Sending the same message to every member is the fastest way to drive opt-outs. A chamber with 500 members includes board directors, brand-new joiners, lapsed renewals, and community partners — each with different needs. Segmentation lets you send the right message to the right people at the right time.
This guide covers the most effective segmentation strategies for chambers using a combination of Standard Groups and Dynamic Groups along with Contact Fields.
Core Segmentation Categories
Membership Tier
Most chambers offer tiered membership levels. Create a contact field for tier and group members accordingly.
| Tier | Description | Messaging Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Standard members | General updates, event invitations, renewal reminders |
| Premium | Enhanced benefits | Exclusive events, sponsor opportunities, early access |
| Founding / Legacy | Long-standing members | VIP treatment, advisory invitations, recognition |
| Non-Member / Prospect | Contacts not yet members | Recruitment campaigns, event guest passes, value demos |
Example targeted message for Premium tier:
{first_name}, as a Premium member, you're invited to our exclusive Executive Roundtable on [date]. Limited to 15 attendees. RSVP: [link]
Engagement Level
Not all members engage equally. Track engagement and adjust your approach.
Active (attended 3+ events in past 6 months):
{first_name}, you've been one of our most active members this quarter. We'd love your input on next year's programming — quick survey: [link]
Engaged (attended 1-2 events, opens messages):
{first_name}, you made it to our luncheon last month — great to see you! Here are 3 upcoming events we think you'll enjoy: [link]
At-Risk (no events in 3+ months, low message engagement):
{first_name}, we haven't seen{company_name}at a chamber event in a while. Our next mixer is [date] — can we save you a spot? Reply YES.
Lapsed (membership expired, no recent member):
{first_name}, we miss{company_name}! Your membership lapsed [X] months ago. Rejoin this month and get 2 free event passes: [link]
Committee and Board Involvement
Create groups for each committee to send targeted meeting reminders and updates.
- Board of Directors — Board meeting agendas, governance updates, strategic planning
- Events Committee — Event logistics, volunteer coordination, venue details
- Government Affairs — Legislative alerts, advocacy trips, policy briefings
- Membership Committee — Recruitment targets, retention metrics, ambassador assignments
- Marketing Committee — Brand campaigns, social media coordination, newsletter content
Example for Government Affairs only:
Gov Affairs Committee: The infrastructure bill briefing is Thursday at 3 PM via Zoom. Prep doc: [link]. Questions? Reply here.
Industry Type
Segment by industry to send relevant content and connect similar businesses.
Common chamber industry segments:
- Retail and Restaurants
- Professional Services (legal, accounting, consulting)
- Healthcare and Wellness
- Construction and Real Estate
- Technology and IT
- Nonprofit and Education
- Manufacturing
Example for Retail segment:
Attention retail members: The holiday shopping promotion starts Nov 15. Submit your deals for the Shop Local guide by Nov 1: [link]
Business Size
Small businesses have different needs than large employers. Consider grouping by employee count or revenue tier.
| Segment | Typical Needs |
|---|---|
| Solo / Micro (1-5 employees) | Networking, referrals, affordable marketing |
| Small (6-25 employees) | HR resources, group benefits, hiring events |
| Mid-size (26-100 employees) | Advocacy, workforce development, visibility |
| Large (100+ employees) | Sponsorship, community leadership, policy influence |
Event Attendance History
Create groups based on which events members attend to promote similar future events.
- Luncheon Regulars — Monthly luncheon series invitations
- Mixer Attendees — Business After Hours and networking events
- Gala Guests — Annual gala promotion and table sales
- Workshop Participants — Educational programming and seminars
- Golf Tournament Players — Annual golf and outdoor events
Setting Up Segments in the Platform
Step 1: Create Custom Contact Fields
Navigate to Settings > Contact Fields and add fields that support your segmentation:
- Membership Tier (dropdown: Basic, Premium, Founding)
- Industry (dropdown: Retail, Professional Services, Healthcare, etc.)
- Business Size (dropdown: 1-5, 6-25, 26-100, 100+)
- Join Date (date field)
- Renewal Date (date field)
- Committee (multi-select or text)
Step 2: Create Dynamic Groups
Use Dynamic Groups to automatically segment contacts based on field values. Dynamic groups update in real time as contact data changes.
Examples:
- Premium Members: Membership Tier = Premium
- At-Risk members: Last Event Attended > 90 days ago
- Retail Businesses: Industry = Retail
- Q4 Renewals: Renewal Date between Oct 1 and Dec 31
Step 3: Create Standard Groups for Manual Segmentation
Some segments are best managed manually with Standard Groups:
- Board of Directors — Add and remove as terms change
- Gala VIP Table — Hand-pick key sponsors and leaders
- Ambassador Program — Manually assign engaged volunteers
Step 4: Tag members at Events
After each event, update attendance data by tagging attendees. This builds your event attendance history and feeds your dynamic groups.
Best Practices
- Start with 4-6 segments. Do not overcomplicate your initial setup. You can always add more as your strategy matures.
- Clean your data quarterly. Review contact fields for accuracy, merge duplicates, and update lapsed members.
- Use segments for exclusion too. When sending a recruitment campaign, exclude existing members. When sending a board-only update, exclude general members.
- Combine segments for precision. Target "Premium members in Retail who attended last year's gala" for table sales outreach.
- Track opt-out rates by segment. If one group has higher opt-outs, you may be messaging them too frequently or with irrelevant content.
- Let members self-segment. Use different Keywords for different interests. Text EVENTS for event updates. Text ADVOCATE for legislative alerts. members choose what they want to receive.
Common Questions
How many groups is too many?
Most chambers do well with 10-20 active groups. If you have groups with fewer than 5 members, consider consolidating.
Can a member be in multiple groups?
Yes. When you send a campaign to multiple groups, the platform automatically deduplicates — no member will receive the same message twice.
Should I segment prospects differently from members?
Yes. Prospects should receive recruitment-focused messages highlighting benefits. members should receive value-delivery messages that reinforce why they joined.
Related
- Chambers of Commerce Overview -- Full chamber use case guide
- Contacts & Groups -- Create standard and dynamic groups
- Contact Fields -- Set up custom data fields
- Keywords -- Let members self-segment by interest
- Custom Bulk Messages -- Target specific groups with campaigns