Segmentation for Beginners: 3 Easy Segments to Focus On First

Marketing 101 taught us the formula for a successful marketing campaign: right message + right customer + right time = WINNING!

But despite the power, too many wineries are sending the same email to wine club members that they're sending to brand new website subscribers. 

If you're new to the segmentation game, here is how we recommend you get started:

• New Prospects

• Purchasers

• Club Members

New Prospects would be any subscriber who have never purchased.

Your goal is to convert new prospects to purchasers, so you'll adjust your email marketing messages to them accordingly. For instance, you may position an entry-level wine offer for this group, while the purchasers or club members may receive case incentives.

Hot Tip: You could further segment based on where they signed up to hear from you (through your website, at the tasting room, or at a consumer tasting event).

Purchasers are subscribers who have spent some of their hard-earned money on your wine but have not made the leap to joining your wine club (yet).

At the risk of being predictable, your goal with these subscribers is to convert them to club membership. Every campaign you send to purchasers should reinforce the benefits of membership, with clear calls to action that make it simple for them to act when the time is right.

Hot tip: Segment the purchasers segment further by wine type or varietal, by lifetime value, or last purchase date.

Club Members are your favorite subscribers, and should be treated as such.

Your goal with your Club Members is to retain them as your brand advocates. Be sensitive to message cadence to avoid sending them too much (or too little) email, and don't send sales campaigns to your club members right after a club shipment. Make it easy for club members to use their benefits and ensure that incentive-based campaigns show member pricing prominently.

After you've created your three segments, be sure you track their response to your email marketing campaigns so that you can spot trends and adjust your strategy as necessary!