3 Common Segmentation Mistakes

Segmentation gives digital communicators the power to reach the right people with the right message. The shift from a broadcast communication model to a tailored communication model demands new ways of thinking. This comes with its own series of traps.

1. Accidentally forgetting some people

If you constantly segment based on supporter activity, those who are less active may fall through the cracks. Ensure you have a strategy in place for your least-engaged supporters, too.

2. Overwhelming people with emails

The more you segment, the less visibility you’ll have over how many messages every supporter has received. Keeping track of email volumes—to avoid inundating parts of your list—is important. Strong internal communication between supporter-facing departments can help. So can one position with oversight of all the segments and communication channels. Or, take things to the next level with custom journey mapping.

3. Appearing to be duplicitous

While segmentation allows you to tailor your message to appeal to different interests, that doesn’t give you a license to be manipulative. You still need to write with the assumption that everyone will see everything.

The moment a message leaves your system you lose all control over whose eyes will see it. Might your supporters share it with their friends? Are there industry moles on your list? (Assume there are!) Tailor your messages, but be consistent and maintain your integrity.

From: A beginner’s guide to segmentation