You’ve got a big list of B2B contacts, but just blasting the same message to everyone? Not going to cut it. If you want real results—better replies, fewer unsubscribes, and less wasted effort—you need to segment your audience. This is for anyone who’s tired of “spray and pray” and wants to get specific.
Pitchmonster’s advanced filters are supposed to help you zero in on exactly the right people. But let’s be honest: most of these tools promise the moon and end up confusing you with too many options. This guide will walk you through how to actually use them, what works (and what’s fluff), and how to keep things practical.
Why bother with segmentation?
Look, nobody wants to get emails for software they don’t use, or cold calls about services they can’t buy. Segmentation means you’re sending the right message to the right people. That’s it.
Good segmentation leads to: - More replies (because your pitch is actually relevant) - Less spam complaints - Happier sales and marketing teams (because you’re not annoying leads)
Bad segmentation, or none at all? You’re just noise in someone’s inbox.
Step 1: Get your audience data into Pitchmonster
Before you filter anything, make sure your list is in order. If you’re importing a mess, you’ll get messy results.
- Start with clean data. Garbage in, garbage out. If your contact info is outdated or missing key fields, fix that first.
- Import your list. In Pitchmonster, go to the Audience or Contacts section, click Import, and follow the prompts. You can usually upload a CSV, connect your CRM, or use their integrations.
- Map your fields. Double-check that fields like “Company Size,” “Industry,” and “Job Title” actually match up in Pitchmonster. If you skip this, your filters won’t work right.
Pro tip: If you’re missing important info (like industry or company size), you can sometimes enrich your data with third-party tools or Pitchmonster’s own “enrich” feature. But don’t expect miracles—sometimes it just guesses.
Step 2: Know your segmentation goals
Don’t just filter for the sake of filtering. What do you want to achieve?
Ask yourself: - Are you running a campaign for a new product? - Do you want to target companies in a certain industry? - Are you trying to re-engage cold leads?
Write down your goal. This saves you from getting lost in filter options later.
What actually matters in B2B segmentation? - Company size (employee count or revenue): Good for weeding out companies that can’t buy from you. - Industry or vertical: No one wants SaaS pitches for construction. - Job title or seniority: Target decision-makers, not random interns. - Location: Useful if your offer is region-specific. - Tech stack or tools used: Sometimes helpful if you’re selling integrations.
Ignore filters like “favorite color” or “astrological sign.” Stick to what’s practical.
Step 3: Find and use advanced filters in Pitchmonster
Now comes the fun part. In Pitchmonster, go to your audience list and look for the “Advanced Filters” button—usually at the top or side of the Contacts or Audience page. Click it, and you’ll see a menu of options.
Common advanced filter types
These are the ones you’ll actually use:
- Firmographics: Company size, revenue, industry, location.
- Demographics: Job title, seniority, department.
- Technographics: Technologies or platforms the company uses.
- Engagement: Past activity, opens, clicks, replies (if you’re tracking email outreach).
- Custom fields: Anything unique you’ve added (e.g., “Has Budget 2024”).
Here’s what works:
Filtering by company size
- Use ranges (e.g., 50–200 employees) rather than exact numbers. Most lists aren’t that precise.
- If your product is expensive, filter out small companies—they probably can’t afford you.
Filtering by industry
- Use the “contains” or “is” options to target a few relevant verticals.
- Don’t get too granular unless your list is huge. “Software” vs. “SaaS” vs. “Cloud Infrastructure” can get messy.
Filtering by job title
- Use keywords like “CTO,” “Head of Marketing,” or “VP Sales.”
- Be careful with broad searches (“Manager”)—you’ll get a ton of noise.
Combining filters (Boolean logic)
This is where “advanced” comes in. You can use AND/OR logic to get more specific. For example:
- Companies with 100–500 employees AND industry is “Finance” AND job title contains “Director”
- Companies in “Retail” OR “Ecommerce” AND located in “US”
Test with small samples first to make sure you’re not being too restrictive.
Pro tip: Save your filter combinations as “segments.” Next time, you don’t have to start from scratch.
Step 4: Test and refine your segments
Don’t just build a segment and call it a day. Check the results.
- Preview your segment. Most tools let you see a list of contacts before you apply changes. Scroll through and spot-check—do these look like the right people?
- Check segment size. If you end up with 3 people, your filters are too narrow. If it’s 10,000, you might be too broad.
- Run a “sanity check.” Are you pulling in weird titles or companies that don’t fit? Adjust your filters.
If you’re sending campaigns, run a small test first. See who replies, clicks, or unsubscribes. Refine your segment based on real results—not just what looks good on paper.
Step 5: Don’t fall for the “advanced” trap
Here’s the thing: more filters don’t always mean better results. It’s easy to overcomplicate. The goal is to reach people who actually care, not just to show off how many filters you can stack.
What to ignore: - Super-niche filters (“Has attended X event in 2019”). Usually too narrow. - Vanity fields (“Innovation Index Score”). Unless you know it matters, skip it. - Anything that sounds cool but you can’t actually act on (like “Likelihood To Buy”—often just a guess).
What to focus on: - Filters you can clearly explain to someone else. - Data you trust is up-to-date. - Simple combinations that match your real goals.
Step 6: Use segments in your campaigns
Once you’ve built and tested your segments, actually use them.
- When sending an email campaign, select your saved segment as the audience.
- For outbound calls, export the filtered list or sync it with your CRM.
- For reporting, compare how different segments perform (open rates, replies, conversions).
Don’t just create segments and let them collect dust. Real value comes from using them, learning what works, and tweaking over time.
Pro tips for B2B segmentation in Pitchmonster
- Keep segments updated. Companies grow, people change jobs. Refresh your list every few months.
- Use exclusion filters. Want to avoid hitting current customers? Add an “exclude” filter for their domain or company name.
- Document your logic. If you find a segment that works, write down why. Saves headaches later.
- Don’t chase perfect. Aim for “good enough to act.” It’s better to run a campaign and learn than to spend days fiddling with filters.
Wrapping up: Start simple, improve as you go
Segmentation isn’t magic, and “advanced filters” are just tools—they don’t do the thinking for you. The real trick is to keep it simple, focus on the stuff that matters, and keep tweaking based on results. Don’t overthink it. Build your first segment, run a test, see what happens, and adjust. That’s how you actually get value out of Pitchmonster’s filters—without getting lost in the weeds.