Sometimes you need to track how two individuals in your CRM are related to each other. For instance, you might want to note that one contact is the CEO while another is the CEO’s executive assistant, or that “Person X” introduced you to “Person Y.” In this chapter, we’ll walk through why you might want to Associate two contacts in HubSpot, how to do it, and what options (and limitations) exist depending on your subscription tier.
1. Why Associate Two Contacts?
- Recognize a Personal Introduction
- If “Person X” introduced “Person Y” to you, you can associate them so you remember the referral path.
- Identify Key Professional Relationships
- A CEO and their executive assistant.
- A project manager and a senior executive sponsor within the same company.
- Two contacts who are business partners or co-founders.
- Improved Context
- When viewing either contact’s record, you’ll see the associated contact and recall their connection.
- This helps you tailor communications and avoid awkward missteps (e.g., emailing the assistant instead of the executive).
2. How to Associate Two Contacts
2.1 Basic Steps in HubSpot
- Go to a Contact Record
- Navigate to Contacts > Contacts, then select the record of the person you want to associate.
- Find “Associations” or “Related Contacts”
- Depending on your HubSpot UI, look for an Associations box or a “Related contacts” section, often on the right-hand panel or in the center timeline.
- Select “Associate”
- Click Associate (or Add association).
- A pop-up or sidebar prompts you to search for the other contact by name or email.
- Confirm Association
- Once you find the second contact, confirm to create the link. You’ll now see each contact listed as being associated with the other.
3. Professional & Enterprise Tiers: Association Labels
HubSpot Professional and Enterprise subscriptions allow for association labels between contacts (and other objects). For example, you can label one contact as “Referrer” and the other as “Introduced.” Or “Executive Assistant” / “Executive.” This helps clarify the nature of the relationship in the CRM.
- Creating Custom Labels
- In Settings > Objects > Contacts > Association Labels, you can add labels like “Executive Assistant,” “Introduced,” “Partner,” etc.
- Assigning Labels
- When creating or editing an association, you select which label applies.
- Limitations
- If you’re on a free or Starter plan, you don’t have this feature. Upgrading to Pro or Enterprise may be cost-prohibitive for most independent consultants.
4. Workaround for Free & Starter Plans
If you don’t have access to association labels (or simply don’t want to pay for a higher tier), you can still clarify relationships in your CRM:
- Associate the Two Contacts
- Even on free/Starter plans, you can create a basic association between two contacts.
- Add a Note Explaining the Relationship
- In one or both contact records, add a Note in the timeline or properties area explaining something like:
“John is Jane’s Executive Assistant”
“Mary introduced me to Susan in Feb 2025.” - That note gives context for anyone viewing the record.
- In one or both contact records, add a Note in the timeline or properties area explaining something like:
- Rely on Memory from the Association
- In many cases, just seeing the associated contact’s name is enough to remind you of the link (e.g., “CEO’s assistant,” “Introduced by,” etc.).
5. Typical Use Cases for Independent Consultants
- Introductions and Referrals: If a trusted client or friend introduces a new contact, keep them associated so you can acknowledge or thank the referrer later.
- Executive and Assistant: If you’re scheduling a meeting with a CEO, you might communicate via the assistant. Associating them helps you track that chain of communication.
- Two Contacts from the Same Company: Maybe they share a role on a project or have a mentor/mentee relationship you need to remember.
- Partners or Co-Founders: If you’re consulting for a startup, you might tie the two co-founders together to track shared decisions or communications.
6. Best Practices
- Keep It Simple: For free or Starter plans, don’t overcomplicate. Just create a basic association and add a short note if needed.
- Use Clear Language: If you do add a note, be direct: “X introduced Y,” “Y is assistant to X.” That clarity saves you time when you revisit the record months later.
- Periodically Review Associations: As relationships evolve, keep them up to date. For example, if someone was an assistant but got promoted, update your note or remove that association.
- Combine with Other Objects: Sometimes it might be more relevant to associate a contact with a Company or a Deal. Decide which object best helps you track the relationship.
