Best Practices for Connecting Pipedrive with Mailchimp
Sync your CRM and email marketing for smarter, targeted campaigns.
Connecting Pipedrive with Mailchimp helps you streamline lead nurturing, automate email marketing, and keep your contact lists organized across platforms. Whether you’re syncing contacts, triggering campaigns, or managing unsubscribes, following best practices ensures a reliable, effective integration.
? Why Integrate Pipedrive with Mailchimp?
- ? Automatically sync CRM contacts to Mailchimp lists
- ? Segment audiences based on deal status or activity
- ? Trigger email campaigns from Pipedrive actions
- ? Reduce manual entry and avoid sending duplicates
- ? Measure campaign results within the CRM context
? Integration Methods
You can connect Pipedrive and Mailchimp using:
- Native Pipedrive–Mailchimp integration (via the Marketplace)
- Zapier or Make (Integromat) for custom automations
- Third-party tools like Outfunnel or Automate.io
- API-based integration (for developers)
✅ Best Practices for a Clean, Effective Connection
1. Clean Your Pipedrive Data First
- Remove or merge duplicate contacts
- Ensure email fields are properly formatted
- Use tags or custom fields to define segments
? Tip: Use filters in Pipedrive to export or sync only qualified contacts.
2. Create a Clear Segmenting Strategy
Decide how you want to group contacts in Mailchimp based on Pipedrive data:
- Deal stage (e.g., “Won”, “Lost”, “Negotiation”)
- Custom fields (e.g., “Newsletter Opt-in”)
- Labels or tags (e.g., “Qualified Lead”, “Customer”)
- Activities (e.g., “Last contacted > 30 days ago”)
? Segmentation helps send the right message to the right audience at the right time.
3. Choose the Right Integration Tool
| Tool | Best For |
|---|---|
| Native Integration | One-way sync of contacts from Pipedrive to Mailchimp |
| Zapier | Trigger-based automations (e.g., add to Mailchimp when deal is won) |
| Outfunnel | Marketing automation and activity sync between both platforms |
| Make | Custom workflows with conditions, filters, and branching |
4. Respect Subscription and Consent Rules
- Sync only contacts who’ve opted-in to email marketing
- Use a custom field in Pipedrive (e.g., “Email Opt-in”) as a filter
- Let unsubscribes from Mailchimp reflect back in Pipedrive using tools like Outfunnel
⚠️ Important: Failing to honor consent can violate GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other regulations.
5. Automate but Review Regularly
- Schedule syncs or automations to run on key actions (e.g., new contact, deal won)
- Review Mailchimp audiences periodically to remove outdated or bounced contacts
- Test automations in sandbox or with test contacts before deploying
6. Track Engagement in Pipedrive (Optional)
If you’re using tools like Outfunnel or Zapier, you can:
- See Mailchimp email opens and clicks on Pipedrive contact timelines
- Trigger follow-up activities based on campaign interactions (e.g., “Email clicked → Create follow-up call”)
7. Use Custom Fields to Enrich Contacts
Map Pipedrive custom fields (like “Industry”, “Lead Source”, or “Product Interest”) to Mailchimp merge fields for better personalization in campaigns.
? Example: “Hi {{FNAME}}, we think our {{PRODUCT_INTEREST}} solution is perfect for your business.”
? Troubleshooting Tips
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Duplicate contacts in Mailchimp | Clean Pipedrive contacts and use unique identifiers (email or ID) |
| Unsubscribed users still get emails | Ensure Mailchimp is respecting opt-out status and syncs are filtered |
| Sync delays or errors | Check integration settings, filters, and logs in Zapier/Outfunnel |
| Fields not mapping correctly | Verify field names and data types match between platforms |
