What is List Segmentation, Anyway?

List segmentation is an email marketing strategy that's grown easier in recent years thanks to technology.

A segmented list is one that's split up into different sub-niches, based on your readers' interests, buying habits and so forth.

To give you an example, let's take my list. I sell content to people who don't enjoy, or don't have time, to write it. Content is pretty broad, though. But if I split my list up into sub-audiences, I see that everything is nicely segmented into different categories of content. Business content. Health content. You get the idea.

What can list segmentation do for your marketing?

List segmentation allows you to manage your email marketing contacts all on one list, but set up different streams of communication to different segments of your audience. So basically, that means if you're using a list manager like Aweber, you can create a list magnet that's very specific to one audience, and begin driving traffic to it.

Then, within your list manager, develop a series of emails that you set up on an autoresponder, which would ONLY appeal/apply to that list, and which would only be sent to that list.

Splitting up your list into sub niches allows you to:

• Experiment with different audience segments to find out who responds to what type of message. And you can even decide whether you enjoy marketing to that audience or not.
• Reward specific segments of your audience in unique and targeted ways. So for example, if you were pitching to the self improvement people on your list, you could set up an info product that they might enjoy. Then you ONLY mail the people who signed up for that list. This way, you avoid peeving other people who are on your list. 

List Segmentation Will Help You Earn More

Better list segmentation means better-formed messages to just the right person at just the right time. You’ll improve your profit because each message you create will be targeted toward a specific recipient. When you do that the reader is a lot more responsive to the message.

Your List & Business Will Grow Faster

Segmenting your audience means finding unique ways to customize your message. You can test out a new type of product or promotion on one sub niche. Then, if it turns out to be a big hit, find a way to retool the same info product or message for a different sub-niche.

This in a way lets you streamline your marketing effort, and conduct experiments along the way, tweaking as you go. So essentially, the more testing you do for each sub-niche, the better your product becomes and the less work you had to do.

Customer Retention Will Improve

When customers feel heard they tend to stay loyal. When you send them messages to help support them, train them, and encourage them they’re going to tell others about you and they’re going to buy from you again.

You Can Follow Up on Sales Easier

When you segment based on buying behavior you can also follow up on sales much easier. If you have your list set up so that a buyer is automatically sent a thank you series, and maybe even a tutorial series, they’re going to feel very special. It just makes follow-up easier.

Conduct Split-Testing to Refine Your Message

A well-segmented list allows you to perform split-testing better. Test your subject lines, call to action, the layout, images, and more. Experiment with different ideas to find out what works best overall. You might even find that what works with one list does not work on another, in which case you'll know going forward what to continue with and what to avoid, and on whom.

The benefits of list segmentation offer many advantages to your business. The better you get at breaking up your list and targeting your messages, the more effective your email marketing will become. You'll save yourself time, and you'll hit the mark with your messages the first time around.

For online list management and email marketing, I trust Aweber and so do many of my colleagues.

Searching for a permission-based list manager that makes list segmentation easy? Aweber gives you total control over your email marketing at a very reasonable price. Learn more and sign up here.