Duplicate HubSpot contacts are easy to overlook, but they could be doing far more harm to your company than you realize. From wasting resources to alienating prospects, duplicates can undo so much of your marketing team’s hard work.
That is why every marketing team should regularly review their contact databases and merge contacts. This article explains why that is so important and provides a step-by-step guide to help you do it with confidence.
Why Merge Contacts in HubSpot?
A strong collection of HubSpot contacts is a vital resource for effective B2B marketing. But many companies find their data contains duplicates, where the same individual or company has been stored multiple times. This could be the result of a data entry error, importing contact lists from multiple sources or a prospect submitting multiple forms on your website using different information.
Over time, these duplicates clutter your database: you may end up sending multiple emails to the same contact or even entering a new subscription tier – and wasting your marketing budget unnecessarily.
Merging contacts in HubSpot resolves this problem by combining two duplicate contact records into one unified record. It helps marketers:
- Ensure Data Integrity: A single, accurate record for each contact eliminates inconsistencies, ensuring your data is reliable and actionable.
- Increase Efficiency: Avoid sending duplicate messages to the same person, which can damage your brand image and frustrate recipients.
- Improve Collaboration: Consolidating contact information ensures all team members are working from the same record, fostering better alignment and avoiding confusion.
How to Merge Contacts in HubSpot
There are just five steps required to merge contacts in HubSpot:
1. Locate the Contacts:Log in to HubSpot and navigate to CRM > Contacts from your dashboard.
Identify the contact record you want to retain as the primary record (this will keep its unique identifier). Click on the contact name to open the record.
3. Initiate the Merge:On the contact’s profile, click the Actions dropdown menu in the left panel. Select Merge.
A dialog box will appear. Search for and select the duplicate contact you want to merge into the primary contact.
5. Confirm the Merge:Once both records are selected, click Merge. HubSpot will combine the records into one, consolidating timeline activities, properties, and associations.
Three Common Errors and How to Avoid Them
Merging contacts in HubSpot is relatively straightforward, but there are a few common mistakes you should be aware of:
1. Merging the Wrong ContactsDouble-check that the two contacts you are merging represent the same individual. Merging unrelated contacts can result in lost or corrupted data.
Tip: Use a combination of unique identifiers such as name, company, address and phone number to confirm their identity.
Ensure important data from both contacts is correctly reflected in the final merged record.
Tip: HubSpot retains the most recent property values, so verify the accuracy of property data before merging.
Secondary contacts are unenrolled from workflows during the merge process.
Tip: Manually re-enroll the merged contacts in any necessary workflows post-merge.
Additional Best Practices
Our experience helping over 50 companies use HubSpot to improve marketing performance has taught us many valuable tricks. Here are a few best practices to keep in mind when merging contacts:
- Use HubSpot’s Deduplication Tool: Leverage HubSpot’s built-in deduplication feature to identify duplicates more efficiently.
- Track Merged Records: Use the "Merged [record] IDs" property to keep a log of merged records for future reference.
- Communicate with Your Team: Inform team members about merged contacts to ensure continuity in campaigns and collaboration.
Drive More Value from HubSpot with ProperExpression
HubSpot is a powerful tool for B2B companies, helping them understand, nurture, and convert their leads. But with so many features and specific skills required to leverage the platform, many struggle to master it – and end up leaving money on the table.
ProperExpression is a full-stack B2B marketing agency and HubSpot Platinum Partner. We help B2B companies from a range of complex industries unlock new efficiencies within the platform – driving more leads and higher ROI.
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