How to Use AND/OR Conditions in the CRM Segments

This article explains how to effectively use AND/OR logic in the CRM segments to refine your contact lists. It covers how positive and negative conditions work in both AND and OR statements, providing examples to help you better target contacts.

Creating segments using AND/OR logic can sometimes be confusing, but understanding how these work can significantly improve your targeting efforts in the CRM. Based on the principles discussed in this guide, let's break down how to use AND and OR conditions effectively with both positive (e.g., "tag exists") and negative (e.g., "tag does not exist") conditions.

Example Contacts

Throughout this article, to help explain how each of the operators works in a segment, we will use the following example contacts and tags:

• Jane Doe - Tags: engaged, champion, new
• Martino Doe - Tags: engaged
• Macy Doe - Tags: none

AND Logic in the CRM

AND logic is used when all conditions in a segment must be met for a contact to be included. As you add more conditions, the list of contacts narrows since every condition needs to be true.

Example 1: AND Logic with Positive Conditions

• Scenario: A segment requires contacts to have three specific tags—“engaged,” “champion,” and “new.”
• Outcome: Only contacts with all three tags will be included. For instance, Jane Doe will appear in the segment because she has all three tags, while Martino (who only has one tag) and Macy (who has no tags) won’t appear.

Use Case: This setup is perfect when you’re trying to target highly engaged users with multiple criteria, such as those who regularly participate in events, provide feedback, and are subscribed to your premium service. For instance, a membership-based business might target only the most engaged and active members for special offers.

Example 2: AND Logic with Negative Conditions

• Scenario: You create a segment for contacts who do not have certain tags, like “champion” and “new.”
• Outcome: Only contacts who lack both tags will be included. In this case, Macy Doe (who has no tags) and Martino (who only has one of the tags) will appear in the segment, while Jane Doe, who has both tags, will not.

Use Case: This is useful when excluding specific contacts from marketing campaigns. For example, a nonprofit organization might want to exclude donors who recently contributed (“champion” tag) or new contacts to avoid overwhelming them with requests.

Example 3: AND Logic with Both Positive and Negative Conditions

• Scenario: A segment with a combination of positive and negative conditions, such as contacts who have the "engaged" tag but not the "champion" or "new" tags.
• Outcome: Martino will appear in the segment because he has the “engaged” tag but lacks the other two. Jane, however, won’t appear since she has all three tags.

Use Case: A company launching a loyalty program might want to focus on engaged customers who have not yet reached the "champion" or "new" milestones. They can offer these users special incentives to keep them engaged and move them toward becoming champions.

OR Logic in the CRM

OR logic is more flexible. It broadens your segment by including contacts who meet at least one condition, regardless of whether they match the others.

Example 1: OR Logic with Positive Conditions

• Scenario: A segment with three positive conditions—contacts with the tags “engaged,” “champion,” or “new.”
• Outcome: Any contact who has at least one of these tags will be included. In this case, both Jane and Martino will be part of the segment, as they each have at least one tag. Macy, who has no tags, will not appear.

Use Case: This is perfect for broad targeting. A marketing team might want to reach out to all contacts who have shown any form of engagement, whether they are new, highly active, or champion members. This helps expand the reach of campaigns like newsletters or seasonal promotions.

Example 2: OR Logic with Negative Conditions

• Scenario: A segment that looks for contacts who do not have the tags "engaged," "champion," or "new."
• Outcome: A contact only needs to lack one of these tags to be included. Macy and Martino will be included because they don’t meet all the conditions, while Jane, who has all the tags, won’t appear.

Use Case: When trying to re-engage users who may be slipping away, a company might target all contacts who are not engaged or not part of a loyalty program. This approach helps focus re-engagement campaigns on people who may need a reminder or an extra incentive to re-engage.

Example 3: OR Logic with Both Positive and Negative Conditions

• Scenario: A mix of positive and negative conditions. For example, contacts with the "engaged" tag or those without the "champion" tag.
• Outcome: All three contacts—Jane, Martino, and Macy—will appear, as each meets at least one of the conditions.

How Our System Includes Contacts Based on OR Logic

When using OR logic, the system looks for contacts that meet at least one condition from the segment criteria. Here’s how it works:

1. First, the system checks for contacts with the "engaged" tag. Any contact with this tag will be included in the segment.
2. Next, it checks for contacts who do not have the "champion" tag. Any contact without this tag will also be included.
3. Lastly, it looks for contacts who do have the "new" tag. Contacts with this tag are added to the segment as well.

Since this is an OR logic segment, a contact only needs to meet one of these conditions to be included. Even if they don't meet all the conditions, they will still be part of the segment.

Use case with example contacts:

Using the example contacts, all three (Macy, Martino, and Jane) will appear in the segment. Here's why:

• Macy Doe: Although Macy has no tags, she meets the condition of not having the "champion" tag. Since she satisfies one condition, she is included in the segment.
• Martino Doe: Martino has the "engaged" tag, meeting one of the conditions. He also satisfies the "Tag does not exist champion" and "Tag does not exist new" conditions, making him a part of the segment.
• Jane Doe: Jane has the "engaged" tag, fulfilling the first condition and thus being included in the segment.

Because all three contacts meet at least one condition, they are included in the segment.

By understanding and applying AND/OR logic in [Your CRM], you can create highly refined or broadly inclusive segments, depending on your goals. Whether you’re targeting contacts who meet very specific criteria or casting a wider net, mastering these conditions will help you enhance your marketing campaigns and communication strategies.

By applying the examples and use cases provided, you’ll be able to optimize your CRM segmentation for various scenarios—whether it's narrowing down the list for specific offers or broadening your outreach to engage more customers.