Introduction

As a business grows, integrating different software systems becomes increasingly important for improving efficiency and unlocking new capabilities. However, this can often be a challenging and time-consuming process. This is where n8n comes in. n8n is a flexible workflow automation tool that makes it easy to connect and integrate HubSpot with hundreds of other applications. By bringing together HubSpot and n8n, you open up a world of possibilities to streamline operations, enhance workflows, and extract more value from your tech stack.

Some of the major benefits of integrating HubSpot and n8n include:

• Automating repetitive tasks between HubSpot and other tools
• Triggering actions in one application based on events in HubSpot
• Syncing data between HubSpot and other databases/CRM platforms
• Creating customized workflows tailored to your unique business needs
• Connecting HubSpot to niche applications using n8n’s extensive integration library
• Orchestrating complex multi-step processes across your entire tech stack

This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of how to connect your HubSpot account with n8n and construct powerful workflows to supercharge your operations. Let’s get started!

What is n8n?

n8n is an open source workflow automation tool that allows you to easily integrate different applications and services together through automated workflows. According to their website (n8n.io), n8n can connect to over 200 different applications and services out of the box through pre-built connectors and integrations. Some of the applications it connects with include CRMs like HubSpot, databases like MongoDB, social media platforms like Twitter, and many more.

With n8n, you can build workflows with drag and drop nodes and no coding required. You simply connect the different applications and services together based on the workflow you want to automate. For example, you could build a workflow that automatically adds new contacts in your CRM to a mailing list in your email marketing platform whenever they sign up on your website.

As an open source tool, n8n is also customizable and extensible. Developers can create custom nodes and integrations as needed to connect with other applications not supported out of the box. n8n is self-hosted, so you maintain control over your data and infrastructure when using it.

n8n Key Features

n8n offers a powerful set of features that make it an ideal workflow automation tool. Here are some of the key capabilities:

Drag and Drop Workflow Builder – n8n provides an intuitive drag and drop interface that allows you to visually map out workflows and connect various apps and services. No coding is required to set up automations between the 200+ integrations available. This simplifies the process of building workflows for non-technical users.

Self-Hosted or Cloud Options – You can self-host n8n on your own infrastructure or use n8n’s secure cloud platform. The self-hosted open-source version offers unlimited workflows with no restrictions. The cloud plans provide a quick way to get started without managing your own hosting.

Enterprise-Grade Security – n8n utilizes encryption, access controls, and data isolation to keep your workflows and business data safe. User authentication and granular permissions ensure only authorized access.

With its versatile features, n8n aims to make automation accessible for teams of all sizes and technical abilities. The platform is designed to help you boost productivity and efficiency.

Benefits of Integrating HubSpot and n8n

Integrating HubSpot with n8n opens up a wealth of possibilities to customize and streamline your business workflows. Here are some of the key benefits of connecting these two powerful platforms:

Automate workflows across apps – With n8n, you can easily build workflows that span multiple apps beyond just HubSpot. For example, you can automatically add new HubSpot contacts to your email lists in Mailchimp or create tasks in Asana when a deal reaches a certain stage in HubSpot. The integration potential is vast.

Increase efficiency – By automating repetitive tasks between HubSpot and other apps, you free up your team’s time for more strategic work. No more wasting hours on manual busywork.

Customize experiences – n8n makes it easy to create personalized, tailored experiences for your contacts. You can send customized Slack notifications for high value leads or sync HubSpot data to ensure accuracy across apps.

As Hugh Durkin from HubSpot states, “I see n8n and HubSpot as very complementary to each other — there are integrations that HubSpot offers that n8n does not, and vice-versa.” (Source)

How to Connect HubSpot and n8n

Connecting HubSpot with n8n is a straightforward process that can be accomplished in just a few steps:

1. First, you’ll need to sign up for a free n8n account at n8n.io. This will allow you to access the n8n editor to build workflows.

2. Next, in the n8n editor, click on the workflows button on the left sidebar and then create a new blank workflow.

3. Search for the HubSpot node under the Nodes section and drag it onto the canvas. This will allow you to connect your HubSpot account to n8n.

4. Click on the HubSpot node and under Credentials, select “HubSpot API” from the dropdown menu. Then click on “Connect Account” and log in with your HubSpot credentials to connect your account.

5. That’s it! Once connected, you can start building workflows using HubSpot triggers and actions. You’ll also be able to connect other apps and services to HubSpot via n8n.

The credentials needed to connect HubSpot to n8n are your HubSpot login email and password. You’ll use these to authenticate with your HubSpot account through OAuth. Once connected, n8n will store your credentials securely using encryption. You can easily disconnect the integration at any time in the n8n editor. Refer to n8n’s HubSpot documentation for more detailed instructions on setup.

