How to Build a Marketing Automation Tool That Actually Gets Used (Lessons from a Coin Collector’s Journey)

Marketing tech moves fast—but the tools that *stick* have something in common: they feel human. Not just functional. Not just integrated. They make people want to open them, use them, and show them off.

This isn’t about building another automation tool. It’s about building one that feels less like software and more like a conversation. A story. A shared passion.

I’ve learned this the way a coin collector learns: one small, meaningful moment at a time. When I built my first automation tool, I thought speed and scale were everything. Then I watched a friend spend hours photographing his rare coins—not for profit, but because he couldn’t wait to tell someone, “Look what I found.”

That’s when it clicked: **the best MarTech tools don’t just move data—they spark sharing.**

1. Find the Human Before You Write the Code

Most tools fail not from bad code, but from bad questions. We ask: “Can we build this?” instead of “Does anyone *want* this?”

In the coin world, the trigger was simple: *“I want to share it with somebody.”*

That’s your starting point. Not features. Not API coverage. **Emotion.**

Ask your users:
– When do they feel excited about their work?
– When do they feel invisible?
– What would make them say, “Hey, look what I did”?

If your tool doesn’t answer one of those, you’re not building for behavior—you’re building for vanity metrics.

Map the Emotional Journey (Yes, Really)

Before you open your IDE, sketch out your user’s day:

• When do they feel proud? (After a campaign runs? When a lead converts?)

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• When do they feel ignored? (No replies? Flat performance?)

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• What small win could make them feel seen?

Take CRM tools. Updating a record is fine. But what if your tool *told* a sales rep: “Your customer just shared your post on LinkedIn”?

That’s not data. That’s dignity. And it’s why people log in.

2. Integrate Like You’re Fitting the Last Piece of a Puzzle

People don’t live in tools. They live in inboxes, CRMs, and spreadsheets. If your app doesn’t slide into their world, it’s a burden—not a help.

Think of integration like lighting a coin for the perfect photo. Too much glare? No shadow? Wrong angle? The whole thing looks off.

Your API calls are the shadows. Your webhooks are the background. Your authentication is the stand. Everything has to align—or the photo (and the user experience) fails.

Salesforce & HubSpot: Speak Their Language

These aren’t just platforms. They’re where your users *live*. Your tool must feel like it belongs there.

• Salesforce: Use the REST API for instant updates. Sync leads when they’re captured, not when the batch runs. Real-time > bulk.
• HubSpot: Use the CRM API to log engagements, update lifecycle stages, and trigger workflows. Webhooks are your friend.

Code Snippet: HubSpot Contact Sync (Node.js)

const hubspot = require('@hubspot/api-client');

const hubspotClient = new hubspot.Client({ apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY' });

async function syncContact(email, properties) {
  try {
    const response = await hubspotClient.crm.contacts.basicApi.create({
      properties: { email, ...properties }
    });
    console.log('Contact synced:', response);
  } catch (err) {
    console.error('Sync failed:', err);
  }
}

// Usage: syncContact('user@example.com', { firstname: 'John', lastname: 'Doe' });

CDPs: The Brain Behind the Scenes

Ever had a customer click an email, visit your site, and log into Salesforce—only for your team to treat them like three different people?

That’s why you need a Customer Data Platform (CDP) like Segment or mParticle. It connects the dots.

Your tool should send clean, consistent events—like User.Subscribed or Email.Opened—to your CDP. Use specs like the Segment Protocol so everything speaks the same language.

One person. One profile. One story.

3. Turn Data into a Story, Not a Spreadsheet

Collecting data is like collecting coins: easy. Making it matter? That’s the hard part.

The coin collector didn’t just store coins. He sorted them. He told stories. He remembered where he got each one.

Your tool should do the same. Don’t just log events—contextualize them.

Automate the Curation

Use your CDP to group users by behavior. For example:

• Opened 3+ emails in a week? Tag them “Engaged” in HubSpot.
• Clicked a link but didn’t buy? Trigger a follow-up email.
• No activity in 30 days? Flag them for re-engagement.

