If your Pipedrive contact list is just one big bucket, you’re working too hard. Segmentation isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s how you actually get value from your CRM. This guide is for anyone who wants to finally make sense of their contacts, send targeted emails that don’t feel spammy, and stop wasting time with messy exports and filter gymnastics.
Let’s cut through the fluff and walk through exactly how to segment contacts and build useful, targeted lists in Pipedrive. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or operations, this will help you actually use your data—not just stare at it.
Why bother segmenting contacts in Pipedrive?
Before we dive in, here’s the bottom line: segmentation lets you find the right people, faster, and talk to them in a way that actually matters. If you’re still blasting the same message to everyone, you’re missing the point of a CRM.
Segmenting your contacts helps you: - Send relevant emails (no more “Dear [First Name]” disasters). - Prioritize leads based on real data, not gut instinct. - Keep your CRM clean and actionable, not a digital junk drawer.
Don’t overthink it. Segmentation isn’t about fancy AI or buzzwords. It’s about using fields and filters to group your contacts logically.
Step 1: Get your contact data in order
If your contact records are a mess, segmentation is way harder. You don’t need everything perfect, but you do need some basics in place.
What matters: - Make sure company and people records are linked (if you use both). - Fill out the key fields you’ll actually use for segmentation. Don’t bother with “favorite color” unless you’re selling paint. - Ditch obvious duplicates. Pipedrive has a built-in duplicate finder—use it.
Pro tip:
Custom fields are your friend. If “Industry” or “Lead Source” matter to you, create those fields and start filling them in—even if you have to do it slowly.
Step 2: Decide how you want to segment
Jumping straight into list-building is tempting, but take a minute to think. Good segments are simple, actionable, and make your life easier—not harder.
Common ways to segment contacts: - Lead status: New, Qualified, Customer, Lost, etc. - Industry/vertical: SaaS, Retail, Healthcare, etc. - Location: City, state, region, or country. - Deal stage or pipeline: Where they are in the sales process. - Owner: Who’s responsible for this contact. - Custom tags: Event attendee, newsletter subscriber, high-value, etc.
What not to do:
Don’t create a segment for every tiny difference. If you end up with 30 micro-segments and never use them, you’ve made things worse, not better.
Step 3: Create custom fields (if you need them)
Pipedrive’s default fields are okay, but most teams need at least a couple of custom fields to segment contacts in a way that makes sense for their business.
How to create a custom field: 1. Go to Settings > Data fields. 2. Pick People or Organizations (depending on what you want to segment). 3. Click Add custom field. 4. Name your field something obvious (e.g., “Industry” or “Newsletter Subscriber”). 5. Choose the right field type (text, dropdown, checkbox, etc.). 6. Save.
A few suggestions: - Use dropdowns for things like Industry or Lead Source, so you don’t end up with “SaaS”, “Saas”, and “Software.” - Use checkboxes for yes/no values (e.g., “Event Attendee”). - Don’t go crazy with custom fields. The more you have, the more you have to maintain.
Step 4: Tag or fill in your contact data
Once your fields are ready, start populating them. For small lists, this might be manual. For big lists, use bulk editing or import with field mapping.
Bulk editing: - Go to the Contacts tab (People or Organizations). - Use filters to narrow down the list (e.g., everyone in California). - Select all, then Edit > change the field you want (e.g., set “Region” to “West”). - Save.
Importing with mapped fields: - If you’re uploading a CSV, map your columns to the right Pipedrive fields—including custom ones. - Double-check before you import. Cleaning up a bad import is a pain.
Pro tip:
Don’t feel like you need to fill in every field for every contact right away. Pick your top 1–2 segments and start there. Iterate.
Step 5: Build filters to segment your contacts
This is where the magic happens. Pipedrive uses filters (not “lists” in the classic sense) to slice and dice your contacts.
How to create a filter: 1. Go to Contacts > People (or Organizations). 2. Click the Filter button (looks like a funnel). 3. Choose Add new filter. 4. Set your rules (e.g., “Industry is SaaS” AND “Lead Status is New”). 5. Name your filter something useful, like “SaaS – New Leads.” 6. Save.
Filters are flexible.
You can filter on almost any field—default or custom, including tags, owner, deal stage, and more.
What’s good:
- Filters update in real time. As you add new contacts or update fields, the right people show up.
- You can save and re-use filters for campaigns, call lists, or reporting.
What’s not great:
- There’s no real “dynamic mailing list” feature like in some email tools. You still need to export filtered lists or use integrations for bulk email.
- Filters can get complicated fast. If you find yourself stacking more than 3–4 rules, double-check if you really need that level of granularity.
Step 6: Use your segmented lists
You’ve got your filters. Now what? Here’s how to put them to work.
Typical use cases: - Targeted email blasts: Export your filtered contacts, upload to your email tool (or use a native integration). - Call and outreach lists: Assign filtered views to sales reps so they only see their top targets. - Reporting: Use filters to see conversion rates by segment (e.g., “How many SaaS leads became customers?”). - Automations: Trigger workflows or activities based on filters (e.g., auto-assign new “Enterprise” leads to a senior rep).
How to export a segment: 1. Go to the filtered view. 2. Select all contacts. 3. Click Export (usually found under the “…” menu or similar). 4. Choose CSV or Excel and download.
What to ignore:
Don’t bother with exporting/importing every time you want to send a one-off email or check a number. Use filters and views inside Pipedrive as much as possible.
Step 7: Keep it clean (and simple)
Segmentation isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing. Bad data creeps in, fields get misused, and filters get out of hand.
What actually works: - Schedule a regular data cleanup—monthly or quarterly is usually enough. - Review your filters and custom fields. If you’re not using them, delete or merge. - Train your team on what fields matter and why. Consistency beats complexity every time.
Pro tip:
Less is more. A few useful segments you actually use beat a dozen you never look at.
What about tags, labels, and other extras?
Pipedrive does have a basic “label” system for contacts. It’s fine for simple stuff—think “VIP” or “Do Not Contact.” But for real segmentation, custom fields and filters are more powerful and flexible.
Tags/labels are good for: - Quick visual cues (e.g., red label for “High Priority”). - Ad hoc grouping.
But: - They’re not searchable in complex filters. - They get messy if you try to use them for everything.
Use them sparingly, and don’t treat them as your main segmentation engine.
A note on integrations
If you want true dynamic mailing lists, marketing automation, or multi-step campaigns, you’ll want to connect Pipedrive to your email or marketing platform (like Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, or HubSpot). Filters in Pipedrive can be synced to these tools via native integrations or third-party connectors like Zapier.
This can get technical, and not every integration is as smooth as advertised. Test with small segments first, and keep a backup of your data.
Final thoughts: Start simple, iterate, and beware of overkill
You don’t need to architect a perfect segmentation system on day one. Start with the fields and filters you’ll actually use, keep your lists tight, and revisit your setup every couple of months. Don’t get caught up in CRM “hacks”—just make it easy to find the people you need, when you need them. Your future self will thank you.