Example Workflow #1 – Syncing New Contacts to Mailchimp

One of the most powerful automations you can set up is to automatically add new contacts from HubSpot to your Mailchimp email lists. This ensures that as you grow your contact database in HubSpot, those new contacts are immediately synced over to Mailchimp so you can include them in your email campaigns.

Here are the steps to create this workflow in n8n:

1. Set up a “New Contact” trigger in HubSpot to activate the workflow when a new contact is created.
2. Add a HubSpot node and configure it to output the new contact’s data.
3. Add a Mailchimp node and set it to subscribe the contact to a specified list.
4. Connect the nodes so the contact data flows from HubSpot into Mailchimp.
5. Activate the workflow.

Now each time a new contact is added in HubSpot, they will automatically be subscribed to your selected email list in Mailchimp. According to HubSpot, this integration can help you “fill your CRM with website visitors through pop-up forms” and then use that data in Mailchimp for targeted email campaigns (source).

This is just one example of a powerful automation that connects your contact database, lead generation, and email marketing tools for streamlined efficiency.

Example Workflow #2 – Create Asana Tasks for HubSpot Deals

One powerful workflow is to automatically create Asana tasks linked to HubSpot deals. This allows your team to stay on top of critical deal progression and ensure that all necessary follow-up actions occur in a timely manner.

Here are the steps to set up this automation:

1. Connect your HubSpot and Asana accounts in n8n.
2. Set up a trigger in n8n to monitor for new or updated deals in HubSpot.
3. Use n8n to create a new task in Asana whenever the trigger is activated. Map HubSpot deal properties to Asana task fields.
4. Specify the Asana project where tasks should be created.
5. Set the assignee to the appropriate team member based on deal owner or other criteria.
6. Add conditional logic to control if/when tasks are created based on deal properties.

The end result is a workflow that automatically creates an Asana task for sales reps whenever their deals are updated in HubSpot. This allows them to efficiently track next steps and activity related to closing the deal.

According to HubSpot (https://knowledge.hubspot.com/workflows/create-asana-tasks-with-workflows), other popular uses for this workflow include:

• Creating tasks for specific deal stages like “Contract Sent” or “Closed Won”
• Assigning tasks to team members based on deal owner or territory
• Setting due dates based on deal close date or other criteria
• Adding deal details to task descriptions or comments

This integration enables seamless synchronization between your CRM and project management, empowering your team with automated workflows to boost productivity.

Example Workflow #3: Send Slack Notifications for Form Submissions

One powerful automation you can implement is to send a customized Slack notification whenever someone fills out an important form on your HubSpot site. This allows your sales team to act quickly on promising leads who have demonstrated clear intent.

Here are the steps to set up this workflow in n8n:

1. Connect your HubSpot and Slack accounts to n8n.
2. Set up a trigger that activates whenever a HubSpot form is submitted.
3. Use a HubSpot node to get the submitted form data.
4. Construct a customized Slack message with key details like name, email, phone number etc.
5. Send the Slack message to your sales channel.

With this automated workflow, your sales reps will get an instant alert in Slack as soon as someone fills out a key form like a contact request or demo sign-up. They can immediately reach out while interest is hot.

According to HubSpot knowledge base, this integration between HubSpot and Slack “allows you to manage notifications, collaborate with your team, and track customers in Slack directly from HubSpot.”

Example Workflow #4: Sync HubSpot and Salesforce Data

One powerful automation you can implement is synchronizing data between HubSpot and Salesforce in real time. By connecting these two platforms with n8n, you can ensure critical information like contacts, companies, deals, and custom objects remain perfectly aligned across systems.

The integration bi-directionally syncs data fields including names, emails, addresses, deal stages, custom field values, and more. Whenever a change occurs in one system, n8n will automatically push the update to the other platform.

Key benefits of real-time HubSpot and Salesforce syncing include:

• Preventing duplicate data entry and manual updating between systems
• Providing sales and marketing teams a single source of truth
• Enabling customized segmentation and targeting
• Improving accuracy of reporting and analytics

With n8n, you can configure field mapping and sync triggers to meet your specific needs. For example, you could set up the integration to sync a new Salesforce lead to HubSpot whenever the lead source equals “Website”.

Overall, automated syncing eliminates data discrepancies and significantly improves the efficiency of your sales and marketing operations.

n8n Pricing and Plans

n8n offers several pricing plans to choose from depending on your needs.

Free Plan

n8n has a free open source Community Edition available on GitHub. This allows unlimited workflows and executions. However, you will need to host and manage n8n yourself.

