How to Integrate HubSpot With Salesforce CRM: Three Options

We've covered typical issues that businesses can face when their sales and marketing are misaligned in the article "How to bridge the gap between marketing & sales with MCAE (Pardot)?".

In this article, we're going to focus on the benefits of aligning sales and marketing and how this can be achieved through HubSpot and Salesforce integration.

Here are some of the ways HubSpot and Salesforce integration can improve lead management and customer acquisition:

• Lead Sync: When a lead is generated in HubSpot, it can be automatically synced to Salesforce as a new contact, ensuring that all contact information is up-to-date and accurate. When a lead is qualified and ready to convert, it can be automatically synced to Salesforce as a new opportunity, streamlining the sales process and improving efficiency.

• Lead Scoring and Grading: By using HubSpot's lead scoring and grading system, businesses can automatically prioritize leads based on their level of engagement and potential value, allowing sales teams to focus on the most promising opportunities.

• Lead Nurturing: HubSpot's lead nurturing tools can be used to automate the delivery of personalized content and messaging to leads, keeping them engaged and moving them closer to conversion.

• Lead Assignment: With HubSpot and Salesforce integration, businesses can automatically route leads to the appropriate sales representative based on such criteria as geography, industry, or product interest.

The first step to aligning your marketing and sales is to connect your CRM with your marketing system.

For those companies that use HubSpot and Salesforce, there are two possible ways of dealing with that. One way is to create a single source and migrate from HubSpot to a different Salesforce product, such as MCAE (Pardot).

The second option is to integrate it directly with the CRM.

HubSpot has a great API that allows access to a wide range of data in the system. It is well-documented and packaged into modules. The provided capabilities allow building flexible integrations in terms of data types, volume, and frequency. Moreover, it supports webhook setup to get contact/deal data updates in real time.

There are a few ways to connect a HubSpot instance with Salesforce:

HubSpot provides its own package (hidden and is accessible in AppExchange), which can be installed on an SF instance and set up to synchronize chosen data types. This is good for a straightforward sync with a pure SF instance:

• it syncs accounts/contacts/activities/deals
• it provides manual sync configuration
• it installs an embedded area for visualizing HubSpot data at the lead level
• it collects sync errors and provides quite detailed information about them

Of course, such a basic solution has its disadvantages:

• syncs once every 10-15 minutes
• works mostly with the standard data model
• doesn't manage webhooks
• can't be adjusted to manage sync errors, e.g., related to duplicate rules or automated validations

Custom Node.js- or Python-based integration is the most flexible way to integrate HubSpot into the existing landscape. A separate integration module behaves as a service and supports all the communication protocols, so at the same time it can:

• connect to HubSpot API
• receive data from HubSpot webhooks
• integrate with Salesforce
• integrate with ESB, e.g. Azure Service Bus
• provide its own API and keep a staging database
• run business rules and data match

With its flexibility, we have to consider that:

• it must be deployed to a server, e.g., Heroku or Azure
• it must be accompanied by a logging system to have a clear view of its state, e.g., PagerDuty

Custom Salesforce solutions can be built with Apex and it utilizes all the Salesforce integration capabilities in terms of connecting to third-party systems. In the current context, it can:

• connect to HubSpot API (SF async limits to be considered)
• receive data from HubSpot webhooks (SF site limits to be considered)
• provide its own API
• run business rules and data match
• provide easy sync management capabilities

This option is much more flexible than option #1 and is easier to build and maintain than option #2. This is the golden mean if you need to build the solution fast, but if you plan further expansion and extra systems to be integrated, it may finally require switching to a separate middleware integration service.

What needs to be considered for this solution:

• Salesforce has execution limits
• some protocols, e.g., FTP, are not supported
• a few limits can be extended, but governor limits cannot be overcome

When choosing the best solution for integrating HubSpot and Salesforce, consider evaluating a set of different criteria to check if your goals and capabilities are aligned with a chosen option.

1. Package-based Integration. This option offers low complexity and low TCO. However, it has scalability risks, such as potential difficulties in expanding or adapting the integration as your business grows. This solution is suitable for businesses with straightforward implementation needs and limited growth potential.

2. Custom Middleware Integration. The custom middleware solution has low-medium complexity and low-medium TCO. It offers customization but carries risks related to API updates, such as potential breaking changes with new releases or compatibility issues. This option is ideal for businesses that require customization and can manage the challenges associated with incorporating new API releases.

3. Custom Apex-based Integration. This option has medium complexity, low TCO, and provides resource scalability. However, it comes with risks associated with resource scalability, such as potential difficulties in managing increased resource demands or ensuring optimal performance. This solution is suitable for businesses that require customization and have the resources to handle scalability challenges.

In summary, evaluate your business needs, growth potential, and available resources to choose the best integration solution for HubSpot and Salesforce. Consider the trade-offs between complexity, TCO, and potential risks for each option, and select the one that aligns best with your organization's goals. And Twistellar's team is always happy to consult you with the most suitable solution for your business needs.