Our Lists tool is a powerful way to segment your customer base and deliver tailored marketing campaigns. Whether you're importing contacts for the first time or managing complex segments, these best practices will help you stay organised and effective.
Best Practices
Use the ‘Present in Imports’ Attribute
One of the quickest ways to build a list is by importing your contacts and using the ‘present in imports’ attribute. This allows you to create a list immediately based on any import you’ve ever done.
Warning: Turn Off ‘Contact Created’ Automations Before Importing!!!
Keep Your List Structure Simple
It’s tempting to create a list for every scenario, but that quickly leads to clutter. Stick to a few meaningful, clearly defined lists that align with your goals. Think of lists as high-level categories, not granular filters (that’s what contact attributes are for).
Segment with Purpose
Smart segmentation helps you send the right message to the right people. Base your filters for each contact list on useful, measurable data. Here are some examples (all contact attributes):
Total Credits (Points) Received – Use this as a proxy for total spend; a great way to target your most loyal customers.
Tier – Segment by loyalty level to offer tailored perks or messaging.
Total Number of Transactions – Understand which customers are the most and least active.
Age – Useful for compliance, tone of voice, or product relevance.
Last Transaction Date – Reconnect with dormant users or reward your most frequent visitors.
Custom Contact Attributes – Create your own attributes to track data unique to your business. This is a powerful feature—use it to tailor your lists exactly to your marketing strategy.
Always create ‘dynamic’ lists
Although there can be situations for ‘static’ lists, dynamic is always the way to go as your list will update with your customer database.
Maintain a Clean Database
A bloated or outdated contact list will make your campaigns less effective and could impact deliverability. Before importing new data:
Clean your CSVs – Remove duplicates, inactive users, and irrelevant entries.
Ask: Do these contacts need to be in our system?
Not everyone needs to be re-added. Focus on quality over quantity.
Think Beyond the Import
Once you've added your contacts and built your list, ask yourself: what happens next? Use the momentum to build a strategy:
Who on this list needs follow-up?
What’s the goal—re-engagement, reward, education?
Can we use their data (spend, tier, inactivity) to personalise our message?
A clean import is just the beginning—what you do with that list is what drives results.
Always ‘activate’ your list after applying the filters. A commonly forgotten step : )
Make Benefits Clear
Don’t just segment—incentivise. If you’re importing a valuable audience (like lapsed VIPs or high spenders), think about what kind of message will bring them back. Offers, early access, vouchers, points, or even a simple thank-you can go a long way.
Summary: Segment With Strategy
Before you start creating lists, take a step back and clarify your marketing goals:
Who are you trying to reach?
What do you want them to do?
What data do you already have that defines that group?
Lists should reflect your priorities—whether that’s retaining high-value customers, reactivating inactive ones, or nurturing new sign-ups.
Be intentional. Don’t just create lists for the sake of structure—create them to fuel action. A smart list isn’t just a static group; it’s a living segment of your customer base that evolves as your strategy does.
Above all, treat your contact database as a long-term asset. Keep it clean, use it with care, and always think in terms of value exchanged—not just messages sent.