Cloud Hosted Plans

For those wanting a managed n8n instance, there are paid plans hosted on n8n’s cloud infrastructure:

• Startup Plan – $19/month billed annually – Up to 50k monthly executions
• Business Plan – $79/month billed annually – Up to 500k monthly executions
• Enterprise Plan – Custom pricing – Unlimited executions

The cloud plans offer a more convenient way to use n8n without needing to host it yourself. The startup plan is good for smaller teams, while the business plan offers more executions for larger teams. The enterprise plan is fully customizable for large organizations with unlimited executions.

Overall, n8n aims to offer affordable and transparent pricing, especially compared to other workflow automation tools. The open source community edition allows you to use n8n for free as well.

Self-Hosted vs Cloud Hosting

When deciding how to deploy n8n, you have two main options – self-hosted or cloud hosting. Both options have their unique pros and cons to consider:

Self-hosted n8n gives you full control over your infrastructure and data. You host n8n on your own servers or cloud provider account. The advantages of self-hosting include:

• Complete control over infrastructure and security
• Ability to customize n8n and integrate with internal systems
• No usage limits on workflows
• Can be free with open source version

The downsides of self-hosting are:

• You manage servers, updates, backups etc.
• Requires more technical expertise
• Upfront infrastructure costs

With n8n cloud hosting, n8n manages the infrastructure for you. You simply create an account and start using n8n. Benefits of cloud hosting include:

• Fast setup with no infrastructure to manage
• Automatic updates and backups
• Pay-as-you-go pricing
• Premium features like enhanced security

Potential downsides of cloud hosting:

• Less control over infrastructure
• Data resides in n8n’s cloud
• Usage limits on lower tiers

Overall, self-hosted n8n is ideal for larger companies who want full control, whereas n8n cloud removes infrastructure burden for smaller teams. Consider costs, technical expertise, and customization needs when deciding between self-hosted and cloud n8n.

Sources:

• https://docs.n8n.io/choose-n8n/
• https://community.n8n.io/t/cloud-vs-self-hosted-basic-version-limiations/27313

Security and Privacy

n8n takes security and privacy very seriously. All data transmission is encrypted using HTTPS and SSL/TLS certificates. User credentials are encrypted and access restricted using role-based controls. n8n also supports single sign-on via OAuth for added security.

For data privacy, n8n complies with GDPR regulations and audits all sub-processors for security controls and data protection. Personal data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Data is only stored as needed for functionality and deleted after use. Users have access and control over their data.

Overall, n8n prioritizes encryption, access controls, auditing, and data minimization to keep user data secure and private (https://docs.n8n.io/privacy-security/). Businesses can feel confident integrating n8n with their existing tools and workflows.

Getting Started with n8n

Getting started with n8n is straightforward, especially if you follow their well-documented quickstart guide. The first step is to set up an account on n8n’s website. This allows you to access n8n’s intuitive web UI where you can build workflows.

Once your account is set up, n8n provides a simple 3-step tutorial for creating your first workflow. This involves adding nodes, connecting them, and running the workflow. Their tutorials page contains various example workflows to help you get started with automating different processes.

N8n also offers comprehensive documentation, a forum for asking questions, and sample code repositories on GitHub to help you build more complex workflows. Their team is very responsive and provides quality support to get you up and running quickly.

Within a few minutes, you can have n8n connected to your favorite apps and automating tasks to save time and streamline your workflows. Their intuitive interface and abundance of resources make it easy for beginners to start leveraging the power of n8n.

Additional Resources

To further enhance your n8n skills and get assistance with building advanced workflows, here are some additional helpful resources:

n8n Documentation – The official n8n documentation provides comprehensive guides and references for installing, configuring, and using n8n. You can find detailed tutorials, explanations of features, and API references.

n8n Community Forum – The n8n forum connects you with other users and n8n developers. Ask questions, find answers, and get involved with the community.

Expert Services – For advanced n8n implementation and workflow automation consulting, you can connect with specialists like myself. As an automation integration expert, I can provide customized solutions and support to take your n8n workflows to the next level. Get in touch to discuss your specific needs.

Conclusion

In summary, integrating HubSpot with n8n opens up tremendous possibilities to supercharge your workflows and boost productivity. Here are some of the key benefits covered in this guide:

• Seamlessly connect HubSpot with hundreds of other apps to construct powerful automations across your tech stack (https://n8n.io/integrations/hubspot/)
• Intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to build workflows without coding
• Example use cases illustrate how you can optimize workflows for sales, marketing, project management, and more
• Free self-hosted version available with unlimited workflows and no restrictions
• Affordable starter plans on n8n cloud version to get started quickly
• Enterprise-grade security and data privacy protection

By leveraging n8n to enhance your HubSpot capabilities, you can save valuable time, boost team productivity, enhance customer experiences, and ultimately drive better business performance. If you need any assistance in implementing these automation workflows, please feel free to contact me to explore how we can work together.