Are You Making This Big Email Marketing Mistake? 

Ever opened an email and thought, wow, they really don’t know me at all? Maybe you’re a longtime wine club member, and you just got an email offering a discount… for first-time buyers. Ouch. Nothing says we appreciate you like an email that makes you feel like a stranger. 

That’s what happens when you skip email segmentation. You might have the best wine, the best deals, and the best intentions—but if your emails aren’t reaching the right people with the right message, they’re just noise. 

Why Segmentation is a No-Brainer for Wineries 

Your customers aren’t all the same, so why treat them like they are? Someone who joined your wine club years ago shouldn’t get the same message as someone who just signed up for your newsletter last week. Segmentation lets you send emails that actually make sense for where each customer is in their journey with your winery. 

How to Segment Your Winery’s Email List 

Here’s how you can break up your email list and send smarter messages: 

Wine Club Members 

These are your VIPs. Treat them like it. 
✅ Send them: Early access to new releases, behind-the-scenes content, member-exclusive perks. 
🚫 Don’t send them: A first-time buyer promo. Seriously. 

Past Wine Club Members 

They loved you once… they might love you again. 
✅ Send them: “We miss you” offers, updates on new releases, invitations to return. 
🚫 Don’t send them: The same emails you send current members. They need a reason to come back. 

One-Time Customers 

They’ve bought before, but will they buy again? 
✅ Send them: Personalized recommendations, reminders about their favorite wines, an intro to your wine club. 
🚫 Don’t send them: Cold, impersonal sales emails. Make it feel like a friendly nudge, not a pushy pitch. 

Newsletter Subscribers 

They’re interested but haven’t taken the plunge yet. 
✅ Send them: Winery stories, event invites, educational content, subtle nudges to buy. 
🚫 Don’t send them: Constant discounts and sales emails—build trust first. 

Event Attendees 

They’ve met you in person. Keep that connection going. 
✅ Send them: Thank-you emails, invites to similar events, special post-event offers. 
🚫 Don’t send them: A generic sales pitch with no mention of the event they attended. 

⭐ Pro Tip: Customers can (and should) be in multiple lists! Someone might be a wine club member and a newsletter subscriber and an event attendee. Use that info to make your emails even more relevant. 

Make Your Emails Feel Personal—Without the Extra Work 

Most winery e-commerce platforms and email marketing software make it easy to automate segmentation so you’re not constantly sorting through data manually. Set up your emails to automatically trigger based on customer behavior—like a welcome email for new subscribers, an abandoned cart reminder for almost-buyers, or an exclusive offer for longtime customers. 

Don’t Waste Your Time on Bad Emails 

Your customers want to hear from you—they just don’t want emails that make them feel like a faceless name on a list. Segmentation helps you send the right message to the right people, keeping them engaged, appreciated, and way more likely to buy from you again. 

So this is your sign from the universe (or rather, your trusted marketing partners at Crimson Vine): if you’ve been sending the same email to everyone, it’s time to stop. And if you need some help getting your email marketing strategy established, get in touch!