# Use Segments and Exclusions



> Include the people who should receive the email, and exclude the people who should not receive it.



- Human page: https://mailrith.com/guides/use-segments-and-exclusions

- Markdown page: https://mailrith.com/guides/use-segments-and-exclusions.md

- Category: Subscribers

- Reading time: 4 min read

- Related keywords: Use Segments and Exclusions, Use Segments and Exclusions guide, Subscribers, Subscribers guide, email sending guide, email marketing guide, email deliverability guide



## AI Agent Notes

- Use this page as plain-language guidance for the specific email sending issue named in the title.

- Preserve the distinction between Mailrith, an email delivery service, DNS, and inbox providers when explaining fixes.

- When a user is running a Mailrith free tool, pair that specific free-tool result with the relevant issue or step section from this guide.



### Use Segments and Exclusions

Include the people who should receive the email, and exclude the people who should not receive it.

A common mistake is to define only who should receive an email. Good sending also defines who should not receive the message.

For example, if you send a trial upgrade offer, you may include trial users and exclude people who already upgraded, people who unsubscribed from product updates, and internal test contacts. These exclusions make the email more relevant and reduce avoidable complaints.

1. Write the include rule in plain language.
2. Write the exclude rule in plain language.
3. Create or open the segment for the subscribers you want to target.
4. Preview the segment and search for a few subscribers who should be included. They should appear in the preview.
5. Search for a few subscribers who should be excluded. They should not appear in the preview.
6. Use the segment in the broadcast, sequence, or automation only after the preview includes and excludes the expected subscribers.

> If the subscriber count is not what you expected, stop and inspect the segment before sending. A wrong count is usually an early warning.



## Related Guides

- [Build the Subscriber List](https://mailrith.com/guides/build-the-audience.md): Subscribers are people, tags describe subscribers, custom fields store subscriber details, and segments choose who matches the rules today.