E-mail List Segmentation
So you have a mailing list with thousands of e-mail addresses. You send out
messages and sales trickle in. You are happy. Hey, you could probably double,
even triple sales with the same e-mail list, only if you did list segmentation.
What the heck is list segmentation? Very simple. If you look at the list you'll
see Bob@somedomain.com, jenny@mysite.net, etc. Do you know what age Bob is?
Is Jenny single or married? Having this information is the key to improving
your sales. Don't believe me? Then consider the latest research done by Nielsen/Net
Ratings.
The top 5 items purchased by singles are:
1. Student loans
2. Credit cards
3. Video games
4. Computer software and games
5. Music
The top 5 items purchased by couples are:
1. Prescription drugs
2. Home improvement
3. Educational computer software
4. Gardening tools and supplies
5. Toys and non-computer games
These are quite different lists, aren't they? And this research shows no
gender or age preferences. If you do segmentation by age and gender, your
findings will be even more startling. So, now you need to market to different
segments differently. Here are the guidelines Paul Soltoff suggests for running
e-mail campaigns for these two different segments (Single and Couples)
Singles
Product selection: Entertainment, self-indulgence, Price point: The lower,
the better, Key driver: Instant gratification, Fulfillment: Comfortable with
electronic fulfillment, such as music downloads, Copy: Hip, edgy, cool, Offer:
Discounted price, Graphics: Bright, bold
Couples
Product selection: Children, home, garden, Price point: Higher price points
should be supported by value, payment plans to make them more affordable,
Key driver: Value, affordability and utility, Fulfillment: Most likely physical
due to product types; provide option of physical or electronic download, Copy:
Straightforward, Offer: Free or low-cost trial, Graphics: No need to shout;
state the offer clearly.
What steps should to take to start your list segmentation? Start collecting
personal data, like age, marital status, and gender or buy/rent mailing lists
with this information available. Then identify the most appropriate segments
(these vary from business to business) - young single males, married women
over 30, etc. See what products and services various segment members purchase
at your site. When you notice the differences, start running multiple e-mail
campaigns, each targeting a specific segment of your audience, selling products
and services these particular segment members are interested in. What if you
have an e-mail list with e-mail addresses only? Well, you may not have much
choice. You can browse through them manually, separating men from women and
placing unidentifiable addresses to a third list. Even this simple segmentation
should help you improve sales.
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