How to Gather Data for Email Marketing Segmentation

Email Marketing Segmentation is so important. Here at FocusCore we cannot emphasize that enough. We already spoke about in previous blog posts about how great the ROI is on email marketing. You can further boost customer engagement and conversion by segmenting your audience in your email list. But in order to do so you need to successfully gather the relevant data you have on your audience. This blog post will guide you to do just that! Gathering the data and integrating it seamlessly with your email service provider. Whether that’s Mailchimp, Brevo, Wix, Constant Contact or otherwise.

Why Data Collection Matters

Email marketing segmentation means that you are sending relevant emails to different people in your list based on several factors such as demographics, behavious, preferences and interactions. When they receive emails more personalized and relevant to them, it resonates more and provides your efforts with much better outcome. We do however, the data from the different tools that you use and the platforms where your customers interact with you on.

Step 1: Identify Key Data Points

Before you start collecting data, identify the key data points that will help you segment your audience effectively. Common data points include:

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, and income level.
• Behavioral Data: Purchase history, website activity, email engagement, and product preferences.
• Psychographic Data: Interests, lifestyle, and values.
• Transactional Data: Purchase frequency, average order value, and customer lifetime value.

Step 2: Use Data Collection Tools

To gather comprehensive data, use a combination of the following tools and platforms:

1. Website Analytics (e.g., Google Analytics): Track user behavior on your website, including page views, time spent on site, and conversion paths.
2. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot): Store detailed customer information, including contact details, purchase history, and communication logs.
3. E-commerce Platforms (e.g., Shopify, WooCommerce): Collect transactional data, such as order history, product preferences, and cart abandonment.
4. Email Marketing Platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, Klaviyo): Monitor email engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.
5. Social Media Platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram): Gather data on user interests, interactions, and demographics through social media analytics.
6. Surveys and Forms (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform): Collect psychographic data directly from your audience through surveys and sign-up forms.

Step 3: Integrate Data with Your ESP

Connecting your data sources to your email service provider can be done manually or through automated processes. Here’s how:

Manual Integration:

1. Export and Import Data: Regularly export data from your CRM, e-commerce platform, and other tools. Clean and format the data as needed, then import it into your ESP. For example, you can export customer data from Shopify and import it into Mailchimp to update your email lists.
2. CSV Files: Use CSV files to manually transfer data between platforms. Ensure consistent formatting to avoid errors during import.

Automated Integration:

1. APIs (Application Programming Interfaces): Many tools offer APIs that allow seamless data transfer. For example, you can use HubSpot’s API to automatically sync CRM data with your ESP.
2. Integration Platforms (e.g., Zapier, Make): These platforms enable automated workflows between various tools. Set up triggers and actions to move data from one platform to another. For instance, create a Zapier workflow that adds new Shopify customers to a Mailchimp list.
3. Native Integrations: Some platforms offer built-in integrations. For example, connect Google Analytics with your ESP to track website behavior and segment email lists based on user interactions.

Step 4: Maintain Data Quality

Ensure the data you collect is accurate and up-to-date by:

1. Regular Cleaning: Periodically clean your data to remove duplicates, correct errors, and update outdated information.
2. Validation: Use validation tools to verify email addresses and other critical data points.
3. Monitoring: Continuously monitor data sources and integration workflows to identify and resolve issues promptly.

Case Study: Connecting Shopify and Mailchimp

A small e-commerce business uses Shopify for online sales and Mailchimp for email marketing. To segment their email list based on purchase behavior, they:

1. Set up a Zapier integration that automatically adds new Shopify customers to their Mailchimp list.
2. Use Shopify’s built-in reporting tools to track customer purchase history and preferences.
3. Periodically export detailed customer reports from Shopify and import them into Mailchimp to ensure all data is up-to-date.
4. Create targeted email campaigns in Mailchimp, such as personalized product recommendations and exclusive offers for frequent buyers.

Conclusion

Gathering data for email marketing segmentation is essential for creating personalized and effective campaigns. By leveraging various tools and platforms, you can collect comprehensive data on your audience and integrate it seamlessly with your email service provider. Whether you choose manual methods or automated workflows, maintaining data quality and consistency is crucial. By doing so, you can unlock the full potential of email segmentation, driving higher engagement and conversion rates for your business.