Both Segments and Segmentation are important elements of Campaigns in Virtuous. While they seem the same, they differ when it comes to their function.
What are Segments?
Segments may be the most visible aspect of the Campaign hierarchy. Just as each campaign may have one or more campaign communications, each communication may in turn have one or more segments. This allows you to tweak messaging for specific audiences, and have one version of a mailer for non-givers and another version of the same mailer for mid-level or high-end givers. Segments are also used to tie gifts to a particular campaign. When viewing gifts in Virtuous, the Segment will always be listed.
For example: You want to send out your end-of-year mailer, which will include an ask. You may keep the messaging the same, but change the amount you ask for based on the type of donor. This could be broken out so that:
- Nondonors receive a mailer with a $20 ask.
- Lapsed receive a mailer with a $50 ask.
- Major donors receive a mailer with a $10,000 ask.
So, nondonors, lapsed donors, and major donors would represent the Segments for your end of year mailer Communication.
What is Segmentation?
Segmentation is a function of assigning Contacts to Campaign’s Segment(s) based on the results of running their associated Queries or Filters. In other words, Segmentation is used to determine who exactly receives which version of your communication.
Consider the previous example: We established 3 different Segments, including nondonors, lapsed donors, and major donors. So, we know what our different audiences are (and what they'll receive) - but who exactly will be part of those audiences?
Through Segmentation, we establish that:
- Nondonors are Contacts whose LTD Gift count is 0.
- Lapsed donors are Contacts who have not made a financial gift to your organization in at least 12 months.
- Major donors are Contacts whose cumulative life-to-date giving is at least $50,000.
Then, we can know that if a Contact has never given to your organization, they will receive the nondonor version of the end-of-year mailer.
Summary
We create Segments. Then we run segmentation. While these functions are completed in the same area, they are independent of one another.
Similarly, if you choose to import Segments or Segmentation, the processes are different. When you import new Segments, you are creating Segments to be added to Campaigns. When you import segmentation, you are importing a list of Contacts to assign to those Segments.
Now you know what information you need to start building your Segments and Segmentation!