Newsletter vs. Segmented Emails

What’s the Difference and When to Use Each?

Many service providers struggle with email marketing because they don’t understand the key difference between newsletters and segmented emails.

Some rely solely on newsletters, thinking that sending a weekly email is enough. Others focus only on sales-driven, segmented emails and wonder why their list isn’t engaged.

The truth? You need both.

When used strategically, newsletters and segmented emails work together to nurture relationships, increase engagement, and drive more sales.

Why Understanding the Difference Matters

If you only send newsletters, you might be missing conversion opportunities. If you only send segmented emails, you’re missing trust-building moments that keep your audience engaged.

Your email strategy needs both to be effective. 

Let’s break it down.

What Is a Newsletter?

A newsletter is a regularly scheduled email sent to your entire list (or a large segment) to keep your audience engaged. Unlike promotional emails, newsletters aren’t designed to sell directly—they are about staying visible, adding value, and building relationships. 

Newsletters help you: 

• Keep your business top-of-mind
• Position yourself as an expert
• Provide value that keeps people engaged between sales offers
• Ensure subscribers don’t forget who you are
• Identify subscriber interests based on engagement

Examples of What to Include in a Newsletter

• Your latest podcast, blog post, or video (original content)
• Industry insights or trends
• A case study or client success story
• Behind-the-scenes updates
• Event invites (like a free workshop, webinar or LinkedIn Live)

How We Use Newsletters at Business Heroes®

At Business Heroes®, we send newsletters twice a week to stay connected with our subscribers: 

Mondays: We introduce the weekly LinkedIn LIVE topic and invite subscribers to join. 

Thursdays: We send the recording link, plus a relevant blog post to deepen their knowledge. These emails engage and nurture relationships with our audience over time. But they also help us identify subscriber interests.

We track engagement—such as clicks on specific topics—and use that information to send relevant segmented follow-ups.

We use Keap to send our newsletters, while many of our clients prefer Kajabi for this purpose. 

What Is a Segmented Email?

A segmented email is targeted communication sent to a specific group of subscribers based on their actions, interests, or stage in the customer journey. Instead of sending the same message to everyone, segmented emails are highly personalized and conversion-focused. 

Segmented Emails help you: 

• Move leads closer to a decision
• Follow up on specific actions (like a download or event signup)
• Deliver targeted offers that feel relevant
• Increase engagement and conversion rates

Examples of Segmented Emails

• A follow-up email after someone downloads a lead magnet
• A reminder email for a webinar or workshop they signed up for
• A special offer based on what they’ve clicked on before
• A personalized onboarding sequence for new clients

How We Use Segmented Emails at Business Heroes®

Unlike our newsletters, segmented emails are triggered based on behavior: 

Using Newsletters to Identify Interests Our newsletters help us track engagement and interests before sending segmented emails.

• If a new subscriber clicks on links about entrepreneurship, they enter an email sequence that follows up on that interest. 
• That sequence helps us determine where they are in their customer journey and follow up with targeted segmented emails.
• If their engagement signals they are ready for the next step, we send them an email introducing an offer or relevant resource. 

Delivering the Right Offer at the Right Time We do not send the same segmented emails to everyone—they are triggered only for those who take specific actions. 

We use Keap to manage these targeted emails and Kajabi for segmented email automation within courses and memberships.

How the Business Heroes® Grid Helps You Plan Both 

To create effective newsletters and segmented emails, you need to understand: 

• Where your subscribers are in their customer journey 
• How to use segmented emails to move them forward 
• How to use newsletters to keep everyone engaged 

The Business Heroes® Grid helps you map this out: 

• Segmented emails are designed to deliver the right message at the right time based on customer behavior. 
• Newsletters provide engaging content for everyone, no matter their stage. 

📥 Want to map your own email strategy? Download the Business Heroes® Grid for free.

Key Takeaways 

• Newsletters = Visibility & Trust (sent regularly to keep people engaged).
• Segmented Emails = Conversion & Action (sent based on behavior and needs). 
• Both are essential for a successful email strategy! 
• Track engagement in newsletters to segment subscribers and send targeted follow-ups. 

How We Can Help You Level Up

• Download the Business Heroes® Grid to map out your email strategy.
• Join our March 26 Workshop: Learn to create newsletters that convert. 
• Join Business Heroes® Academy: Get expert coaching, weekly live sessions, and a strategic plan to grow your business.