If you’re spending more time copying data between your LinkedIn outreach tool and your CRM than actually talking to leads, you’re not alone. This guide is for anyone who wants to hook up their CRM to Heyreach and let the boring stuff run itself—so you can focus on real conversations, not manual busywork.
You don’t need to be a developer to get this done, but you do need to be realistic: some CRMs play nicer with Heyreach than others, and “seamless” is a stretch unless you set things up thoughtfully. Here’s how to actually automate your workflow—warts and all.
1. Get Clear on What You Want to Automate
Before you start clicking buttons, sketch out what you really want your CRM and Heyreach to do together. Don’t just integrate for the sake of it—figure out what will actually save you time.
Think about: - Do you want every new Heyreach lead to show up in your CRM? - Should CRM status updates (like “Contacted” or “Interested”) trigger something back in Heyreach? - Are you trying to sync notes, tags, or just basic contact info?
Pro tip: Write down your top 2–3 use cases. Don’t try to automate everything at once. The more you pile on, the messier things get.
2. Check Your CRM’s Integration Options
Let’s be honest: not all CRMs are equal here. Some (like HubSpot or Salesforce) have open APIs and good third-party support. Others are walled gardens. Here’s what you need to know:
- Direct Integrations: As of mid-2024, Heyreach doesn’t natively support most CRMs out of the box. That means you’ll probably need a middleman.
- Zapier/Make (Integromat): Both tools can bridge Heyreach and your CRM, so check if your CRM is supported by either platform. Most major CRMs are.
- Custom API: If you’re technical (or have a developer), you can use Heyreach’s API and your CRM’s API to build a custom connection. This is overkill for most people.
Skip the “integrations marketplace” hype: Unless you see a direct, officially supported Heyreach → CRM app, you’re looking at a third-party tool or manual workaround.
3. Set Up Your Heyreach Account and Prepare Your CRM
Before you connect anything, get your accounts in order.
- Heyreach: Make sure you have admin access. Know where your data lives (which LinkedIn accounts, which campaigns).
- CRM: Clean up your fields. If your CRM is a mess, syncing more data will just make it worse.
- Standardize contact fields: name, email, company, LinkedIn URL.
- Make sure you have a way to tag or track leads that come from Heyreach.
Don’t skip this: If your CRM is full of duplicates or outdated data, integration will only make things more confusing.
4. Choose Your Integration Tool
For 99% of people, this comes down to two choices: Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat). Here’s the deal:
- Zapier: Easier to use, but some features are locked behind higher-tier plans. Good for basic “if X, then Y” automations.
- Make: More flexible and cheaper for complex workflows, but has a steeper learning curve.
What doesn’t work: Random browser plugins or Chrome extensions that promise “1-click sync.” These can break anytime LinkedIn or your CRM changes something.
5. Connect Heyreach to Your Integration Tool
For Zapier:
- Heyreach isn’t a default app on Zapier, but you can use Webhooks by Zapier.
- In Heyreach, look for settings to add a webhook or export contacts via API.
- Set up a “Zap”:
- Trigger: Use a webhook or scheduled CSV export from Heyreach.
- Action: Add/update contact in your CRM.
For Make (Integromat):
- Make supports webhooks and more advanced data mapping.
- Set up a scenario:
- Trigger: Webhook or scheduled import from Heyreach.
- Action: Create/update record in your CRM.
Heads up: If you can’t find a direct way to trigger on new Heyreach leads, use scheduled exports (CSV) and have your integration tool watch for new files.
6. Map Your Data Carefully
This is where most automations go off the rails. Field mapping means matching up “First Name” in Heyreach to “First Name” in your CRM, and so on.
Common pitfalls: - LinkedIn profile URLs don’t always have a dedicated field—add one if your CRM doesn’t. - Duplicate contacts: Use email or LinkedIn URL as a unique identifier wherever possible. - Tags and notes: Heyreach might have custom tags; make sure your CRM can capture them or ignore them if they’re not useful.
Pro tip: Start with just the basics (name, email, company, LinkedIn URL). Add more fields only if you’re sure you’ll use them.
7. Set Up Two-Way Sync (If You Really Need It)
Most people don’t need full two-way sync (where changes in either system update the other). It sounds cool, but it’s a recipe for duplicate data, overwrites, and headaches.
When to consider it: - You have a team working in both platforms daily. - You’re tracking deal stages or statuses in both places.
How to do it: - Use your integration tool to watch for changes in both Heyreach and your CRM, and update as needed. - Set up filters to prevent “infinite loops” (where an update in one platform triggers an update in the other, forever).
Honest take: Unless you have a very specific need, stick to one-way sync. You’ll sleep better.
8. Test Your Integration—Don’t Skip This
Run a few test leads through Heyreach and see what shows up in your CRM.
- Check for missing fields, duplicate contacts, or weird formatting.
- Update a contact in one system—does it appear correctly in the other?
- If you’re using tags or deal stages, make sure they come through as expected.
If something breaks: Don’t panic. Double-check your field mappings and triggers. Sometimes it’s as simple as a typo or a missing required field.
9. Automate the Right Work—Not Everything
Just because you can automate something doesn’t mean you should.
What’s worth automating: - Creating new contacts/leads in your CRM when Heyreach finds someone. - Updating basic info (like email or company) so you don’t have to copy-paste. - Tagging or categorizing leads so you can follow up later.
What to skip: - Syncing every single field (notes, history, etc.)—it’s rarely worth the hassle. - Overcomplicated workflows that are hard to debug.
10. Keep It Simple, Watch for Breakage, and Iterate
Automations break. APIs change, LinkedIn updates its layout, CRMs update their field names. Check your sync every week or so, especially in the first month.
- Set up alerts for failed automations if your integration tool supports it.
- Make small changes, not big ones. If you want to add a new field, test it first.
Don’t let “automation” become another headache. If something’s more trouble than it’s worth, rip it out and go back to basics.
Wrapping Up
Integrating Heyreach with your CRM isn’t magic, but it is doable if you focus on the things that actually save you time. Start simple, don’t believe every “seamless” claim you read, and be ready to tweak things as you go. The best workflow is the one you can trust—and the one you barely notice running in the background.