What you need to know before creating another workflow, custom field or automation in HubSpot
The Benefits of Having an Expert help to streamline HubSpot Portal Management
Businesses with over 10 people using HubSpot sometimes run into difficulty as they try to move from being dependent on people to being dependent on systems. HubSpot is designed to be easy to use, but that doesn't mean it is straight forward to set up. Once your dependence on HubSpot increases, so too does your dependency on the capabilities of the people running HubSpot for you. As your business grows you'll want to add more data, more software and more people to your HubSpot portal, and with that comes added complexity and increased levels of management.
This is where an expert HubSpot Partner like Mount Arbor can help. By understanding your struggles and finding clarity for your business, a HubSpot Solutions Partner can take away the burden of managing the system, freeing up your time to focus on other areas of the business.
But first, let's talk about why you made the right choice investing in HubSpot.
This is where an expert HubSpot Partner like Mount Arbor can help. By understanding your struggles and finding clarity for your business, a HubSpot Solutions Partner can take away the burden of managing the system, freeing up your time to focus on other areas of the business.
But first, let's talk about why you made the right choice investing in HubSpot.
An expert HubSpot Solutions Partner like Mount Arbor can help you streamline your CRM and get control of your data, freeing up your time to focus on other areas of the business.
The Benefits of HubSpot for Your Business
There are many benefits to using HubSpot for your business, but here are some of the most important:
1. Increased Efficiency - HubSpot makes it easy to manage all aspects of your business in one place, from marketing to sales to customer service. This increases efficiency and allows you to work faster and smarter.
2. Improved ROI - HubSpot is a powerful tool and when used correctly, can help you achieve a much higher ROI than traditional marketing methods on any other platform.
3. Greater Scalability - HubSpot is scalable, meaning that it can grow with your business. As your business grows, HubSpot can too, without any added complexity or cost.
4. Better Customer Relationship Management - With HubSpot, you can track every interaction with a customer, from the first contact through to purchase and beyond. This allows you to build better relationships with your customers and increase sales.
5. Better Customer Experience - HubSpot's features allow you to provide a better customer experience, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
"Giorraíonn beirt bóthar" - Irish proverb.
Translation: Two people traveling together shorten the road.
Translation: Two people traveling together shorten the road.
HubSpot is a great tool, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution.
In order to get the most out of HubSpot, you need to configure it specifically for your business.
By investing in HubSpot, you now have your very own portal on the world's best CRM platform. You've got access to a bunch of high performance tools to run Marketing, Sales and Customer Success. You finally have a way to coordinate your team and improve efficiency in your business processes.
While you were buying HubSpot, you read a lot of articles about incredible success stories that were enabled with HubSpot technology. There are tonnes of case studies where businesses just like yours broke through their bottlenecks. And now that you've used HubSpot for a while, you're probably wondering how you can make all of those success stories apply to your own business.
One downside to HubSpot is that it's a complex system. It was built to be easy to use, but it was also built to be powerful. As such, it requires a certain level of expertise to set up and manage effectively. This is why you need an expert Operations Manager to take on the responsibility of running HubSpot for your business.
Why hire a HubSpot Solutiuons Partner?
While you probably have someone responsible for the day-to-day running of HubSpot for your business, HubSpot makes it easy for lots of people to do lots of things in HubSpot - for better or for worse. They will manage all aspects of the system, from administration to user training to technical support. This is where wires can get crossed and data can get messy.
A HubSpot Solutions Partner with years of experience will constantly be on the lookout for ways to improve your HubSpot portal, whether that's by tweaking settings, installing new apps or integrations, or creating customisations. They will also be responsible for monitoring your HubSpot portal to ensure that it is running smoothly and efficiently.
The reality of how to get the most out of your new toolset starts to set in as your use of the platform expands from basic functionality and processes to a dependence on the data, reporting and workflows the platform allows. You quickly realise that making all the necessary organisational and operational changes and reaping the rewards of HubSpot is not going to be as simple or straightforward as you may have thought.
