Zapier for Small Businesses
Automate repetitive tasks between your favorite apps without writing a single line of code. Save hours every week with simple, powerful automations.
What is Zapier?
Zapier is the glue that connects over 5,000 apps together. It watches for triggers (like "new email received") and automatically performs actions (like "create task in Asana").
Think of it like this:
Trigger
New email arrives
Zapier
Processes it
Action
Creates a task
Top 10 Zapier Automations for Small Businesses
Website Form → CRM + Email
When someone fills out your contact form, automatically add them to your CRM and send a personalized welcome email.
Apps: Typeform/Google Forms → HubSpot/Pipedrive + Gmail
Time saved: 15 minutes per lead
New Deal → Invoice
When you close a deal in your CRM, automatically create and send an invoice.
Apps: Pipedrive/Salesforce → QuickBooks/FreshBooks
Time saved: 20 minutes per invoice
Blog Post → Social Media
Automatically share new blog posts across all your social media channels.
Apps: WordPress/RSS → Buffer/Hootsuite
Time saved: 30 minutes per post
Support Email → Ticket
Convert customer emails into support tickets and notify the right team member.
Apps: Gmail → Zendesk/Freshdesk + Slack
Time saved: 10 minutes per ticket
New Meeting → CRM + Reminder
When someone books a meeting, update your CRM and send automatic reminders.
Apps: Calendly → HubSpot + SMS/Email
Time saved: 15 minutes per meeting
6. Email Attachments → Cloud
Save Gmail attachments to Google Drive/Dropbox automatically
7. New Customer → Onboarding
Trigger welcome email sequences for new customers
8. Expense Tracking
Receipt photos → Expense tracking software
9. Review Monitoring
Get Slack alerts for new Google/Yelp reviews
10. Contract Management
Signed contracts → CRM update + team notification
Getting Started with Zapier
Step 1: Choose Your First Zap
Start with your biggest time-waster. What task do you do over and over that follows the same pattern every time?
Pro tip: Begin with email-based automations. They're easiest to set up and deliver immediate value.
Step 2: Connect Your Apps
Zapier will walk you through connecting your accounts. You'll need to log in and authorize Zapier to access each app.
- Use dedicated Zapier accounts when possible
- Test with your own email first
- Document your automations for your team
Step 3: Test and Refine
Every Zap has a test feature. Use it! Run real-world scenarios before going live.
Test Mode
Try without consequences
Monitor
Check Zap history daily at first
Optimize
Add filters and conditions
Zapier Pricing for Small Businesses
Free
$0/month
- • 100 tasks/month
- • 5 single-step Zaps
- • 15-minute update time
Perfect for: Testing and simple automations
Starter
Popular$29.99/month
- • 750 tasks/month
- • 20 multi-step Zaps
- • 2-minute update time
- • Filters & formatting
Perfect for: Most small businesses
Professional
$73.50/month
- • 2,000 tasks/month
- • Unlimited Zaps
- • 1-minute update time
- • Premium apps
Perfect for: Growing teams
💡 Money-saving tip: Start with the free plan to test your ideas. Most small businesses find the Starter plan sufficient for their needs.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
❌ Over-automating too quickly
Start with 1-2 Zaps and master them before adding more.
❌ Not testing thoroughly
Always test with real data in a safe environment first.
❌ Ignoring error notifications
Check your Zapier dashboard weekly for failed Zaps.
❌ Creating infinite loops
Be careful not to create Zaps that trigger each other endlessly.
Quick ROI Calculator
Let's calculate if Zapier is worth it for you:
Verdict: If you save just 2 hours per month, Zapier pays for itself. Most businesses save 10-20 hours.
Your Next Steps
- 1
Sign up for free at Zapier.com
No credit card required
- 2
Pick one repetitive task from the list above
Start with your biggest time-waster
- 3
Set up your first Zap this week
Use Zapier's templates to get started faster
About This Guide: Pacific Agentic helps small businesses implement practical automation solutions. We've set up hundreds of Zaps for clients and know what works (and what doesn't).