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Segments in Smart Marketing

Learn how segments work in Smart Marketing: how to create them, set conditions like Estimate Sent Date to target follow-ups, audience guardrails, and best practices for campaign targeting.

Written by Michelle Carone

Segments define who receives your emails in Smart Marketing. Every campaign (one-time, automated, or drip) uses a segment to determine which contacts are eligible to receive messages.

Segments are dynamic, meaning they automatically update as your SmartMoving data changes. This ensures the right contacts receive the right message at the right time.


What is a Segment?

A segment is a filtered list of contacts built using SmartMoving data such as:

  • Move date

  • Job type

  • Customer or lead status

  • Lead source

  • Timing-based conditions

Instead of manually selecting recipients, segments continuously evaluate contacts so your campaigns stay accurate and up to date.


Common Segment Examples

Here are a few examples of how segments are commonly used:

  • New leads created in the last 7 days

  • Customers with a move scheduled this month

  • Unbooked leads who received an estimate but haven’t scheduled

  • Past customers who haven’t moved in over a year

  • Customers with upcoming moves in the next 3–7 days

Segments can be reused across multiple campaigns.


How-To: Create a Segment

Follow these steps to build a new segment:

Step 1: Go to Segments

Navigate to Smart Marketing > Segments.

You’ll see a list of your existing segments.


Step 2: Create a New Segment

Click Create New Segment.

A panel will open where you can:

  • Enter a segment name

  • (Optional) Add a description and tags for organization


Step 3: Choose How to Build Your Segment

Select one of the following:

  • From Scratch – Define your own conditions

  • Pre-Built Template – Start with a ready-made segment and customize it


Step 4: Set Segment Conditions

Add rules that define who should be included, such as:

  • Move date ranges

  • Job type

  • Customer status

  • Lead source

  • Estimate sent date

As you add conditions, Smart Marketing displays a live preview of how many contacts currently match.


Step 5: Save Your Segment

When you’re satisfied with your conditions, click Save.

Your segment is now ready to use in campaigns.


Targeting Contacts by Estimate Sent Date

The Estimate Sent Date condition builds a segment based on when an estimate was sent to a contact. Use it for follow-up campaigns to leads who received an estimate but have not booked, timed from the day the estimate went out rather than from lead creation or move date.

How To Add the Estimate Sent Date Condition

  1. Navigate to Smart Marketing > Segments and open or create a segment.

  2. Add a condition and open the Leads & Opportunities group.

  3. Select Estimate Sent Date.

  4. Choose a fixed date range, or a relative option such as a number of days in the past.

  5. Click Save.

The result: the segment includes contacts whose estimate was sent within the range you set, and the live preview updates to show how many contacts currently match.

Note: The Estimate Sent Date condition can reference estimates sent up to 2 years in the past. Future dates are not available, because an estimate send date is always in the past.

💡 SmartTip: Combine Estimate Sent Date with an Opportunity Status condition to reach unbooked leads a set number of days after their estimate went out. This targets contacts based on the estimate actually being sent, which an Opportunity Status condition alone does not confirm.


Segment Guardrails & Limitations

Smart Marketing includes built-in guardrails to protect email deliverability and ensure effective targeting.


Audience Size Guardrails

If a segment is too broad:

  • You may see a warning encouraging you to narrow the audience

  • In some cases, saving the segment may be temporarily blocked until conditions are refined

These guardrails help prevent low engagement and deliverability issues.


Dynamic Behavior

  • Segments update automatically as contact data changes

  • Contacts can enter or exit a segment over time

  • Campaigns only send to contacts who meet the segment criteria at send time


Active Campaign Restrictions

  • Segments tied to active campaigns cannot be deleted

  • You can edit a segment, but changes apply going forward, not retroactively


Data Behavior Notes

  • Smart Marketing evaluates contacts using the most recent opportunity

  • Suppressed, unsubscribed, or inactive contacts are automatically excluded from sends


Best Practices for Effective Segments

  • Start with a narrow audience and expand if needed

  • Use date-based conditions thoughtfully, especially for automated or drip campaigns

  • Name segments clearly so they’re easy to reuse later

  • Preview your audience size before scheduling a campaign

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