If you’re running outbound campaigns and your reply rate is stuck in the single digits, you’re probably blasting the same message to everyone. Not great. Segmenting your B2B leads—actually sending the right pitch to the right people—is the difference between “Just following up…” and real conversations.
This guide is for anyone using Heyreach to reach out to leads and wants to get off the outreach hamster wheel. I’ll walk you through the filtering tools, what actually matters, and how to skip the busywork that doesn’t move the needle.
Why bother segmenting your leads?
Let’s be honest: most cold outreach fails because it’s generic. People ignore you because you sound like everyone else. Segmentation is just a fancy word for “don’t treat your entire list like a faceless blob.”
When you slice your list into smaller groups—by job title, company size, industry, or even tech stack—you make your message more relevant. Relevant = more replies. It’s that simple.
But don’t get lost in the weeds. You don’t need 30 micro-segments and a PhD in data science. A handful of useful filters will do.
Step 1: Define what actually matters for your business
Before you start clicking filters in Heyreach, pause and ask: Who are the right leads for you, and why?
Here are some practical segmentation criteria that usually matter for B2B:
- Job title/function: Who actually cares about what you’re selling? (CMOs, HR managers, CTOs, etc.)
- Seniority: Are you after decision makers or end users?
- Industry: Not every sector is a fit—don’t waste time on long shots.
- Company size: Selling to a 5-person startup is not the same as selling to a Fortune 500.
- Location: If you can’t serve certain regions, filter them out.
- Tech stack: For SaaS or tech tools, knowing what software a company uses is gold.
- Recent activity: Are they hiring? Did they raise funding? Any trigger events?
Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. Pick 2-4 criteria that are obvious dealbreakers. That’s your starting point.
Step 2: Get your lead list into Heyreach
You can’t filter what you don’t have. Import your leads into Heyreach from LinkedIn, CSV, or your CRM. Make sure each entry includes the data you’ll need for your filters. Garbage in, garbage out.
If your list is missing key info (like job titles or company size), stop and fix that first. There’s no point segmenting on incomplete data.
Step 3: Use Heyreach filters to segment your list
Heyreach’s filters aren’t magic—they’re just a way to slice up your list so you’re not sending the same message to everyone. Here’s what actually works:
The filters that matter
- Job Title filter: Start here. Targeting “Head of Marketing” is way better than “Everyone in Marketing.”
- Seniority filter: Cut out the interns and assistants, unless they’re your buyers.
- Industry filter: Don’t pitch your SaaS to dentists if you only serve tech companies.
- Company Size filter: Know what size of company actually buys from you.
- Location filter: Useful if you’re region-specific or want to stagger outreach by timezone.
- Technology filter: If Heyreach has data on what tools a company uses, use it. Pitching integrations? Only message people who actually use the platform.
How to combine filters without going nuts
- Start broad, then narrow down. For example:
- Filter for “Marketing” job titles at tech companies in the US with 50-500 employees.
- Avoid over-segmenting. If you end up with a segment of 8 people, you’ve gone too far.
- Each segment should be big enough for a proper test (think 50–500 leads).
What to ignore (seriously)
- “Engagement score” or “activity level” filters: These can be misleading. Just because someone posts a lot doesn’t mean they’re a buyer.
- Overly granular filters like “has a dog in their LinkedIn photo.” Fun, but not useful.
- Automated “recommended” segments: They’re often generic and not tailored to your business.
Step 4: Write outreach that actually matches your segments
This is where most people blow it. They go to all the trouble of segmenting, then blast out the same tired message. Don’t.
For each segment, tweak your outreach. You don’t need a totally new pitch—just change what matters:
- Reference their industry or role.
- Mention specific pain points that are unique to that group.
- If you filtered by tech stack, mention how your tool integrates with what they already use.
- If you filtered by company size, tailor your value prop: “For small teams…” vs. “For global enterprises…”
Example:
If you’re targeting HR managers at SaaS companies with over 200 employees, your message should sound different than what you’d send to founders at 10-person agencies.
Pro tip: Don’t get sucked into mail merge hell. Two or three tailored messages are enough to start—just make sure they’re not generic.
Step 5: Test, measure, and adjust (but don’t over-optimize)
You’ve got your segments and your messages. Now, monitor your response rates. Don’t obsess over small differences—look for big swings.
- If a segment is getting replies, double down.
- If another is silent, check if your message actually fits.
- Don’t be afraid to merge segments that act the same, or split ones that have wildly different results.
Keep it simple—complexity kills momentum.
What works (and what’s mostly hype)
What actually moves the needle
- Relevance over volume: A smaller, targeted list beats a giant spray-and-pray campaign every time.
- Fresh data: Outdated lists mean you’re talking to people who’ve moved on. Update often.
- A/B testing a couple of messages per segment: Not 20 variants—just enough to see what sticks.
What doesn’t
- Over-personalization: You don’t need to stalk people on Twitter or mention their dog’s name.
- Dozens of micro-segments: You’ll burn out before you see results.
- Obsessing over open rates: Replies are what matter.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Filtering on vanity metrics: Just because you can filter by interests or “influencer” status doesn’t mean you should.
- Segmenting before you have enough data: If you only have 100 leads, don’t chop them into tiny buckets.
- Automating bad outreach: Segmentation isn’t a silver bullet for bad messaging. If your pitch sucks, no amount of filtering will help.
Keep it simple—and don’t stop iterating
Don’t let segmentation become another excuse for procrastination. Start with a couple of meaningful filters, write messages that actually speak to those groups, and see what happens.
The goal isn’t perfect segments—it’s better replies. If you’re not getting them, tweak your filters or your messaging and try again. Simple, honest, and a lot more effective than whatever the latest “AI-powered outreach” tool is promising.
Now get out there and send something worth replying to.