Email Segmentation: The Strategy Guide That Drives 760% More Revenue

Email segmentation is the difference between mass emails that get ignored and targeted messages that drive action. Segmented campaigns generate 760% more revenue than non-segmented—that's not a typo.

This guide shows you how to implement segmentation that works. Not just theory—practical strategies, specific segments to create, and step-by-step implementation.

Why Segmentation Drives Results

The data is overwhelming:

• 760% revenue increase from segmented campaigns
• 14.31% higher open rates than non-segmented
• 100.95% higher click rates
• Reduced unsubscribes from improved relevance

The principle is simple: relevant messages perform better. Segmentation creates relevance at scale.

Types of Email Segmentation

Demographic Segmentation

Segment by who people are:

Attribute	Use Case
Location	Time-zone sends, local offers
Industry	Industry-specific content
Company size	Appropriate solutions
Job title	Role-relevant messaging
Age	Generational preferences

Best for: Initial personalization, industry-specific content, B2B targeting.

Behavioral Segmentation

Segment by what people do:

Behavior	Use Case
Email engagement	Re-engagement campaigns
Website activity	Relevant follow-ups
Purchase history	Cross-sell, loyalty
Product usage	Feature adoption
Content consumption	Interest-based content

Best for: Highly relevant, timely messages. This is the highest-impact segmentation type.

Psychographic Segmentation

Segment by interests and preferences:

Attribute	Use Case
Stated interests	Topic-specific content
Communication preferences	Frequency optimization
Values	Mission-aligned messaging
Goals	Outcome-focused content

Best for: Deep personalization, content strategy.

Lifecycle Segmentation

Segment by relationship stage:

Stage	Strategy
New subscribers	Welcome sequences
Engaged prospects	Conversion focus
New customers	Onboarding, adoption
Active customers	Retention, upsell
At-risk	Re-engagement
Churned	Win-back campaigns

Best for: Appropriate messaging for each stage.

High-Impact Segments to Create

Segment 1: Engagement Level (Required)

This segment impacts everything—including deliverability.

Active (opened/clicked in last 30 days):

• Send your best content
• Higher frequency acceptable
• First to hear about offers

Engaged (opened in last 90 days):

• Regular content cadence
• Standard frequency
• Nurture toward active

Inactive (no engagement 90+ days):

• Re-engagement campaigns only
• Lower frequency
• Remove if no response

Segment 2: Customer Status (Required)

Prospects and customers need different messages.

Never purchased:

• Educational content
• Social proof
• First-purchase incentives
• Objection handling

One-time buyers:

• Thank you sequences
• Cross-sell recommendations
• Review requests
• Second purchase incentives

Repeat customers:

• Loyalty rewards
• Early access
• VIP treatment
• Referral requests

Segment 3: Product Interest

Based on browsing and engagement behavior.

How to identify:

• Pages visited on website
• Products viewed
• Categories browsed
• Content downloaded
• Links clicked in emails

How to use:

• Send relevant product recommendations
• Trigger browse abandonment emails
• Personalize content blocks
• Target offers appropriately

Segment 4: Customer Value

Treat high-value customers differently.

High-value (top 20% by revenue):

• VIP experiences
• Personal attention
• Exclusive offers
• Priority support

Medium-value (middle 60%):

• Upsell opportunities
• Loyalty building
• Standard promotions

Low-value (bottom 20%):

• Activation campaigns
• Value demonstration
• Basic nurturing

Segment 5: Source/Acquisition

How they found you matters.

Source	Strategy
Organic search	Content-focused nurture
Paid ads	Faster path to conversion
Referral	Social proof, community
Lead magnet	Topic-specific follow-up
Event	Event follow-up sequence

Implementing Segmentation: Step by Step

Step 1: Audit Your Data

Before building segments, understand what you have:

Data inventory:

• What do you know about subscribers?
• What can you track going forward?
• What integrations add data?

