You want to run smarter, more focused campaigns—ones that actually hit the right accounts, not just spray and pray. But figuring out segmentation inside a tool like Motidash can feel like a maze. If you’re tired of generic advice and want a real-world, step-by-step guide for segmenting accounts using Motidash filters, you’re in the right place. This walkthrough is for marketers, sales ops, or anyone who needs to get targeted, practical results from their campaigns—not “thought leadership.”
Let’s get you set up so you can run campaigns that don’t waste time (or budget) on the wrong accounts.
Why Account Segmentation Actually Matters
Let’s not overcomplicate this: segmentation is just the process of breaking your accounts into groups, so you can talk to them in ways that make sense for each group. The promise? Higher engagement, less wasted spend, and fewer awkward “why am I getting this email?” moments for your prospects.
But here’s the catch: most segmentation tools are either too simple (just sorting by industry) or so complex you never actually use them. Motidash lands somewhere in the middle—powerful, but not if you overthink it.
Step 1: Get Your Accounts and Data Into Motidash
Before you can filter or segment anything, your data has to be in Motidash. This is a step a lot of teams rush through, but garbage in, garbage out. Don’t skip this.
How to import accounts: - Via CSV: Clean your file. Make sure columns match what Motidash expects (Account Name, Industry, Region, Revenue, etc.). Upload it through the import tool. - CRM sync: If you’re connecting Salesforce, HubSpot, etc., double-check mapping. Don’t assume your CRM fields are perfect—look for weird formatting or empty fields. - Manual add: Only for the brave or those with tiny lists. Not recommended for scale.
Pro tip: Don’t dump every possible field into Motidash. Only bring in what you’ll actually use to segment (like industry, ARR, tech stack, location, recent engagement). Clutter slows everything down.
Step 2: Get Familiar With Motidash Filters
Motidash filters let you slice and dice your account list. The UI is pretty straightforward—think dropdowns, checkboxes, and the occasional date picker. But there are quirks:
- AND vs. OR logic: By default, filters are combined with AND (i.e., all conditions must be true). If you want OR (i.e., accounts matching any of several criteria), you’ll need to set this explicitly. Watch out—this trips up a lot of people.
- Field types matter: Text fields (like “Industry”) are exact match unless you use “contains.” Numeric fields (like “Revenue”) can be filtered with ranges.
- Saved filters: Don’t reinvent the wheel every time. Save filters you use often.
Stuff that works: Filtering by firmographics (industry, size, location), recent activity, and tech stack is solid. Filtering by “engagement score” only works if your data is good—otherwise, you’re just guessing.
Step 3: Define Your Segmentation Criteria
If you start with “let’s segment by everything,” you’ll end up with nothing useful. Instead, get clear on what matters for this campaign.
Ask: - Who do you actually want to reach? (Industry, region, company size, tech used) - What makes them a good fit for this offer or message? - Do you have enough accounts in the segment to make it worth running a campaign?
Examples of smart segmentation: - SaaS companies in North America with ARR > $1M, using AWS - Manufacturing firms in EMEA that haven’t engaged in the last 6 months - Retailers with open support tickets in the last 30 days
What not to do: Don’t create 20 micro-segments for a list of 100 accounts. You’ll end up with segments too small to bother with—or worse, segments you forget to update.
Step 4: Build Your Filters in Motidash
Time to get hands-on. Here’s how to actually build your segment:
- Go to the Accounts view in Motidash.
- Click “Add Filter.” You’ll see a list of fields you can filter by.
- Choose your first filter (e.g., “Industry” equals “SaaS”).
- Layer on more filters as needed (e.g., “Region” equals “North America”; “ARR” greater than 1,000,000).
- Preview your segment. Motidash shows you the results instantly. If you’ve got too few (or too many), tweak your filters.
- Save your filter set if you’ll reuse it. Give it a name that actually describes the segment—“Big SaaS NA” beats “Filter 7.”
Watch out for: - Empty segments: If you see zero accounts, double-check your data or relax a filter. - Overlapping segments: If you’re running multiple campaigns, make sure segments don’t compete for the same accounts unless you want them to. - Date-based filters: Be careful with “last X days” filters. They’re dynamic, so your segment size can change day to day. That might be what you want—or not.
Step 5: Test Your Segment Before Launch
Don’t trust the numbers blindly. Before you run a campaign:
- Spot-check a handful of accounts in your segment. Do they actually fit what you expect?
- Look for weird outliers. One government agency in your “Tech Startups” segment? That’s probably a data issue.
- Check for duplicates. If accounts show up in multiple segments, is that intentional?
Pro tip: If you find a lot of junk, fix the data at the source (CRM or CSV), not just in Motidash. Otherwise, you’ll keep running into the same problems.
Step 6: Sync or Export Your Segmented List
Once your segment looks right, you need to get it where it needs to go:
- Sync to marketing automation: If Motidash integrates with your email tool or ad platform, use the sync option. Check what fields are passed through—some integrations only send basic info.
- Export CSV: For everything else, export your segment as a CSV. Double-check that all the fields you need (like email, contact name) are included.
- Manual handoff: Only if you have to. This is where mistakes creep in, so triple-check the list.
What to ignore: Don’t bother segmenting further inside your marketing tool unless you have a strong reason. Keep everything in one system to avoid confusion.
Step 7: Run the Campaign—And Track Results by Segment
This isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing. Once your campaign is live:
- Track performance by segment. Motidash can show you engagement, opens, clicks, and so on, broken down by segment (assuming you’ve set up tracking).
- Watch for underperformers. If one segment bombs, don’t keep pouring money into it. Rethink your filters or messaging.
- Update your segments. Business data changes. Review and refresh your filters at least once a quarter.
Pro tip: Make a note of what criteria worked. Build a “hall of fame” of segments that actually perform, so you’re not reinventing the wheel every campaign.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Works well: - Segments based on real buying signals (recent activity, product fit) - Simple, clear filters (don’t overcomplicate) - Regularly refreshing your data
Doesn’t work: - Overly complex segments—if you need a spreadsheet to track your filters, you’ve gone too far - Segmentation for its own sake (segmenting just because you can) - Ignoring data quality—bad data ruins even the smartest filters
Stuff to ignore: - Hype about “AI-powered segmentation” unless you’ve seen it deliver in your own data. Sometimes, all you need is “Industry = Healthcare.” - Fancy visualizations of your segments—nice for slides, but not useful for action.
Keep It Simple—and Iterate
The best segmentation is the one you actually use. Start with the basics, see what works, and tweak from there. Don’t get stuck planning the perfect filter set—get your first segment out the door, and improve as you go. If you keep your data clean and your filters simple, Motidash can actually make your campaigns smarter—not just busier.
Now, go build a segment worth targeting.