How to Build Your First Make.com Scenario for Automated Lead Routing in 7 Steps

In today’s fast-paced business environment, efficient lead management is crucial for sales success. Manually sorting and assigning leads is time-consuming and prone to errors, often leading to missed opportunities. This guide will walk you through building your first automated lead routing scenario using Make.com (formerly Integromat), a powerful visual automation platform. By the end, you’ll have a functional system that automatically directs incoming leads to the right team or individual, ensuring timely follow-up and maximizing your conversion potential.

Step 1: Define Your Lead Routing Strategy

Before you even open Make.com, clearly outline your lead routing logic. This involves identifying what constitutes a “lead” for your business and establishing the criteria for how it should be routed. Consider factors such as lead source (website form, ad, referral), lead quality (industry, company size, budget), and geographical location. Determine which team or individual is responsible for each type of lead. For instance, high-value leads might go directly to a senior sales rep, while general inquiries are routed to a sales development representative (SDR) team. A well-defined strategy is the foundation upon which your automated scenario will be built, ensuring clarity and efficiency in your automation.

Step 2: Choose Your Trigger Application

The trigger is the starting point of your Make.com scenario – the event that initiates the automated routing process. Common trigger applications for lead routing include your CRM (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce), a web form builder (e.g., Typeform, Jotform), an email marketing platform, or even a simple Google Sheet. In Make.com, you’ll connect this application as your first module. When setting up the trigger, configure it to “Watch for new records” or “Watch for new responses.” Ensure the connection to your chosen application is secure and authorized, allowing Make.com to receive real-time data as soon as a new lead is generated or updated in the source system.

Step 3: Map Your Data Fields

Once your trigger is set, the next critical step is to understand and map the data fields that will be passed into Make.com. A lead typically comes with various pieces of information like name, email, company, phone number, lead source, industry, and any qualifying questions. In Make.com, you’ll connect to your trigger application and then identify which of these incoming data points are essential for your routing logic. For example, if you’re routing based on industry, ensure the “industry” field from your source application is available. Clean and consistent data mapping is paramount; mismatched or missing fields can lead to incorrect routing or scenario failures, so verify that the data types and formats align.

Step 4: Design Conditional Logic (Filters & Routers)

This is where the intelligence of your lead routing scenario comes to life. Make.com offers powerful tools like “Filters” and “Routers” to apply your defined strategy. Use a “Router” to create multiple paths for your leads based on different criteria. For each path, add a “Filter” that specifies the conditions a lead must meet to follow that route. For example, one filter might direct leads with “Industry = Healthcare” to your Healthcare Sales Team. Another filter might send leads from “Company Size > 500” to your Enterprise Sales Manager. Carefully configure these conditions using operators like “equals,” “contains,” “greater than,” or “less than” to ensure accurate and granular lead distribution.

Step 5: Integrate Destination Applications

After a lead has been conditionally routed, the next step is to send it to its final destination. This typically involves connecting Make.com to your CRM, project management tool, or communication platform. Common destination applications include Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Slack, or even a custom email notification system. For each route you’ve established using filters, you’ll add an action module corresponding to the destination application. Configure this module to “Create a record,” “Update a record,” or “Send a message,” mapping the relevant lead data from your trigger to the appropriate fields in the destination application. This ensures the lead lands exactly where it needs to be, with all necessary context.

Step 6: Test and Refine Your Scenario

Thorough testing is non-negotiable before deploying your lead routing scenario live. Use test data that mimics real-world leads, including edge cases that might challenge your routing logic. Run the scenario in “test mode” within Make.com and observe the flow of data through each module. Verify that leads are correctly filtered and routed to their intended destinations, and that all necessary information is transferred accurately. If you encounter errors or incorrect routing, revisit your filters and data mappings. This iterative process of testing, identifying issues, and refining ensures your automation is robust and performs as expected, preventing misrouted leads and improving overall efficiency.

Step 7: Activate and Monitor

Once your testing is complete and you’re confident in the scenario’s performance, it’s time to activate it. Turn the scenario “ON” in Make.com. However, activation isn’t the final step; ongoing monitoring is crucial. Make.com provides detailed execution histories and logs, allowing you to track every run and identify any potential failures or bottlenecks. Set up alerts for scenario errors to be notified immediately if an issue arises. Regularly review your lead routing strategy to ensure it remains aligned with your business goals, making adjustments to your Make.com scenario as your processes evolve. Consistent monitoring guarantees the sustained efficiency and effectiveness of your automated lead routing system.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Make vs. Zapier: Powering HR & Recruiting Automation with AI-Driven Strategy