If you’re running B2B outreach and your emails are landing with the wrong people, you’re wasting your time (and possibly annoying your future customers). This guide is for marketers, sales ops, or founders who want to make their outreach smarter—specifically, how to segment B2B leads in Mailforge so you can actually talk to the right folks.
I’ll walk you through the nuts and bolts, what features in Mailforge are worth your time, what’s just noise, and how to avoid classic mistakes. No jargon, just straight answers.
Step 1: Get Your Lead Data in Shape
Before you even open Mailforge, let’s be real: your segmentation is only as good as your data. If you’ve got a messy CSV or half-completed profiles, you’re just spinning your wheels.
Checklist: - Clean up duplicates (no, really—do it) - Standardize fields (e.g., “Industry” shouldn’t be “Tech”, “Technology”, and “IT” all at once) - Fill in the blanks: If you’re missing key info like company size or job title, try to patch it up. Guessing leads to bad segments. - Use consistent formats: Dates, phone numbers, and regions should all look the same.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. Start with just the fields you actually plan to segment on—usually things like industry, company size, location, or seniority. The rest can wait.
Step 2: Import Leads into Mailforge
Once your spreadsheet doesn’t give you a headache, bring it into Mailforge. The platform makes this pretty painless, but a few things can trip you up.
How to Import
- Log in and go to the “Leads” or “Contacts” section.
- Click “Import” and upload your CSV or Excel file.
- Map your fields. Mailforge will try to match columns, but double-check. If your “Job Title” column gets mapped to “Notes,” you’ll hate yourself later.
- Review the sample import—catch weird formatting now, not after you’ve blasted 500 people with “Hi [First Name].”
- Finish the import and let Mailforge process. If it errors out, it’s usually because of blank required fields or bad email formats.
What to ignore: Don’t bother filling every possible field. Focus on what you’ll actually use for segmentation and outreach.
Step 3: Decide How You Want to Segment
Don’t fall into the trap of over-segmenting. You’re not Amazon. Start with the basics—think about your real outreach goals.
Common, actually useful segments: - Industry (e.g., SaaS, Manufacturing) - Company size (good proxy for budget and speed) - Job function/seniority (are you talking to the decision maker or their assistant?) - Geography (time zone, language, regulations) - Engagement (have they opened previous emails? Clicked? Ignored you?)
What not to do: Avoid vanity segments like “people who downloaded our whitepaper in 2017.” If you can’t tailor your message to them in a meaningful way, skip it.
Step 4: Create Segments in Mailforge
Mailforge calls these “Lists,” “Segments,” or sometimes “Smart Groups” (their naming isn’t always consistent, so don’t sweat it).
To Build a Segment:
- Go to the “Segments” or “Lists” tab.
- Click “Create New Segment.”
- Pick your filters. These can be things like:
- Industry is “SaaS”
- Company size is greater than 50
- Job title contains “Director” or “VP”
- Location is “United States”
- Last activity is before/after a certain date
- Combine filters to get more targeted, but test with a small sample so you don’t accidentally make a segment with just two people.
- Name your segment clearly (e.g., “UK SaaS VPs 100+ Employees”)—future you will thank you.
- Save.
Pro tip: If you want dynamic lists that update as new leads match the criteria, use “Smart” or “Dynamic” segments. Static lists are fine for one-off campaigns.
Step 5: Test Your Segments (Don’t Skip This)
It’s tempting to rush ahead, but a quick spot check can save you embarrassment.
- Preview your segment: Look at a few leads—do they actually fit your criteria?
- Send yourself a test email: Make sure merge fields (like {{First Name}}) work.
- Check size: If a segment is tiny or huge, double-check your filters.
- Review for weird outliers: You don’t want your “CEOs” segment full of interns.
Honest take: Most embarrassing outreach mistakes come from bad segments, not bad copy. One wrong filter and you’re pitching your enterprise tool to freelancers.
Step 6: Build Campaigns for Each Segment
Now you’re ready to actually put those segments to use.
- Go to the “Campaigns” tab.
- Choose your segment as the recipient list.
- Write copy that speaks directly to that group—don’t send the same message to CFOs and IT admins.
- Use personalization tokens (Mailforge calls them “merge tags”) for things like first name, company, or industry.
- Set up follow-ups or drips specific to that segment’s pain points.
What works: Short, relevant emails. Reference something that matters to their segment (e.g., “We help SaaS teams with 100+ staff…”).
What doesn’t: Over-automating. If you try to personalize everything at once, you’ll end up with messages that feel robotic or, worse, break mid-send.
Step 7: Monitor and Refine
Segmentation isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing. Keep an eye on what’s working.
- Track open and reply rates by segment. If your “Enterprise CTOs” aren’t biting, maybe your offer or message needs a rethink.
- Adjust segments as you learn. If you find most of your wins are in a certain vertical or company size, double down there.
- Don’t chase every possible segment. Focus on the buckets that actually bring results.
Pro tip: Occasionally prune stale segments. If nobody’s replied in months, archive it and move on.
Real Talk: What to Ignore
- Shiny “AI-based segment suggestions.” Mailforge might pitch these, but they’re not magic. Use your own common sense—AI can’t know your audience better than you do.
- Every possible filter. More filters doesn’t mean better segments. It just means more complexity and more room for error.
- Old or incomplete data. Don’t try to resurrect dead leads with clever segmentation. Focus on fresh, accurate contacts.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Don’t stress about getting segmentation perfect on day one. Start with two or three useful segments, write relevant outreach, and see what lands. Iterate. Drop what’s not working, double down on what is. The goal is to have conversations with the right people—not to build a perfect database.
If you keep your segments tight and your data clean, you’ll send better emails, waste less time, and actually get replies. That’s all you really need.