If you’re sending B2B emails and want better results, you need to get specific. Blasting the same message to everyone is a fast track to the spam folder—or at best, a pile of ignored emails. Segmentation is how you stop wasting your time and start talking to people like they actually matter.
This guide is for people who want to use Mailivery to do smarter, more personalized outreach. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or just trying to get responses from other businesses, this will walk you through segmenting your audience so your emails actually get read (and maybe even answered).
Why Segmentation Matters (and What to Ignore)
Let’s be honest: most “personalization” advice is either too basic (“use their first name!”) or so complex it’s not worth the hassle for most teams. Segmentation sits in that sweet spot. Done right, it lets you:
- Send emails that fit the recipient’s business, role, and pain points
- Avoid triggering spam filters by not blasting the same message to everyone
- Spend less time guessing and more time getting replies
You don’t need to go overboard with a hundred micro-segments. A few thoughtful groups will do more than any AI buzzword feature.
Step 1: Get Your Contact List in Shape
Before you segment, make sure your data isn’t a mess. Garbage in, garbage out.
What to check: - Duplicates: Remove them. Nobody likes getting the same email twice. - Missing info: If you don’t have enough details to group contacts (like job title or company size), you’re flying blind. - Outdated contacts: Scrub emails that bounce or belong to people who left the company.
Pro Tip: Even if your CRM is supposed to sync with Mailivery, double-check. Syncs break, and updates don’t always flow through.
Step 2: Decide How You’ll Segment
There’s no single “right” way. It depends on what you’re selling and to whom. Here are the most useful ways to break up a B2B list:
- Industry: Are you talking to SaaS companies, manufacturers, agencies, etc.?
- Company Size: Startups aren’t Fortune 500s. Tailor your pitch.
- Job Title / Role: Founders, VPs, and managers care about different things.
- Location: Some offers only make sense for certain regions.
- Tech Stack or Tools Used: Especially if you’re selling tech.
What to skip: Don’t bother with segments you can’t actually use to change your messaging. If you’re not going to write a different email for CFOs, don’t make a CFO segment.
Step 3: Create Segments in Mailivery
Mailivery isn’t a full-blown CRM, but it gives you enough tools for solid segmentation.
3.1 Import and Tag Contacts
- Import your list: Upload your CSV, XLSX, or connect your CRM if that’s an option.
- Use tags: Tags are your friend. Tag contacts by industry, company size, role, etc. You can apply multiple tags, so don’t overthink it.
Pro Tip: Name your tags in a way that makes sense a month from now (e.g., “SaaS-CTO-US” not just “CTO”).
3.2 Build Segments with Filters
- Once your contacts are tagged, use Mailivery’s filter feature to pull up specific groups.
- Filter by one or more tags to get exactly the list you want—like “Fintech” + “VP” + “Europe.”
What doesn’t work: Don’t expect Mailivery to auto-magically build advanced segments. If you want ultra-granular targeting, prep your list outside of Mailivery first, then import.
Step 4: Personalize Your Outreach (The Right Way)
Now you’ve got your segments—great. But if your “personalized” email is just the same pitch with a different greeting, you’re not fooling anyone.
4.1 Write Segment-Specific Emails
For each segment, ask: - What’s their biggest headache right now? - How does your product/service fix that headache? - What language do they actually use?
Example:
For a “SaaS CTO” segment, focus on uptime, integrations, or technical debt—not generic “business growth.”
4.2 Use Mailivery’s Variables (But Don’t Overdo It)
Mailivery lets you drop in variables (like {{FirstName}}, {{CompanyName}}). It’s handy for adding small touches, but don’t rely on it for all your personalization. The real win is in the overall message and offer.
Pitfall: If your template looks like Mad Libs, you’ve gone too far. (“Hi {{FirstName}}, I saw your work at {{CompanyName}} in the {{Industry}} space…” — nobody talks like that.)
Step 5: Test and Iterate
Segmentation isn’t a one-time job. Your audience, your offer, and, frankly, your guesses about what works will change.
What to track: - Open rates: Did your new segment actually engage? - Reply rates: Are you getting responses from the right people? - Unsubscribes: Too many and you probably got too broad or too spammy.
Pro Tip: Don’t try to test everything at once. Pick one segment, try a couple of different approaches, and see what sticks.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Works:
- Focusing on real differences (industry, role, pain point)
- Keeping segments manageable (3–7 main groups is usually enough)
- Writing for a specific person, not a faceless blob
Doesn’t:
- Over-segmenting (“This is for Marketing Managers at SaaS companies with 51–53 employees in Ohio”)—you’ll burn out and end up with tiny lists
- Relying only on merge tags for personalization
- Buying lists and hoping segmentation will make them “warm”
Ignore:
- Hype about “AI-powered segmentation” unless you’re sending thousands of emails a week and have real data. For most teams, manual tags and common sense beat automated guesswork.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Segmentation in Mailivery doesn’t have to be complicated. Clean up your data, pick a few meaningful groups, and actually write for them. Don’t get lost in features or trends—just focus on making your emails sound like you know (and care about) who you’re writing to.
Start small, see what works, and tweak as you go. The best segmentation is the kind that actually gets you replies.