If you want to send truly personalized messages, you need your user data in sync—no matter whether you’re using Braze, Salesforce, HubSpot, or something homegrown. But keeping all those systems updated (and playing nicely together) can turn into a headache fast.
This guide is for marketers, product folks, and engineers who want to connect Braze to their CRM for real, ongoing data sync—without hand-waving, magic wands, or “just use Zapier!” hand-waving. I’ll walk through the practical options, share what’s worth your time, and flag what to watch out for.
Why bother syncing Braze with your CRM?
Let’s be honest: Most companies already have a CRM that’s the “source of truth” for customer data. But Braze is where the magic happens for messaging—push, email, in-app, you name it. If you want to send the right message to the right person (at the right time), Braze needs up-to-date info from your CRM.
That could mean:
- Triggering a welcome email after a demo is scheduled
- Targeting users based on their latest purchase or support ticket
- Making sure unsubscribes and preferences stay consistent
If your data’s out of sync, your messages will be too. Cue annoyed users and lost revenue.
The basics: What data needs to sync?
Before you dive in, get clear on what you actually need to sync. Don’t just pipe everything over “just in case”—that’s how you end up with a mess.
The usual suspects:
- User profile info: name, email, phone, etc.
- Custom attributes: e.g., subscription status, plan tier, signup date
- Event data: purchases, logins, product usage
- Marketing preferences: email/SMS unsubscribes, channels opted-in
Pro tip: Make a simple spreadsheet with columns for “Data point,” “Source,” “Destination,” and “How often does it change?” If you can’t fill those out, you’re not ready to sync.
Step 1: Decide on your sync direction (one-way or two-way)
Not all syncs are created equal. Start by asking: Does data only need to flow from CRM to Braze, or both ways?
- One-way (CRM → Braze): Most common. CRM pushes updates into Braze for messaging.
- Two-way: Trickier. You’ll need to handle updates from Braze (e.g., unsubscribes) back into your CRM.
Be honest: Two-way sync sounds cool, but it’s twice the work and twice the places for things to break. Only go there if you need to.
Step 2: Pick your sync method
There’s no single “right way” to connect Braze and your CRM. Here are the main routes, with the good, the bad, and what to avoid.
Option 1: Built-in integrations
Some CRMs (like Salesforce and HubSpot) have official or third-party Braze integrations.
Pros: - Often the fastest way to get started - Handles authentication and some mapping for you
Cons: - Usually limited to basic fields and objects - Customization is tough - Expensive (especially for “premium” connectors)
Worth it? If your use case is simple—just syncing basic contact info or lists—it’s fine. But don’t expect deep customization.
Option 2: ETL and Reverse ETL Tools
Tools like Hightouch, Census, or Segment can move data from your warehouse (or CRM) into Braze.
Pros: - Good for syncing lots of custom attributes, segments, or behavioral data - Built for scale and reliability - Usually has scheduling, logging, and mapping
Cons: - Monthly costs add up - Learning curve if you’re new to ETL/Reverse ETL - Warehouses add lag (not always “real-time”)
Worth it? If you already have your CRM data in a warehouse, this is often the smoothest route. If not, it’s probably overkill.
Option 3: Custom scripts and APIs
Roll up your sleeves and use Braze’s REST API plus your CRM’s API (or webhooks).
Pros: - Maximum control (sync whatever, whenever) - No middleman fees
Cons: - You own the maintenance (breaks, retries, auth, etc.) - More upfront engineering time - Error handling is on you
Worth it? If you have a dev team and specific edge cases, this is the most flexible. For everyone else, it’s a lot of upkeep.
Option 4: Zapier and no-code tools
Zapier, Tray.io, and similar can connect Braze to some CRMs without code.
Pros: - Fast to try out - No engineering needed
Cons: - Can get expensive quickly - Not built for scale or lots of records - Limited to what the connectors expose - “Real-time” is a stretch—delays are common
Worth it? For early validation or tiny audiences. Not for production workloads.
Step 3: Map your fields—don’t just guess
This is where most syncs go sideways. Your “email” field might be called “EmailAddress” in one system and “user_email” in another. Map every field explicitly.
- Start simple: Only sync what you need today. Add more fields later.
- Handle data types: Dates, booleans, enums—make sure formats match.
- Watch for PII: Don’t sync sensitive data you don’t need. Less is more.
Pro tip: Document your mappings somewhere everyone can see. Future-you will thank you.
Step 4: Set your sync schedule (and handle failures)
How often should data sync? Depends how “fresh” it needs to be.
- Real-time: Great for critical triggers (e.g., password reset, support tickets). Harder to build, but sometimes worth it.
- Hourly/daily: Fine for most marketing use cases.
- Manual/adhoc: Good for one-off campaigns or migrations.
Don’t ignore errors. Set up alerts or logs if things fail—silent failures are the worst kind.
Step 5: Handle unsubscribes and preferences correctly
This is where two-way sync usually comes in. If someone unsubscribes from an email in Braze, that should reflect in your CRM—and vice versa.
- Decide which system is the “source of truth.” Don’t let one system overwrite the other accidentally.
- Sync opt-outs back to your CRM. Most CRMs have an API or integration for this.
- Double-check compliance. GDPR, CAN-SPAM, etc.—don’t play fast and loose here.
Heads-up: If you mess this up, you’ll annoy customers and maybe break the law. No pressure.
Step 6: Test with real (but not live) data
Don’t push to production until you’ve run through the whole flow with test records. Look for:
- Field mismatches (e.g., uppercase vs lowercase emails)
- Truncated or missing data
- Unintended overwrites
Pro tip: Make a checklist of “must-haves” and verify each one. Don’t rely on spot checks.
Step 7: Keep your sync tidy (and review it regularly)
Congrats, you’ve got a working sync! But over time, data models change, new fields get added, and your sync can get messy.
- Schedule regular reviews. Once a quarter is plenty for most teams.
- Prune unused fields or mappings. If no one uses it, cut it.
- Document changes. Seriously, just do it.
What to ignore (for now)
- Bidirectional sync for every field: Usually unnecessary. Start one-way and only add feedback loops where they matter.
- Syncing everything: More data ≠ better personalization. Start with what you’ll actually use.
- Exotic tools or “AI-powered” connectors: Most are just wrappers around APIs. Focus on reliability first.
Wrapping up
Syncing Braze with your CRM isn’t rocket science—but it does pay to be methodical. Start simple, map only what matters, and build from there. Don’t try to future-proof everything on day one. Ship something that works, then improve it as you go.
And remember: No one ever wished their data sync was more complicated. Keep it tight, keep it tidy, and your personalized messaging will actually feel personal.