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How To Segment Your Contacts For Better Engagement & Conversion

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Gregg Franklin

You’ve collected your customers’ contact information, great! But now what? Having a list is an important step in marketing, but knowing what to do with that list is how you see results of better engagement and conversion.

One main way to do this is to segment your contacts by recency and events. This means dividing your email subscribers or audience into groups based on how recently they engaged with your brand and what specific action (event) they performed. This segmentation helps you target them with more personalized and timely messages, improving your email marketing performance.

Here’s a breakdown of what this means:

1. Recency

  • This focuses on when a subscriber last interacted with your brand.
  • Common recency metrics include:
    • Last purchase date
    • Last email opened
    • Last website visit
    • Last download or sign-up

Examples:

  • Segment A: Subscribers who engaged in the last 7 days
  • Segment B: Subscribers who engaged 30-60 days ago
  • Segment C: Subscribers who haven’t engaged in 90+ days (re-engagement targets)

Why it’s useful: Recency affects how “warm” or “cold” a lead is. Someone who engaged recently is more likely to act on your offers than someone who hasn’t interacted in months.

2. Event

  • This refers to the specific actions a subscriber has taken, such as:
    • Clicking a link in an email
    • Signing up for a webinar
    • Adding a product to their cart
    • Completing a purchase
    • Downloading a free resource

Examples:

  • Segment A: Users who signed up for a free trial but didn’t purchase
  • Segment B: Customers who abandoned their cart
  • Segment C: Subscribers who clicked on a specific email campaign

Why it’s useful: Events show intent or interest. By segmenting based on behavior, you can create more relevant campaigns.

Combining Recency and Event

When you combine recency and event, you can create hyper-targeted segments. For example:

  • Segment 1: Users who added a product to their cart in the last 3 days → Send a reminder email with a discount.
  • Segment 2: Users who signed up for your webinar last week but didn’t attend → Send the webinar replay.
  • Segment 3: Customers who made a purchase in the last 30 days → Send a “Thank You” email with upsell recommendations.

Benefits of Segmenting by Recency and Event:

  1. Increased Engagement: Target users when they’re most likely to act.
  2. Better Conversions: Tailor your offers based on specific behaviors.
  3. Efficient Re-engagement: Focus on reviving lapsed leads with relevant campaigns.
  4. Reduced Unsubscribes: Deliver emails that feel timely and personalized.

Real World Examples:

Here are some real-world examples of segmenting by recency and event, along with the type of emails you can send to those segments:

1. Abandoned Cart (Event: Added to Cart | Recency: Last 24-48 hours)

Segment:
  • Subscribers who added items to their cart but didn’t complete the purchase in the last 1-2 days.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Did you forget something?”
  • Content: Show the item(s) they left in their cart, include a sense of urgency (e.g., “Only 2 left in stock!”) or a discount (e.g., “Here’s 10% off to complete your order”).
  • CTA: “Complete My Purchase”

2. Webinar Non-Attendees (Event: Signed Up for Webinar | Recency: Last Week)

Segment:
  • Subscribers who registered for your webinar last week but didn’t attend.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Here’s the replay you missed!”
  • Content: Include the webinar recording, key takeaways, and a CTA to download related resources or schedule a 1-on-1 call.
  • CTA: “Watch the Replay Now”

3. Recent Purchasers (Event: Completed Purchase | Recency: Last 7 Days)

Segment:
  • Customers who purchased in the last 7 days.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Thank You for Your Purchase! Here’s What’s Next”
  • Content: A personalized thank-you message, tips on using the product, and a recommendation for related items or upgrades.
  • CTA: “Browse Recommended Products”

4. Free Trial Users (Event: Started Free Trial | Recency: Last 3 Days)

Segment:
  • Subscribers who started a free trial in the last 3 days.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Maximize Your Free Trial!”
  • Content: Share a quick-start guide or tips to get the most out of the trial. Include a feature checklist to explore.
  • CTA: “Get Started Now”

5. Lapsed Subscribers (Event: Last Opened an Email | Recency: 90+ Days)

Segment:
  • Subscribers who haven’t opened an email in 90+ days.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “We Miss You! Here’s a Special Treat”
  • Content: Offer a freebie, discount, or exclusive content to re-engage them. Ask for feedback about why they disengaged.
  • CTA: “Claim Your Offer”

6. High-Intent Browsers (Event: Visited Pricing Page | Recency: Last 48 Hours)

Segment:
  • Visitors who viewed the pricing page in the last 2 days but didn’t sign up.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Still Thinking About It?”
  • Content: Provide a case study, customer testimonial, or a comparison chart to address objections.
  • CTA: “See How It Works”

7. Content Engagers (Event: Clicked on Blog or Resource Link | Recency: Last Week)

Segment:
  • Subscribers who clicked on a blog/resource link in your last email.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Enjoyed That? Here’s More!”
  • Content: Recommend similar articles, resources, or tools that align with the topic they clicked on.
  • CTA: “Discover More Resources”

8. Product Page Viewers (Event: Visited a Product Page | Recency: Last 3 Days)

Segment:
  • Visitors who browsed a specific product page but didn’t add to the cart.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Take a Closer Look at [Product Name]”
  • Content: Highlight the product’s key benefits, include testimonials, and offer a small incentive (e.g., free shipping or a discount).
  • CTA: “Shop Now”

9. New Subscribers (Event: Signed Up for Newsletter | Recency: 0-7 Days)

Segment:
  • People who subscribed to your email list in the past week.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Welcome to [Brand Name]!”
  • Content: Send a warm welcome email introducing your brand, what they can expect, and a special offer to get started.
  • CTA: “Get Started”

10. Dormant Customers (Event: Last Purchase | Recency: 6-12 Months Ago)

Segment:
  • Customers who haven’t made a purchase in the past 6-12 months.
Email Campaign:
  • Subject Line: “Let’s Reconnect! Here’s 15% Off Just for You”
  • Content: Offer an incentive to encourage them to return. Highlight new arrivals or best-sellers they may have missed.
  • CTA: “Shop the Sale”

Get started with Groundhogg!

Groundhogg makes segmenting your contacts easy!

To get started with Groundhogg, you can:

Have questions? Don’t hesitate to shoot us a message!

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