Common segmentation frameworks
Revenue-based. Tier 1: top 5% by ARR. Tier 2: next 15%. Tier 3: the rest. Simple, fast, often the default.
Strategic value-based. Tier 1: strategic accounts (named, logo value, partnership). Tier 2: growth accounts. Tier 3: standard accounts.
Composite. Tier based on a calculated score combining revenue, strategic value, growth potential, and ICP fit.
What tier determines
Resource allocation. KAM coverage, executive sponsorship, dedicated CS.
Cadence. QBR frequency, EBR cadence, weekly account reviews.
Pricing latitude. Discount approval thresholds.
Service levels. Response time SLAs, priority support.
Marketing investment. ABM spend per tier.
How many tiers
Three tiers covers most B2B companies.
Four tiers if you have meaningful structural differences between enterprise, mid-market, and SMB plus a strategic accounts overlay.
Five+ tiers usually indicates organizational indecision. Simpler is better.
Setting tier thresholds
Don't set them by gut. Pull historical revenue data and find natural breakpoints.
Most companies see a long tail effect: top 5 to 10% drive 40 to 60% of revenue.
Re-evaluate tier thresholds annually. The breakpoints shift as the business grows.
Account segmentation in Salesforce
Add a Tier custom field on the Account object. Picklist values: Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 (or your equivalent).
Automate tier assignment based on revenue + ICP + strategic value scores.
Page layouts vary by tier. Tier 1 gets the full account plan view; Tier 3 gets the minimal layout.
Reports and dashboards roll up by tier.
Common segmentation mistakes
Too many tiers. Resource concentration is the point.
Static segmentation. Tiers should be reviewed annually.
Tier by intuition instead of data.
Aligning sales segmentation with marketing segmentation inconsistently. Both functions need to use the same tiers.
Frequently asked questions
What is account segmentation?
The practice of grouping customers into tiers based on revenue, strategic value, and growth potential to allocate resources accordingly.
How many account tiers should I use?
Three tiers covers most B2B companies. Four if you have meaningful structural differences plus a strategic overlay.
How often should account segmentation be refreshed?
Annually. As the business grows, the breakpoints between tiers shift.
CTA
Segment accounts inside Salesforce with composite scoring and tier-specific page layouts. See how CRUSH supports tiered account workflows. [Book a Demo]
