If you’re sending the same email blast to everyone, you’re leaving money on the table (and probably annoying people). Segmentation is how you move from generic noise to messages people actually want to open. This guide is for marketers and small teams who want to use Leadonion to send smarter, more targeted emails—without getting buried in busywork or buzzwords.
Let’s break down exactly how to segment your audience in Leadonion, what’s worth your time, and what’s just hype.
Why Bother With Segmentation?
Here’s the deal: segmented emails get more opens, more clicks, and fewer unsubscribes. That’s not marketing fluff—it’s just reality. If you want to sell more, or even just get people to read what you send, you have to meet them where they are.
Segmentation is about sending the right message to the right person, not about building fancy flowcharts. Leadonion gives you the tools, but you’ll still need to put in some thought. The good news: once you set things up, it gets easier every time.
Step 1: Get Your Data House in Order
You can’t segment what you don’t know. Before you touch any filters, make sure your contact data is clean and useful.
Start With the Basics
- Import your contacts — CSV, CRM sync, copy-paste, whatever works. Garbage in, garbage out: double-check for bad emails and duplicates.
- Standardize your fields — Job title, company size, industry, region, etc. If your data is all over the place (e.g., “VP Sales,” “Sales VP,” “VP of Sales”), pick one format and stick to it.
- Custom fields — If you care about something Leadonion doesn’t track by default (like product interest or last purchase), set up a custom field now.
Pro tip: Don’t get paralyzed trying to track everything. Focus on what actually matters for your campaigns—three or four solid fields beat twenty half-empty ones.
Step 2: Define What Segments Actually Matter
Not every difference between people is worth segmenting on. Start with the basics that move the needle.
Common Segmentation Ideas
- Demographics: Age, gender, location (if you have it and it’s relevant).
- Firmographics: Company size, industry, job title.
- Behavior: Opened last campaign? Clicked a link? Visited a product page?
- Lifecycle: New lead, existing customer, churn risk, etc.
What to Ignore:
Don’t slice your audience into a million micro-segments unless you have a clear reason. If your message doesn’t actually change for “Midwest SaaS CEOs under 45,” don’t create that segment.
Step 3: Build Segments in Leadonion
Here’s where rubber meets road. Leadonion’s segmentation tools are solid, but some features are more useful than others.
How To Create a Segment
- Head to your Contacts or Audience section.
- Use filters at the top or side panel to pick the criteria you care about—like “industry is healthcare” and “opened last email.”
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Stack filters to narrow things down. You can use AND/OR logic for things like:
- Job title is “CTO” OR “VP Engineering”
- Company size is greater than 100
- Last activity within 30 days
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Save your segment with a clear name (“Engaged SaaS CTOs”—not “Test Segment 3”).
- Check the preview. Make sure the list makes sense and isn’t just you and your test account.
Pro tip:
Don’t overcomplicate your first round. Start broad, send, then refine based on what works.
Step 4: Use Dynamic (Smart) Segments—But Don’t Get Lost
Leadonion lets you create dynamic or “smart” segments that update as new data comes in. These are great for things like:
- Recent signups (e.g., joined in the last 7 days)
- High engagement (e.g., clicked a link in the past 2 emails)
- Inactive users (e.g., no opens in 90 days)
When Dynamic Segments Shine
- Welcome drips: Auto-add new people to a nurture sequence.
- Re-engagement: Catch people slipping away before it’s too late.
When to Skip
If you barely have new leads coming in, or your data doesn’t update regularly, static segments are fine. Don’t build Rube Goldberg machines for a list of 200 contacts.
Step 5: Personalize, But Don’t Go Overboard
Once your segments are set, tailor your emails—just don’t make it weird.
Ways to Personalize
- Subject lines: Mention industry or product interest.
- Content blocks: Show different offers/messages based on segment.
- Sender name: If you’re B2B, using a real person’s name can help.
What’s Not Worth It:
Using someone’s first name three times in an email doesn’t make you their friend. Personalization should feel natural, not forced.
Step 6: Test and Adjust—But Keep It Simple
Segmentation is never “done.” What works now might flop in six months. But don’t get caught up in endless tweaking.
What to Watch
- Open rates: Are your emails getting seen?
- Click rates: Is anyone actually engaging?
- Unsubscribes: Too high? Maybe your segments are off or the content is mismatched.
Make small changes (one segment at a time) and see what happens. If you’re not getting better results, rethink your criteria.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Works: - Segmenting by engagement (sends better results than just by job title) - Using dynamic segments for active/inactive users - Keeping segment names clear and simple
Doesn’t Really Work: - Over-customizing for tiny segments (not worth the time unless you’re Amazon) - Relying on incomplete or messy data—if your fields are junk, your segments will be too
Ignore: - Gimmicky “AI-powered” segments unless you really understand what they’re doing - Segmenting on vanity info (like favorite color) unless it genuinely changes your message
Quick Checklist
- Clean up your contact data
- Pick 2-4 segments that actually matter
- Build and save segments in Leadonion
- Start with simple personalization
- Review results every month—don’t guess
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Segmentation in Leadonion isn’t about being fancy—it’s about being relevant. Start with clear, broad groups. See what works. Over time, you’ll spot new patterns and can get more granular if it’s worth it.
Don’t stress about perfection. The goal isn’t to impress anyone with your segmentation wizardry—it’s to send emails people actually want to read. Keep things simple, check your results, and tweak as you go. You’ll get better with every send.