If you’re running B2B campaigns and tired of blasting the same message to everyone, segmentation is your best friend. This guide is for marketers, sales ops folks, and anyone using Gan who wants simple, actionable steps for smarter prospect targeting. No fluff, just what works—and a few landmines to sidestep.
Why Bother Segmenting B2B Prospects?
Let’s get real: Not all companies are created equal. If you’re treating a 50-person SaaS startup the same as a Fortune 500 manufacturer, you’re wasting your time (and theirs). Segmentation lets you:
- Send relevant messages that actually get read
- Prioritize leads worth your effort
- Avoid annoying people with stuff they clearly don’t care about
The problem? Most advice either overcomplicates things or skips straight to buzzwords. We’ll keep it practical, using Gan as the segmentation tool.
Step 1: Define What Actually Matters to Your Business
Before you touch Gan, get clear on which prospect traits matter for your goals. Skip the 100-point “ideal customer profile” checklists—focus on a handful of factors that actually impact your campaigns.
Common segmentation criteria that work in B2B: - Industry (e.g., fintech, manufacturing, healthcare) - Company size (employee count or revenue) - Geography (region, country, or even city) - Tech stack (do they use tools your product integrates with?) - Job titles or departments of your target buyers - Engagement level (have they opened emails, visited your site, etc.)
Pro tip: You’ll be tempted to segment everything. Don’t. Pick 2-4 dimensions to start. More complexity means more maintenance and more ways to screw up.
Step 2: Get Your Prospect Data in Shape
Garbage in, garbage out. If your data’s a mess, no tool can help. Here’s what to focus on before you segment in Gan:
- Import clean lists. Fix obvious typos, merge duplicates, and standardize fields (e.g., don’t mix “SF” with “San Francisco”).
- Fill in the gaps. If you’re missing company size or industry, use reliable third-party data tools or ask your SDRs to fill in blanks during calls.
- Map your fields to Gan. Make sure your spreadsheet or CRM exports match Gan’s field names, so you’re not stuck remapping columns later.
Gan can only segment on what you upload. Don’t expect magic enrichment unless you’ve built it into your workflow.
Step 3: Upload and Organize Your Prospects in Gan
Assuming you’ve created a Gan account and are logged in, here’s how to get set up:
- Create a new prospect list. In Gan, go to your dashboard and click “New List.” Give it a name that actually means something (not just “List 23”).
- Import your data. Choose CSV upload or connect via integration (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.). Follow Gan’s prompts—if there are errors, fix them before moving on.
- Map fields carefully. Double-check that “Industry” isn’t mapped to “Location” or similar mix-ups. This sounds basic, but it’s where most headaches start.
What to ignore: Gan’s import process will nudge you to add as many fields as possible. Don’t bother unless you’ll actually segment or personalize on them. More fields = more clutter.
Step 4: Segment Using Gan’s Filters
Now for the fun part: actually slicing your list. Gan’s segmentation tools aren’t rocket science, but here’s how to use them well:
- Go to your prospect list. Click “Segment” or “Filter.”
- Apply filters by field. Example:
- Industry = “SaaS”
- Employee count > 100
- Geography = “United States”
- Stack filters. The more filters you add, the narrower your segment—don’t go so narrow you end up with a list of three people.
- Save your segments. Gan lets you save filtered views. Name them clearly (e.g., “US SaaS 100+ Employees”). You’ll thank yourself later.
Pro tip: Start broad. It’s tempting to create hyper-specific segments (“Midwest fintech CTOs who use Slack and opened last week’s email”), but you’ll run out of prospects fast. Test, then refine.
Step 5: Personalize Campaigns for Each Segment
Segmentation is pointless if you don’t tailor your outreach. Gan’s campaign tools let you send different messages to each segment—use them.
Ways to personalize: - Email subject lines that mention industry challenges (“How SaaS teams automate onboarding”) - Body copy that references company size or region (“We help Chicago-based firms with 100+ staff…”) - Case studies or testimonials from similar companies - Calls-to-action that make sense for where they are (“Book a demo” vs. “Read the whitepaper”)
What doesn’t work: Generic “Hey [First Name], thought you’d like this!” emails. Prospects can spot lazy automation a mile away.
Step 6: Measure, Learn, and Adjust
Most segmentation flops not because the idea is bad, but because nobody checks what’s working.
- Track open and response rates by segment. Gan’s analytics aren’t fancy, but you’ll see what’s resonating.
- Kill off dead segments. If a segment never converts, stop wasting time on it.
- Test new criteria. Try adding a new filter (like tech stack) and see if it improves results.
- Talk to sales. Sometimes the best insights come from reps who actually speak to prospects, not dashboards.
Ignore: Fancy attribution models and “AI-powered” suggestions—at least until you’ve nailed the basics. Focus on what you can see and measure.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
Here’s where most teams trip up:
- Over-segmentation. Ten micro-segments = ten times the work. Start broad, then narrow.
- Bad data. If your fields are messy or out of date, even the best segmentation logic won’t help.
- Forgettable naming. “Segment 1” and “Segment 2” are useless a month from now. Use real labels.
- Assuming more personalization = more results. Sometimes a well-written, semi-personalized message beats a clunky, hyper-tailored one.
Keep It Simple (and Keep Iterating)
You don’t need an army of analysts or a PhD in data science to segment B2B prospects in Gan. Start with a few meaningful groups, keep your data clean, and personalize what counts. Don’t let “best practices” paralyze you—just try something, see what works, and tweak as you go.
Chasing perfection is a waste of time. Segmentation works best when you keep it practical and adjust based on real results. Now go build segments worth sending to.