You start asking yourself some tough questions:
A HubSpot Solutions Partner with years of experience will constantly be on the lookout for ways to improve your HubSpot portal, whether that's by tweaking settings, installing new apps or integrations, or creating customisations. They will also be responsible for monitoring your HubSpot portal to ensure that it is running smoothly and efficiently.
The reality of how to get the most out of your new toolset starts to set in as your use of the platform expands from basic functionality and processes to a dependence on the data, reporting and workflows the platform allows. You quickly realise that making all the necessary organisational and operational changes and reaping the rewards of HubSpot is not going to be as simple or straightforward as you may have thought.
You start asking yourself some tough questions:
1. How do I make sure my data is clean and correctly segmented and organised in my CRM?
2. How do I attract more leads with clever marketing automation software and well-orchestrated digital marketing campaigns?
3. How do I assign and rotate leads so none fall through the cracks?
4. How do I enable and train my team so they all adopt the new software and use it well?
5. How do I measure and improve my KPIs so I can show a return on investment for this software to my boss or shareholders?
All of a sudden, the investment you made in HubSpot feels like it could turn into a liability if you can't scale your implementation quickly and efficiently.
This is where an expert Operations Manager can help.
What can a HubSpot Solutions Partner do for you?
A HubSpot Solutions Partner is certified by HubSpot after a rigorous training and qualification process to help business owners to run HubSpot. This includes managing all aspects of the system, from administration to user training to technical support. In addition, a HubSpot Solutions Partner will also be able to provide resources, services and technical support should you need it.
Often, HubSpot Customers realise they need to find someone who can take charge of their new HubSpot portal, coordinate the changes internally, drive adoption across the company and make sure they're using all the features to their fullest potential.
But who can you trust with this important task? Who has the time, energy and expertise to make sure your HubSpot portal is set up for success? You could try to do it yourself, but you quickly realise that you're too busy running the day-to-day operations.
This is where hiring a HubSpot Solutions Partner like Mount Arbor to run HubSpot for you for a while starts to make sense.
Often, HubSpot Customers realise they need to find someone who can take charge of their new HubSpot portal, coordinate the changes internally, drive adoption across the company and make sure they're using all the features to their fullest potential.
But who can you trust with this important task? Who has the time, energy and expertise to make sure your HubSpot portal is set up for success? You could try to do it yourself, but you quickly realise that you're too busy running the day-to-day operations.
This is where hiring a HubSpot Solutions Partner like Mount Arbor to run HubSpot for you for a while starts to make sense.
Why not assign someone from my team to run HubSpot for me?
You might be tempted to assign someone from your team to manage HubSpot for your business. After all, they're already familiar with the system and they're probably the most knowledgeable about how it works.
However, there are several reasons why this isn't a good idea:
However, there are several reasons why this isn't a good idea:
1. Your team members are already busy with their own tasks and responsibilities. Asking them to take on additional work will only lead to burnout.
2. They're not experts in HubSpot. While they may be familiar with the basics, they won't have the same level of expertise as an Operations Manager who has years of experience and best practices from multiple industries that can save you time, training overhead and development costs.
3. They don't have the time to keep up with all the changes and updates. The HubSpot platform is constantly evolving, with new features and updates being released on a regular basis. A HubSpot Solutions Manager will make sure that your HubSpot portal is always up-to-date so you can take advantage of the latest and greatest features.
4. Hiring an expert in HubSpot can be expensive, especially if they're good. As HubSpot has grown, so has the demand for expertise. Experience and world-class HubSpot expertise is a rare thing to find, and once you do be prepared to compete with businesses all over the world for the same talent to run your organisation in HubSpot.
5. The final reason for hiring a HubSpot Solutions Partner rather than reassigning someone from your team is that they can provide an objective perspective. They're not invested in the status quo and they're not afraid to challenge your assumptions or suggest new ideas. This fresh perspective can be invaluable when it comes to driving innovation and growth in your business.
What should I look for in a HubSpot Solutions Partner?
