HubSpot is amazing. Truly amazing.
Originally built as a marketing automation platform, now empowered by AI. HubSpot enables marketing teams to develop, deploy and optimize content with unmatched elegance and efficiency. Expanded as a CRM, it helps businesses manage their interactions with prospects, customers and the businesses they do business with across various channels, with cross-functional transparency and visibility for all.
The Sales Hub streamlines the sales process, with tools for lead tracking, pipeline management, sales automation, and performance analytics.
The Service Hub tools empower businesses to deliver exceptional support experiences with self-service tools like AI-powered Chat and the Knowledge base, and full-service tools like Live-Chat and ticketing.
And yet, HubSpot alone is not enough.
For HubSpot to be a transformational change for your organization it needs these 7 essential elements.
1. A clear purpose and goals
Even if you’re not paying for HubSpot (with many free tools available, you may not be), you should be treating HubSpot like a salaried employee with a job to do. Give it a job description, goals to reach and key performance indicators you will measure it by
For example, ”as our Content Marketing Platform, HubSpot will play a critical role in amplifying our Inbound marketing philosophy, driving strategic growth, and enhancing customer engagement.”
HubSpot goals include:
- Enhance our domain authority
- Increase lead acquisition and conversion
- Provide data insights that optimize our marketing efforts
The KPIs we’ll use to measure HubSpot’s success include:
- A domain authority >20 within 6 months
- 200 MQLs/month within 6 months of launch
- Increase landing page conversions by 7% year-over-year
2. A passionate power-user
While not everyone on your team needs to be a HubSpot expert, having a passionate power-user can significantly impact your organization's success with the platform. This individual is not only well-versed in HubSpot's features and updates but also enthusiastic about exploring its capabilities to the fullest.
Responsibilities of a Power-User:
- Stay updated with HubSpot's latest features, tools, and best practices.
- Act as a go-to resource for team members, answering questions and providing guidance on HubSpot usage.
- Continuously seek out ways to optimize processes and workflows using HubSpot.
- Collaborate with other team members to share knowledge and best practices.
Benefits of Having a Power-User:
- Ensures your team is leveraging HubSpot's full potential and staying competitive.
- Drives innovation within your organization by exploring new features and functionalities.
- Improves overall efficiency and effectiveness of your marketing, sales, and service efforts.
How to Identify a Power-User:
- Look for individuals who show a strong interest in learning and exploring new technologies.
- Consider someone who has demonstrated a deep understanding of HubSpot through certifications or successful implementation of HubSpot strategies.
- Evaluate their ability to communicate effectively and train others on HubSpot usage.
Having a passionate power-user on your team can be instrumental in maximizing the value you get from HubSpot and staying ahead of the curve in your industry.
3. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are critical for cross-functional teams working in HubSpot. Documented SLAs between Marketing and Sales, and Sales and Service, can provide objective measures of success and be important leading indicators of potential issues.
Importance of SLAs:
- Objective Measures: SLAs establish clear, measurable goals that align teams and ensure everyone is working towards the same objectives.
- Accountability: By defining specific responsibilities and expectations, SLAs hold teams accountable for their actions and performance.
- Improved Communication: SLAs promote communication and collaboration between teams, leading to smoother handoffs and better customer experiences.
Examples of SLAs between Teams:
- Marketing to Sales:
- Marketing will provide 100 Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) to the Sales team Monthly.
- Sales will aim to Qualify 25% of the leads turned over by marketing.
- Sales to Service:
- Service will reply to inbound tickets within 1 business hour.
- Sales will provide detailed notes and context for each customer handoff to Service.
To establish effective Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between teams, a collaborative approach is key. Involving all relevant teams in the SLA creation process ensures that goals are aligned with everyone's responsibilities. SLAs should define clear and measurable goals that are achievable and relevant to each team's role. Regular review and adjustment of SLAs are essential to ensure they remain relevant and effective, with adjustments based on performance data and feedback. By following these guidelines, organizations can create SLAs that promote communication, accountability, and ultimately, improved performance across all teams.
