Making HubSpot and Mailchimp Work Together: A Guide for NZ Businesses
Is your marketing stuck in separate systems that don’t talk to each other? You’re not alone. Many Kiwi business owners struggle with data trapped in different platforms.
HubSpot and Mailchimp are both powerful on their own. But when they work together, they create something even better. For New Zealand businesses looking to boost their digital marketing, connecting these systems properly matters.
As a business leader, you know that efficiency drives profit. Yet many companies waste time on manual data transfers or deliver mixed messages to customers because their systems aren’t in sync. The good news? With the right approach to connecting HubSpot and Mailchimp, these problems can disappear.
What You Need to Know About HubSpot and Mailchimp
Let’s start with the basics. HubSpot is a complete CRM platform that helps you attract visitors, turn them into leads, and win customers. Mailchimp started as an email tool but has grown into a marketing platform focused on email campaigns.
Can These Systems Work Together?
Yes! HubSpot and Mailchimp can connect and share data between them. This lets you use the best parts of each while keeping your customer information consistent.
Why Use Both Instead of Just One?
You might wonder why not just pick one platform. Many businesses use both because:
- They started with Mailchimp emails and added HubSpot CRM later
- Their team prefers Mailchimp’s email tools but needs HubSpot’s customer tracking
- Using both costs less than moving everything to one system
- Different teams prefer working in different platforms
Whatever your reason, the connection between these tools should make your work easier, not harder.
What Other CRMs Work With Mailchimp?
Mailchimp connects with several CRM systems besides HubSpot, including Salesforce and Zoho CRM. For NZ businesses using HubSpot, this means you can keep your Mailchimp email campaigns while adding HubSpot’s detailed customer tracking.
How to Connect HubSpot and Mailchimp the Right Way
Now let’s explore how to make your HubSpot-Mailchimp connection work smoothly. These tips will help you avoid common problems and get the most value from both platforms.
1. Plan How Your Data Will Flow
Before connecting anything, map out what information should move between HubSpot and Mailchimp, and which way it should go.
Ask yourself:
- Which system will be your main customer database?
- What contact details need to sync between systems?
- How will you handle the same contact appearing in both systems?
- How often should your data update between systems?
Tip: Most businesses find it works best to use HubSpot as the main system, with contact information flowing to Mailchimp for email campaigns. This uses HubSpot’s stronger CRM features while taking advantage of Mailchimp’s email marketing tools.
2. Keep Your Contact Lists Clean
Clean contact data is vital for effective marketing. When connecting HubSpot and Mailchimp:
- Use the same naming system for custom fields
- Regularly clean up your contact lists in both systems
- Create a process for handling unsubscribes across platforms
- Consider scoring contacts to identify your most engaged customers
How do I sync my contacts with HubSpot?
The syncing process depends on which connection method you choose. HubSpot offers a built-in connection with Mailchimp that handles basic contact syncing. For more complex needs, you might use a tool like Zapier or work with a specialist partner.
3. Use Better Customer Grouping Across Both Platforms
One of the biggest benefits of proper integration is better customer grouping.
Try these approaches:
- Create groups in HubSpot based on how people engage with your Mailchimp emails
- Use HubSpot’s detailed contact information to build more targeted Mailchimp audiences
- Develop a consistent tagging strategy that works in both systems
- Create smart lists in HubSpot that automatically update your Mailchimp audiences
Can I combine Mailchimp audiences?
Yes, you can merge audiences in Mailchimp. However, when working with a connected HubSpot account, plan this carefully to prevent data conflicts. The best approach is to combine audiences in Mailchimp first, then set up your connection to maintain this structure.
4. Build Smart Automation Workflows
Automation is where the real power of integration shines. Here’s how to make it work for you:
- Create workflows that trigger email campaigns in Mailchimp based on HubSpot activities
- Use Mailchimp campaign results to update contact details in HubSpot
- Develop lead nurturing sequences that work across both platforms
- Set up automatic tagging based on customer behaviour
Common Challenges and How to Solve Them
Even well-planned connections can hit roadblocks. Here are the most common issues NZ businesses face when connecting HubSpot and Mailchimp, along with practical solutions.