Common data sources:

• Email platform (engagement data)
• Website analytics (behavior)
• CRM (purchase, relationship)
• Product/app (usage)
• Surveys (preferences)

Step 2: Define Your Priority Segments

Start with 3-5 segments that matter most. Recommended starting point:

1. Engagement level — Required for deliverability
2. Customer vs. prospect — Fundamentally different needs
3. One business-specific segment — Based on your model

Step 3: Create Segments in Your Platform

Most email platforms support:

• Tag-based segments — Manual or trigger-applied tags
• Behavior-based segments — Based on actions
• Dynamic segments — Auto-update based on criteria

With Brew, you can describe segments in plain English: "Subscribers who opened an email in the last 30 days but haven't purchased."

Step 4: Develop Segment-Specific Content

For each segment, define:

• Content themes (what topics)
• Sending frequency (how often)
• Offer types (what promotions)
• Tone/messaging (how to speak)

Step 5: Measure and Refine

Track performance by segment:

• Open rates by segment
• Click rates by segment
• Conversion rates by segment
• Revenue per email by segment

Identify underperforming segments and adjust strategy.

Segmentation Examples

E-commerce Segmentation

Segment	Criteria	Strategy
Window shoppers	Browsed, no cart	Incentivize first action
Cart abandoners	Added, didn't buy	Recovery sequence
First buyers	1 purchase	Thank you + cross-sell
Loyalists	3+ purchases	VIP treatment
Lapsed	No purchase 60+ days	Win-back campaign
High AOV	Above average order	Premium offers

SaaS Segmentation

Segment	Criteria	Strategy
Trial users	In trial	Activation, feature education
Active users	Regular usage	Tips, upsell
Power users	Heavy usage	Advocacy, case studies
At-risk	Declining usage	Re-engagement, support
Churned	Cancelled	Win-back

B2B Segmentation

Segment	Criteria	Strategy
Cold leads	Downloaded content	Nurture sequence
Engaged leads	Multiple touches	Sales acceleration
Opportunities	In pipeline	Deal support
Customers	Closed	Onboarding, expansion
Champions	Advocates	Referral, testimonials

See our B2B email marketing guide for more.

Common Segmentation Mistakes

1. Over-Segmentation

Too many segments = too much complexity = nothing gets done.

Fix: Start with 3-5 segments. Add more when you've mastered these.

2. Static Segments

Segments should update based on behavior.

Fix: Use dynamic segments that auto-update, or refresh tags regularly.

3. Ignoring Engagement

Engagement segmentation impacts deliverability for everyone.

Fix: Always segment by engagement first.

4. No Segment Strategy

Creating segments without content plans for each.

Fix: Every segment needs a defined approach.

5. Not Testing

Segment assumptions need validation.

Fix: Test segment hypotheses with A/B tests.

Segmentation Tools

Most email platforms support segmentation, but depth varies:

Basic segmentation: Mailchimp, MailerLite

Advanced segmentation: Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign

AI-powered segmentation: Brew—describe segments in natural language

Getting Started: Your First Segments

Week 1: Engagement Segments

Create three groups:

• Active (last 30 days)
• Engaged (31-90 days)
• Inactive (90+ days)

Start sending more frequently to active, less to inactive.

Week 2: Customer Segments

Separate:

• Never purchased
• Purchased once
• Purchased multiple times

Adjust messaging and offers for each.

Week 3: Add Business-Specific Segment

Based on your model:

• Product interest
• Industry/company size
• Acquisition source
• Plan/tier level

Week 4: Develop Segment Content Strategy

For each segment, document:

• What content they receive
• How often they receive it
• What offers are appropriate
• What tone to use

Ready to Segment Smarter?

Segmentation doesn't have to be complex. Start simple, measure results, and add sophistication as you learn.

Brew makes segmentation easy—describe your segments in plain language and create targeted emails for each in seconds.

Start segmenting with Brew →