If you're using Mailchimp, you can integrate with Copper using our native integration! This integration has options for: automatic or manual sync, one-way or two-way sync, syncing custom and default fields, and automatically adding Mailchimp activities to Copper's activity feed.
ⓘ Need help setting up this integration? We can help - our team is available through the chat icon in the Copper web app.
Continue reading to learn about:
Before You Start
Before you start the setup process, we strongly recommend thinking about the following items:
What are you using Mailchimp for? Is it newsletters, promotional emails, etc? How do you decide who should receive those communications?
What does your Mailchimp setup look like, and does it make sense for long-term use? For example, if you have multiple audiences, consider merging into one based on Mailchimp best practices. Note that our integration is built to work with one audience as recommended by Mailchimp.
Do you want all contacts to be automatically synced? Or do you want to pick and choose the specific contacts to be synced?
Which fields and information on those contacts should move between the two systems? For example, do you need to push a contact's Contact Type from Copper into Mailchimp?
Where does that data originate, and which direction(s) should it move it? Do you need to set up a one-way sync (Copper to Mailchimp)? Or a two-way sync?
Installing the Integration
Before installing, you will need:
Admin access to Mailchimp on any plan
Admin access to Copper on the Professional or Business plan
For any fields you would like to sync, make sure they exist in both Copper and Mailchimp. For dropdowns, make sure the options match up exactly, and that the first option in Mailchimp is a blank
Once you're ready to set up, follow along with this video tutorial or use the written instructions below.
Important! Our Mailchimp integration is designed to work with one Mailchimp audience. Having one audience for all your contacts is a recommended best practice to simplify your contact management and prevent duplicate contacts (which will contribute to your Mailchimp costs). Click here to read Mailchimp's article on one vs. multiple audiences.
Enable the integration
Sign in to your Copper account and click Settings > Integrations > Integrations.
Locate the box for Mailchimp and click "Connect." You will be redirected to the Settings page for the integration.
In the Settings page, click the Connect button. Make sure you select the checkboxes under “Enable Mailchimp for records” and “Choose locations to show Mailchimp”
Open any Person record and open the Related section.
Under the Mailchimp section, you’ll be prompted to enter your Mailchimp Client Key. Copy and paste it in and click Update. Where do I find the Mailchimp key?
Once the integration is installed, you'll see Audience information in the Related section of each Person (and Leads, if you have enabled it there).
Configuring the Mailchimp Sync
Once you've installed the Mailchimp integration, you'll have visibility on Mailchimp activities for each of your contacts. But you'll need to configure your sync settings in order for automatic contact syncing to occur.
To configure the Mailchimp sync, open the Related section of a contact record. There, you will see a section for Mailchimp and a button for Sync. Note that only admins will be able to complete this step.
Once you click Sync, you will see boxes to enter your Copper API key and to customize your Sync settings.
To generate a Copper API Key, go to Settings > Integrations > API Keys > Generate API Key. Copy and paste that API key and enter your email address.
Make sure you customize your sync rules as well.
Select "What would you like to sync?"
"All People" means all People will be synced automatically
"Only People that I Choose" means you'll need to manually check off the contacts that should be synced
"All Leads" and "Only Leads That I Choose" are the same as above, but specific to the Leads section.
Select the Mailchimp audience the segment will sync with
Choose if this is a one or two-way sync
Add another rule if required
Click the Start Sync button at the bottom!
Note: existing contacts will only sync when there is a change on their contact record. So if you need to sync existing contacts, we recommend making a bulk edit to trigger the sync. For example, you could add a tag to everyone you want to push from Copper to Mailchimp. Then you can delete the tag afterward by going to Settings > Customize > Manage Tags. Do this after you set up your field mapping and tag sync (next two sections).
Note, if you chose "Only People That I Choose" or "Only Leads That I Choose," then the integration will create a checkbox for you:
After you've finished configuring the integration, you can use this checkbox to indicate which contacts should be added to Mailchimp.
Adding More Fields to the Sync
By default, the integration will only sync first name, last name, and work email for each contact. You can expand on this through the Field Mapping settings.
After you click into the field mapping settings, you'll see either one or two boxes depending on whether you activated one-way or two-way syncing.
Click the gear icon for the sync direction you'd like to configure. You'll see dropdowns to select fields in Copper and in Mailchimp.
In the example below, we're setting up the sync from a custom field in Copper for Number of Employees to an equivalent custom field in Mailchimp.
Remember to click the "add" and "save" buttons afterward!
Syncing Tags
To sync tags from Copper to Mailchimp, open the field mapping settings and turn on the toggle for Sync Tags.
Once that's done, any tags you add to a contact in Copper will be synced into their Mailchimp contact. If the tag does not exist in Mailchimp already, the integration will create it for you. If you remove that same tag from the Copper contact, it will be removed from the Mailchimp contact as well.
Currently, the tag syncing only works from Copper to Mailchimp, not from Mailchimp to Copper. If you have any feedback on how the sync works, feel free to post it as an Idea and our Product team will take a look!
Pausing and Resetting the Sync
If you need to pause or reset a sync rule, you can return to the Sync settings at any time.
Note, if you have set up a manual sync where you have checkbox to indicate which contacts to sync, that checkbox will be deleted from Copper if you reset the sync.
Syncing Activities into the Copper Activity Feed
By default, the integration will give a you a preview of a contact's Mailchimp activities in the right-side pane where the integration lives. But, you also have the option to automatically create activities in Copper's activity feed! Follow the instructions below to enable this.
Open up a Copper contact in the Copper web app.
