- Clean up duplicates: If you have the same company listed three ways, your segments will be off.
- Standardize fields: “VP, Marketing” and “Vice President of Marketing” are the same thing, but filters might not know that.
- Check integrations: If you’re pulling in CRM or event data, make sure it’s syncing right. Nothing kills a campaign like missing info.
What doesn’t work: Don’t bother with advanced segmentation if your core data is a mess. You’ll just end up frustrated.
Step 3: Dive Into Leanlayer’s Advanced Filters
Now for the actual mechanics. Inside Leanlayer, head to your audience or contacts section. Look for the “Advanced Filters” button—it’s usually at the top or in a filter sidebar.
Here’s how to use them well:
3.1. Understand the Filter Types
Leanlayer gives you several filter types. Each has its place: - Field filters: Filter by standard properties (industry, company size, job title). - Activity filters: Segment based on behavior (opened email, attended webinar, last login). - Custom fields: If you’ve set up custom tags (like “Renewal Date” or “Product Tier”), you can filter on those too. - List membership: Useful for including or excluding from static lists, like “2023 event attendees.”
Honest take: Don’t overcomplicate. Most B2B segments boil down to company size, industry, geography, and one or two behaviors. Don’t try to use every filter at once.
3.2. Build Your Segment With AND/OR Logic
This is where things get powerful—or confusing.
- AND logic: Narrows your list. (e.g., Tech companies AND >100 employees)
- OR logic: Broadens your list. (e.g., Companies in healthcare OR finance)
When to use each: - Want a tight, focused segment? Stick to AND logic. - Building a larger audience for a top-of-funnel campaign? Mix in OR.
Watch out: Too many ORs can create a Frankenstein’s monster of a segment. Always preview your results.
3.3. Combine Filters for Real-World Use Cases
A few examples that actually come up:
- Find decision makers at target accounts:
- Industry = “Information Technology”
- Job Title contains “Director” OR “VP”
-
Company Size = 100-500
-
Identify dormant opportunities:
- Last activity date = more than 90 days ago
- Account status = “Open”
-
Deal size > $10,000
-
Nurture recent signups:
- Created date = last 30 days
- Email not opened = last 2 campaigns
Mix and match, but keep it simple. More complexity = more risk of errors.
Step 4: Test and Preview Your Segment (Don’t Just Trust the Numbers)
Once your filters are set, always preview the segment. Leanlayer should let you see the actual records, not just a count.
- Spot check: Randomly click into a few records. Do they fit your intended group?
- Look for outliers: If you see a two-person agency in your “Enterprise” list, something’s wrong.
- Check segment size: If your 5,000-person list drops to 12 after filters, retrace your steps.
Pro tip: Save your filter logic as a draft or template. You’ll thank yourself later when you need to tweak and rerun it.
Step 5: Save and Sync Your Segment
Once you’re happy, save the segment within Leanlayer (usually as a “dynamic segment” or “smart list”). Decide if this segment needs to sync with other tools (like your CRM or email platform).
What works:
- Dynamic segments update automatically as new data comes in. This is great for things like “Active Trials” or “At-Risk Accounts.”
- Static lists (snapshots in time) are fine for one-off campaigns, but don’t rely on them for ongoing targeting.
What doesn’t:
- Don’t export to CSV and upload elsewhere unless you have to. You’ll lose the benefits of real-time updates.
Step 6: Use Segments in Campaigns, Reports, or Workflows
Now that you’ve built your segment, put it to use: - Email campaigns: Send targeted nurture, upsell, or re-engagement emails. - CRM tasks: Assign follow-ups to sales based on segment membership. - Reporting: Track how different segments move through your funnel. - Automation: Trigger workflows when someone enters or leaves a segment.
Honest advice: Don’t build segments just because you can. If you’re not using them to drive action, they’re just digital clutter.
Step 7: Iterate and Clean Up Regularly
Segmentation isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it deal. Schedules slip, job titles change, companies get acquired.
- Review segments monthly: Prune segments you’re not using. Update logic if needed.
- Get feedback from your team: Sales and CS folks spot bad segments faster than anyone.
- Revisit your data health: The cleaner your data, the better your segments.
Ignore the hype: You don’t need “AI-driven micro-segmentation” to get results. Start with the basics, see what works, and only get fancier if you need to.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Don’t let segmentation become a science project. With Leanlayer’s advanced filters, you can build B2B segments that actually help you hit your goals—if you stay focused and don’t overcomplicate things.
Start with one or two key segments. Use them, see what happens, and adjust. The best filters are the ones you’ll actually use.
And remember: clean data beats clever filters every time.