If marketing to B2B customers, segmenting your list by industry allows you to tailor your campaign to attract more sales. Because B2B customers are usually experts in their field, the information you provide needs to be accurate, up-to-date and relevant or your message will end up in the trash. Building a relationship with other businesses can be tricky because you need to not only show business owners, managers, and supervisors you understand their needs, you must also demonstrate knowledge of their industry.

Understanding Niche Markets

If marketing the same products/service to multiple markets at once, segmenting your list is a great way to ensure only the best information reaches your customers. For example, if you sell accounting software to retail and non-profit organizations, you need to understand how each will benefit from the software. While those in the retail industry will appreciate the speed in which you can create invoice and bookkeeping records, those in the non-profit sector may appreciate how the software calculates and tracks tax exemptions.

Sending stale, basic information about your software to people in both industries will not get anyone's attention. But if you tailor email messages to include benefits and features that people in each industry want and need, then you will increase sales.

Listening to Subscribers

When segmenting your list, send a survey asking subscribers why they joined your list and what they expect. Inquire about issues, problems, and concerns people have about their industry, products they're currently using, and what they're looking for in products/services you provide. By asking subscribers for this information, you're demonstrating a willingness to listen, which is very refreshing in B2B marketing.

Email Content

The email content you create should include factual information such as stats, industry references, charts, graphs, reports, and other items that provide data rather than just a sales pitch. Keep in mind that you're dealing with experts, so make sure the information you send is accurate.

When sending sales information, provide links to images, online brochures, case studies, and whitepapers that back up what you're trying to sell. Create video demonstrations, webinars, and eCourses for further instruction. Tailor this information for each segment you're marketing to so you will achieve the best results.