4. A company-wide, growth-oriented strategy
Well-defined marketing, sales, and service strategies that are platform agnostic are critical for ensuring your organization remains ahead of your technology, rather than being driven by it.
Importance of Strategies:
- Alignment with Business Goals: Strategies should align with your overall business objectives, ensuring that your efforts are focused on driving meaningful outcomes.
- Adaptability: Platform-agnostic strategies are adaptable to changes in technology, allowing your organization to pivot and innovate as needed.
- Consistency and Cohesion: Having defined strategies ensures consistency and cohesion across your marketing, sales, and service efforts, leading to a more unified customer experience.
5. Good Data
Accurate and actionable data is essential for informed decision-making and personalized marketing. Without reliable data, organizations risk making decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate information, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. By ensuring your data is accurate, up-to-date, and actionable, you can make informed decisions that drive business growth and deliver personalized experiences that resonate with your audience.
Importance of Good Data:
- Informed Decision-Making: Accurate data provides valuable insights that can inform strategic decisions across all areas of your organization.
- Personalized Marketing: Good data allows you to create targeted and personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience.
- Efficient Operations: Reliable data streamlines processes and improves efficiency by providing the right information to the right people at the right time.
Components of Good Data:
- Accuracy: Data should be free from errors and reflect the true state of your business or customer interactions.
- Relevance: Ensure that the data you collect is relevant to your business goals and can be used to drive actionable insights.
- Timeliness: Data should be up-to-date and reflect the current state of your business or market conditions.
Good data is the foundation of informed decision-making and personalized marketing. By ensuring your data is accurate, relevant, and timely, you can drive business growth, improve operational efficiency, and deliver personalized experiences that resonate with your audience.
6. Creativity (and adaptability)
As powerful as HubSpot is, it's not a substitute for creativity. Teams must use HubSpot as a tool to enhance their strategies across content and campaign development by experimenting with messaging and visual identity, as well as adapting those strategies based on performance insights captured by the platform.
Role of creativity
- Differentiation: Creative content sets you apart from competitors and captures audience attention.
- Engagement: Creative campaigns resonate with audiences, leading to higher engagement and interaction.
- Brand Building: Creativity helps build a strong brand identity and foster emotional connections with your audience.
Tips for creativity within HubSpot
- Storytelling: Use storytelling techniques to make your content more engaging and memorable.
- Visual Content: Incorporate visual elements such as images, videos, and infographics to enhance your content.
- Interactive Content: Experiment with interactive content formats like quizzes, polls, and assessments to drive engagement.
7. A customer-centric approach
HubSpot is more than a platform; it's a platform designed around a customer-centric methodology. Embracing this methodology is key to unlocking the momentum of the flywheel.
Benefits of a customer-centric approach
- Enhanced Customer Experience: By focusing on customer needs and preferences, you can deliver a more personalized and seamless experience.
- Improved Retention and Loyalty: A customer-centric approach builds trust and loyalty, leading to higher retention rates.
- Business Growth: Satisfied customers are more likely to become advocates, helping you attract new customers and fuel growth.
Implementing a customer-centric approach
- Customer Feedback: Gather feedback from customers to understand their needs and preferences.
- Personalization: Use data to personalize interactions and tailor your offerings to individual customers.
- Continuous Improvement: Continuously refine your approach based on customer feedback and market trends to ensure you're meeting customer expectations.
Embracing creativity and a customer-centric approach are essential for maximizing the value of HubSpot. By combining these elements with the other essentials discussed, you can unlock the full potential of the platform and drive sustainable growth for your business.
Ultimately, HubSpot's capabilities extend far beyond its technology. The key to leveraging its full potential lies in your strategic approach and organizational commitment. By establishing clear goals, fostering a passionate power-user, implementing effective SLAs, maintaining high-quality data, encouraging creativity, and adopting a customer-centric mindset, you can ensure HubSpot becomes a cornerstone of your business success, leading to sustained growth and enhanced customer satisfaction.