Marketer's Space - Get effortless subscription management for CRM-synced contacts using Journeys

Marketer's Space - Get effortless subscription management for CRM-synced contacts using Journeys


Hello, marketers! Welcome to another post in the CRM Integration Series in Marketers’ Space. We’ve been exploring how integrating Zoho CRM with Zoho Marketing Automation (ZMA) can enhance your marketing efforts, especially via the Journeys feature. This week, we’ll focus on how you can automate subscription management for contacts synced from Zoho CRM using Journeys.

Why automate subscription management?

Both your team and your customers can update subscription preferences. To stay compliant and ensure your communications are relevant, it’s crucial to manage these updates efficiently. You can:
  • Manually update subscription lists.
  • Automate subscription updates using Journeys.
Let’s see how Zoho Marketing Automation’s Journeys make this process effortless.

Sync CRM contacts with a targeted list

Since we're working with contacts synced from Zoho CRM, start by adding them to a specific list during the sync.
This enables you to target them later using Journey triggers like the following:
  • “Added to list” trigger: Starts a journey when a contact is added to a list. 
  • “Criteria match” trigger: Targets contacts based on their list memberships and other criteria.

   

Capture customer interests in Zoho CRM

Your sales team can capture customer interests in a custom field in Zoho CRM. For instance, they could create a text field called “Interests,” which sales reps can update with values like “sale” and “new product launch.”

Add topics in Zoho Marketing Automation

In ZMA, you can create topics to categorize your campaigns:
Go to Contacts > Topics and click on Add Topic.
Group topics under relevant categories, such as:
  • Newsletters
  • New product launches
  • Exclusive member content
  • Sale announcements

Create an automated subscription journey

1. Set up the trigger

  • Create a new journey and add the “Added to list” trigger. Then select the list where your CRM contacts are synced. This ensures that only relevant contacts enter the Journey.
  • Alternatively, you can use the “Criteria match” trigger and set list membership as a condition to filter contacts. For even more precision, refine the entry criteria further based on additional conditions or custom CRM fields.


2. Segment based on interests

  • Add a multi-way split component and configure it by setting criteria: “Interests”.
  • Create branches for each interest, like “Sale” or “New Product Launch.”
  • Add “No Interests” for the “Else" branch.

3. Automate subscription updates

  • Under each branch, add the “Subscription Management” action.
  • Configure it to subscribe contacts to a relevant topic.
  • For the “Sale” branch, select “Add Subscription to Marketing Topics” and select the topic “Sale Announcements”.
  • Repeat for other branches.
  • For the “No Interests” branch, select “Unsubscribe From All Topics” to avoid sending irrelevant emails.


If your business runs exclusive member campaigns, you can also do this by adding a “Customer Type” field in Zoho CRM (e.g., Members and Non-Members). With this segmentation, you can create a separate Journey that automatically assigns “Members Only” topics to eligible contacts, which ensures exclusive content reaches the right audience while keeping non-members in a separate communication flow.
Idea

Handling Multiple Topic Subscriptions

If a customer wants to subscribe to multiple topics instead of just one, use the “contains” modifier instead of “is” when setting up conditions. This ensures that contacts interested in more than one topic are correctly identified and subscribed to all relevant categories, allowing them to receive communication related to multiple topics without restrictions.

Automate subscription management with the “Added to Segment” trigger

You can also achieve the same automation using the “Added to Segment” trigger. If you prefer not to sync CRM contacts into a list, you can set up a segment instead and define the criteria to be matched.

Once the segment is created, you can build a new Journey using the “Added to Segment” trigger and configure the appropriate subscription management actions for that segment.

This ensures the following:
  • The segment is automatically updated whenever a contact meets the defined criteria.
  • Any new contact entering the segment is immediately enrolled in the Journey, which triggers the relevant subscription updates without the need for manual intervention.
With Journeys in Zoho Marketing Automation, your subscription management can be completely automated and dynamic. No more manual updates or guesswork—just seamless, automated audience segmentation. Try it out, and let us know how it works for you. See you next week with more ways to supercharge the Zoho CRM + ZMA integration. Until then, happy marketing!

Regards,
Pearlin Nitika
User education | Zoho Marketing Automation




        • Recent Topics

        • Assistance Required: Report Export to Excel and WorkDrive Upload via Deluge

          I'm working on automating a scheduled workflow in Zoho Creator that needs to run weekly. The goal is to: Export a report from Zoho Creator in Excel (.xls or .xlsx) format, and Upload the exported file to a specific folder in Zoho WorkDrive using a Deluge

        • Useful enhancements to Mail Merge in Zoho CRM

          Dear Customers, We hope you're well! We're here with a set of highly anticipated enhancements to the Mail Merge feature in Zoho CRM. Let's go! Mail Merge in Zoho CRM integrates with Zoho Writer to simplify the process of customizing and sharing documents

        • Send Whatsapp with API including custom placeholders

          Is is possible to initiate a session on whatsapp IM channel with a template that includes params (placeholders) that are passed on the API call? This is very usefull to send a Utility message for a transactional notification including an order number

        • ZOHO Desk blocking emails from creating tickets

          Hi We have been noticing some issues since last week ZOHO Desk is not creating a ticket which is still in our affiliate mail box.

