If you’re tired of copy-pasting leads between tools, or watching “automation” break in weird ways, this guide’s for you. We’ll walk through connecting Sendpotion to Salesforce so leads flow cleanly—no more CSV gymnastics. This isn’t a sales pitch, it’s a nuts-and-bolts guide. If you want less busywork and more reliable lead management, read on.
What You Need Before You Start
Let’s save headaches. Here’s what you need before diving in:
- Sendpotion account with admin access
- Salesforce account with API rights (not all Salesforce plans allow API access)
- Permission to install integrations and maybe create custom fields in Salesforce
- 30–60 minutes, depending on how much you want to customize
Pro Tip: If you’re not the Salesforce admin, stop now and get them onboard. Permissions and access issues are the #1 reason these setups stall.
Step 1: Map Out Your Lead Flow
Don’t skip this part. Before you click anything, decide:
- Which data? (Just new leads? Updates? Notes? Attachments?)
- Which direction? (Sendpotion → Salesforce only, or both ways?)
- When? (Immediately? Batch syncs? Manual review first?)
Write it down or sketch it. It’ll save pain later. Most folks just sync new leads from Sendpotion into Salesforce, but if you want fancy two-way syncing, know that it gets messy (think duplicates, overwritten data, and “where did that note go?” moments).
Step 2: Connect Sendpotion to Salesforce
Now for the hands-on part.
2.1 Get Your Salesforce API Credentials
You’ll need: - Client ID and Client Secret from a Salesforce “Connected App” - Salesforce username and password - Security token (Salesforce sends this when you reset your password or request one)
How to get these:
1. Go to Salesforce Setup → “Apps” → “App Manager.”
2. Click “New Connected App.”
3. Fill in basic info, enable OAuth, and add the right callback URL (Sendpotion will give you this—copy it from their integration screen).
4. Select required OAuth scopes (usually api, refresh_token, and offline_access).
5. Save and wait for Salesforce to process (can take 2–10 minutes).
6. Copy your Client ID and Secret.
Not sure? Salesforce’s docs are dense, but they do explain this here.
2.2 Start the Integration in Sendpotion
- Log in to Sendpotion.
- Go to “Integrations” > “Salesforce.”
- Click “Connect.”
- Paste in your Salesforce credentials (Client ID, Secret, etc.).
- Authorize access when prompted by Salesforce.
What can go wrong here? - Wrong callback URL? You’ll get an error. - Missing OAuth scope? You’ll get an error. - Using a Salesforce account without API access? You guessed it—error.
If you’re stuck, double-check the exact error message. “Invalid client credentials” usually means typos or a misconfigured Connected App.
Step 3: Set Up Lead Field Mapping
Most integrations fall apart here: field mismatches. Sendpotion and Salesforce use different names, formats, and required fields.
- In Sendpotion, after connecting, you’ll see a “Field Mapping” screen.
- Match up Sendpotion fields (like “First Name,” “Email,” “Company”) to the corresponding Salesforce Lead fields.
- Watch out for:
- Required Salesforce fields (e.g., “Last Name” is usually required)
- Picklists vs. free text (Salesforce loves picklists; Sendpotion may not)
- Custom fields (You might need to create these in Salesforce first, then refresh the mapping in Sendpotion)
Pro Tip: Don’t try to sync every field. Focus on what your sales team actually uses. Extra fields = more things to break.
What if a field doesn’t exist in Salesforce? - Go to Salesforce Setup → Object Manager → Lead → Fields & Relationships → “New Field.” - Create the field (text, picklist, etc.), then return to Sendpotion and click “Refresh Fields.”
Step 4: Decide on Trigger Conditions
Do you want every lead sent to Salesforce? Or just qualified ones?
- All leads: Simple, but you may flood Salesforce with junk.
- Filtered leads: Set up criteria in Sendpotion (e.g., only leads with a valid email or certain tags).
Set this up under “Sync Settings” or “Filters” in Sendpotion’s integration menu. If your team gets annoyed at noise in Salesforce, tighten these filters.
Step 5: Test the Integration (Don’t Skip This)
Before you go live, run a test with a fake lead.
Checklist: - Create a test lead in Sendpotion. - Wait for (or trigger) the sync. - Check Salesforce: Did the lead appear? Are fields correct? - Update the lead in Sendpotion—does it update in Salesforce (if you want two-way sync)? - Try edge cases: missing required fields, weird characters, etc.
If it fails: Check the Sendpotion integration logs (usually available in the integration settings). Salesforce also keeps logs under Setup > Debug Logs. Most issues are field mapping or permissions.
Step 6: Handle Duplicates and Updates
Salesforce is notorious for duplicate leads. If you’re syncing from multiple sources, expect duplicates.
What can you do? - Use Salesforce’s built-in Duplicate Rules (Setup > Duplicate Management). - In Sendpotion, look for “Update existing leads” or “Match by email” options. - Decide: Should a second submission overwrite the first, merge, or be ignored?
There’s no perfect fix—just be aware and set expectations. If clean data matters, audit your Salesforce leads every so often.
Step 7: Go Live and Monitor
Once you’re happy with your test, turn on the integration for real leads.
- Watch the sync for the first week. Seriously—check daily.
- Ask your sales team if leads are showing up as expected.
- Check for errors, skipped leads, or weird formatting.
Pro Tip: Set up notifications or reports in Salesforce for new leads coming from Sendpotion, so you can spot issues early.
What’s Worth Ignoring?
- “Lifetime value” predictions and AI scoring: Unless you have a ton of historical data, these are usually just guesses.
- Overly complex field mappings: Only map what you’ll use in Salesforce.
- Trying to sync every possible object: Stick to leads or contacts. Tasks, notes, and attachments often end up half-broken or duplicated.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
- API limits: Salesforce has daily API call limits, and a busy integration can burn through them. If you hit limits, batch your syncs or talk to your admin.
- Permission issues: Many “mystery” errors come from not having the right permissions in Salesforce.
- Field format mismatches: Dates, picklists, and phone numbers can be especially finicky. Test weird cases (e.g., international phone numbers).
- Forgetting about sandbox vs. production: Always test in a Salesforce sandbox first if you can.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate as Needed
It’s easy to overcomplicate these integrations. Start small: sync just the basics, make sure it works, then add fields or filters if you really need them. The fewer moving parts, the fewer headaches down the line.
If you hit a wall, ask for help—either from Sendpotion’s support or your Salesforce admin. And don’t be afraid to rip up your first attempt and start over. Integration is messy, but once it’s working, it’s a huge timesaver.
Good luck, and remember: the goal is less busywork, not more.