Emails That Feel Like a Nudge, Not a Noise

Nobody wants another generic blast. They want emails that feel like they *know* them.

Use APIs to send personalized, event-driven messages:

• SendGrid: Great for mixed marketing and transactional emails
• Mailgun: Solid for volume and affordability
• Postmark: Built for developers who hate deliverability issues

Code Snippet: SendGrid Dynamic Template (Node.js)

const sgMail = require('@sendgrid/mail');
sgMail.setApiKey(process.env.SENDGRID_API_KEY);

const msg = {
  to: 'user@example.com',
  from: 'marketing@yourcompany.com',
  templateId: 'd-1234567890abcdef',
  dynamicTemplateData: {
    first_name: 'John',
    coins_collected: 64,
    next_coin: 'Trade Dollar',
    encouragement: 'You’re 45% done! Keep going!'
  },
};

sgMail.send(msg).catch(err => console.error('Email failed:', err));

4. Design for the “Wait, What’s Next?” Feeling

The coin collector didn’t just post coins. He shared the story behind the coin from his grandfather’s Kennedy funeral. He ranted about grading. He offered photography tips.

Each post wasn’t a task. It was a **moment**.

Your tool should create those moments. Don’t just automate—curate.

Try a Progress Dashboard with Personality

Show:

• “64/116 coins collected” (progress with purpose)
• “Only 52 to go! Your Trade Dollar is a crowd favorite” (personalized nudge)
• “32 people liked your last share” (social validation)
• “Next up: The Buffalo Nickel—rumored to be rare” (teaser, not a to-do)

This isn’t tracking. It’s storytelling.

Webhooks: The “You Rock” Notification

When a user sends an email, have your tool send a quick message:

“Nice work! Your email got 12 opens. 3 people clicked—check Salesforce for the next step.”

It’s not just feedback. It’s recognition.

5. Make the Share Button the Star of the Show

The coin collector’s biggest fear wasn’t finding rare coins. It was posting them and getting crickets.

Your users feel the same. “Will anyone care?”

Answer: **make sharing so easy, they can’t resist.**

Add:

• One-click social posts (pre-filled with their name and achievement)
• Embed codes for blogs or LinkedIn
• “Show your progress” buttons that generate a shareable card

Example: After a campaign, show: “I just ran a 1,000-email campaign with 28% open rate!” with a link to the report.

Now they’re not just using your tool. They’re showing it off.

6. Let Users Go “Overboard” (Seriously)

The coin collector didn’t stop at coins. He added planchets. Medals. Error coins.

We called him “overboard.” But that’s what made his collection *his*.

Your tool should let users do the same. Let them:

• Tag campaigns with personal labels (“Holiday 2023”, “A/B Test”)
• Attach notes, files, or screenshots to CRM records
• Create custom CDP fields for niche needs

This isn’t clutter. It’s ownership. And it’s loyalty.

7. Build a Tribe, Not Just a User List

The coin collector found his people. They didn’t just look at his coins. They *got* why he cared.

Your tool needs that. Add:

• Leaderboards (“Top 5 by Engagement”)
• User spotlights (“Dashboard of the Week”)
• Badges or recognition (“Top Collector of the Month”)

For B2B? Try: “Top 10 Sales Reps by Pipeline Growth” with a Slack shoutout.

Now you’re not just a tool. You’re a community.

Build Tools That Feel Like Belonging

The coin collector’s journey wasn’t about coins. It was about connection.

As a MarTech developer, your job isn’t just to build integrations and APIs. It’s to create moments where people feel:

• “Someone noticed my work.”
• “This tool gets me.”
• “I want to show this to my team.”

The future of MarTech isn’t in more features. It’s in **fewer, better, human** experiences.

Start with one question: *What would make my user smile after using this?*

Answer that, and you won’t just build a tool.
You’ll build a habit.
And habits last.

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