Custom Fields: Know Your Audience

Beyond email and name lies the goldmine of personalization. Custom fields let you collect, store, and use data that makes every interaction feel personal—even when sending to thousands.

Why Custom Fields Matter

The Personalization Spectrum

Level 1 (Basic): "Hey there!" → Generic, no connection

Level 2 (Name): "Hey Sarah!" → Better, but everyone does this

Level 3 (Context): "Hey Sarah, how's the design agency going?" → Now we're talking

Level 4 (Specific): "Hey Sarah, has the Figma workflow we discussed helped with client presentations?" → This gets responses

Level 5 (Predictive): "Hey Sarah, since you launched 3 months ago and mentioned scaling challenges, here's exactly what you need..." → This drives sales

Custom fields enable levels 3-5.

The Strategic Field Framework

Essential Fields for Every Business

Contact Information

• first_name (text): Personalization basic
• last_name (text): Full identification
• phone (phone): High-touch communication
• timezone (timezone): Send at optimal times
• birthday (date): Special offers

Business Context

• company (text): B2B relevance
• role (dropdown): Decision-maker identification
• company_size (dropdown): Segmentation
• industry (dropdown): Content relevance
• website (URL): Research and validation

Customer Intelligence

• lead_source (dropdown): Attribution tracking
• lead_date (date): Lifecycle tracking
• first_purchase_date (date): Customer anniversary
• last_purchase_date (date): Recency tracking
• total_spent (number): VIP identification
• purchase_count (number): Loyalty measurement

Behavioral Data

• interests (multi-select): Content targeting
• goals (multi-select): Outcome alignment
• challenges (multi-select): Pain point addressing
• preferred_content (dropdown): Format preference
• engagement_score (number): Activity level

Industry-Specific Fields

For Course Creators

• skill_level (dropdown): Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced
• learning_style (dropdown): Visual/Audio/Written
• completion_rate (percentage): Engagement tracking
• next_course_interest (dropdown): Upsell targeting

For Coaches

• coaching_stage (dropdown): Awareness/Considering/Ready
• biggest_challenge (text): Personalization
• desired_outcome (text): Goal alignment
• budget_range (dropdown): Offer matching

For SaaS

• trial_start_date (date): Conversion tracking
• feature_usage (multi-select): Adoption monitoring
• team_size (number): Expansion opportunity
• integration_needs (multi-select): Technical fit

Setting Up Custom Fields

Field Types and When to Use Them

Creating Fields in Selgora

1. Navigate to Custom Fields

   Settings > Contacts > Custom Fields

2. Add New Field

   Field Name: company_size
   Display Name: Company Size
   Field Type: Dropdown
   Options: 1-10, 11-50, 51-200, 201-500, 500+
   Required: No
   Default: (blank)

3. Field Validation

   Format: Regex pattern
   Min/Max: For numbers
   Required: Yes/No
   Unique: Prevent duplicates

Data Collection Strategies

Progressive Profiling

Don't overwhelm. Build profiles over time:

Signup (Minimal friction):

• Email
• First name

First Download (Fair trade):

• Role
• Company size

After Purchase (High trust):

• Phone
• Goals
• Challenges

Over Time (Relationship building):

• Birthday
• Preferences
• Detailed needs

The Ask Sequence

Email 1: Welcome

No ask, deliver value

Email 3: Soft Ask

"Quick question: What's your biggest challenge with [topic]?" Single field update

Email 7: Profile Builder

"Help me help you better..." 3-4 field survey

Email 14: Full Profile

"Customize your experience..." Complete profile form

Smart Forms

Conditional Logic:

IF role = "Founder"
  SHOW: company_size, funding_stage
ELSE IF role = "Freelancer"  
  SHOW: hourly_rate, availability
ELSE
  SHOW: team_size, department

Progressive Display:

Visit 1: Show 2 fields
Visit 2: Show next 2 fields
Visit 3: Show final 2 fields
Never show fields already filled

Using Custom Fields Effectively

Email Personalization

Subject Lines:

"[Company], your monthly report is ready"
"Happy Birthday, [Name]! 🎉"
"[Goal] achieved by 127 others this month"

Content Blocks:

{% if company_size == "1-10" %}
  Show: Startup resources
{% elsif company_size == "51-200" %}
  Show: Scale-up strategies
{% else %}
  Show: Enterprise solutions
{% endif %}

