RFM Segments
After running an RFM analysis, your contacts are grouped into 10 named segments based on their Recency (R) and Frequency (F) scores. Each segment represents a distinct behavior pattern with specific recommended actions.
The 10 Segments
Champions
R: 5, F: 5 -- Most recent, most frequent buyers.
These are your best contacts. They interact often and did so very recently. They are highly engaged and likely to respond to any campaign.
Recommended action: Reward them with exclusive offers, ask for referrals and reviews, and treat them as brand advocates.
Loyal
R: 4-5, F: 4-5 -- High frequency and recent engagement.
Similar to Champions but slightly less consistent. These contacts are reliable and engaged.
Recommended action: Upsell and cross-sell related products, invite them to loyalty programs, and send early access to new features.
Potential Loyalist
R: 4-5, F: 2-3 -- Recent customers with moderate frequency.
These contacts showed up recently and have some engagement history, but are not yet frequent. They are on the path to becoming Loyal if nurtured.
Recommended action: Offer onboarding support, send educational content, and engage with product tips to build the habit.
New Contacts
R: 5, F: 1 -- Recently acquired, first-time interaction.
Brand new contacts who just arrived. They have high recency but no repeat engagement yet.
Recommended action: Send a welcome series, provide product education, and make a strong first impression.
Promising
R: 3-4, F: 1-2 -- Recent but low frequency.
These contacts are somewhat active but have not developed a consistent pattern. They need a push to become regulars.
Recommended action: Nurture with targeted campaigns and incentives. Personalized recommendations can help increase engagement.
Needs Attention
R: 2-3, F: 3-5 -- Above-average frequency but fading recency.
These were once frequent users who are starting to drift. Their engagement is declining but not yet critical.
Recommended action: Re-engage with personalized offers, remind them of what they are missing, and ask for feedback.
About to Sleep
R: 2-3, F: 1-2 -- Low recency and low frequency.
These contacts are on the edge of becoming inactive. Both their engagement frequency and recency are declining.
Recommended action: Run a win-back campaign with special offers or time-sensitive incentives before they disengage completely.
At Risk
R: 1-2, F: 4-5 -- Used to be frequent, now gone quiet.
These contacts were previously highly engaged but have stopped interacting. This is a critical segment -- you are losing valuable contacts.
Recommended action: Urgent re-engagement with surveys, personal outreach, or "we miss you" campaigns. Understand why they left.
Cannot Lose Them
R: 1-2, F: 3 -- Previously engaged, slipping away.
Similar to At Risk but with moderate (not high) past frequency. Still valuable contacts who are worth fighting to retain.
Recommended action: Aggressive win-back with exclusive offers, direct outreach, or account manager follow-up.
Hibernating
R: 1, F: 1-2 -- Inactive for a long time, lowest engagement.
These contacts have not interacted in a long time and were never highly active. They may be permanently disengaged.
Recommended action: Low-cost re-activation attempts (a simple "are you still interested?" email). If no response, consider sunsetting them to keep your list healthy.
Segment Scoring Grid
This table shows which (R, F) score combinations map to each segment:
| Segment | Recency scores | Frequency scores |
|---|---|---|
| Champions | 5 | 5 |
| Loyal | 4-5 | 4-5 |
| Potential Loyalist | 4-5 | 2-3 |
| New Contacts | 5 | 1 |
| Promising | 3-4 | 1-2 |
| Needs Attention | 2-3 | 3-5 |
| About to Sleep | 2-3 | 1-2 |
| At Risk | 1-2 | 4-5 |
| Cannot Lose Them | 1-2 | 3 |
| Hibernating | 1 | 1-2 |
Segments are determined by Recency and Frequency scores only. The Monetary score is included in the overall RFM score for each contact but does not affect segment assignment.
Creating a CRM Segment from RFM
After viewing your RFM results, you can create a CRM segment from any RFM cohort:
- In the RFM results view, find the segment you want to target (e.g., "At Risk")
- Click Create Segment on that cohort
- Optionally provide a custom name (defaults to "RFM: At Risk")
- The system creates a dynamic segment with a filter based on the RFM analysis parameters
The created segment appears in your Segments list and can be used as a target audience in flows.
RFM-based segments are dynamic -- they use the same event filters and date range as the analysis. As contacts' behavior changes, they may move between segments when the analysis is re-run.
Using RFM Segments in Flows
Once you have created a CRM segment from an RFM cohort, you can use it like any other segment:
- Flow entry condition -- trigger a flow only for contacts in the segment
- Condition step -- branch your flow based on whether a contact belongs to the segment
- Segment filter -- narrow down your audience when sending campaigns
Common flow patterns:
| Flow | Target segment | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome series | New Contacts | Onboard and educate |
| Win-back campaign | At Risk, Cannot Lose Them | Re-engage before churn |
| Loyalty rewards | Champions, Loyal | Retain and grow |
| Re-activation | Hibernating, About to Sleep | Last attempt before sunset |
| Nurture sequence | Potential Loyalist, Promising | Build engagement habits |
Next Steps
- RFM Analysis -- how scoring and the heatmap work
- Building Segments -- segment builder guide
- Creating Flows -- set up automated flows