Common Segmentation Combinations

Mailchimp offers many segmentation options, so you can target the right contacts. There are endless possibilities when it comes to segments in Mailchimp, but some combinations are used more than others to target email and transactional contacts.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create segmentation combinations for common uses.

Automation activity

If you work with Mailchimp automations, you can use the report data to segment subscribed email contacts. Let’s say you use automations to educate. You could segment for subscribed email contacts who’ve already completed 1 of your courses and are also interested in other course subjects.

In this example, we'll pull a segment of subscribed email contacts who’ve completed an automation and joined a group or multiple groups in your audience.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the Email, SMS & automations activity section, click Automation activity.
5. Click completed workflow, then choose the automation you want to work with.
6. To add the second condition, click + Add filter.
7. Since we want the segment to find contacts who’ve completed an automation and joined a group, we’ll select the And logic option.
8. In the How your contacts are grouped section, click the group category you want to work with.
9. Click one of, then click the group name(s) you want to work with.
10. Click Review segment.
11. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
12. Click Review segment.
13. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.

Subscribed email contact data

Update contact preferences

To keep your audience fresh, ask your subscribers to update their preferences. Your most recent and more engaged email contacts may have already provided the data you want, so you don't necessarily need to send this type of email to them.

In this example, we'll pull a segment of subscribed email contacts who joined your audience more than 6 months ago, and who have a low contact rating of 1 or 2.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the How your contacts were acquired section, click Email Date Added. Click is before, then click a specific date. Use the date picker to select a date 6 months before today.
5. To add the second condition, click + Add filter.
6. In the Contact details section, click Contact rating.
7. Click is less than, then click 3 stars.
8. Click Review segment.
9. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
10. Click Review segment.
11. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.

Remind subscribed email contacts about groups

You can target email content to subscribed email contacts interested in certain topics. If you've added new groups to an audience, or you aren't reaching your lower-rated contacts, you could ask them to join groups.

In this example, we'll pull a segment of subscribed email contacts who either have a low contact rating or who aren't listed in any group.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the How your contacts are grouped section, click the group you want to work with. If you don’t have groups in your audience, you won’t see this section.
5. Click none of, then click the group name(s) you want to work with.
6. If you have multiple groups in your audience, click + Add filter, then repeat steps 4 and 5 until your groups are added.
7. To add the next condition, click + Add filter.
8. In the Contact details section, click Contact rating.
9. Click is less than, then click 3 stars.
10. Click Review segment.
11. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
12. Click Review segment.
13. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.

Segment by email domain

If you want to promote a product to students and faculty, you could segment your audience by subscribed email contacts with .edu email addresses. This can also be done with employees at a particular company, using their "company.com" domain.

In this example, we'll pull a segment of subscribed contacts with the same email domain.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the Contact details section, click Email Address. In the drop-down, click ends with, then enter the email domain you want to work with.
5. Click Review segment.
6. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
7. Click Review segment.
8. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.

Email interaction

Follow up after last email

If you sent an email and didn't get the response you expected, you could send a follow-up email to the subscribed contacts who didn't open the email.

In this example, we'll pull a segment of subscribed email contacts who received your most recent email but didn't open it.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the Email, SMS & automations activity section, click Email subscription status.
5. Click is one of. The status drop-down will default to Subscribed.
6. To add the second condition, click + Add filter.
7. Since we want the segment to find contacts who were sent an email but didn’t open it, we’ll select the And logic option.
8. In the Email, SMS & automations activity section, click Email interaction.
9. Click was sent, then select your most recent email from the Choose drop-down.
10. To add the next condition, click + Add filter.
11. In the Email, SMS & automations activity section, click Email interaction.
12. Click did not open, then select your most recent email from the Choose drop-down. This is the same email you selected in step 9.
13. Click Review segment.
14. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
15. Click Review segment.
16. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.

Related content for local residents

If you have an audience from all over the world, some of your emails may vary based on your subscribed contacts’ locations. Use a location condition with email interaction to find subscribed email contacts who might be interested in similar content in a specific area.

