Top 5 Mistakes When Setting Up A HubSpot Account
When it comes to CRM’s and marketing automation platforms, it has been well documented about how HubSpot stands far above the rest in terms of usability and end-to-end functionality. However, with the growing popularity also comes growing headaches due to poor planning and setup of each HubSpot instance. After working in dozens upon dozens of clients' HubSpot accounts, I have found the top five mistakes to avoid when setting up (or re-organizing) a HubSpot instance.
- Not Mapping Data Properties
With HubSpot, it is extremely easy to create a new field and add data to it on any object. While this is extremely convenient, it also leads to numerous issues later when trying to find a singular data point. Equally important is ensuring all data is stored in HubSpot. Afterall, a CRM is only as good as the quality of the data it contains.
Tip: Think carefully about what the specific data point will be used for and ensure you don’t create duplicate fields or allow historic data to be overwritten.
- Not Using All The Features
One of the most common things I hear when it comes to HubSpot is, why would I pay for it when I can do the same thing with MailChimp for far less cost. While HubSpot does get a lot of its reputation as an email marketing platform, the email marketing feature is one of dozens that come with a subscription and only become supercharged based off the data that allows automation. If you have a HubSpot account, make sure you are taking full advantage of all the features that come with your account, not only to ensure you are getting the most bang for your buck, but also to ensure you are collecting all the data you can to supercharge your marketing efforts.
- Not Integrating Native Apps
One of the most simple ways to immediately increase the effectiveness of your account is to simply connect all the native apps you are already using. Whether it is zoom, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, or any other of the thousands of integrations found in the marketplace, connecting it to your central HubSpot account will allow for all data to be stored in one place in order to optimize reporting and to allow for accurate data driven decisions.
- Too Many Super Admins
Probably the most common issue I see in client accounts stems from every executive having Super Admin access and making changes as they see fit. While having more than one Super Admin is totally fine and in most cases necessary, limiting the number increases team alignment and data integrity. Just as sales and marketing don’t always see eye to eye, when different Super Admins build properties, automations or defaults without a guiding oversight, the chances for a breakdown in data and communication is at an all time high.
Tip: Have one person at the organization who is tasked with being the HubSpot Administrator. Before any new properties are made, ensure signoff is given from this person to evaluate how it fits into the holistic strategy.
- Not Building Automations With The Full Customer Journey In Mind
While this can probably be listed as a common mistake for all marketing efforts, ensuring you build a process that takes into account the entire customer journey is key. Just as how the contact’s journey doesn’t stop once they are handed off to sales, sales also needs to account for what happened before they reached their pipeline. Mapping out the full customer journey with properties, forms, data fields and behavioral triggers and using it as a guide to building out automations and lead flow in the platform will not only make the job easier for sales and marketing but will also provide a more seamless experience for the customer.
Keeping these items in mind when building your CRM and marketing/sales automation efforts will save headaches in the long run while also providing you with the best possible ROI. If you have any questions about how to implement these items or if you just would like to have an audit done of your portal to ensure you are set up for success, schedule time with me and I can give you a step-by-step overview of your account.
