Use Segmentation Rules

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

  • Define segmentation rules.
  • Create a segmentation rule.

Segmentation Rules

Because segmentation rules look very similar to automation rules when you build them, you can think they’re interchangeable, but they’re not. While they’re both criteria-based, there are two key differences between automation and segmentation rules:

Automation Rules
Segmentation Rules
Offer the most comprehensive set of actions
Offer limited actions (that all deal with building lists and campaigns)
Run continuously
Run once

You can use segmentation rules to create a list of prospects and apply a segmentation action based on specific criteria. Unlike automation rules, segmentation rules don’t run continuously. Segmentation rules run once, retroactively evaluate your database, and match only the prospects that meet the rule’s criteria when the rule runs.

Rule Logic

Segmentation rules use criteria to filter matching prospects to which the user applies actions. When you build your rule, you select and combine various criteria. The criteria are available in the first dropdown in the rules section of your segmentation rule. (For a full list, see the Resources section.) Quick tip: You can always combine multiple criteria in one line of logic by using semicolons (;) to separate them.

The final part of building a segmentation rule is defining which actions you want the rule to take. The table contains all the available actions for segmentation rules. Notice that every action has something to do with segmenting your audience.

Available Action
Definition
Add prospect to list
Adds a prospect to a list.
Add prospect to Salesforce campaign
Tags a prospect with a Salesforce campaign.
Add list
Adds prospects that match the segmentation rule to a new list.
Apply tags
Applies a tag to a prospect.
Remove prospect from list
Removes a prospect from a list.
Remove tags
Removes tags from a prospect.

Using Segmentation Rules

Leung and the marketing team just wrapped up a successful event: Get Cloudy Live. Now she wants to send a one-time offer discount email to any chief financial officers (CFO) and chief operating officers (COO) that attended but are not yet customers, since they are key influencers in closing deals. Before Leung can send the email, she first creates this list.

Let’s follow Leung as she creates this segmentation rule:

  1. Click Marketing | Segmentation | Rules.
  2. Click +Add Segmentation Rule.
  3. Click Set Rules.
  4. Click +Add New Rule.
  5. Enter the name Get Cloudy Live CFO/COO Attendees.
  6. Enter Prospect Job Title :: contains :: CFO; COO; Chief Financial Officer; Chief Operating Officer.
  7. Enter Prospect tag :: is ::Get Cloudy Live Attendee.
  8. Click +Add New Action.
  9. Click Add List.
  10. Enter the list name Get Cloudy Live CFO/COO Attendees.
  11. Click Preview.
  12. Review the page.
  13. Click Run Segmentation.

There you go! Leung has now built a segmentation rule and created a list of all CEOs and CFOs that attended the Get Cloudy Live event. Now that you’ve learned what a segmentation rule is, we can move on to the next unit and look at a new automation tool used for segmenting audiences: dynamic lists.

Resources