CRM Integration—Using Deal and Account Properties for Smarter Segmentation and Lists

Hello marketers,

Welcome back to another post in Marketers' Space as we continue our series on CRM integration. This week, we’re exploring how integrating with Zoho CRM helps you access deal and account properties, empowering you to achieve precise segmentation and personalization in your campaigns.

What are lists and segments?

Lists and segments are groups created by separating contacts using filters and properties, helping you target specific audiences. Later, you can use these groups for sending tailored campaigns. Let’s look at the differences between the two.

Lists are static groups of contacts, ideal for one-time targeting. There are multiple ways to add contacts to a list: manually add single contacts, upload from your computer, import from the cloud, or build a list based on specific criteria. In this post, we’ll focus on creating lists with the criteria builder to target contacts synced from Zoho CRM using deal and account properties.

Segments, on the other hand, are dynamic. When you set criteria for a segment, it not only pulls in existing contacts but also automatically adds new contacts who meet the criteria as they’re created. This adaptability makes segments an important tool for refining target groups based on new data that is synced from Zoho CRM.

Using Deal and Account-Based Properties to Create Lists and Segments

For marketers, the ability to create lists and segments based on deal and account properties offers a big advantage. These properties can be used to understand each contact’s journey, helping you create segments and lists that are far more personalized and relevant. For instance, knowing a contact’s deal stage allows you to target customers who are close to conversion, while account-based insights help identify high-value clients or specific business types for exclusive campaigns.

This approach ensures each campaign resonates with its intended audience, improving engagement rates and results. By combining lists and segments with deal and account data, marketers can achieve better targeting, optimize their reach, and ensure greater impact through precision-crafted campaigns.

Available properties for segmentation and lists

With CRM integration, you can leverage an array of properties to enhance your segments and lists. We will be focusing on the Deal and Account based properties that will be available in Zoho Marketing Automation (ZMA) when integrated with Zoho CRM. Even custom deal fields that you’ve created in Zoho CRM can be synced and used as properties in Zoho Marketing Automation.

For example, if you have a custom deal field in Zoho CRM for a product interest category, such as “Winter Apparel” or “Office Supplies,” this data can be synced to ZMA and used to separate your audience based on their specific product interests. You can map these fields to existing fields in ZMA or create new ones, ensuring your data types are aligned for smooth syncing. These custom fields can also be used in other areas, like journeys, for even greater personalization and strategic targeting

The following are the Deal and Account-based properties available in Zoho Marketing Automation.

Deal properties: Number of associated deals, Deal name, Deal amount, Deal closing date, Deal type, Deal stage, Deal closing probability, Deal owner, Deal source, First closed-won deal size, Latest closed-won deal size, First deal closed-won date, Latest deal closed-won date, Days to close first deal, Days to close latest deal

Account properties: Account type, Account name, Account owner

Additionally, if you have synced custom modules from Zoho CRM, these fields will also be accessible for segmenting or creating Lists. You can map these fields to existing fields in Zoho Marketing Automation (ZMA) or create new ones, ensuring both fields are aligned in terms of data type for a smooth sync.

Here’s an in-depth look at each deal and account-based property, with a focus on marketing, so you can use them to enhance your campaign targeting.

Number of Associated Deals

The Number of Associated Deals reveals how many times a contact has entered the sales process, providing marketers with a snapshot of their engagement frequency. A higher number of associated deals can signal consistent interest or frequent interactions, making these contacts ideal for targeted campaigns that acknowledge their active relationship with the brand. Conversely, a lower number may suggest limited engagement, allowing marketers to create specialized outreach strategies to re-engage these contacts and encourage further interest.

Deal Name

The Deal Name is an identifier for a specific sales opportunity, making it especially useful when you want to target a group of contacts involved in that deal. Whether for follow-up campaigns or personalized content, deal names help you tailor your messaging to resonate with a specific transaction. You can further refine this audience by layering in additional properties, allowing for even more precise targeting.

Deal Amount

The Deal Amount reflects the monetary value of each sale, giving marketers insight into spending behavior. Higher deal amounts can indicate top-spending customers who may respond well to premium offerings or early access to new collections. For those with lower deal amounts, marketers can create entry-level or bundle promotions to increase the transaction size and overall engagement.

Deal Closing Date

The Deal Closing Date marks when a sale is officially completed. Marketers can use this date to time follow-up campaigns, loyalty offers, or re-engagement efforts right after a purchase. For instance, if a deal closes at the end of a season, marketers might schedule a campaign offering styling tips or promoting related products shortly afterward.

