BIGContacts & ActiveCampaign Integration Guide
The BigContacts Marketing Module, powered by ActiveCampaign, helps you send professional email campaigns directly from your CRM—no need to juggle tools or export lists manually.
This guide walks you through everything you need to:
-
Sync your CRM contacts with the marketing module
-
Choose the right type of campaign for your goals
-
Create, send, and track your email campaigns
-
Avoid common mistakes (like breaking the sync by importing lists into the wrong place)
If you’re starting or want to maximize this integration, you’re in the right place.
BIGContacts integrates seamlessly with ActiveCampaign to let you create & email campaigns for contacts added to your CRM.
This User Guide will show you how to get off to a quick and successful start with our optional Marketing Module powered by ActiveCampaign.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Synchronize Contacts with the Marketing Module
There are 3 ways to synchronize your BigContacts contact records with the Marketing Module. It is important to know that ONLY the synchronized contacts will be eligible to be included in your email marketing campaigns.
Import your Contacts from a Spreadsheet
You can import a NEW list of contacts and mark them as "Marketing" or "reimport" existing contacts to update their marketing contact status.
Add a new column in your spreadsheet labeled "marketing contact." You will enter the value of "yes" in that column for each and every contact row you want to be marked as a "marketing" contact. Enter a “noâ€Â for any contact that you do not wish to include/ synchronize with the marketing module.
Example:
Important Notes:
-
If attempting to update EXISTING contacts into your BigContacts account via the Import tool, check that all contacts on the spreadsheet have a first name, last name, AND an email address that matches exactly what is already entered into your BigContacts account. Having these three fields match an existing contact record will allow you to update the Marketing status to get that contact synchronized WITHOUT duplicating the contact record in your BigContacts account.
-
You DO NOT want to import contacts directly into the Marketing Module, as the contacts imported directly will NOT be synced to BigContacts and will limit many of the benefits of this amazing integration.
Directly from inside a Contact Record in BigContacts
From any contact record, you can click on the " action items" button and then click on the " edit contact" link. When the edit pop-up opens, you can scroll down. On the left side of the edit screen, just under the "assigned to" field, you will see an option labeled "Sync to Marketing."
By checking this field, you tell BigContacts that you want to include this contact in your marketing campaigns. After you save the contact changes, you will see the value "yes" next to the "marketing" field on the contact record. Any time you see a contact record with "yes" next to the marketing field, you will know that this contact has been synchronized with the Marketing module.
Synchronize Multiple Contacts Using the Contact Table
If you already have many contacts in your BigContacts account and want to sync them with the Marketing Module, you can use the contact table feature.
To access this:
-
Go to the Admin tab.
-
In the upper left corner, under Manage My Account, click Edit multiple contacts (contact table).
This allows you to update the marketing sync status for multiple contacts at once.
What email address syncs with the Marketing Module?
BigContacts uses the first email address entered in a contact record as the primary email for syncing. Here’s how it works:
-
Only business email: That address will be synced.
-
Only personal email: That address will be synced.
-
Both personal and business emails: The first email added (regardless of type) will be synced with the Marketing Module.
What fields sync with the Marketing Module?
The following fields from a BigContacts contact record are included in the sync. You can use these to filter and target your email campaigns:
-
First name
-
Last name
-
Email address
-
Contact type
-
Assigned to
-
Street
-
City
-
Postal code
-
Country
-
Date of birth
-
Tags
-
Any custom text or date fields you've added
Step 2: Review the 3 Types of Email Campaigns
Once your contacts are synced with the Marketing Module, you can start building your campaigns. Three campaign types are available, each designed to fit different outreach needs.
1. Standard Campaigns
Send a one-time email to a list of contacts.
Use this for newsletters, announcements, promotions, or email blasts.
2. Automated Campaigns
Set up a series of emails triggered automatically based on specific actions or conditions. Automation can be triggered by:
-
Webform submissions: When a contact fills out a form on your website.
-
Tags: When a specific tag is added to a contact record.
-
Sales Pipeline stages: When a contact moves into a new stage in your sales process.
This setup helps you engage contacts immediately without manual follow-up.
3. Date-Based Campaigns
Schedule emails to go out based on dates saved in contact records. These could include:
-
Birthdays
-
Anniversaries
-
Renewal dates
-
Any other custom date field you've added
All synced date fields are available for triggering a campaign automatically.
CLICK HERE for more information on how to create "Custom Date Fields" in your account so that you can use them to automatically trigger emails to your contacts based on these special dates.
CLICK HERE to learn more about how to create a Date-based email campaign.
Step 3: Create Your First Marketing Campaign
Step 3.1:
Step 3.2:
Step 3.3:
Go to the Marketing tab. In the upper-right corner of the dashboard, click the Create New Campaign button to get started.
2) Name Your Campaign and Select a Campaign Type
On the next screen, give your campaign a name. This is for internal reference only—your contacts won’t see it.
Then, choose the type of campaign you want to create.
Click Next in the upper-right corner to continue.
Note: In this guide, we’ll walk through a “Standard” campaign, which is a one-time email sent to a targeted list.
3) Choose the Contact List for Your Campaign
Next, select the list of contacts you want to send the campaign to.
You’ll see a list named BC Contacts (DO NOT DELETE). This is the main list that syncs between your CRM and Marketing Module. Make sure to use it.
To further refine your audience, click Segment Selected List(s) and apply filters to target a specific group of contacts.
4) Segment Your List (Optional)
If you click Segment Selected List(s), you’ll now be able to apply filters to narrow down your list—for example, by location, contact type, or tags.
Important: Do not import contacts directly into the Marketing Module or create separate lists there. Only contacts synchronized from BigContacts (as covered in Step 1) will work properly with campaigns.
5) Choose a Template and Design Your Email
Pick a template as your starting point. Once selected, you can:
-
Replace placeholder text
-
Add or remove images
-
Adjust layout sections as needed
-
Change the color scheme to match your brand
Focus on the layout that best fits your message—everything is customizable.
6) Review and Prepare to Send
Before sending, make sure to:
-
Review and edit the subject line
-
Confirm your filters for the right contact segment
-
Choose tracking options like open and click tracking
-
Send yourself a test email to check the formatting
-
Preview the email across devices and platforms (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, iPhone, etc.)
Step 4: Review Your Campaign Results
1) Global-Level Reporting
This report gives you a high-level overview of how your campaign performed overall. You can:
-
See open and click-through rates at a glance
-
Track delivery metrics and bounce rates
-
Drill down into individual contacts to see who opened or clicked the email
Start from the campaign summary and work your way down to view specific engagement details for each contact.
2) Contact-Level Reporting
Unlike many marketing tools, BigContacts gives you detailed visibility at the individual contact level. From a contact’s record, you can view:
-
Which campaigns they’ve received
-
Whether they opened or clicked
-
What links they interacted with
This is especially helpful when preparing for follow-up calls. You’ll have both your CRM notes and marketing history in one place—so you can tailor your outreach based on what caught their attention.
Need Help? We’re Here for You
We hope this QuickStart Guide has given you the tools to launch your marketing campaigns using BigContacts confidently. As you continue exploring the Marketing Module, you may have additional questions or want to explore it further—and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
BigContacts provides multiple support options, all available to paid subscribers at no additional cost.
Knowledgebase Library
Access our help center anytime—day or night—for step-by-step guides, video tutorials, and downloadable resources.
Visit: https://support.bigcontacts.com
Email Support
Can’t find what you need in the knowledgebase? Reach out to our support team directly at
support@bigcontacts.com.
In-App Support
While logged into your BigContacts account, click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen. You can send us a message without leaving the platform. Our team will respond as soon as possible.