Most service-based small businesses send emails, but very few track engagement or follow up strategically. They blast emails,, hoping for the best, and then wonder why they’re not getting more bookings.
💡 Here’s the good news: With a simple segmentation strategy, you can stop guessing and start closing more deals—all by tracking what your leads actually care about.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how one of my clients—a travel business—could transform their email marketing by tracking engagement, segmenting their list, and following up effectively. You can apply the same strategy to any service business—whether you’re a plumber, a cleaner, a coach, or a property specialist.
Why Service Businesses Need Email Segmentation
Let’s start with a question:
- Do you send emails to your list? (Probably, yes.)
- Do you track who clicks on what? (Probably not.)
- Do you follow up differently based on their interest? (Most likely, no.)
And that’s the gap. Most businesses send emails—but they don’t segment their audience, track their interest, or follow up in a meaningful way.
Why This Matters:
✅ People have different needs. A cleaning company has customers interested in one-time deep cleans vs. recurring services—shouldn’t they be followed up with differently?
✅ Following up the right way increases conversions. If someone clicks a link about gutter cleaning, they’re interested—but if you don’t follow up, they might forget.
✅ Smart segmentation = more revenue. If you know what people are looking at, you can market the right services at the right time, instead of just hoping your emails land well.
How One Travel Business Could Use This to Book More Trips
We were on a coaching call with my clients today, and one client—a travel business—discussed their email campaign strategy. They’re about to send an email featuring three different travel destinations—Madagascar, Italy, and Japan.
🚀 Our advice? Instead of just sending the email and waiting, they should segment their audience based on interest.
Here’s how we suggested they do it:
Step 1: Track Who Clicks on What
Each destination in the email will have its own unique link to a different page on their website. For example:
- 🏝️ Madagascar Travel Package → Link 1
- 🍝 Italy Travel Package → Link 2
- ⛩️ Japan Travel Package → Link 3
📌 The key: Their CRM should tag each lead based on what they clicked.
🔹 If someone clicks on Madagascar, they get tagged as “Interested in Madagascar”
🔹 If they click on Italy, they get tagged as “Interested in Italy”
🔹 If they don’t click at all, they don’t get tagged yet
This is crucial because now they’re gathering data on what their audience is actually interested in.
Step 2: Automate a Follow-Up Email
🚀 What we advised next: Once someone clicks a link, they should receive a personalised follow-up email within 24 hours.
📩 Example:
Subject: Loved Our Madagascar Travel Offer? Here’s What’s Next…
Hey [Name], I noticed you checked out our Madagascar travel package!
If you’re considering a trip, we’ve got a detailed itinerary and budget breakdown that might help. Would you like me to send it over? Just reply and let me know!
Or, if you have any questions, book a quick chat here: [Insert Link]
Why this works:
✅ It’s not pushy—it just acknowledges their interest.
✅ It gives them an easy next step (reply or book a call).
✅ It makes the conversation personal, not generic.
Step 3: Assign a Follow-Up Task (If They Have a Team)
If they have a team of travel consultants, we advised them to assign a task in their CRM.
👨💼 Example:
- If someone clicks the Japan trip, a consultant gets a task notification to follow up with that lead within 48 hours.
- They can then call or email them with extra details, a promo, or a personal consultation.
This keeps leads warm and prevents missed opportunities.
Step 4: Use This Data for Future Campaigns
Now that they’ve tagged their audience, they can send targeted emails later.
For example:
- In 3 months, they can send a follow-up about Madagascar only to those who clicked the Madagascar link.
- If they run a discount on Italy trips, they can email only the people who showed interest in Italy.
This means no more mass emails that people ignore. Instead, their marketing becomes hyper-targeted, making it far more effective.
What Happens When You Segment Your Email List?
When you stop sending generic emails and start tracking customer interest, your email marketing actually drives revenue.
🔹 More bookings because emails feel personal and relevant
🔹 Better client relationships because follow-ups are strategic
🔹 Higher conversion rates because leads are nurtured properly
🚀 Imagine this strategy in your business:
- A property investment coach sends an email with three different investment opportunities → tags people based on what they clicked → follows up with more details and a personal call.
- A cleaning business sends an email about one-time deep cleans vs. ongoing maintenance → tags people accordingly → follows up with the right service.
- A plumbing company emails about hot water repairs vs. leak detection → segments the list → sends targeted offers based on interest.
That’s how you increase sales without sending more emails.
How to Start Using Email Segmentation Today
Here’s what we recommend:
✅ Look at your last email campaign—did you track who clicked on what?
✅ Set up tagging in your CRM so you can start segmenting based on interest.
✅ Create an automated follow-up email for any lead who clicks but doesn’t book.
💡 Most small businesses aren’t doing this… which means you have a huge opportunity.
Let’s Get Your Business Booking More Clients!
If this strategy makes sense for your business, let’s take action:
1. Get Proven Strategies Delivered to Your Inbox:
Don’t miss out on game-changing tips and insights. Subscribe to my email list and get proven marketing strategies that work delivered straight to your inbox! 👉 https://lp.johnbellamy.com/daily
2. Let’s Chat About Your Business
Ready for personalised guidance to overcome your specific challenges? Schedule a call with me, and let’s map out your path to stress-free growth.
#EmailMarketing #ServiceBusinessGrowth #SmallBusinessTips #CRMforSmallBusiness #MarketingAutomation
