Email Marketing with Podio and ConvertKit: Dealing with Unsubscribes

Scott Costello Blog, Podio, Tutorial Leave a Comment

This tutorial builds upon the two previous tutorials that will help you build out a process to integrate email sequences into your Podio Lead Manage (Tutorial #1, Tutorial #2). The steps below outline the process of dealing with people who unsubscribe from your email sequences.

The cool thing with ConvertKit is that we can trigger a Zapier Zap when someone unsubscribes from one of your email sequences. This means we can capture that in Podio and update a lead accordingly.

This tutorial will add the following to the process…

  • Change status of Podio lead when they unsubscribe
  • Add a log entry in Podio (field created in Tutorial #2) recording that the lead has unsubscribed and when.

Here is a demonstration of what the final process will look like.

What you will Need

One of the great things about Podio is it’s ability to be connected with other services. This process leverages that power to extend what your Lead Management workspace can do. Below is a list of the services you will need.

Podio Account

You probably already have one of these accounts if you are on my website, but just in case you can signup for one at the link below. 

Unfortunately Podio has recently adjusted their free accounts to 500 records or less. You can start out there but I’m certain you will need to get a paid account down the road.

Cost: $9/mo

Get Podio Account

ConvertKit Account

This is the email marketing service that will be sending the email sequences to the leads.  The service will cost you about $29/mo which is well worth it.

Cost: $29/mo

Get ConvertKit Account

Zapier Account

This is what allows Podio to communicate and pass information onto ConvertKit and Podio. Zapier has different pay tiers for account types, and for this tutorial you’ll need to signup for the Starter Account.

Sign up is free and gets you into the free trial of their premium features.  Once signed up you’ll then have the option to upgrade to one of their Paid Accounts.  Again the Starter is fine here.

Cost: $20/mo

Get Zapier Account

Previous Tutorials

This tutorial builds upon the previous posts in this series about email sequences and ConvertKit. You won’t technically need to have finished it to implement the ideas in this post. However if you are new to Zapier and ConvertKit it will help your learning curve greatly.

1. Email Marketing with Podio and ConvertKit: The Basic Process
2. Email Marketing with Podioi and ConvertKit: Multiple Sequences


What we need to do

To add this feature, all we have to do here is create a simple Zapier Zap. After all the hard work you put in to create the process in the prior tutorials, it’s great to be able to get some quick and easy wins.

Because Zapier needs some test data to properly setup a zap we need to get that part ready first. It’s not to bad (and I show you in the below video as well) as we will take advantage of the zap setup in Tutorial #2.

*** To see the Step-by-Step video scroll down to next section ***

0. Add Sample Data (0:00:00 in video)

  • In ConvertKit: Make sure the first email in the Podio – New Lead sequence is set to send out immediately. Do this by putting a 0 (zero) in the time to send field for the email.
  • In Podio: Add new Lead in Podio that triggers the Zap to create a new subscriber. Make sure the Lead contains Address, First Name, Last Name, Email (use your email address), Select Podio – New Lead option in the Select Sequences field.
  • Email: Wait until you get an email from the sequence. This might take up to 10 minutes.
  • Don’t press the “unsubscribe” link in the email just yet. You’ll wait till you add the trigger item in the new Zap below.

1. Trigger: ConvertKit Unsubscribe (3:41:18 in video)

  • Select: ConvertKit
  • Select: New Unsubscribe
  • Connect ConvertKit Account
  • Test this step

2. Search: Find Podio Item to Update (5:42:11 in video)

  • Select: Podio
  • Select: Find Item
  • Connect your Podio Account
  • Edit Options Select Organization: <your podio organization>
  • Edit Options Select Workspace: <your podio workspace>
  • Edit Options Select Application: <your podio application>
  • Edit Options Select Search Field: ConvertKit Id
  • Edit Options Select Search Field Value: Subscriber Id field Token
  • Test this step

3. Action: Date/Time (7:59:03 in video)

  • Select: Formatter by Zapier
  • Select: Date/Time
  • Edit Template – Transform: Format
  • Edit Template – Values: {{zap_meta_edt_iso}}
  • Edit Template – To Format: Use a Custome Value (advanced)
  • Edit Template – Custom Value for To Format: YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss a
  • Edit Template – From Timezone: <use your timezone>
  • Test This Step

4. Action: Update Item (10:51:14 in video)

  • Select: Podio
  • Select: Update Item
  • Connect Your Podio Account
  • Edit Template – Select Organization: <your podio organization>
  • Edit Template – Select Workspace: <your podio workspace>
  • Edit Template – Select Application: <your podio application>
  • Edit Template – Item to be updated: Use a Custom Value (advanced)
  • Edit Template – Custom Value for Item to be updated item Id: <item id field token from step 1 >
  • Edit Template – Address: <address field token from step 2>
  • Edit Template – ConvertKit Log: copy text below
{{50283473__fields__convertkit-log__value}}<br>
<span style="color:lightgray;font-style:italic;">{{50283827__output}}:</span>Lead Unsubscribed
  • Update 1st {{No Data}} field token to: <podio field for ConvertKit log>
  • Update 2nd {{No Data}} field token to: <Date/Time output from step #5>
  • Update 3rd {{No Data}} field token to: <podio field for Choose Email Sequence>
  • Edit Template – Status: Dead
  • Test This Step

Step-by-Step Video

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately it is required by law to allow people to easily unsubscribe from any email sequence. To do this we need to have the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails that come from ConvertKit. The good news is that we can take advantage of this.

Capturing the action and then updating a Podio Lead accordingly saves us time when dealing with motivated sellers. I think it is a good assumption that if a seller unsubscribes from an email sequence, they are not interested in selling to us.

The value of these email sequences are big though. I think if we assign a potential seller to the correct email sequence, that gives them great information about their situation, we can increase the likely hood that they will sell to us. If not now, then in the future when they are ready to sell.

Scott Costello
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