If you’re tired of spray-and-pray marketing and want to actually connect with your B2B customers, segmentation is the way to go. But let’s be real: most tools make it sound easier than it is. This guide is for B2B marketers, sales ops, and anyone else rolling their eyes at vague promises and just wanting to use Aomni to create segments that drive real results. We’ll skip the buzzwords, get hands-on, and call out what works—and what doesn’t.
Why Bother Segmenting B2B Customers Anyway?
You know the drill: not every customer cares about the same features, faces the same problems, or spends the same amount. If you’re blasting the same message to everyone, you’re not just wasting money—you’re making your brand blend into the background.
Segmentation helps you: - Send the right message to the right people - Stop annoying good prospects with irrelevant stuff - Find new upsell and cross-sell opportunities - Make your campaigns measurable (so you know what’s working)
But don’t overthink it. You don’t need 47 micro-segments. The goal is to group customers in ways that actually matter for your business and your marketing.
Step 1: Get Your Data in Order
Before you even open Aomni, make sure your customer data isn’t a dumpster fire. Bad data = bad segments = bad campaigns.
What you’ll need: - Clean company names (no “Inc.” in one row, “Incorporated” in another) - Up-to-date contact info (email, job title, etc.) - Firmographics (industry, company size, location) - Account status (prospect, current customer, churned, etc.) - Product usage or engagement data, if you have it
Pro tip: If your CRM is a mess, fix the basics first. Segmenting on junk data is like building a house on quicksand.
Step 2: Connect Your Data to Aomni
Aomni can pull data from your CRM, spreadsheets, or even manual uploads. Here’s what actually works:
- Direct CRM integration: This is the cleanest way if you’re using Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar. Set it up once and let it sync.
- CSV/Excel import: Works fine for smaller datasets or ad-hoc projects. Just double-check your columns and formatting.
- Manual entry: Only for quick tests—not sustainable for real campaigns.
What to ignore: Don’t try to segment based on data you don’t have. Guessing or faking fields (like “customer intent score” with no logic behind it) is a waste.
Step 3: Decide What Actually Matters for Segmentation
This is where people go overboard. Fancy AI-driven micro-segments might look cool, but they rarely make a difference unless you’ve got an enterprise-sized marketing team and tons of resources.
Stick to a few high-impact dimensions: - Industry/vertical: Tech, finance, healthcare, etc. - Company size: By revenue or employee count. - Geography: Country, region, or state. - Lifecycle stage: Prospect, active customer, renewal coming up, churn risk. - Product usage: Power users vs. dormant accounts.
What not to do: Avoid vanity segments like “accounts created in Q3” unless you have a concrete reason. If you can’t clearly explain why a segment matters, skip it.
Step 4: Build Segments in Aomni
Now the hands-on part. Here’s how to actually set up segments without getting lost in the weeds.
1. Navigate to Customer Segmentation
- In Aomni, look for the “Segments” or “Customer Segmentation” section in the main dashboard.
2. Create a New Segment
- Click “Create Segment.”
- Name it something you’ll recognize. (“SaaS Startups - US - High Usage” is better than “Segment 1.”)
3. Set Your Filters
- Use dropdowns or logic statements to filter by the attributes you picked earlier (industry, company size, etc.).
- Most fields allow AND/OR logic, so you can get as broad or narrow as you want.
- Preview the segment—see how many accounts land in it. If it’s only a handful, you’re probably being too specific.
Pro tip: If you’re segmenting by product usage, define what “high” or “low” means based on your actual data, not gut feel.
4. Save and Label Clearly
- Save the segment and add a description. Future-you (or your teammates) will thank you.
5. Test Your Segment
- Pull a sample of customers from the segment. Do they match what you expected?
- If not, adjust the filters—no shame in iterating.
Step 5: Sync Segments to Your Marketing Tools
A segment sitting in Aomni isn’t going to do much on its own. Push it to your email tool, CRM, or ad platform.
How to do it: - Use Aomni’s native integrations to send segments to tools like HubSpot, Marketo, or Mailchimp. - If your tool isn’t supported, export the segment as a CSV and upload it manually. - Set up automations (where possible) so new customers flow into the right segments over time.
What to watch out for: If you’re syncing segments regularly, keep an eye out for duplicates or sync errors. Don’t trust “set and forget.”
Step 6: Build Tailored Campaigns—But Don’t Overcomplicate
Segmenting is pointless unless you actually change your messaging or offer for each group.
Tips for tailoring campaigns: - Speak to the segment’s pain points, not generic benefits. - Use real examples from their industry if you can. - Tweak subject lines and CTAs so they feel specific—not just a mail-merge job. - For small segments, consider personalized outreach instead of mass emails.
What doesn’t work: Don’t just swap out a logo and call it “customized.” If your content isn’t actually relevant, people will spot it a mile away.
Step 7: Measure, Learn, and Iterate
Not every segment will outperform. That’s normal. The trick is to measure and adjust.
- Track open rates, replies, meetings booked, or whatever metric actually matters for your business.
- Compare results across segments—sometimes your “gut” segments flop, while simple ones (like geography) win.
- Kill segments that don’t deliver. Double down on the ones that do.
- Don’t try to automate everything right away. Manual review is worth it, especially at the start.
Pro Tips (from the School of Hard Knocks)
- Don’t over-segment. If you have more segments than campaigns, you’re doing it wrong.
- Keep stakeholders looped in. Sales, CS, and product teams often have good ideas (and horror stories) about what segments matter.
- Start simple. Two or three segments is enough to see real results. Get fancy later—if you need to.
- Beware of “segment rot.” Segments get outdated as your business changes. Review them every quarter.
- Don’t trust every “AI-powered” feature. If you don’t understand how a segment is built, don’t use it for important campaigns.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Segmentation isn’t magic—it’s just common sense, done consistently. Don’t drown in options or chase perfection. Start with the data you trust, build a few meaningful segments in Aomni, and actually use them to change how you market. When in doubt, simplify. Then, see what works and double down. That’s how you get results without losing your mind (or your budget).