When you're looking for a Solutions Partner to help you with HubSpot are four main qualities you should look for:
1. Expertise: Look for someone who has in-depth knowledge of HubSpot and the various features and tools it offers. They should be able to customise HubSpot to meet your specific needs and help you get the most out of the platform. Mount Arbor achieved Platinum Tier Status on HubSpot's own partner program.
2. Experience: Experience is critical when it comes to HubSpot. Look for someone who has managed multiple HubSpot portals, ideally in different industries. This will give them a broad perspective and allow them to bring best practices from other organisations to yours. Mount Arbor has worked with hundreds of HubSpot customers across every industry since 2017.
3. Flexibility: The ability to be flexible is important for a HubSpot Solutions Partner. They should be able to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of HubSpot and be able to quickly implement new features and updates.
4. Communication: A good HubSpot Solutions Partner will be an excellent communicator. They should be able to clearly explain complex concepts to non-technical team members and help them understand how HubSpot can benefit their specific role.
How do I find an HubSpot Solutions Partner for HubSpot?
There are a few different ways you can find a Solutions Partner for HubSpot:
1. Ask for referrals from other businesses who use HubSpot. They may be able to recommend someone who is a good fit for your organisation
2. Contact a HubSpot agency directly. You can find a list of HubSpot Partner agencies here.
5. Finally, you can sometimes find a Solutions Partner for HubSpot by attending HubSpot User Groups (HUGs) or other events where HubSpot users gather. This is a good way to meet potential candidates and get a feel for their personality and expertise.
What does a Solutions Partner do?
A certified HubSpot Solutions Partner can help you with the day-to-day running of your HubSpot portal. This includes tasks such as adding and removing users, managing data imports and exports, monitoring system performance, managing software integrations, and providing user support, including ongoing training.
An Solutions Partner also works with you to develop and implement strategies for using HubSpot more effectively. This may involve customising HubSpot to meet your specific needs, developing workflows and processes, or designing and implementing training programs for your team.
The role of an Solutions Partner is critical to the success of your HubSpot portal. They are responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the platform are running smoothly and that your team is able to use HubSpot to its full potential.
An Solutions Partner also works with you to develop and implement strategies for using HubSpot more effectively. This may involve customising HubSpot to meet your specific needs, developing workflows and processes, or designing and implementing training programs for your team.
The role of an Solutions Partner is critical to the success of your HubSpot portal. They are responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the platform are running smoothly and that your team is able to use HubSpot to its full potential.
Why do I need a HubSpot Solutions Partner?
A HubSpot Solutions Partner can help you to get the most out of HubSpot by:
- Improving system performance - A Solutions Partner will audit and monitor your HubSpot portal for performance issues and work with you to resolve them. This can free up time for you and your team, and improve overall productivity.
- Providing user support - They can also provide support to users when they run into problems using HubSpot. This can reduce the number of support tickets raised, and improve user satisfaction.
- Managing software integrations - Solutions Partners can manage the integration of third-party software with HubSpot, ensuring that data is transferred correctly and that any issues are resolved quickly.
- Developing and implementing strategies - A Solutions Partner can work with you to develop and implement strategies for using HubSpot more effectively. This could include developing workflows, automating tasks, or creating custom reports.
- Reducing costs - An HubSpot Solutions Partner can help you to reduce the costs associated with running HubSpot by improving system performance and providing user support.
A unique approach to managing your HubSpot - cloud-based, remote and expert
When HubSpot began marketing its product over ten years ago, you might be forgiven for assuming it was for Marketing only. After all, it was HubSpot who invented the whole idea of Inbound that changed the face of marketing forever.
Today it's a different story. HubSpot is now ranked one of the best CRM technologies in the world. It's also one of the most comprehensive business platforms on the market with a huge range of features for sales, service and marketing teams - not to mention the developers who build custom integrations.
But with this change has come a new problem for HubSpot users. How do you find, hire and retain the expert Operations Manager that you need to run HubSpot? They not only need to understand the technical aspects, but they've got to be able to somehow connect the dots between every department.