Deal Type

The Deal Type categorizes sales as new, renewal, or other types. For marketers, this distinction is essential: New customers may need welcome campaigns and product education, while renewal customers may benefit from personalized loyalty offers or an anniversary email celebrating their continued business.

Deal Stage

The Deal Stage reflects the current phase of a deal in the pipeline, such as “Closed Won.” Deals marked as “Closed Won” indicate conversion, meaning they’re ready for upselling or cross-selling campaigns. Those in earlier stages could benefit from targeted nurturing campaigns or exclusive trial offers.

Deal Closing Probability

The Deal Closing Probability is an estimate of how likely a deal is to close. High-probability deals are prime targets for last-minute offers or personalized nudges to finalize the sale. For lower probabilities, marketers might create trust-building content or incentives to increase commitment.

Deal Owner

The Deal Owner is the salesperson or team member managing a deal. Knowing the deal owner can help marketers collaborate directly with sales, ensuring campaigns align with the account manager’s strategies and provide cohesive, personalized follow-up content to the customer.

Deal Source

The Deal Source pinpoints where the sales opportunity originated, whether through an ad campaign, referral, or direct inquiry. This information is important for marketers in tailoring campaign messaging to align with each source. For instance, if a deal came from a social media campaign, you can send follow-up content that resonates with that platform’s tone, or, if it originated from a referral, you might craft a campaign that highlights customer stories or testimonials, making the messaging more relevant to the audience’s initial touchpoint.

First Closed-Won Deal Size

The First Closed-Won Deal Size shows the value of the first purchase made by a contact. This metric can highlight high-value customers from the start, who are ideal for loyalty or retention campaigns. By identifying customers who initially made large purchases, marketers can develop early VIP programs or personalized offers to encourage long-term commitment.

Latest Closed-Won Deal Size

This metric shows the value of the most recent deal successfully closed. For marketers, this is key to tracking trends in customer spending over time. If a customer’s latest deal size has increased, it might signal their openness to higher-end products or premium services. A decline might call for a personalized offer to re-engage them.

First Deal Closed-Won Date

The First Deal Closed-Won Date is the date of the first successful purchase, which can be used to trigger anniversary campaigns or loyalty rewards. By celebrating the relationship’s start date, marketers can create an emotional connection and encourage continued engagement.

Latest Deal Closed-Won Date

This metric marks the date of the most recent closed-won deal, ideal for timing re-engagement or upsell campaigns while the customer relationship is still fresh. If it’s been a while since this date, a “we miss you” email with a special offer could reignite interest.

Days to Close First Deal

This property indicates how long it took to convert the initial sale. For marketers, a shorter time frame can highlight contacts with a quick decision-making process, ideal for direct offers and fast-paced campaigns. Longer time frames may call for nurturing campaigns that offer product comparisons, testimonials, or personalized recommendations to build confidence and support future buying decisions.

Days to Close Latest Deal

This metric shows how many days it took to close the most recent deal. A decrease in time to close can mean increased trust or interest, which marketers can leverage with ongoing offers. An increase might signal hesitation, suggesting that content aimed at addressing potential concerns could be effective.

Account Type

The Account Type helps classify an account based on its relationship with the business, such as a current customer, partner, or prospect. For marketers, this information is essential for creating tailored campaigns. Prospects can be nurtured through introductory campaigns, while current customers may benefit from loyalty rewards.

Account Name

The Account Name represents the official name of a company or organization. This allows for customized communication and helps maintain consistent messaging across departments, providing a more cohesive brand experience.

Account Owner

The Account Owner is the person responsible for managing a specific account. Knowing the account owner allows marketers to collaborate on messaging, timing, and tone, ensuring that outreach is consistent with the account manager’s strategy.

Each of these properties enables marketers to tailor their outreach, deliver campaigns that resonate, and nurture relationships at every stage of the customer's journey. By integrating Zoho CRM and using deal and account properties to create lists and segments, marketers can access precise data to craft relevant and impactful campaigns. These enhanced capabilities allow you to engage your audience,nurture leads with personalized interactions, and drive impressive results across your marketing efforts. We’ll be diving into more powerful features unlocked through Zoho CRM integration, so stay tuned to this space—and happy marketing!

Regards,

Pearlin Nitika

User education | Zoho Marketing Automation

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