If you’re sick of copy-pasting email leads from one tool to another, this guide is for you. We’ll get into how to connect Hunter (the popular email finder and verifier) with Salesforce, so your prospecting doesn’t get bogged down with grunt work. Whether you’re a sales manager, a solo founder, or just the person stuck doing admin, this walkthrough will help you get leads where they need to go—without pointless hassle or expensive consultants.
Let’s keep it honest: there’s no “magic button.” But if you follow these steps, you’ll save hours every week and avoid rookie mistakes.
Why bother integrating Hunter and Salesforce?
You already know the pain: you find leads with Hunter, but then you have to transfer them into Salesforce manually. That’s slow, boring, and error-prone.
Integrating the two means: - Leads flow automatically—no more data entry - Fewer mistakes (no more typos or lost leads) - Faster follow-up (the less time between finding a lead and reaching out, the better) - You can scale prospecting without scaling your headaches
But let’s be real: integrations can get fiddly. Most people either overcomplicate it with too many steps, or oversimplify and miss out on useful features. This guide is about finding that sweet spot.
Step 1: Decide How You’ll Integrate (Native vs. Third-Party)
There’s no official, one-click native integration between Hunter and Salesforce. That means you’ve got two main routes:
Option 1: Use Zapier (or similar automation tools)
- Zapier connects Hunter and Salesforce without code.
- It’s the easiest way for most people.
- Alternatives: Make (formerly Integromat), Workato, Tray.io—most work the same, but Zapier is the most straightforward.
Option 2: Manual CSV Import/Export
- Export leads from Hunter as a CSV.
- Import that CSV into Salesforce.
- It’s free, but tedious. Fine if you do this once a month; not great for daily prospecting.
Option 3: Build a Custom Integration
- Use Hunter’s API and Salesforce’s API.
- Requires programming skills and ongoing maintenance.
- Only worth it if you’ve got complex needs (i.e., high volume or custom workflows).
Honest take: For 95% of teams, Zapier or Make will do the trick. Don’t reinvent the wheel unless you really need to.
Step 2: Set Up Hunter and Salesforce Accounts
You’ll need: - A Hunter account (paid or free, but paid plans offer more features). - Salesforce access with permission to add integrations or apps. - A Zapier (or Make) account if you’re going that route.
Pro tip: If you don’t have admin access in Salesforce, loop in whoever does early—nothing kills momentum like waiting on IT.
Step 3: Connect Hunter and Salesforce via Zapier
Here’s how to get leads flowing in real time. (If you’re using Make, the steps are similar.)
1. Log in to Zapier and Create a New Zap
- Go to your Zapier dashboard.
- Click “Create Zap.”
2. Set Hunter as the Trigger
- Search for “Hunter” and pick it as your trigger app.
- Choose a trigger event, like “New Lead Found” or “Email Verified.”
- Connect your Hunter account (Zapier will ask for your API key—get this from your Hunter dashboard).
3. Set Salesforce as the Action
- Search for “Salesforce” and set it as your action app.
- Choose what you want to do: usually “Create Lead,” but you could also “Create Contact” or “Update Record.”
- Connect your Salesforce account (you’ll log in and approve permissions).
4. Map the Fields
- Zapier will ask you to match Hunter fields (like email, name, company) to Salesforce fields.
- Take your time here—if fields don’t match, your data will be messy.
- If you have custom fields in Salesforce, make sure you map them correctly.
5. Test Your Zap
- Run a test to make sure data flows from Hunter to Salesforce as expected.
- Check Salesforce to confirm the new lead appears.
- Tweak as needed (errors usually come from mismatched fields or missing permissions).
6. Turn Your Zap On
- Once it works, turn it on.
- Leads found in Hunter now show up in Salesforce automatically.
Reality check: Zapier’s free plan only gives you so many “tasks” per month. If you’re processing lots of leads, you’ll probably need a paid plan. That’s money, but it’s less expensive—and less painful—than hiring someone to copy-paste.
Step 4: Setting Up Workflows and Notifications in Salesforce
Just dumping leads into Salesforce isn’t enough. You want to make sure someone actually follows up.
Tips:
- Use Salesforce’s built-in workflow rules to assign new leads to the right person automatically.
- Set up email notifications or tasks for new leads as they arrive.
- If you’re syncing with custom fields, set up views or reports in Salesforce to filter and review new Hunter leads.
Pro tip: Start simple. Don’t automate ten different follow-up steps on day one. Get the basics working, then layer on complexity as you go.
Step 5: Handling Duplicates and Data Quality
Here’s what most guides gloss over: Salesforce is notorious for duplicate records and messy data.
- Use Salesforce’s duplicate management tools to avoid creating multiple records for the same lead.
- In Zapier, you can set up filters to only send leads that meet certain criteria (like valid emails, or only new domains).
- Consider adding a step in your Zap to check if a lead already exists before creating a new one (this isn’t perfect, but it helps).
Things that don’t work well: - Relying on “first name/last name” matching alone—people reuse emails, change jobs, etc. - Importing data without cleaning it first. You’ll regret it later.
Step 6: (Optional) Automate Enrichment and Follow-Up
If you want to go a step further, you can chain other tools into your workflow. Examples:
- Use Clearbit, Lusha, or LinkedIn integrations to enrich your leads after they hit Salesforce.
- Trigger follow-up emails or sequences via Outreach, Salesloft, or even Gmail.
- Push leads into Slack to notify your team instantly.
But don’t get too clever. Every extra tool is another thing to break.
Step 7: What to Ignore (And What to Watch Out For)
- Ignore: Overcomplicated integrations that promise “AI-driven lead scoring” out of the box. Most of them just add noise.
- Ignore: Manual imports unless you’re doing very low volume.
- Watch out: Zapier task limits, API rate limits (if you go custom), and changes to Salesforce permissions.
- Watch out: Privacy rules—if you’re in Europe or deal with EU data, double-check compliance.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
- Zap won’t turn on: Usually a permissions issue. Make sure both Hunter and Salesforce are properly connected.
- Leads not appearing: Check field mapping and make sure you’re not filtering out the leads by accident.
- Duplicates: Tweak your Zap or Salesforce settings to check for existing records before creating new ones.
If you get stuck, both Zapier and Salesforce have decent help docs and active forums. Don’t be shy about searching there.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Integrating Hunter with Salesforce isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overthink. Start with a basic automated flow, make sure data lands where it should, and only add complexity when you’ve nailed the essentials. Most importantly, don’t let “perfect” be the enemy of “better than copy-paste.”
Every hour you save on admin is an hour you can actually spend talking to customers. Start simple, tweak as you go, and don’t let anyone sell you something you don’t need.