This has given rise to a whole new set of challenges for business owners.
Today it's a different story. HubSpot is now ranked one of the best CRM technologies in the world. It's also one of the most comprehensive business platforms on the market with a huge range of features for sales, service and marketing teams - not to mention the developers who build custom integrations.
But with this change has come a new problem for HubSpot users. How do you find, hire and retain the expert Operations Manager that you need to run HubSpot? They not only need to understand the technical aspects, but they've got to be able to somehow connect the dots between every department.
This has given rise to a whole new set of challenges for business owners.
Your HubSpot Solutions Partner and "Revenue Operations (RevOps)"
The industry term 'Revenue Operations' or 'RevOps' was created as a means of bringing together and orchestrating the CRM industry's understanding of the difficulties associated with integrating diverse organisations into one cohesive whole. Revenue Operations initially appeared to be a possible way to describe this new field of expertise.
Unfortunately, the truth is, not everyone fully understands Revenue Operations (RevOps) yet, and how it all fits into the way we do business today.
One of the primary messages when HubSpot promoted their flywheel in 2018 was that teams for Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service need to cooperate to provide a frictionless customer experience.
Even if your employees are dedicated to providing great customer service, if they don't have access to streamlined processes and systems, there will always be inconsistencies.
The RevOps narrative, from the HubSpot perspective, is just another version of the flywheel narrative. It's all about the systems and procedures that power your customer-facing teams.
Your Sales Ops function should not only focus on your sales process and CRM, but also the entire customer journey.
Your Marketing Ops function should not only coordinate and execute campaigns, but also work closely with Sales and Customer Success to ensure that leads are properly qualified and that the right message is being delivered at each stage of the customer journey.
And your Customer Success Ops function should not only work to resolve customer issues, but also ensure that they are properly onboarded and that their success is measured throughout their time as a customer.
In short, all three functions need to work together to provide a seamless, end-to-end customer experience.
And that's where Mount Arbor comes in.
Mount Arbor is a cloud-based, remote and expert Solutions Partner for HubSpot users.
We provide the missing piece of the puzzle for businesses who want to get the most out of their HubSpot investment.
By taking care of the day-to-day management, monitoring and optimisation of your HubSpot portal, we free up your time to focus on strategic initiatives that will drive growth.
We are also available to provide training and support to your team, so they can make the most of the features and functionality that HubSpot has to offer.
Mount Arbor provides a cloud based CRM Operations Management solution that is guaranteed to improve customer acquisition, retention and expansion, beginning with a 90 day program to onboard, improve and optimise your HubSpot use.
Unfortunately, the truth is, not everyone fully understands Revenue Operations (RevOps) yet, and how it all fits into the way we do business today.
One of the primary messages when HubSpot promoted their flywheel in 2018 was that teams for Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service need to cooperate to provide a frictionless customer experience.
Even if your employees are dedicated to providing great customer service, if they don't have access to streamlined processes and systems, there will always be inconsistencies.
The RevOps narrative, from the HubSpot perspective, is just another version of the flywheel narrative. It's all about the systems and procedures that power your customer-facing teams.
Your Sales Ops function should not only focus on your sales process and CRM, but also the entire customer journey.
Your Marketing Ops function should not only coordinate and execute campaigns, but also work closely with Sales and Customer Success to ensure that leads are properly qualified and that the right message is being delivered at each stage of the customer journey.
And your Customer Success Ops function should not only work to resolve customer issues, but also ensure that they are properly onboarded and that their success is measured throughout their time as a customer.
In short, all three functions need to work together to provide a seamless, end-to-end customer experience.
And that's where Mount Arbor comes in.
Mount Arbor is a cloud-based, remote and expert Solutions Partner for HubSpot users.
We provide the missing piece of the puzzle for businesses who want to get the most out of their HubSpot investment.
By taking care of the day-to-day management, monitoring and optimisation of your HubSpot portal, we free up your time to focus on strategic initiatives that will drive growth.
