Automating workflows in your CRM system can be a game-changer for your sales process. Not only does it save time, but it also reduces errors and ensures that no lead slips through the cracks. In this blog, we’ll explore how you can leverage Close CRM and Zapier to automatically enroll contacts into workflows, thereby streamlining your sales tasks.

Our step-by-step guide will walk you through the setup, ensuring you get the most out of these powerful tools.

Why Automation Matters

Automation in sales processes offers numerous benefits, including saving time, reducing manual errors, and ensuring consistent follow-ups. Close CRM, when integrated with Zapier, can help you automate repetitive tasks, thereby improving your team's productivity. This setup not only makes your workflow more efficient but also allows you to focus on what truly matters: engaging with leads and closing deals.

Watch our detailed video on this below:

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Automated Workflow Enrollments

Create Custom Activities in Close CRM

The first step in setting up an automated workflow is to create custom activities in Close CRM. Begin by navigating to the settings and creating a custom activity. For instance, you might set up an activity called “Discovery Call Not Completed,” which includes fields for the lead owner, date of activity, and reason. This setup ensures that you capture all necessary details when a call does not go as planned.

Connect Close CRM to Zapier

Next, move to Zapier to create a new Zap that connects with Close CRM. This Zap will trigger whenever the custom activity in Close CRM is logged. Select the custom activity trigger and connect your Close CRM account to Zapier. This connection allows Zapier to pull data from Close CRM and use it to automate subsequent actions.

Configure Paths and Filters in Zapier

Once the connection is established, you need to configure paths and filters in Zapier. Paths are used to define different outcomes based on the custom activity's reason field. For example, you can create separate paths for "bad data," "canceled," "rescheduled," and "no-show." This step ensures that each lead is routed appropriately based on the specific outcome of the activity.

Ensure Contacts Are Not Already Enrolled

It’s crucial to ensure that contacts are not already enrolled in an existing workflow before adding them to a new one. In Zapier, you can do this by adding a step to check for existing workflow subscriptions. This step helps prevent duplicate enrollments, which could otherwise disrupt your workflow processes. Use the "Find Workflow Subscription" action to verify whether a contact is already part of the intended workflow.

Update Lead Status and Enroll in Workflow

Once you have verified that a contact is not already enrolled in a workflow, you can proceed to update the lead status and enroll the contact into the appropriate workflow. For example, if a call is marked as "canceled," you can set up Zapier to automatically update the lead status in Close CRM and then subscribe the contact to a "canceled" workflow. This process ensures that the lead receives the necessary follow-up actions based on their updated status.

Detailed Walkthrough of an Example Workflow

To illustrate, let’s walk through an example workflow for different outcomes such as "bad data," "canceled," "rescheduled," and "no-show." For each outcome, create a path in Zapier that checks the reason field from the custom activity. If the reason matches "canceled," the workflow proceeds to update the lead status and enroll the contact in a "canceled" workflow.

A critical step that many overlook is checking whether the contact is already enrolled in a workflow. Add a path to verify this, using the "Find Workflow Subscription" action. If the contact is not already in the workflow, proceed to enroll them. This step ensures your workflows remain efficient and error-free.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting Tips

When setting up these workflows, common mistakes include using incorrect contact IDs or missing filters. Always double-check that you are using the correct IDs and that your filters accurately reflect the conditions needed for each path. If a workflow doesn’t trigger as expected, verify each step in Zapier to ensure it is correctly configured.

Troubleshooting tips include testing each step individually to confirm it works as intended. If an issue arises, reviewing the data flow and ensuring all conditions are met can help identify and resolve the problem quickly.

Conclusion

Automating contact enrollments in Close CRM can significantly improve your sales process by ensuring timely and consistent follow-ups. By following the steps outlined above, you can set up efficient workflows that save time and reduce manual errors.