Challenge 1: Data Conflicts and Duplicates
The Problem: Customer records get duplicated or contain conflicting information between systems.
The Solution:
- Establish clear rules for which system wins for different data points
- Use email addresses as the primary matching key
- Set up regular data cleanup routines
- Consider using a tool that finds and merges duplicates
Challenge 2: Sync Delays
The Problem: Changes in one system don’t appear quickly in the other.
The Solution:
- Know the expected sync times for your connection method
- For time-sensitive campaigns, check data synchronisation before launching
- Consider using webhook-based integration for faster updates
- Create processes that account for potential delays
Challenge 3: Limited Field Mapping
The Problem: Not all custom fields may transfer between systems.
The Solution:
- Identify the essential fields that must sync for your marketing
- Use calculated fields where direct mapping isn’t possible
- Consider middleware solutions for complex field transformations
- Simplify your data structure where possible
How do I integrate email with HubSpot?
When connecting email from Mailchimp to HubSpot, focus on these key elements:
- Make sure email engagement metrics (opens, clicks, etc.) flow back to HubSpot
- Set up proper unsubscribe synchronisation to stay compliant
- Configure your connection to record email content in HubSpot contact timelines
- Use HubSpot’s email tracking alongside Mailchimp campaigns for complete visibility
Challenge 4: Compliance and Permission Management
The Problem: Keeping track of marketing permissions across multiple systems.
The Solution:
- Choose one system as the “source of truth” for consent management
- Ensure unsubscribes and preference changes sync quickly
- Document your compliance process for your team
- Regularly check permission status between systems
This is especially important for New Zealand businesses that must comply with the Privacy Act 2020.
Measuring Success of Your Integration
How do you know if your HubSpot-Mailchimp connection is delivering value? Track these key metrics:
1. Operational Efficiency
- Time saved on manual data entry or exports
- Reduction in data errors or conflicts
- Speed of data synchronisation
2. Marketing Performance
- Improvement in email engagement rates
- Better lead qualification accuracy
- Conversion rate changes after integration
- Clearer campaign attribution
3. Customer Experience
- Consistency of messaging across touchpoints
- Reduction in duplicate or irrelevant communications
- Customer feedback on communication relevance
Getting Expert Help with Your Integration
While many businesses can handle basic connections between HubSpot and Mailchimp, complex needs often require expert help. Consider professional assistance if:
- You have many contacts (10,000+)
- You need two-way syncing of custom fields
- Your marketing processes involve complex automation
- You need to maintain strict compliance requirements
- Your team lacks technical resources to troubleshoot issues
How does HubSpot help with marketing?
HubSpot strengthens your marketing by providing tools for lead capture, nurturing, and conversion. When properly connected with Mailchimp, it enables:
- Complete visibility of the customer journey
- Better tracking of marketing efforts
- More personalised communication based on detailed contact records
- Streamlined reporting across platforms
Smartmates: Your Local Integration Partner
At Smartmates, we’ve helped many New Zealand businesses optimise their HubSpot and Mailchimp connections. As a local technology consultancy, we understand the unique challenges Kiwi businesses face in the digital marketing landscape.
Our team of certified experts can:
- Analyse your current marketing technology setup
- Design custom connection solutions that align with your business goals
- Implement best-practice data flows between platforms
- Train your team to get the most from your connected systems
- Provide ongoing support as your needs change
Conclusion: Transform Your Marketing with Seamless Integration
Properly connecting HubSpot and Mailchimp isn’t just a technical task, it’s a strategic move that can transform how your business handles customer relationships and marketing.
With the right setup, you can turn separate systems into a unified marketing powerhouse. Customer data flows smoothly, teams work more efficiently, and your marketing messages become more relevant and effective.
The frustration of manual data transfers can change into the satisfaction of watching automated workflows run perfectly. The uncertainty about marketing performance can transform into confidence backed by comprehensive reporting across both platforms.
For New Zealand businesses looking to stay competitive, this kind of connection isn’t just nice to have, it’s becoming essential. Whether you handle it in-house or work with a specialised partner like Smartmates, investing in proper HubSpot-Mailchimp integration pays off in marketing effectiveness and operational efficiency.
Ready to transform your marketing operations? Contact Smartmates today for a free consultation tailored to your business needs.