We are also available to provide training and support to your team, so they can make the most of the features and functionality that HubSpot has to offer.
Mount Arbor provides a cloud based CRM Operations Management solution that is guaranteed to improve customer acquisition, retention and expansion, beginning with a 90 day program to onboard, improve and optimise your HubSpot use.
Why hiring a HubSpot Solutions Partner for your HubSpot CRM is a good idea
After nearly 10 years of providing world class business growth solutions to our clients on HubSpot, Mount Arbor has developed a unique solution to running HubSpot for your business.
We'll work on a fractional basis as part of your business, supporting your internal team to run HubSpot in the most efficient, streamline manner possible. Your team champion for HubSpot will be responsible for the day-to-day running of your HubSpot portal and we will work with them and your team to develop and implement strategies for using HubSpot more effectively.
Mount Arbor will:
We'll work on a fractional basis as part of your business, supporting your internal team to run HubSpot in the most efficient, streamline manner possible. Your team champion for HubSpot will be responsible for the day-to-day running of your HubSpot portal and we will work with them and your team to develop and implement strategies for using HubSpot more effectively.
Mount Arbor will:
- Monitor your HubSpot portal for performance issues and work with you to resolve them
- Provide support to users when they run into problems using HubSpot
- Manage the integration of third-party software with HubSpot, ensuring that data is transferred correctly and that any issues are resolved quickly
- Work with you to develop and implement strategies for using HubSpot more effectively
- Help you to reduce the costs associated with running HubSpot
What does a HubSpot Solutions Partner help you do, day-to-day?
- Monitoring system performance and resolving issues
- Providing user support
- Managing data integration
- Developing and implementing strategies for using HubSpot more effectively
- Working with other teams to ensure they are making the most of HubSpot
- Regularly reviewing and improving processes
- Training new users in HubSpot
- Creating and maintaining documentation
What does it cost to work with a HubSpot Solutions Partner?
The cost of working with a HubSpot Solutions Partner can vary depending on the size of the organisation and the level of support required.
HubSpot Solutions Partners typically work on a Project or Retainer basis.
In a small business, a pilot project might cost around €5,000, whereas in a larger organisation the cost could be closer to €10,000 - €20,000.
It helps to consider how much it costs to run HubSpot by yourself.
The figures below are for a small business using HubSpot Sales Professional and Marketing Professional with estimated figures for required costs such as onboarding, implementation and development as well as recruitment and training. These figures provide a ballpark idea of the cost of buying and running HubSpot:
HubSpot Solutions Partners typically work on a Project or Retainer basis.
In a small business, a pilot project might cost around €5,000, whereas in a larger organisation the cost could be closer to €10,000 - €20,000.
It helps to consider how much it costs to run HubSpot by yourself.
The figures below are for a small business using HubSpot Sales Professional and Marketing Professional with estimated figures for required costs such as onboarding, implementation and development as well as recruitment and training. These figures provide a ballpark idea of the cost of buying and running HubSpot:
1. Pay for the software (monthly license/annual license) = €30,000/year on average
2. Onboarding fee = €2000 on average
3. Hire an internal person to manage the CRM and HubSpot ‘stuff’ (or reassign someone) = approx €50000 + €20000 on recruitment
4. Implementation of the CRM to fit your business needs, including training and development costs: €60000 on average
5. Pay additional development costs to external companies for anything more complicated than standard: €20000/year on average
Total estimated cost to run HubSpot CRM and associated tools for the first year: €182,000 minimum, including hidden costs and internal resource costs.
NOT included above are additional expenses such as marketing campaign costs, PPC/marketing costs, additional agency costs for content, freelance agents for design/development, migration costs…. it can get expensive to run HubSpot.
One of the greatest costs to organisations running HubSpot on their own is the Opportunity Cost. Time spent searching for the right help, implementing and executing strategies necessary to run HubSpot effectively, and constantly updating and revising the operational elements that keep everything running smoothly is something many don't factor into their purchase of this powerful platform.
