I used to send the exact same email to everyone on my list. First-time visitors, VIP customers, cart abandoners, you name it.
One email, one message, one CTA. And surprise… it didn’t work. I couldn’t figure out why open rates were tanking and sales were flatlining.
Then I learned about email segmentation, and I kicked myself for not doing it sooner.
If you’re still blasting your entire list with the same message, listen up—because segmentation is hands-down the fastest way to boost your conversions without spending a dime more.
What I Got Wrong in the Beginning?
At first, I thought segmentation meant breaking people into broad groups—like men vs. women. That’s it. But the real magic happens when you get specific. I mean digging into customer behavior, buying habits, and even how often they open your emails.
I once segmented a campaign by “has opened 5+ emails in the last 30 days” vs. “hasn’t opened any.” Same promo, different tone. The engaged group got a straight-up discount. The cold list got a “We miss you” subject line with a smaller incentive. The result? The re-engagement segment had a 31% open rate and 8% conversion. That was a cold list.
Easy Segments That Made a Big Impact
If you’re not sure where to start, here are the segments that worked best for me:
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New Subscribers – I set up a 3-email welcome sequence with a soft sell at the end. Higher click-throughs, better brand recall.
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First-Time Buyers – These folks got a thank-you + how-to email, followed by a personalized recommendation email five days later.
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Repeat Customers – Show them VIP treatment. Early access, loyalty rewards, and personal notes. These people want to hear from you.
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Cart Abandoners – I send 3 emails over 48 hours: one with the product reminder, one with reviews, and the last with a small discount.
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Product Browsers (No Purchase) – I segment based on what category they viewed (e.g., skincare vs. haircare) and follow up with a targeted email and bestsellers in that category.
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Inactives – Anyone who hasn’t opened in 60+ days goes into a re-engagement flow. If they still don’t click, I pause them.
Tools That Helped Me Pull It Off
I’m no tech wizard, so I needed tools that didn’t make segmentation feel like coding.
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Klaviyo was my ride-or-die. Super visual, easy to create segments based on behaviors like “purchased X but not Y.”
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Mailchimp was decent too, especially for tagging and grouping based on signup source.
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Omnisend made A/B testing segments ridiculously easy, especially for seasonal promos.
Pro tip: Integrate your eCommerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.) so you can segment by purchase history, abandoned carts, and browsing behavior. It’s a goldmine.
The Moment I Knew It Was Working
I ran a Valentine’s Day promo but sent two versions. One went to customers who bought in the last 30 days, and one went to people who hadn’t bought anything in 6+ months.
Same product, different approach:
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Recent buyers got: “You loved this. Give it as a gift.”
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Inactives got: “Haven’t shopped in a while? Here’s 20% off your Valentine’s Day treat.”
Result? Recent buyers had a 16% conversion. Inactives? 6%. But together, the total campaign outperformed any blanket promo I’d ever run. And it didn’t feel spammy, it felt personal.
Quick Tips to Get Started with Segmentation
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Start small. Even two segments—buyers vs. non-buyers—can make a difference.
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Use behavior triggers. What someone clicks or browses tells you more than what they say.
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Tag everything. Email platform tags are your best friend. Tag by product, campaign, engagement, whatever.
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Test one segment at a time. Don’t try to build ten at once. You’ll burn out.
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Don’t forget to clean your list. If someone hasn’t opened in 90+ days, consider pausing them or doing a re-engagement push.
Final Thoughts: Treat People Like People
Look, segmentation isn’t about manipulation. It’s about respect. Respecting your customers’ time, interests, and buying behavior.
When someone gets an email that feels like it was written just for them, they pay attention. They click. They buy. And most importantly—they come back.
So if you want better open rates, higher conversions, and fewer unsubscribes? Segment your list. It takes a little time to set up, but once it’s running? You’ll wonder how you ever emailed without it.
