Good email marketing isn’t about sending more emails.
It’s about sending better emails to the right people.
And that starts with two things:
- Gathering the right customer data
- Using it properly through segmentation
Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Start with the data that actually matters
You don’t need all the data. You need the useful data.
Before collecting anything, ask yourself:
- What decisions will this data help me make?
- How will it change what I send?
If you can’t answer that, don’t collect it.
The Core Data Every Database Needs
At minimum, focus on:
- Email address (obviously)
- First name (including a subscriber’s first name is still a nice touch.)
- Consent status (non-negotiable)
Then layer in data that supports relevance:
- Location
- Customer vs prospect
- Purchase history
- Product or service interest
- Engagement level
This gives you enough to stop sounding generic.
Step 2: Use your sign-up forms like a pro
Your sign-up form is the front door to your database.
If it’s asking for too much, people will walk away.
Best Practice:
- Start with first name + email
- Add extra fields only if they unlock immediate value
- Be clear about what they’ll get and how often
If you need more data, don’t grab it all upfront.
Use progressive profiling:
- Ask one or two things now
- Ask more later, once trust is built
Nobody wants to fill out a 10-field form just to get a newsletter.
Step 3: Use subscriber behaviour to further segment
The best data doesn’t come from asking questions.
It comes from watching what people do.
Behavioural data includes:
- Emails opened
- Links clicked
- Pages visited
- Products viewed
- Content downloaded
- Campaigns engaged with
This tells you:
- What they’re interested in
- How engaged they are
- Where they are in their journey
And it’s far more reliable than “select all that apply.”
Step 4: Use your preference centre
A preference centre lets subscribers tell you:
- What they want to hear about
- How often they want emails
- What they’re not interested in anymore
This is gold.
Instead of guessing, you’re letting customers raise their hand and say:
“Send me more of this.”
Bonus:
- Fewer unsubscribes
- Better engagement
- Cleaner data over time
Everyone wins.
Step 5: Clean your data regularly
Bad data leads to bad decisions.
If your database is full of:
- Inactive contacts
- Duplicate records
- Old or incorrect info
Your segmentation won’t work properly.
Make data hygiene a habit:
- Remove or suppress inactive contacts
- Merge duplicates
- Update outdated fields
- Reconfirm consent where needed
A smaller, cleaner list will outperform a big, messy one every time.
Step 6: Segment based on real signals
Segmentation isn’t about creating 47 micro-lists no one uses.
It’s about grouping people in ways that actually affect messaging.
High-Impact Segments to Start With
Lifecycle stage
- New subscribers
- Active customers
- Lapsed customers
Engagement level
- Highly engaged
- Occasionally engaged
- Dormant
Behaviour
- Clicked a specific product
- Downloaded a guide
- Attended an event
- Abandoned a cart
Customer value
- High spenders
- Frequent buyers
- One-time purchasers
Each of these segments deserves different messaging.
Step 7: Test, learn and refine
Your segmentation doesn’t have to be perfect on day one.
Start simple:
- Test one segment
- Measure results
- Adjust based on performance
Your data will tell you:
- Which segments respond best
- What content works for each group
- Where opportunities are being missed
Segmentation is never “done.”
It evolves as your audience does.
Bottom line:
Better segmentation starts with better data.
When you gather customer data with purpose and use it to segment properly:
- Your emails feel more personal
- Your engagement improves
- Your results make sense
And suddenly, email marketing gets a lot easier.