NOT included above are additional expenses such as marketing campaign costs, PPC/marketing costs, additional agency costs for content, freelance agents for design/development, migration costs…. it can get expensive to run HubSpot.
One of the greatest costs to organisations running HubSpot on their own is the Opportunity Cost. Time spent searching for the right help, implementing and executing strategies necessary to run HubSpot effectively, and constantly updating and revising the operational elements that keep everything running smoothly is something many don't factor into their purchase of this powerful platform.
Reducing Operational Costs with Mount Arbor:
The most effective way to reduce the cost of running HubSpot is to hire Mount Arbor to make your use more efficient, so you can take off the brakes and get the most from your investment.
Our team of experts will manage, monitor, improve and optimise your HubSpot portal, saving you money while ensuring that you get the most out of the platform.
Our team of experts will manage, monitor, improve and optimise your HubSpot portal, saving you money while ensuring that you get the most out of the platform.
Why not hire someone to operate HubSpot internally?
There are many advantages to having someone on your team who knows HubSpot like the back of their hand and who is capable of translating your business needs into operational processes that run like clockwork on HubSpot. But there are also some challenges associated with this approach.
The biggest challenge is finding someone with the right skills and experience. It can be difficult to find someone who has both the technical expertise and the business acumen to be able to operate HubSpot effectively for your business. And even if you do find someone with these skills, they may not be able to commit the time required to manage HubSpot effectively.
Another challenge is that operating HubSpot effectively requires a lot of time and effort. It can be a full-time job in itself, and it can be difficult to find the time to do it effectively while also running your business.
As your business grows, the strategic demands and technical expertise needed for running HubSpot increase exponentially. You've got to coordinate people and systems from different departments (for example Marketing, Sales & Customer Success) while successfully managing transformation projects that move people from the old way of doing things to the new. Not only that, an Operations Manager in charge of making sure HubSpot grows with your business needs to possess a pretty unique set of complementary skills: the ability to understand and communicate the needs of people (your customers and your employees) and the ability to engineer technology to serve those needs. When you begin to expand your business and enlist new skills and experience, operating HubSpot also means being able to draw up plans for someone else to execute, being able to design a brief that fits into the big picture in your business strategy and being able to find trade-offs in the implementation of your new systems that achieve the outcome you want without delaying your processes or getting in the way of progress.
The biggest challenge is finding someone with the right skills and experience. It can be difficult to find someone who has both the technical expertise and the business acumen to be able to operate HubSpot effectively for your business. And even if you do find someone with these skills, they may not be able to commit the time required to manage HubSpot effectively.
Another challenge is that operating HubSpot effectively requires a lot of time and effort. It can be a full-time job in itself, and it can be difficult to find the time to do it effectively while also running your business.
As your business grows, the strategic demands and technical expertise needed for running HubSpot increase exponentially. You've got to coordinate people and systems from different departments (for example Marketing, Sales & Customer Success) while successfully managing transformation projects that move people from the old way of doing things to the new. Not only that, an Operations Manager in charge of making sure HubSpot grows with your business needs to possess a pretty unique set of complementary skills: the ability to understand and communicate the needs of people (your customers and your employees) and the ability to engineer technology to serve those needs. When you begin to expand your business and enlist new skills and experience, operating HubSpot also means being able to draw up plans for someone else to execute, being able to design a brief that fits into the big picture in your business strategy and being able to find trade-offs in the implementation of your new systems that achieve the outcome you want without delaying your processes or getting in the way of progress.
Getting Started
If you're like a lot of businesses who invest in HubSpot, your onboarding journey isn't just about learning how to use the technology you just invested in. There are countless resources to help educate you in the HubSpot Academy, YouTube, Google... there is no shortage of information and certifications to equip you to run the software effectively. All you need to do is become an expert in HubSpot, or find someone on your team willing to become an expert in HubSpot.
HubSpot has grown from being the world's greatest Inbound marketing automation tool for small enterprises to the best rated CRM and all-in-one platform for running your entire business, whether you're an SME or a large corporation.
