Stop Segmenting Like It’s 1999

Written By Ruth Hartt

If you're only segmenting your audience by purchase behaviors or demographics, you're overlooking a massive opportunity for radical growth.

Radical growth comes from understanding that people don’t buy because of who they ARE, but because of the outcomes they seek.

This concept changes everything.

What would it look like to center your strategy around the tangible, real-world outcomes people are truly after?

I’m talking about a strategy that moves beyond a product-based approach and:

  • Keeps pace with national consumer trends to respond to shifting motivations in real time

  • Nurtures relationships through targeted, outcome-based messaging rather than generic promotions

  • Uses real-time audience segmentation based on evolving motivations—not just past purchases

  • Measures success not just in sales, but in how effectively your offerings delivered the outcomes patrons were seeking

I know what you’re thinking: 'We don’t have the time or budget for this.'

But here’s the thing—shifting to an outcomes-based strategy isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what WORKS.

When resources are tight, the real risk isn’t trying something new—it’s doubling down on what’s keeping you stuck.

What could you let go of?

  • The spray-and-pray marketing tactics that drain resources with little return?

  • The deep discounts that haven’t driven long-term loyalty?

  • The one-size-fits-all ad campaigns that speak to everyone—but convert almost no one?

What if, instead, those dollars went toward understanding your audience’s true motivations—fueling strategies that adapt, resonate, and build lasting connections?

Traditional segmentation is important. But outcomes-based strategy? That’s where real transformation happens.

Ruth Hartt

Ruth is a former opera singer who swapped the stage for the world of business innovation. Now she helps cultural organizations achieve radical growth by championing a radically customer-first model.

Combining her background as an artist with eight years as Chief of Staff at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation—a globally recognized authority on business and social transformation—Ruth helps visionary arts leaders dream big, think boldly, and redefine what’s possible.

A sought-after speaker, Ruth equips arts organizations with the strategies they need to adapt, engage new audiences, and thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

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