        • How can I see the actual copy sent to the specific contact?

          I have setup a journey in Marketing Automation and created addition of contact in a specific list as the trigger, emails are sending to the contacts, but I can't see the actual copy sent to any specific contact in the list. Please guide me, where can

        • Client Script for Task Module

          When do we expect the client script for the tasks module?

        • Automating Employee Birthday Notifications in Zoho Cliq

          Have you ever missed a birthday and felt like the office Grinch? Fear not, the Cliq Developer Platform has got your back! With Zoho Cliq's Schedulers, you can be the office party-cipant who never forgets a single cake, balloon, or awkward rendition of

        • Empowered Custom Views: Cross-Module Criteria Now Supported in Zoho CRM

          Hello everyone, We’re excited to introduce cross-module criteria support in custom views! Custom views provide personalized perspectives on your data and that you can save for future use. You can share these views with all users or specific individuals

        • Product and Service

          Hi guys, there is a difference between layout of product and service if Long Description field have some kind of text. Please see screenshot 1 for Service here: https://prnt.sc/7xWwPKd29nWP for Product here: https://prnt.sc/LGmtVd_U6H7q As you can see

        • Create Project while winning potentials - Projects v3 api updated code

          Hi all, I've been using the built in function to create a project while a deal is closed won and noticed it had some missing fields when trying to reference the zoho projects v3 api documentation. Specifically the project group had some issues when adding

        • Formula Fields inside of Blueprint Transitions

          We would like to have formula fields inside of blueprint transitions. We type in currency fields and would like to see the result inside of a formula field. Our use case: Send out a price for XY 1. Filling out cost fields 2. See gross profit

        • Add a block or widget to Zoho Sites that allows users to create an interactive contact card with contact buttons (email, LinkedIn, website, etc)

          The proposed feature consists of a pre-designed, customizable block that displays a person's contact information (e.g., a speaker, sales representative, or independent professional) and offers quick access to: Email (icon with mailto: link) LinkedIn profile

        • Unveiling Cadences: Redefining CRM interactions with automated sequential follow-ups

          Last modified on 01/04/2024: Cadences is now available for all Zoho CRM users in all data centres (DCs). Note that it was previously an early access feature, available only upon request, and was also known as Cadences Studio. As of April 1, 2024, it's

        • ZOHOBOOK Sales_QUOTE: To Add Discount At Each Line Item Table

          Hi, Our quote need to display with discount at each line item level as well. Try to edit template, >CUSTOMISE>EDIT TEMPLATE> Table, I can see template view with discount column, but when hit SAVE the template, view in PDF the discount column not shown.

        • inventory based on bills and not physical stock

          Hello, I have noticed a very annoying issue with zoho books/inventory. I use composite items. If I have an sub assembly item on back order, I am unable to make up the composite item, even when I have received the goods and it is in my stock. I have to convert the PO into a BILL in order for the item to show as 'Accounting Stock'. The problem is that the supplier Invoice is not shipped with the goods, but can follow even a week later. So I have to make the bill have a 'dummy name and number' until

        • Using Zoho Inventory for managing Item compatibilities

          Use case: Using Zoho Inventory for managing (as an example) aftermarket car parts, where a single part can suit many makes, models and years. How do most businesses assign and manage compatibility for each part? Do ZI users typically do this using multi-select

        • Quoting Subscriptions with one Time costs

          Hello all, We sell a subscription SaaS service for which we provide one-time services for implementation and customization. Using CRM quotes i was able to create customized total fields to show the total one-time costs, monthly cost, total subscription

        • Unable to enter manual journal entries in AR/AP.

          Hi there, i am facing some problem relating to AR/AP. I want to make some entries in AR/AP through manual journal. for example. some time I send cash 500 to Mr. A (Customer) for any purpose and then after 2 or 3 days Mr. A returned back 700 to me and

        • Questions regarding WorkDrive

          Here are my questions regarding WorkDrive: Does WorkDrive have a limit on the number of downloads? What will happen if a file is downloaded excessively? Does WorkDrive have any restrictions on download speeds? Are there any limitations on downloading

        • How to record tips from customers

          I run a cleaning service business and on occasion customers include a tip with their check payment. How can I record the amount paid for service and the tip separately? Any amount over the invoice is looked at as an overpayment and suggest a credit note

        • Multi-currencies in Zoho Books

          I'd like to request multiple currencies in Zoho Books. I have customers paying in USD, CAD, CNY. I need to bill customers in these currencies too. I can set up a base currency, and then set up a exchange-rate table to convert these currencies.