With this evolution, the platform has maintained the same standard of excellence throughout. With a focus on user experience, HubSpot has remained best in class when it comes to usability and ease of use, especially when compared to competitors like Salesforce.
But with the increased capabilities offered by HubSpot comes increased complexity behind the scenes. Not only does HubSpot now span multiple departments and a myriad of use cases, it now functions as the foundation for all the revenue generating activities of your entire business. From marketing and sales to customer success and service, every team can now rely on HubSpot to some degree to do their jobs effectively.
Used correctly, HubSpot can improve your business, reduce costs and increase revenue and profits in a very short time, predictably.
Used incorrectly, HubSpot can drain your resources, fall short of your expectations and cost more than you bargained for.
Though it may look easy, the challenge of running HubSpot efficiently is more difficult than it initially appears. If you want to get the most out of your investment and reach the Promised Land of consistent revenue growth and increased profit, be prepared to put in a lot of effort. It will be worth it.
We've helped hundreds of businesses get the most out of HubSpot and we're passionate about helping more.
The 4 BRAKES in HubSpot that slow you down
Before our customers start working with Mount Arbor, they usually have one or more invisible “brakes” that are slowing progress and holding them back. Here are four of the most common “brakes” that we see (and after we'll give you some easy solutions for avoiding them completely):
1. Brake 1: Is hiring CXOs or a Head of Ops to run operations before designing a system for them to run. When they're hired, they must take a long-term perspective and look at the big picture. This results in them putting in place some ad hoc point solutions to get you the sales you need in the short term. These point solutions for sales, which they often bring in from their last project, may not be suitable for your company- yet hiring is the number 1 solution to growth offered by most CEOS when scaling becomes important.
2. Brake 2: Is working harder to achieve better results: When you have a to-do list that seems impossible, it's daunting to think about taking the next big risk in your business - especially when it may not pay off. However, we've noticed that some of the most successful businesses actually do less to achieve more growth...
3. Brake 3: Hiring consultants, agencies and other freelancers to help you with marketing operations or sales processes may seem like a good idea - but often, these shiny objects don't result in the return on investment that you were expecting.
4. Brake 4: Is pushing the team that got you this far even harder to go faster. They are probably already working their butts off - that’s why you hired them in the first place. Pushing more will lead to burnout and disillusionment once the bottleneck in sales starts to trickle downstream…
The 4 ACCELERATORS in HubSpot that can speed you up
Before you even build your new system, you’ll want to make sure that you have the right inputs. This could save you years in costly mistakes going down the wrong path with the wrong assumptions.
Here are some easy solutions that make those 4 common 'brakes' irrelevant.
1. 90% of issues are system-related. Not people. It's difficult for people to work under a bad system. Your system will determine what kind of company you become. While your competitors are trying to reduce their costs and increase their revenues by commoditising their offerings, aim to offer higher value, more unique items that customers enjoy and are simpler to sell.
2. You need the right inputs to get the outcomes you want. Like any dumb system, if you put in the wrong inputs, you'll get the wrong outputs. If you want to grow beyond €3 million to €10 million in revenue, you are going to need inputs that stand the test of time and the volatility of the market. Start with the bottlenecks. If you remove the blocks in the way of your growth, you’ll see an acceleration in your sales. At this stage it's not about more fuel and working harder - growth begins by taking your foot off the brakes.
3. The average CEO spends over 60% of their time in meetings, in reactive mode putting out fires. This makes it difficult to hand over the important systems and guidance that built the business in the first place. Owners are trapped and employees are dependent on their managers to know what to do. You need to first create a blueprint that will help your team to deliver the most value from HubSpot (your business engine). This makes it easier to step away or sell the business.
4. After you pinpoint the bottlenecks, you can rapidly create a plan of action for you and your team that will target the one to three items which are most likely to increase sales within the next 12 weeks and go from there.
How do businesses typically run HubSpot once they've purchased?
