If you’re drowning in a pile of leads that all look the same, you’re not alone. Blasting the same email to everyone is a good way to get ignored (or worse, marked as spam). If you actually want replies, you need to segment your leads—especially by industry and job title. This isn’t rocket science, but it is where most people get lazy.
This guide is for anyone using Findymail who wants to slice and dice their leads, so you can actually send relevant outreach that gets noticed. I’ll walk you through the practical steps, call out common mistakes, and show you what filters are worth your time.
Why bother segmenting by industry and job title?
Let’s be honest: “personalization” is overhyped, but relevance isn’t. When you segment leads by industry and job title, you can:
- Ditch the generic pitch and speak to real problems.
- Skip wasting time on contacts who just don’t fit.
- Avoid embarrassing mistakes (like pitching a software CEO your accounting service).
If you’re still blasting the same message to every “decision maker,” you’re missing out on easy wins.
Step 1: Get clear on who you’re actually trying to reach
Before you even log into Findymail, you need a clear picture of who you’re after. “CEOs in tech” is not specific enough. Try something like:
- “Heads of Marketing at SaaS companies with 50-200 employees.”
- “HR Directors in healthcare organizations.”
Write this down before you touch any filters. If you're fuzzy here, your results will be fuzzy too.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure who to target, start broad, review your export, and tighten things up. Iteration beats analysis paralysis.
Step 2: Fire up Findymail’s advanced filters
Head into Findymail and pull up the lead search tool. Ignore the basic filters for now—we’re going straight to the advanced stuff.
You’ll see options like:
- Industry
- Job Title / Function
- Company size
- Location
- Seniority
- ...and a few others
We’re focusing on the first two, but company size and location can be handy, too.
Step 3: Segment by industry (the right way)
How to use the industry filter
Findymail’s industry filter pulls from standard business databases—think “Information Technology,” “Retail,” “Healthcare,” etc. Here’s what works:
- Pick 1-2 industries max. More than that, and your outreach gets watered down.
- Double-check the labels. Not every SaaS company is under “Software.” Some might be “Information Technology” or even “Internet.” If you care about accuracy, check a few sample results.
- Don’t get too cute. If your product really works for any company, segment by use case instead.
What to ignore:
The “catch-all” industry options. If you filter by “Other” or “Miscellaneous,” you’re going to get junk. Stick with clearly defined industries.
Pro tip: Industry tags aren’t perfect
No tool nails industry tags 100%. Companies self-report, and some are just plain weird (looking at you, “Internet of Things”). Always scan your results. If you see oddballs, tweak your filter or exclude those outliers.
Step 4: Zero in on job title and seniority
Using the job title filter
Findymail lets you filter by both job title keywords and seniority. Here’s how to get the most out of them:
- Use keywords, not full titles. Searching “Head of Growth” will miss “Growth Lead” or “Director of Growth.” Stick to “Growth” or “Marketing” as your keyword.
- Combine with seniority for best results. If you want decision-makers, use “Director,” “VP,” “Head,” “Founder,” or “C-level” in the seniority filter.
- Watch out for weird titles. Some companies use cute titles (“Chief Happiness Officer”). If you’re seeing odd results, try broader keywords.
What doesn’t work:
Relying only on title keywords without seniority. You’ll end up with a bunch of interns or junior staff. Not fun.
Example combinations
- Industry: “Healthcare”
- Job title keyword: “Operations”
- Seniority: “Director” or “VP”
This combo gets you Directors and VPs of Operations at healthcare companies—much tighter than just “anyone in healthcare.”
Step 5: Layer filters for tighter lists
The magic is in combining filters. Here’s how to get surgical:
- Industry + Job Title + Seniority: The classic. “SaaS” + “Marketing” + “VP/Head.”
- Add company size: If you only want mid-market targets, set employee range (e.g., 51-200).
- Add location: Useful if you’re selling regionally.
But don’t go overboard. The more filters you pile on, the fewer results you get. There’s a sweet spot—enough to cut junk, not so much you end up with five leads.
Step 6: Review your results before exporting
Here’s where most people screw up: they trust the filters too much. Always review your filtered list:
- Scan 20-30 leads. Are the industries right? Do the job titles make sense?
- Spot check company names. Are they the kinds of businesses you want?
- Look for obvious mismatches. If you see a “VP of Marketing” at a bakery when you wanted SaaS, something’s off.
If your results are off, adjust your filters and try again. This extra five minutes saves you hours of wasted outreach.
Step 7: Export and organize
Once you’re happy with your list:
- Export your leads from Findymail.
- Organize them into segments (e.g., by industry or job title) in your CRM or even a simple spreadsheet.
- Label your lists clearly—future you will thank you. “Healthcare - Ops Directors - 2024-07 export” is a lot better than “leads_final_final2.csv”.
What to watch out for (and what to ignore)
- Don’t chase perfect data. There will always be a few weird titles or mis-tagged companies. That’s just life.
- Don’t over-segment. If your target audience is already small, you don’t need five filters. You need more leads.
- Don’t buy the hype: No tool, including Findymail, is magic. Filters are only as good as the data behind them. Use them to get close, not perfect.
Pro tips for better segmentation
- Test, tweak, repeat. Your first export probably won’t be perfect. Run a small campaign, see who replies, and adjust.
- Ask your best leads. If you start seeing a pattern (“most replies come from VPs of Product in fintech”), double down on that segment.
- Keep a “junk” folder. Sometimes, weird leads turn out to be gold. Don’t delete them—set them aside for later.
Keep it simple, keep it moving
Segmenting leads by industry and job title with Findymail isn’t hard, but it does take a little care. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of done. Start with broad filters, check your results, and keep adjusting. The goal isn’t to build the prettiest list, it’s to get replies from people who actually care.
Now, go build a segment that actually works—and stop sending “Hey there!” emails into the void.