Use Smartlead Manual Step events in your CRM
OutboundSync now supports Smartlead's Manual Step Reached event. When a prospect reaches a manual step in a campaign, OutboundSync writes it to your CRM.
Harris Kenny
Smartlead → Close
Smartlead + Close integration
Smartlead finds the conversations and Close is where reps close them. OutboundSync puts every Smartlead send, reply, and category change on the Close Lead in between.
BetaOne-way syncEmail
Smartlead + Close at a glance
Smartlead works with Close through OutboundSync. Smartlead sends, opens, link clicks, replies, bounces, unsubscribes, and lead category updates are logged as activity on the matching Close Lead. The sync runs one way, Smartlead into Close, and the OutboundSync team sets up the source and first test sync with you.
| Status | Beta (Close is a one-way beta CRM) |
|---|---|
| Channels | |
| Direction | One-way, Smartlead → Close |
| Close records | Leads |
| Block lists | Not available for this pairing |
| Smartlead plan | Pro or higher |
| Setup | Guided: the OutboundSync team runs onboarding |
Teams pair Smartlead's inbox rotation with Close's calling and email workflow because each is strong at its half of the job. The weak point is the handoff: a positive reply sits in Smartlead while the rep who should call is in Close. OutboundSync moves that reply, and the whole sequence before it, onto the Close Lead.
Smartlead lead categories come across too, so the call list can be driven by what the prospect actually said. A Smart View filtered to recent interested replies becomes the rep's morning queue, and nobody has to check a second tool to find it.
What syncs from Smartlead to Close
Every event below arrives in near-real time and lands on the matched Close record. Pick the ones you want per source.
| Event | Channel | Where it lands in Close |
|---|---|---|
| Email sent— Includes manual replies sent from the Smartlead inbox | Activity on the Close Lead | |
| Email opened | Activity on the Close Lead | |
| Link clicked | Activity on the Close Lead | |
| Reply received | Activity on the Close Lead | |
| Email bounced | Activity on the Close Lead | |
| Lead unsubscribed | Activity on the Close Lead | |
| Lead category updated— Smartlead's built-in and custom lead categories | Activity on the Close Lead |
Event names come from the Smartlead webhooks OutboundSync receives. Close is a one-way beta, so exact event coverage is confirmed during onboarding. See the Smartlead event reference.
What teams do with Smartlead + Close
Queue calls from replies
Build a Smart View of Leads with fresh Smartlead replies so reps call while interest is warm.
Read the sequence before dialing
The Close Lead shows every Smartlead step the prospect received, so the call picks up where email left off.
Review categories in one place
Managers see how replies were categorized without logging in to Smartlead.
Ways to connect Smartlead and Close
The options teams weigh before they commit a production sync.
| Option | What it does | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Zapier, Make, or n8nCompare integration platforms | Catch Smartlead webhooks and write each event to Close with a workflow you build. | Every event type, retry, and field change is a workflow you maintain, billed per task or step. |
| Custom buildBuild vs buy | Write your own service against the Smartlead and Close APIs. | You own matching, deduplication, API limits, and every upstream schema change. |
| OutboundSync | Pre-built email activity sync into Close Leads. | One-way beta with guided onboarding. Lighter configuration than HubSpot or Salesforce today. |
How to set up Smartlead + Close
Step 1: Connect Close
Authorize OutboundSync from the Close App Marketplace. The OutboundSync team adds Close as a Connected Account with you.
Step 2: Connect Smartlead
Add your Smartlead API key in OutboundSync, then paste the source's webhook URL into Smartlead.
Step 3: Create the Close source
Select Smartlead when you create the Close source, and confirm how contacts are matched.
Step 4: Send a test event
Trigger one Smartlead event and confirm it on a real Close Lead.
Step 5: Go live
Launch with the OutboundSync team watching the first production events in Close.
Plan requirements
Smartlead plan
Pro or higher
OutboundSync requires Smartlead's Pro plan or higher, because it relies on Smartlead's webhook and API features.
Close
Close is a one-way beta. There is no Close plan gate on our side; onboarding runs with the OutboundSync team.
Related integrations and guides
Smartlead with other CRMs
Other outbound tools for Close
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TapcheckSmartlead + Close FAQ
What Smartlead activity does OutboundSync sync to Close?
Email sent, email opened, link clicked, reply received, email bounced, lead unsubscribed, and lead category updated.Which Close records does it write to?
OutboundSync matches or creates Close Leads. Smartlead events land as activity on the Close Lead. See the Close beta guide for details.Do Smartlead lead categories show up in Close?
Yes. Category updates are logged as activity on the Close Lead alongside sends and replies, so you can see and filter on how each reply was classified.Is the integration one-way or two-way?
One-way. Activity flows from Smartlead into Close, and nothing is written back to Smartlead.Can I use Close records as a block list?
Not today. Block lists come from HubSpot lists or Salesforce reports. The Close beta syncs activity in only.Do I need admin access to set it up?
A Close admin authorizes OutboundSync from the Close App Marketplace during guided onboarding.Which Smartlead plan do I need?
OutboundSync requires Smartlead's Pro plan or higher, because it relies on Smartlead's webhook and API features.How is Smartlead + Close priced?
Beta access is scoped with the OutboundSync team during onboarding. Billing follows the same model as every plan: sent messages per month. Replies, opens, clicks, and lead-category updates are not billed. See the pricing page.Can I do this with Zapier, Make, or n8n?
For lightweight Smartlead automations, yes. When you need dependable attribution and suppression, generic builders get expensive and brittle at volume. OutboundSync is pre-built, keeps searchable event logs beyond 30 days, and prices by outbound volume instead of step count.What breaks first when this scales?
Data quality and reliability break first: duplicate events, retries, out-of-order webhooks, and bursts during big sends. OutboundSync handles idempotency, timing buffers, and queue recovery, and flags suspicious or mismapped payloads instead of writing them.
Smartlead resources
Tutorials, case studies, and updates related to Smartlead.
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A quick walkthrough with your own stack. Setup takes minutes, with no long-term contract.
