The Evolution of B2B Email Targeting: From Titles to Functions
Posted: Mon May 19, 2025 9:40 am
For years, B2B email marketing relied heavily on job titles to segment audiences. Marketers would tailor their campaigns based on titles like "CEO," "Marketing Director," or "IT Manager," assuming these labels were sufficient for delivering relevant content. However, as digital marketing has evolved, job function-based targeting has emerged as a more effective approach.
Why? Because job titles don't always reflect actual responsibilities or decision-making power. A "Vice President of Sales" in one company might handle client relationships, while in another, they focus on internal revenue forecasting. Job functions, on the other hand, provide a clearer picture of what a professional actually does, allowing for more precise messaging, improved engagement, and higher conversion rates.
This article explores the transition from job title-based email targeting to job function segmentation, highlighting why it’s the future of high-impact B2B marketing.
1. The Limitations of Job Title-Based Email Targeting
A. Job Titles Are Often Misleading
Titles can vary greatly across petroleum manufacturers email lists companies and industries, making it difficult to predict a professional’s actual role:
A "Marketing Director" in a startup might be handling SEO, content strategy, and paid advertising—functions that would typically be separate in larger organizations.
A "VP of Operations" at a manufacturing firm may have financial oversight, while in a SaaS company, they manage supply chain logistics.
This inconsistency makes title-based targeting unreliable, leading to generic messaging that might not address a recipient’s specific challenges.
B. Decision-Making Authority Doesn’t Always Align With Titles
Many B2B purchases involve multiple stakeholders, but not everyone with a senior title has direct purchasing power:
A Chief Technology Officer (CTO) might set the vision, but an IT Procurement Manager actually selects vendors.
Why? Because job titles don't always reflect actual responsibilities or decision-making power. A "Vice President of Sales" in one company might handle client relationships, while in another, they focus on internal revenue forecasting. Job functions, on the other hand, provide a clearer picture of what a professional actually does, allowing for more precise messaging, improved engagement, and higher conversion rates.
This article explores the transition from job title-based email targeting to job function segmentation, highlighting why it’s the future of high-impact B2B marketing.
1. The Limitations of Job Title-Based Email Targeting
A. Job Titles Are Often Misleading
Titles can vary greatly across petroleum manufacturers email lists companies and industries, making it difficult to predict a professional’s actual role:
A "Marketing Director" in a startup might be handling SEO, content strategy, and paid advertising—functions that would typically be separate in larger organizations.
A "VP of Operations" at a manufacturing firm may have financial oversight, while in a SaaS company, they manage supply chain logistics.
This inconsistency makes title-based targeting unreliable, leading to generic messaging that might not address a recipient’s specific challenges.
B. Decision-Making Authority Doesn’t Always Align With Titles
Many B2B purchases involve multiple stakeholders, but not everyone with a senior title has direct purchasing power:
A Chief Technology Officer (CTO) might set the vision, but an IT Procurement Manager actually selects vendors.