In this example, we'll pull a segment of subscribed email contacts who opened a specific, related email, and who live within a target area.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the Email, SMS & automations activity section, click Email subscription status.
5. Click is one of. The status drop-down will default to Subscribed.
6. To add the second condition, click + Add filter.
7. In the Email, SMS & automations activity section, click Email interaction.
8. Click opened, then select the email you want to work with from the Choose drop-down.
9. To add the next condition, click + Add filter.
10. In the Contact details section, click Address.
11. Click is within distance (US-only), enter the number of miles you want in your radius. Enter the Zip code you want to work with.
12. Click Validate Location to get an accurate point on the map.
13. Click Review segment.
14. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
15. Click Review segment.
16. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.

E-commerce and web activity

Special offers for VIPs

If you're using Mailchimp's VIP feature, you can segment subscribed contacts using that status. Combine the VIP status with purchase date, signup date, or other conditions to create a segment of VIPs with the behavior you're looking for.

In this example, we'll pull a segment of subscribed email contacts who are VIPs and who have spent a certain amount of money on products from a particular store.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the Email, SMS & automations activity section, click Email subscription status.
5. Click is one of. The status drop-down will default to Subscribed.
6. To add the second condition, click + Add filter.
7. In the Contact details section, click VIP status.
8. Click is a VIP.
9. To add the next condition, click + Add filter.
10. In the E-commerce activity section, click Store ordered from.
11. Click is, then select the e-commerce store you want to work with.
12. To add the next condition, click + Add filter.
13. In the E-commerce activity section, click Amount spent in total.
14. Click more than, then enter a US dollar amount in the text box.
15. Click Review segment.
16. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
17. Click Review segment.
18. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.

Re-engage former customers

Segments work with Mailchimp integrations, too. You can target customers based on their e-commerce data.

In this example, we'll pull a segment of contacts who made a purchase in the past, but haven’t bought anything recently.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the E-commerce activity section, click Total number of orders.
5. Click is, then enter 1 in the text box.
6. To add the second condition, click + Add filter.
7. In the E-commerce activity section, click Purchase date, click is before, click a specific date, then use the date picker to select the date you want to work with.
8. Click Review segment.
9. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
10. Click Review segment.
11. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.

Other ideas for using e-commerce data to build segments include:

• Online signups without purchase
  Combine Signup source with Purchase activity to find subscribers who signed up to your audience online but haven't purchased anything yet.
  
• Purchase type and amount
  You'll find a few purchase-related segmentation options, as well as several ways to filter for amount spent. For example, combine Category purchased and Amounts spent in total to find subscribers who have invested in certain types of products.
  

SurveyMonkey activity

Mailchimp's SurveyMonkey integration keeps track of some important data, like whether a subscribed email contact has started or completed a particular survey. Combine email interaction and SurveyMonkey activity to pinpoint subscribed email contacts who may have received a survey email and started it, but haven't finished.

In this example, we'll combine 3 conditions to pull a segment of subscribed contacts who were sent an email with your SurveyMonkey link, started the survey, but have not completed it yet.

1. Click Audience, then click Segments.
2. Click Create regular segment.
3. Use the Select or search a filter drop-down to choose your first segmenting condition.
4. In the Email, SMS & automations activity section, click Email interaction.
5. Click was sent, then use the drop-down to select the email that includes your SurveyMonkey link.
6. To add the next condition, click + Add filter.
7. In the Other activity section, click SurveyMonkey activity.
8. Click started survey, then select your survey from the drop-down.
9. To add the next condition, click + Add filter.
10. In the Other activity section, click SurveyMonkey activity.
11. Click not completed survey, then select your survey from the drop-down. This should be the same survey you selected in step 8.
12. Click Review segment.
13. Enter a name for your segment in the Give your segment a name field.
14. Click Review segment.
15. Click < Back to make changes. When you're satisfied, click Use segment.