Open up the Mailchimp integration in the right side. Select "Sync" - this will open up more settings. Find the setting called "Activity Sync" and click "sync settings"
Select which segment you'd like to sync activities for (People or Leads). Underneath, you'll see a list of Mailchimp activities that can be synced into Copper. Adjust your selections.
Finally, make sure to click the "Save" button!
Once you save your settings, the integration will start syncing future Mailchimp activities into a contact's Copper activity feed within 48hr. Then the sync will happen once a day on an ongoing basis.
Each new activity entry is logged under the API key owner's name.
Note, if you pause your Mailchimp contact sync, it will also pause the activity sync as well.
Common Questions
Is there any additional cost for this integration?
Nope! This integration is included with all Professional and Business tier subscriptions.
Where do I find the Mailchimp API key?
This article explains how to find or create a new Mailchimp API key.
Can any user access the setup on the integration?
The entire team can enjoy using the integration. However, the settings are restricted to admin users only, for security reasons.
What fields are included as part of the sync?
By default, the contact’s first name, last name, and work email address are synced. You can add more fields to the sync - see Adding More Fields to the Sync.
How does the two-way sync work?
If you have chosen to make your Copper People sync with a Mailchimp audience two ways, any new Copper people will automatically be available in Mailchimp. The same applies the other way, so if any new subscribers join the Mailchimp audience, a new Copper People record will be created.
Some of our Copper contacts have multiple email addresses (e.g. a work email and a personal email). Do they all get synced to Mailchimp?
The integration will only sync the Work Email from a Copper contact.
Does the two-way sync manage updates on records both ways?
Yes! Any new updates, whether from Copper or Mailchimp, will be automatically updated. The email address is used as the unique identifier. So, if the email address changes in Mailchimp, a new record will be created in Copper.
Does the sync work in real-time?
Yes, most of the time! However, when server traffic is operating at peak times, there may be some slight delay in changes being reflected.
Are existing contacts synced?
The sync is triggered when there is a change to the contact record. So if you need to sync existing contacts, we recommend making a bulk change to trigger the sync. For example, you could add a tag to everyone you want to push from Copper to Mailchimp. Then you can delete the tag afterward by going to Settings > Customize > Manage Tags.
Can I sync to both Leads and People?
Yes, but beware: if you set up a 2-way sync for both people and leads to a single Mailchimp audience, your new leads will appear in people and your new people will appear in leads due to the 2-way sync. It will not sync records that already exist in Copper or Mailchimp.
How do I know which Mailchimp audiences and campaigns a lead or person has been added to?
You can see this in the Mailchimp section under the ‘Related’ tab in the person or lead record. The Audience tab shows high-level stats to provide an indication of campaign performance. If the contact is already added to the audience, you’ll see the ‘view activity’ button. If on the other hand, the contact is not in the Mailchimp audience, you’ll see the ‘add’ button.
Can I add a contact to multiple Mailchimp audiences?
Yes! Even though the sync only allows mapping Copper (leads or people) to one Mailchimp audience, you can easily add your contact to other Mailchimp audiences when you see the ‘add’ button in that audience.
How many Mailchimp audiences can I sync?
We strongly recommend you sync only one audience using this integration.
Can I see the contact’s Mailchimp stats?
Yes! Whilst on the Copper record, head over to the Related area and locate the Mailchimp integration. If your contact is already in Mailchimp, click on the ‘view activity’ button to access the stats.
Please note, if you’re just starting out with Mailchimp, it may take some time to accumulate campaign performance data, such as open and click-through rates to report back into Copper.
Do the stats include subscribed status and star rating?
Yes! In addition, you can see actual open and click-through rates for that contact.
Can I see the campaign engagement activity?
Yes! Below the stats box, the integration will list the last 50 activities performed by the contact. This includes, sends, opens, and clicks so you can be well informed of campaign engagement.
How do I disconnect the integration?
Before disconnecting the integration from the Settings > Integrations page, be sure to Reset the sync first. This will ensure any existing sync rules will be deregistered and won’t run in the background after disconnecting the integration.
What types of custom fields can I sync from Copper?
You can sync any type of custom field other than multi-select fields and connect fields.
Does the integration work with Mailchimp segments?
The integration only works on the Audience level in Mailchimp. If you have suggestions for additional features, please post them on our Ideas board for the Product team to consider!
Is two-way sync required to see the Mailchimp campaign status?
Yes, you will need to enable two-way sync so that the integration can pull this information.
Is there a way to sync only specific contacts?
No; the sync will apply to all Leads/People in Copper and to all Members in your selected Mailchimp audience. If you have suggestions for additional features, please post them on our Ideas board for the Product team to consider!
What time are Mailchimp activities synced into the Copper activity feed?
6 am UTC time for Lead records and 8 am UTC time for People records
Does the sync apply to historical Mailchimp activities?
No; it will only sync activities from after you enabled the activity sync.
Do I need to create any custom activities types to enable to the activity sync?
No; the integration will create them for you automatically. If you happen to have existing custom activity types with the same name (e.g. "Click" or "Bounce', then it will use the existing activity type rather than creating a duplicate.
What happens to the activity sync if I pause the contact sync?
The activity sync will be paused as well. If you later resume the contact sync, the activity sync will also resume. In addition, it will attempt to sync activities from the point of pausing onward.
What information is included in synced activities?
Each entry includes a timestamp. For "Click" activities, it will include the URL that the contact clicked into. Where applicable, it will also display the Campaign Name, as long as you have named the campaign in Mailchimp.
What happens if contacts are archived in Mailchimp?
The integration will continue to sync those contacts. Keep in mind, archiving a contact moves them from the main audience list to the Archived section in Mailchimp. So while the integration will still sync them, you will need to go to your Archived list through the "Manage Contacts" menu in order to see them in Mailchimp.