        • Trigger for Validation Rules

          Currently in Zoho CRM we can set a trigger for workflows, blueprints etc in a custom deluge function But Validation Rules are missing For example if I run a custom function to update a record, it bypasses the validation rules It would be really beneficial

        • I want refund of Zoho standard subscription on WEB payment

          Hi, Kindly help to refund the WEB payment made on 13/07/2025 for Zoho standard annual subscription. I didn't find the software useful for my project. Regards

        • Is Conditional display of field(s) possible in a Canvas Customer Portal?

          Is Conditional display of field(s) possible in a Canvas Customer Portal? How?

        • How do I set users up to only send emails using org emails?

          We run marketing campaigns for multiple clients and strictly send emails using the official organization addresses provided by each client. However, we've encountered several instances where users unintentionally send emails from their own company accounts—a

        • Pick List Issues

          I have created a pick list that looks at a table in a sheet, it selects the column I want fine. Various issues have come along. The option to sort the pick list is simplistic, only allows an ascending alphabetical sort. Bad luck if you want it descending.

        • Automate Backups

          This is a feature request. Consider adding an auto backup feature. Where when you turn it on, it will auto backup on the 15-day schedule. For additional consideration, allow for the export of module data via API calls. Thank you for your consideration.

        • Client Script Quality of Life Improvements #1

          Since I'm doing quite a bit of client scripting, I wanted to advise the Zoho Dev teams about some items I have found in client script that could be improved upon. A lot of these are minor, but I feel are important none-the-less. Show Error on Subform

        • View Linked Subscription on Invoice list

          When looking at the list of invoices in billing is it possible to see the subscription that an invoice is for. This would allow you to see if it's a subscription a customer is behind on, or they simply haven't paid a one time invoice.

        • Recording Credit Card Fees when Recording Payment for Bills

          It seems I am unable to record credit card fees when paying a bill. I pay close to 100% of my bills with a company credit card via online portals. I'm happy for the CC fess to be recorded as Bank Charges but it will not allow that field to be used if

        • Workerly/Zoho One Pricing

          Hi What is the pricing model that is suppose to be as a Zoho One user? If i use the services of a freelancers or temp workers (Sometimes for a few hours a week/month), I need to purchase a zoho one license for each of them as well as workerly licenc

        • Client Script | Update - Introducing Subform Events and Actions

          Are you making the most of your subforms in Zoho CRM? Do you wish you could automate subform interactions and enhance user experience effortlessly? What if you had Client APIs and events specifically designed for subforms? We are thrilled to introduce

        • DKIM

          I have my DKIM in Titan, which is another email service provider. I get this notification on my portal. What shall I do? ( Improve the deliverability of emails sent from Zoho Social by adding DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) records to your DNS settings.

        • Automatically Hide Unauthorized Sections from Agent Interface in Zoho Desk

          Hello Zoho Desk Team, We hope you're doing well. We’d like to submit a feature request regarding the user experience for agents in Zoho Desk who do not have permission to access certain sections of the system. 🎯 Current Behavior At present, when an agent

        • Update Lead Status in Zoho CRM When a Meeting is Booked via Microsoft Bookings

          Hi everyone, I’m trying to streamline our lead management process and would like to automatically update the Lead Status in Zoho CRM whenever a meeting is booked through Microsoft Bookings. Has anyone successfully implemented this kind of integration

        • Show All Notes For A Single Record

          I would like to be able to view a list of all Notes for a particular record. We can add several (unlimited) Notes for the Leads, Contacts, Accounts and Potentials records. The subject line and some of the note content for up to 10 notes is visible on the first page. You can select the arrow to view additional notes in the list. I would like a button next to the New Note button that says View All. This would bring up a printable list of all notes listed in descending order by Modified Time (newest

        • Zoholics Europe 2025: Build Smarter with the Zoho Creator Low-code Workshop!

          Why should you attend? This year, Zoholics Europe 2025, Zoho’s official user conference, is your opportunity to connect directly with the teams behind the tools you use every day. Don’t miss one of the most requested sessions: dedicated, hands-on workshop

        • Assigning multiple roles to a user in Creator

          Hi I find we can assign only one role and permission to an user in creator. There is a requirement to assign multiple roles and corresponding permission to one user. Is there any solution or workaround for this? Refer the screenshot below

        • 【Zoho CRM】ウィザード機能のアップデート：セクション要素の追加

          ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。コミュニティチームの中野です。 今回は「Zoho CRM アップデート情報」の中から、ウィザード機能のアップデートをご紹介します。 ウィザード機能に新たに「セクション要素」が追加されました。 各ウィザード画面内で項目、テキスト、サブフォーム、ウィジェット要素などをより柔軟に整理できるようになりました。 セクション要素とは？ ウィザードの中で、関連する項目や要素をひとつの「サブエリア」 としてまとめられる新しい構成要素です。 セクション要素活用メリット 入力内容やプロセスによっては、より細かな構造や階層化が求められる場合があります。

        • Edit PDFs from within your web app using Zoho Office Integrator

          Hi users, We are excited to introduce PDF editing capabilities in Zoho Office Integrator. You can now open, edit, and collaborate on PDFs from within your web app—in addition to documents, spreadsheets, and presentations—and save them in your configured

        • Next Page