Step by step guide to integrating Expandi with your CRM for seamless lead management

If managing LinkedIn leads feels like herding cats—jumping between tools, copy-pasting contacts, and praying nothing falls through the cracks—this is for you. We’ll walk through connecting Expandi, the popular LinkedIn automation tool, with your CRM, so you can actually use your leads, not just collect them.

No fluffy promises. Just practical steps, a few caveats, and tips to avoid making a mess.

What You Need Before You Start

Let’s get the basics out of the way:

  • An Expandi account: Already using it for LinkedIn outreach? Good.
  • A CRM: Think HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, or even a scrappy Airtable base.
  • Zapier (or similar): Unless you’re a developer with time to burn, Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat) will help you bridge the gap.
  • Admin access: You’ll need permissions to connect apps and fiddle with settings.

Step 1: Map Out Your Lead Flow Before Touching Settings

Don’t skip this. Integration headaches usually start with fuzzy goals.

  • Decide which leads you’re syncing: All new LinkedIn connections? Only replies? Just those tagged as “Interested”?
  • Know what data matters: Do you care about job titles, LinkedIn URLs, message history, or just names and emails?
  • Pick your direction: Is Expandi your source of truth, or your CRM? (Usually, Expandi feeds into the CRM.)

Pro tip: Draw this out on paper, whiteboard, or napkin. It’ll save you from Zapier-induced migraines later.

Step 2: Set Up Webhooks in Expandi

Expandi doesn’t natively connect to every CRM on the planet. But it does offer webhooks and native integrations with Zapier and Make.

If Your CRM Supports Zapier (most do):

  1. Log in to Expandi.
  2. Go to Settings > Integrations.
  3. Find the Zapier/Make section. Click to get your API key or connect account.
  4. In a new tab, log in to Zapier.
  5. Create a new Zap:
    • Trigger: Choose Expandi. Pick the trigger event (e.g., “New Lead,” “New Reply,” “Tag Added”).
    • Connect your Expandi account using the API key.
    • Test the trigger to pull in sample data.

If Your CRM Doesn’t Support Zapier:

  • You’ll need to use Expandi’s webhook triggers to push data to a custom endpoint.
  • This is more technical. If you’re not comfortable with webhooks, stick with Zapier or Make.

What works: Zapier is easiest for most people. Webhooks are flexible but can be a rabbit hole.

What to ignore: Any promise of “1-click integration” if your CRM isn’t explicitly supported. It’s never really 1 click.

Step 3: Set Up Your CRM to Receive Leads

You need somewhere for these leads to land.

  • In your CRM, set up the relevant object or module (usually “Contacts” or “Leads”).
  • Make sure the fields you want to fill from Expandi exist in your CRM:
    • Name, Email, LinkedIn URL, Company, Tags, etc.
  • If you’re using Zapier:
    • Add an Action: “Create Contact” (or Lead) in your CRM.
    • Map Expandi fields to your CRM fields. Double-check the mapping.
    • Test with sample data. Make sure nothing ends up in the wrong place.

Pro tip: Start simple. Sync the basics (name, LinkedIn URL) first. Add more fields only if you actually use them.

Step 4: Add Filtering and Tagging Logic

One of the biggest headaches: dumping every single LinkedIn contact into your CRM. Don’t do it.

  • Set up filters in Zapier: Only sync leads that meet certain criteria (e.g., tagged as “Interested” in Expandi, or who replied to your message).
  • In Expandi, use tagging to indicate lead stage (e.g., “New,” “Replied,” “Qualified”). Sync only the tags you care about.
  • In your Zap, add a “Filter” step before creating the contact in your CRM.

What works: Filtering early keeps your CRM clean.

What doesn’t: Exporting everything “just in case.” You’ll drown in junk leads, and your sales team will hate you.

Step 5: Automate Lead Updates (Not Just Creation)

It’s easy to set up new lead creation, but what about updates? For example, if someone replies later or changes tags in Expandi, do you want that reflected in your CRM?

  • In Zapier, set up additional Zaps for:
    • Tag updates: When a tag is changed in Expandi, update the lead’s status in the CRM.
    • Reply events: When a lead replies, push that conversation or a note into the CRM.
  • Some CRMs (like HubSpot or Salesforce) have “Find or Create” actions to avoid duplicates. Use them.

What works: Keeping statuses in sync saves manual work.

What doesn’t: Creating a new contact for every update—your CRM will be a mess.

Step 6: Test (Break Things On Purpose)

Before going live:

  • Run several real lead flows all the way through: Connect on LinkedIn, wait for reply, tag in Expandi, watch what happens in your CRM.
  • Check for duplicate contacts, missing data, or weird formatting.
  • Try to break it—change data in Expandi, remove tags, see if updates work as expected.

Pro tip: Use a dummy lead (like a test LinkedIn profile) so you’re not spamming real prospects.

Step 7: Train Your Team and Document the Workflow

If you’re the only one using this, fine. But if sales, marketing, or anyone else touches leads:

  • Write a short doc or Loom video showing:
    • How leads flow from LinkedIn to CRM
    • What tags mean in Expandi
    • What to do if something’s off (e.g., duplicate lead)
  • Make sure everyone’s on the same page about which fields are “source of truth.”

Step 8: Monitor and Iterate

No integration is ever “set it and forget it.” Stuff breaks. APIs change. People invent creative ways to mess things up.

  • Check your CRM weekly for duplicate or junk leads.
  • Review Zapier logs for errors.
  • If you spot issues, tweak filters or mappings.

What works: Regular check-ins keep things smooth.

What doesn’t: Assuming it’ll run itself forever.

Honest Pros and Cons

What’s great: - Saves hours of manual entry - No more leads slipping through the cracks

What’s annoying: - Some data (like LinkedIn message history) doesn’t always sync cleanly - Zapier costs can add up if you have lots of leads - You’ll still need to tweak and babysit things

Ignore the hype: No tool combo is 100% seamless. “Set it and forget it” is a myth.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often

Getting Expandi and your CRM to play nice is worth the effort—if you keep things simple. Start with just the essentials. Once you trust the basics, add more bells and whistles if you actually need them. Most teams overcomplicate this, then drown in busywork.

Remember: integrations are supposed to save time, not create more headaches. If it’s getting too convoluted, pull back, simplify, and build up slowly. You’ll thank yourself later.