If you're running product demos and collecting leads, you already know the pain of moving data from one tool to another. This guide is for anyone using Storylane for interactive demos and HubSpot as their CRM—and who wants the two to actually talk to each other, so you don't miss or mangle leads. We'll walk through how to connect them, what to watch out for, and some honest advice on what’s worth doing (and what’s not).
Why bother integrating Storylane and HubSpot?
Let’s keep it real: manual lead entry is a waste of time. If you’re juggling demo sign-ups in Storylane and then copying that info into HubSpot, you’re just making work for yourself—and risking errors or missed follow-ups.
A solid integration means:
- Leads from your Storylane demos land in HubSpot automatically—no spreadsheet gymnastics.
- You can trigger HubSpot workflows (like nurturing emails) as soon as someone interacts with your demo.
- Sales and marketing both see the full picture, without having to bug each other for updates.
But let’s be clear: integrations aren’t magic. They need to be set up right, or you’ll just create new problems (like duplicate contacts, or missing fields). So let’s get into it.
Step 1: Get Your Accounts Ready
First, check your access. You’ll need:
- An active Storylane account (with admin or editor permissions).
- A HubSpot account (with permissions to connect apps and edit contacts).
If you don’t have admin rights, get someone who does. You don’t want to get halfway through and hit a permission wall.
PRO TIP: If you’re testing, use a sandbox or a test HubSpot account—so you don’t flood your real CRM with fake data.
Step 2: Map Out the Data You Actually Need
Before you start clicking "connect," pause and think about what info you want to sync. Not everything from Storylane needs to go to HubSpot. Ask yourself:
- Do you want every demo start, or just when someone completes it?
- What fields matter—name, email, company, demo type, custom questions?
- Should leads go to a specific pipeline, or just as new contacts?
- Any tags or properties you want to set (e.g., "Source: Storylane Demo")?
Write this down. Seriously. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a mess of half-filled records in HubSpot, or you’ll miss out on useful data.
Step 3: Connect Storylane to HubSpot
The actual connection is pretty straightforward, but the devil’s in the details.
3.1. Find the Integration Option in Storylane
- Log into Storylane.
- Go to your workspace settings or the integrations section (names change, but look for "Integrations" or "Connect Apps").
- Look for HubSpot—there should be a “Connect” or “Add” button.
3.2. Authorize the Connection
- Click to connect HubSpot.
- You’ll be redirected to HubSpot’s authorization screen.
- Log in (if you’re not already), and pick the correct HubSpot account.
- Approve the permissions. Storylane will need access to contacts, at a minimum.
Heads up: If you see a permissions error, your HubSpot user might not have the right access. You’ll need someone with Super Admin or App Marketplace permissions.
3.3. Choose What to Sync
- Storylane should prompt you to map fields. This is where you decide what info goes from demo forms into HubSpot.
- Typical fields: First Name, Last Name, Email, Company, Job Title. If you have custom questions on your demo, map those too.
- You’ll often have the option to specify whether leads become Contacts, Companies, or Deals. Most folks start with Contacts.
Don’t just click “Next” blindly. Make sure every key field in Storylane is mapped to the right HubSpot property.
Step 4: Test the Integration (Don’t Skip This)
So many integrations fail because people skip proper testing. Here’s how to do it right:
- Go to your live Storylane demo, fill it out with a test email (like you+test@yourcompany.com).
- Wait a couple of minutes—sometimes syncing isn’t instant.
- Check HubSpot. Did the contact show up? Is all the info there? Are custom fields where you expect them?
- If you have HubSpot workflows set up, make sure they’re triggering as expected.
If something’s missing or wrong: - Double-check your field mapping in Storylane. - Make sure you’re not hitting any HubSpot limits (like daily API calls). - Look for duplicate records—if HubSpot’s matching logic is off, you’ll get multiple entries for the same person.
Step 5: Automate and Segment (If It’s Worth It)
Once the basics are flowing, you can get fancy—but only if it actually helps. Some ideas:
- Auto-assign leads: Use HubSpot workflows to assign Storylane leads to specific sales reps.
- Segment by demo type: If you have multiple demos, add a hidden field in Storylane (e.g., “Demo Name”) and map it to HubSpot. Now you can trigger different follow-ups based on which demo they took.
- Score or tag leads: Add a property in HubSpot like “Storylane Engaged” so you can filter or prioritize these folks.
But don’t overdo it. If you’re a small team or just starting out, keep it simple. Over-segmentation is a great way to never actually follow up with anyone.
Step 6: Keep an Eye on It
Integrations break. APIs change. People update permissions. So, set a reminder to check your integration every month (or whenever you update your demo or HubSpot).
- Spot-check a few recent leads. Are they showing up correctly?
- Are all fields up to date?
- Any duplicates or weird data?
- Did Storylane or HubSpot update their integration? (Check their changelogs every so often.)
If you see issues, fix them fast—don’t let junk data pile up.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What Works
- Automatic lead capture: When set up right, leads flow straight from demo to CRM. No more copying and pasting.
- Custom field mapping: You can usually map all the fields that matter—including custom questions from your demo.
- Triggering workflows: Immediate follow-up emails or tasks, so you don’t drop the ball.
What Doesn’t
- Complex field logic: If you want to do a bunch of conditional field mapping (like "if they picked X, assign to Y rep"), you’ll hit the limits of native integrations. You might need a middleware tool (like Zapier), but that adds complexity and cost.
- Two-way sync: Most Storylane-to-HubSpot integrations are one-way. Don’t expect updates in HubSpot to flow back into Storylane.
- Lead deduplication: HubSpot’s duplicate detection isn’t foolproof. If people use different emails, you’ll get doubles.
What to Ignore
- Over-engineered lead scoring: Unless you’re dealing with thousands of leads, keep your scoring simple.
- Syncing every field: Only map what you’ll actually use. More fields = more chances for things to break.
- Integrating just for the sake of it: If you’re not following up on demo leads anyway, fix that process first before worrying about automation.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate As You Go
The best integrations are the ones you barely notice because they just work. Don’t get bogged down chasing every possible automation—start simple, get your core lead data flowing from Storylane to HubSpot, and build from there. Test regularly, fix problems fast, and don’t be afraid to prune fields or workflows that aren’t helping.
Remember, the goal isn’t to have the fanciest setup. It’s to make sure your leads aren’t slipping through the cracks. Good luck!