If you’re considering HubSpot for your business then you’re going to need some support when it comes to the implementation because it can be a pretty powerful tool. That’s why HubSpot requires all new users to go through HubSpot onboarding.
To get things started with HubSpot, you have a choice between directly onboarding through HubSpot themselves, or working with a certified HubSpot Partner Agency like us at Wave!
So why do you need HubSpot onboarding?
We’ve all been there - sat on the floor staring at the IKEA flat pack manual wondering where did it all go wrong? Well HubSpot onboarding can be very much like that, times 10, and without the proper training and integration you won’t be able to utilise its full potential.
With the right level of training you’ll be able to ensure that your staff have a full understanding of HubSpot's capabilities and you’re getting the most out of your investment.
Plus, whether you choose to onboard with HubSpot directly or go with a Partner Agency, you’ll have a dedicated support network for those moments when you get stuck. Which can be invaluable.
It's also worth mentioning at this stage that for customers purchasing HubSpot Marketing Pro, or HubSpot Marketing Enterprise edition, you will need to pay an onboarding fee to get you up and running. This is regardless of whether you choose to go with HubSpot directly or via one of their Agency Partners.
What’s direct onboarding with HubSpot like?
So the onboarding journey is very much linked to the package that you’ve purchased from HubSpot. There’s Marketing, Sales, Service and CRM but whichever you choose your support will ultimately be based on your organisation's needs.
The HubSpot Implementation Specialist will take into consideration your business goals, the size of your business, any existing software or systems that you have in place and of course the plan that you’ve purchased.
In essence you’ll be supported with your portal set up, given guidance on the integration, be given assistance with the launch of your first campaign, and then receive ongoing support resources from their support and customer success teams.
However, whilst HubSpot will give you a detailed roadmap for the integration process your team will ultimately be responsible for doing the majority of the set up. You’ll also be responsible for migrating your current CRM data over and adjusting your internal marketing timelines to align with the new software.
Let's take a look at the pros and cons:
- PRO: You'll be assigned an Implementation Specialist.
- CON: You'll only receive an integration roadmap, the set up is left to you.
- CON: You'll be responsible for your own data migration.
What’s it like to onboard with a Partner Agency?
When it comes to onboarding with a Partner Agency, you can of course expect a variation depending on the agency that you choose to work with. The importance comes from the level of tailoring and custom support that you receive from an agency.
Agencies will often offer to support your integration on the more granular level, with hands-on support and practical solutions, from people who use the system everyday. In addition to the basic technical setup of your portal, you can expect ongoing support with your marketing projects and campaigns.
We often find that the Partner Agency route is ideal for those businesses that have a more complicated customer journey and an agency can tailor the training, set up and ongoing support for your specific needs and goals. There’s also the added benefit of your chosen agency to become a long term partner for additional training, advanced support and wider services that compliment the HubSpot integration.
Think of a Partner Agency as a long term relationship rather than a one time fling!
Let's take a look at the pros and cons:
- PRO: You'll receive tailored and custom level of support throughout.
- PRO: The support you'll receive will be more granular and flexible to you.
- PRO:you can expect ongoing support with your projects and campaigns.
So which option do you think is right for you?
Without a doubt there are pros and cons to both options, but at the end of the day the decision is yours and it centres on what solution fits your business needs.
You could ask yourself a few key questions to see if it helps in your decision making. Do I need more than a consultancy? Do I want a long term relationship that grows as my business grows? Do I prefer to work with someone that has knowledge of my industry?
A great way to look at it is through an analogy - HubSpot is a powerful and useful machine that can take your organisation to new and exciting places. But the journey is dependent on who is behind the wheel and how well they know how to operate the machinery. Onboarding with an agency partner will help you become the best HubSpot driver you can be with a trusty co-pilot along the way.
Come check us out
Has that helped? Do you feel like you have more insight into the onboarding process now than you did a few minutes ago? We certainly hope you do! Sharing what we know and helping others to get the very best from their systems to reach their company goals is one of our core purposes as an agency. There's no messing around with us at Wave, we're honest, dedicated and we care - we're good fun too!
So if you want to get in touch because you have more questions or because you want to take the next step, then just click on the button below and say hello.
