If you’re drowning in a sea of leads and your outreach still feels like throwing spaghetti at the wall, this is for you. Amplemarket’s filtering tools can help you cut through the noise and put better prospects in front of your team—if you use them right. This isn’t about chasing every shiny bell and whistle. It’s about building real, useful segments that actually move the needle.
Below, I’ll walk you through using advanced filters in Amplemarket step-by-step, with some honest pointers on what works, what to skip, and how to keep it all manageable.
Why Segmenting Your Leads Matters (And What Most People Get Wrong)
Let’s get real: dumping every lead into one giant bucket is a waste of time. Not every prospect wants the same thing, and you can’t talk to them all the same way. Good segmentation means:
- Less wasted outreach (no more “Hi {{first_name}}” emails to the wrong people)
- Better response rates (because you’re actually relevant)
- A pipeline that doesn’t feel like wishful thinking
Most folks go overboard, though—creating segments so specific they end up with lists of five people and a headache. The trick is balancing precision with practicality.
Step 1: Define the Segments You Actually Need
Before you even open Amplemarket, decide what you really care about. Don’t get sucked into filtering just because you can.
Ask yourself: - Who are our best customers? What do they have in common? - Who do we absolutely not want to waste time on? - Is this segment big enough to bother with? (A list of 20 probably isn’t worth it.)
Common segments that make sense: - Industry (e.g., SaaS companies, manufacturing) - Company size (small startup vs. big enterprise) - Geography (US, EMEA, APAC) - Job title or function (decision-makers versus end users) - Tech stack (if you sell to companies using a specific tool)
Pro tip: Start broad. You can always get more granular later—don’t overthink it at the start.
Step 2: Open Amplemarket and Access Lead Filters
Log in to Amplemarket and head to the “Leads” or “Prospecting” section—wherever your lead lists live.
To access filters: - Click on your main lead database or a specific list. - Look for the “Filters” or “Advanced Filters” button at the top or left sidebar. - You’ll see the usual suspects: industry, location, company size, job title, and a bunch of other options.
Don’t be afraid to poke around. Sometimes the most useful filters are buried under “More Options” or tucked away in the UI.
Step 3: Apply Basic Filters First
Start with the big, obvious stuff. Don’t get fancy yet.
Recommended starting filters: - Industry: Narrow down to just a few that matter. - Location: Target only the regions you actually sell into. - Company size: Pick ranges that make sense for your sales motion. - Seniority/Job Title: Aim for decision-makers unless you know you need end users.
What to ignore for now: - Hyper-specific filters like “number of Twitter followers” or “recent funding.” These sound cool, but they rarely move the needle unless you have a niche play.
Tip: Check your segment size after each filter. If it shrinks to nothing, loosen up.
Step 4: Use Advanced Filters to Refine Your Segment
Here’s where Amplemarket’s advanced filters actually become useful—if you don’t get carried away.
Popular advanced filters: - Technology used: Filter companies based on their tech stack (e.g., Salesforce, AWS, Shopify). - Hiring trends: Target companies actively hiring for certain roles (usually signals growth). - Recent funding: If your best customers are fast-growing, this can help—but don’t overdo it. - Keywords in bio or company description: Useful for niche verticals (e.g., “logistics,” “telemedicine”).
How to use them well: - Layer one or two advanced filters on top of your basic ones. - If you stack too many, you’ll end up with tiny lists or weird outliers. - Always sanity-check: does this filter actually help you find better leads, or just different ones?
Honest take: Most teams see diminishing returns after two or three advanced filters. The more you add, the more likely you are to exclude good prospects by accident.
Step 5: Exclude Bad-Fit Leads Up Front
Don’t waste time cleaning up your list later—exclude the obvious misses now.
Common exclusion filters: - Competitors: Weed out companies you don’t want to target. - Current customers or partners: Avoid awkward outreach. - Unqualified industries: If you never sell to government or education, filter them out.
How to do it: - Use the “Exclude” option in each filter (usually a toggle or minus icon). - Save these as default exclusions for future segments, if Amplemarket allows.
Skipping this step is a classic rookie mistake. You’ll end up explaining to your boss why you emailed your own company.
Step 6: Save, Name, and Organize Your Segments
Once you’ve got a segment that looks useful, save it.
Best practices: - Give segments clear, boring names (“US SaaS > 500 Employees > CTOs”) so anyone can understand them. - Avoid naming every segment after the campaign you’re running. Segments should be reusable. - Archive or delete segments you don’t use—old junk just adds clutter.
If you can, tag or group similar segments together. Some tools let you favorite or “star” your top lists.
Step 7: Test Your Segment Before You Launch Outreach
This is where a lot of people trip up. Just because your segment looks good on paper doesn’t mean it’s ready for primetime.
Quick QA checklist: - Spot-check 10–20 leads manually. Would you actually want to email these folks? - Are there any obvious mistakes (wrong titles, wrong industries)? - Is the segment size realistic for your campaign? (Too small = not worth the effort; too big = too generic.)
If you find weird results: - Revisit your filters. Sometimes one advanced filter is too restrictive. - Try removing or relaxing a filter and see what changes.
Don’t skip this. It’s a 10-minute step that can save you hours of embarrassment.
Step 8: Put Your Segments to Work
Now you can actually start using your segments:
- Personalize your messaging: Tailor your emails to the segment. Don’t just drop in a token {{industry}} mention—speak to their real pain points.
- Track your results: Which segments get the best replies? Which ones flop? Don’t be afraid to kill off underperforming segments.
- Iterate: Segments aren’t set in stone. Revise them as you learn what works.
If you’re not getting traction, your segment might be too broad or too narrow. Tweak and try again.
What to Watch Out For (And What to Ignore)
- Don’t chase every new filter: Just because Amplemarket adds a “web traffic” filter doesn’t mean it’s useful for your business.
- Don’t segment for the sake of segmenting: Busywork is not strategy. Only create segments you’ll actually use.
- Don’t blindly trust the data: Even the best platforms have out-of-date contact info or wonky firmographics. Always check before launching massive campaigns.
Wrap-Up: Keep It Simple, Keep Improving
Segmentation shouldn’t be a full-time job. Start with broad, useful filters and refine as you go. Don’t get caught up in the hype—there’s no magic filter combo that will do your selling for you. The best segments are the ones that are clear, actionable, and easy to explain to the rest of your team.
Build your core segments, test them, and keep tweaking. That’s how you get real results without drowning in complexity. Good luck, and remember: it’s better to have a few solid segments that work than dozens that gather dust.