What are Lists and How to Create Them

Updated September 09, 2025 . 3 minute read

What are Lists?

Lists are static groups of contacts (or records) that can be used in campaigns and automation. Think of lists like folders for your contacts (or records), letting you organise them or group them. For busy marketers, Lists provide total control over your audience, making sure your message reaches the exact group you defined without any surprises.

This simplicity is perfect for one-time campaigns like mailing attendees of an event or seminar, a product launch, or an exclusive flash sale.

How to Create a List?

How to Create a List on ZEPIC

You have three straightforward ways to create a List:

Manual Entry: Add contacts one by one. Ideal for small, specific groups.
CSV Upload: Import a spreadsheet of contacts. You’ll need to map your data fields during import.
Using Flows with Connector Integrations: Sync contacts directly from your CRM (like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Pipedrive) or other marketing software using flows that directly push them to the list you want..

How Do You Use Lists?

Lists are perfect for focused marketing efforts:

Targeted Campaigns: Send your message only to the intended recipients. This helps you create high relevance for your audience.
Onboarding and Welcome Flows: Trigger automated welcome series for new contacts. This sets a consistent and timely first impression.
Product Launches and Event Management: Manage attendees for conferences, workshops, or product announcements. This simplifies communication with a specific group.
Warm Outreach for Sales: Create a list of sales prospects from a trade show or external data source. This allows your sales team to easily run campaigns and follow up with a static, pre-qualified audience.
Pitching Influencers and Brand Ambassadors: Curate a list of key influencers and partners for exclusive collaborations. This allows you to build strong relationships and manage your brand's reputation effectively.
High-Value Customer Exclusives: Create a list of your most loyal customers for early access to sales or new product releases. This builds brand loyalty and makes your best customers feel valued.

You can use Lists for email or WhatsApp campaigns.

Lists vs. Segments - What’s the Difference?

Feature	Lists	Segments
Definition	A fixed collection of contacts. Contacts are added manually, via CSV import.	A dynamic, ever-changing group of contacts defined by a set of specific conditions or rules.
Updates	Does not update automatically.	Updates automatically as contact data changes.
Best Used For	Simple, one-time campaigns.	Personalised campaigns with multiple touchpoints

Best Practices for Using Lists

Name Your Lists Clearly: Use a simple, descriptive naming convention like "Website Leads - Oct 2025" or "Event Attendees - Q3." This makes it easy to find and use the right list later on.
Keep Your Data Clean With Flows: Regularly automate your lists to remove any old or irrelevant contacts. While lists don't update automatically, you can create automation flows to add, remove, and move contacts to other lists or segments.
Combine with Segments When Needed: You can use a list as the foundation for a segment. For example, you can create a segment of "Website Leads" from your list who also have a specific behavioural property, like clicking on a pricing page

When to use Lists?

Segments are better suited for personalised campaigns; however, Lists remain typically used for two reasons. Choose Lists for:

Simplicity and Control: When you need a straightforward way to group and target contacts.
Targeting Non-Dynamic Audiences: Ideal for one-time communications, event follow-ups, or internal announcements where your audience won't change.