Most businesses will choose from the following options when it comes to responsibility for the inner workings of your HubSpot portal and making sure it all operates the way you want it to:
1. Hire someone with experience in HubSpot
2. Retrain and reassign someone internal to run HubSpot for you
3. Hire an external agency to look after HubSpot on a project or retainer basis
4. Lean on HubSpot support and onboarding to help you get things set up correctly and troubleshoot issues as they come up
HubSpot can be a considerable investment, so you've probably got a few things you'd like to achieve first. Maybe you'd like to clean up your data, generate more leads, or find a way to retain more customers.
I thought HubSpot was supposed to be easy to use? Shouldn't I be able to do this myself?
HubSpot is easy to use, especially compared to its closest competitor Salesforce.
HubSpot also provides an unparalleled list of courses, certifications, forums and support. As truly a customer-centric company, HubSpot has removed most of the friction from onboarding its customers and making sure they can hit the ground running.
The experience people have with HubSpot is slightly deceptive however, especially as your business grows.
If you're moving from 5 to 10 users, or 100 to 500 users, the levels of complexity increase. Suddenly it's not just about knowing how to use the handy tactical tools for sales or marketing. It's also about coordinating across departments and making sure the flow of information, data and processes are seamless from your customer through your organisation and back out the other side to your customer. It gets complicated.
Historical data can clog up the system, individuals with too much time on their hands can over-engineer your portal to the point where no-one understands what's going on or workflows can pile up into an almighty mess of wires that is impossible to untangle without serious help...
HubSpot is thought of as "simple" because it has a beautiful user interface, and the only real rival (SFDC) is a pain in the ass to manage... Until they generate a mess that is hard to untangle and needs significant investment to unravel.
Often, HubSpot must accomplish complicated, multi-team functions that cover many departments and systems for scaling businesses at an enterprise level.
User experience is essential, and HubSpot does it well; however, it still takes a lot of know-how to execute a project successfully. This includes elements such as project management, strategic planning, implementation, documentation--the whole nine yards. If you don't put knowledgeable experts on the job from the get-go, you'll be forced to once your systems fail and your data goes down the drain.
What's the Mount Arbor Advantage?
The Mount Arbor Advantage is our commitment to you that we will never stop working to find new and better ways to improve your HubSpot portal. We achieve this through our team of experts, who are constantly exploring new features and ways to optimise HubSpot, and our commitment to continuous improvement.
The Mount Arbor Advantage is also our people. You can be confident that you're working with a team of certified experts who are passionate about helping you hit your targets. We're not just a bunch of techies - we're also experienced business people who have a deep understanding of how businesses operate. We use this knowledge to help you get the most from your HubSpot portal.
To find out more about the Mount Arbor Advantage, or to speak to one of our team about how we can help you, get in touch today.
The revenue opportunity for your business over the next 24 months
In an unstable economy, it may be tempting to only focus on cautiously holding onto what you have. Reduction of costs becomes a priority. Retaining customers is paramount.
If you want your business to sustainably grow, you need plans that can take advantage of any opportunity for expansion.
Cutting costs is a surefire way to increase profitability on existing business in the short term, but is it a wise investment for future growth?
When it comes to HubSpot, it is possible to have the best of both worlds if you can manage your growth efficiently.
Optimising the use of your CRM is essentially a 'nice to have'. The truth is that no-one really cares whether your HubSpot portal is running efficiently - unless they're directly responsible for it. What everyone in your business truly cares about are the outputs of your efficient systems. And that includes revenue, customers and profits.
The greatest opportunity for your business over the next 24 months is in the retention and expansion of existing customer revenue.
There are a number of ways to do this, but the most obvious is to increase the efficiency with which you manage and nurture your customer relationships.
This is where an expert HubSpot Solutions Partner can make all the difference. Mount Arbor is trained to identify gaps in the Customer Experience and troubleshoot any area where your customer might drop off in your sales cycle can effectively grow your business even in uncertain markets. Cross-sell and upsell opportunities are 7 times more valuable than the opportunities you can generate through marketing, because they are 7 times more likely to buy from you than a new lead.
