If you’re tired of chasing leads across a dozen places or losing track of follow-ups, this guide is for you. I’ll walk through how to connect your CRM with Mailchimp Journeys so your leads actually get the right emails at the right time—without you babysitting every step. No marketing buzzwords. Just a grounded look at what works, what doesn’t, and how to actually get this running.
Why bother linking your CRM and Mailchimp Journeys?
If you’re using a CRM (like HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, or something more niche) and Mailchimp, you’re probably already familiar with a few headaches:
- Leads sit in your CRM but never get nurtured.
- You manually export/import lists, which is as tedious as it sounds.
- People get the wrong emails—or none at all—because your data is out of sync.
Connecting your CRM to Mailchimp Journeys means:
- New leads in your CRM can kick off email automations immediately.
- Your email content and timing can actually match where each lead is in the pipeline.
- Less manual work for you, fewer leads slipping through the cracks.
But let’s be real: integrations can be fiddly, and “automation” doesn’t always mean “set and forget.” Let’s get into what it actually takes.
Step 1: Figure out what you really need to sync
Don’t just connect your whole CRM and hope for the best. Think about:
- Which leads should get Mailchimp emails?
All new contacts? Only those tagged as “Marketing Qualified”? People who filled out a specific form? - What data do your Journeys need?
Basic info (name, email), or more (company, lead score, lifecycle stage)? The more fields you sync, the more complicated the mapping. - How often does the data need to update?
Real-time sync is nice, but do you really need it? Sometimes hourly or daily is just fine.
Pro tip: Start simple. If you get too ambitious with custom fields and complex triggers, things break—or worse, you won’t notice until weeks later.
Step 2: Choose your integration method (and don’t get sold on hype)
You’ve got three main ways to hook up your CRM with Mailchimp Journeys:
1. Native Integrations
Some CRMs (like HubSpot or Salesforce) offer direct Mailchimp integrations. These are usually the easiest to set up, but they’re not always flexible.
Pros: - Usually quick to connect. - Minimal maintenance.
Cons: - Limited in what fields or triggers you can use. - Sometimes only syncs one way (e.g., CRM → Mailchimp, not back).
2. Third-party tools (Zapier, Make, others)
If your CRM doesn’t have a built-in connector—or it’s just too limited—tools like Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), or Automate.io can bridge the gap.
Pros: - Tons of flexibility; connect almost any CRM. - Can add logic (e.g., only send if lead score > X).
Cons: - More moving parts = more ways for stuff to break. - Can get pricey if you have lots of leads.
3. Custom API integration
If you have a developer handy (lucky you), you can connect your CRM and Mailchimp via their APIs.
Pros: - Maximum control. - Can sync any data, any way you want.
Cons: - Time-consuming to build and maintain. - Overkill for most small/medium teams.
Honest take: Unless you have a weird CRM or very specific needs, try the native integration first. If that’s too limiting, move to Zapier or Make. Reserve custom APIs for when you’ve outgrown the other options.
Step 3: Set up the integration
Native Integration (example: HubSpot)
- Go to your CRM’s integration marketplace.
Search for Mailchimp. - Install the app and connect your Mailchimp account.
You’ll need to authorize access—be careful which permissions you grant. - Map your fields.
Decide which CRM fields should sync to Mailchimp. Don’t just click “Select All.” - Choose your sync rules.
Usually, you can pick one-way or two-way sync, and filter by tags, lists, or pipeline stage.
Zapier/Make (generic example)
- Create a new Zap (or scenario in Make).
- Set your trigger.
For example, “New Lead in Pipedrive.” - Set your action.
“Add/Update Subscriber in Mailchimp.” Pick the audience/list. - Map your fields.
Double-check email addresses and any custom fields you need for segmentation. - Test with sample data.
Don’t skip this. One typo and you’ll have a mess. - Turn it on and monitor.
Zapier will log errors, but don’t trust it blindly—check Mailchimp for new contacts.
API Integration
- I won’t sugarcoat it: this is a project.
- You’ll need to read both your CRM’s and Mailchimp’s API docs.
- Build and test your sync script, set up a schedule, and monitor for failures.
- Unless you have a strong reason (and a developer who likes you), avoid this path at first.
Step 4: Build your Mailchimp Journeys with CRM data in mind
Now that leads can flow automatically into Mailchimp, you need to put them to work in Journeys. If you’re new to it, Mailchimp Journeys lets you create automated email paths based on triggers and conditions.
What to do:
- Segment your audience:
Use synced CRM fields (like “Lead Source” or “Stage”) to send different content to different groups. - Set up triggers:
E.g., “When contact is added with tag ‘Demo Requested’ → Start this Journey.” - Personalize emails:
Pull in CRM info (like first name or company) for more relevant messaging.
Watch out for:
- Field mismatches:
If a field isn’t mapped right, your emails might say “Hi ,” which looks sloppy. - Overlapping Journeys:
Don’t put leads in too many automations at once. You’ll annoy people and muddy your data. - Testing:
Send test emails to yourself (with real CRM data) before letting anything go live.
Pro tip: Start with a single Journey (like a welcome series), make sure it works, then add more complexity only as you need it.
Step 5: Monitor, clean up, and improve
Connecting your CRM and Mailchimp isn’t a “set it and forget it” deal. Here’s how to make sure things don’t quietly fall apart:
- Check for sync errors weekly.
Contacts can fail to sync for all sorts of reasons (bad emails, field changes, etc.). - Keep your data tidy.
Old/duplicate leads clog things up. Clean your lists regularly—Mailchimp charges by contact. - Review Journey performance.
Are people opening emails? Are they converting? If not, tweak your content or triggers. - Get feedback from sales.
If your team says leads are getting weird emails, listen and adjust.
What not to worry about:
Don’t obsess over perfectly syncing every field or automating every edge case. The bulk of your results will come from just getting the basics right.
What works, and what doesn’t
Works well: - Keeping lead email outreach consistent without manual effort. - Segmenting based on CRM data (if your mapping is clean). - Triggering nurture flows the moment a lead is created.
Doesn’t work so well: - Heavy reliance on custom fields or weird data structures (prone to breaking). - Overcomplicated Journeys—leads get lost or bombarded. - Ignoring errors and assuming everything is firing as expected.
Ignore the hype: - You don’t need “AI-powered” workflows or endless personalization out of the gate. - Focus on the basics: right person, right message, right time.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, improve as you go
Syncing your CRM with Mailchimp Journeys isn’t magic, but it does save you time and headaches if you keep things straightforward. Start small, watch for issues, and add complexity only when you need it. Don’t let automation hype distract you from the main goal: getting better at managing leads—one step at a time.