Smart CTAs:

{% if total_spent > 1000 %}
  Button: "Access VIP Resources"
{% elsif purchase_count > 0 %}
  Button: "See What's New"
{% else %}
  Button: "Start Free Trial"
{% endif %}

Automation Triggers

Field-Based Triggers:

When: birthday = today
Do: Send birthday offer

When: total_spent > 500
Do: Add tag [VIP]

When: last_purchase_date > 60 days ago
Do: Start win-back sequence

When: company_size changes to "51-200"
Do: Send scaling resources

Dynamic Segmentation

Value-Based Segments:

Segment: "High Value Prospects"
Conditions:
- company_size > 50
- engagement_score > 70
- lead_source = "webinar"
- NOT is_customer = true

Behavioral Segments:

Segment: "Ready to Buy"
Conditions:
- goals contains "scale"
- challenges contains "automation"
- last_seen < 7 days
- email_clicks > 5

Advanced Techniques

Calculated Fields

Lifetime Value:

LTV = total_spent / months_since(first_purchase_date)

Engagement Score:

Score = (emails_opened * 1) + 
        (links_clicked * 3) + 
        (replies_sent * 5) +
        (purchases_made * 10)

Health Score:

Health = (login_frequency * 0.3) +
         (feature_usage * 0.3) +
         (support_tickets * -0.2) +
         (nps_score * 0.2)

Field Enrichment

Auto-Population:

Email: john@acme.com
→ Auto-fill:
  - Company: Acme Corp
  - Website: acme.com
  - Industry: (from database)
  - Company Size: (from LinkedIn)

Progressive Enhancement:

1. Collect email
2. Enrich with public data
3. Verify with user
4. Add specific details

Predictive Fields

Next Purchase Date:

Based on: Purchase frequency
Predicts: When they'll buy again
Use: Time offers perfectly

Churn Risk:

Based on: Multiple signals
Predicts: Cancellation likelihood  
Use: Proactive retention

Privacy and Compliance

GDPR Considerations

Lawful Basis:

• Consent: Optional fields
• Legitimate interest: Business fields
• Contract: Required fields

Data Minimization:

• Only collect what you use
• Delete unused fields
• Regular data audits

Transparency:

"We use this information to:
- Personalize your experience
- Send relevant content
- Improve our services
You can update or delete anytime."

Security Best Practices

Sensitive Data:

• Encrypt at rest
• Limit access
• Audit trails
• No passwords/SSN
• PCI compliance for payment data

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall 1: Field Explosion

Problem: 50+ custom fields Solution: Max 15-20 active fields

Pitfall 2: Poor Naming

Problem: field_1, field_2, test_field Solution: Descriptive, consistent naming

Pitfall 3: No Defaults

Problem: Blank fields everywhere Solution: Smart defaults, "Unknown" option

Pitfall 4: Over-Asking

Problem: 20-field signup form Solution: Progressive profiling

Pitfall 5: Under-Using

Problem: Collect but don't use Solution: Automation and personalization

Implementation Playbook

Week 1: Audit

• [ ] List current data points
• [ ] Identify missing data
• [ ] Survey users for preferences
• [ ] Plan field structure

Week 2: Setup

• [ ] Create custom fields
• [ ] Import existing data
• [ ] Set validation rules
• [ ] Test data flow

Week 3: Collection

• [ ] Update forms
• [ ] Create enrichment campaigns
• [ ] Set progressive profiling
• [ ] Monitor completion

Week 4: Activation

• [ ] Build personalization
• [ ] Create segments
• [ ] Set automations
• [ ] Measure impact

Metrics to Track

Quick Wins

The Birthday Campaign

Setup: 5 minutes
Field: birthday (date)
Automation: Send on birthday
Result: 5x normal engagement

The Role-Based Welcome

Setup: 15 minutes
Field: role (dropdown)
Variation: 3 different paths
Result: 30% better activation

The Goal Aligner

Setup: 20 minutes
Field: primary_goal
Content: Goal-specific
Result: 2x conversion rate

Remember: Data is only valuable when it drives action. Every field should earn its place by enabling better experiences, driving more revenue, or reducing costs. Start with the basics, prove value, then expand strategically.

The goal isn't to know everything about everyone—it's to know enough to serve them better than anyone else.