Managing Memberships & Subscriptions in HubSpot

Managing hundreds of subscriptions can quickly become a complex web of spreadsheets and manual data entry. For one of our clients, what started as a simple membership form on their website spiralled into a major administrative challenge as their member base grew to 1,500+ annual subscriptions.

The client needed a unified system that could automate the entire membership lifecycle, from initial application to payment and renewal. This is where HubSpot's powerful CRM platform came in. We developed a comprehensive solution that integrated their website with HubSpot CRM, Deals, Subscriptions, Invoices, and Payments to create a seamless workflow. This post outlines how we achieved this and the key lessons we learned.

Building a Unified Membership System

The goal was to create an automated process that required minimal manual intervention. We wanted a system where a potential member could fill out a form on the website and, from that single action, trigger a series of automated steps that would handle everything from payment to data synchronisation.

Here’s how we connected the dots using HubSpot’s suite of tools:

1. Website Form: The journey begins when a new member completes an application form on the client's website.
2. HubSpot CRM & Deals: Upon submission, a contact record is automatically created in HubSpot CRM, and a new deal is generated in a dedicated "Membership" pipeline. This provides instant visibility into new and pending applications.
3. HubSpot Subscriptions & Invoices: Once the deal is moved to the next stage, a HubSpot Subscription is created for the member, which automatically generates an invoice.
4. HubSpot Checkout & Payments: The member receives a link to a HubSpot Checkout page to complete their payment. We integrated Stripe via HubSpot Payments, allowing the client to securely process credit card transactions directly within the HubSpot ecosystem.
5. Custom API for Xero Integration: A crucial final step was ensuring financial records were accurate. We developed a custom API to connect HubSpot and Xero. This integration automatically creates a corresponding invoice in Xero once a payment is successfully processed in HubSpot, keeping their accounting system perfectly in sync.
   
   At the time of development a native integration did not exist between the two platforms. It does now but we found it to be clunkier than the custom solution we have provided.

This end-to-end solution streamlined the entire process, drastically reducing administrative overhead and providing a smooth experience for new members.

Lessons Learned from Integrating Platforms

Integrating multiple systems is rarely a straightforward plug-and-play process. One of the biggest hurdles we encountered was ensuring data flowed correctly between platforms like HubSpot and Xero.

A common issue is that different platforms use unique objects and field name properties for what appears to be the same piece of information. For example, a "customer name" field in HubSpot might not map directly to the corresponding field in Xero without specific configuration. This discrepancy can cause data transfer errors or incomplete records.

To overcome this, we meticulously mapped out the data flow between each system, identifying the unique properties for every object. This required careful planning and custom development within the API to "translate" the data, ensuring that information passed from HubSpot to Xero was correctly formatted and placed. This groundwork was vital for creating a reliable and robust integration.

Is HubSpot Right for Your Subscriptions?

HubSpot offers a powerful, all-in-one solution for managing memberships and subscriptions, especially when combined with tools like Stripe for payments.

(Memberships within Hubspot CMS means something different entirely so don't confuse membership of your organisation, product or service with Hubspot Memberships - a tool for managing access to content within Hubspot CMS hosted webpages).

While setting up integrations with accounting software like Xero can be complex, the long-term benefits of automation and a single source of truth are undeniable. By eliminating manual data entry and creating a seamless workflow, businesses can save time, reduce errors, and focus on growing their member base.

If you’re looking to streamline your own subscription management process, our team at The Growth Agency can help you design and implement a custom HubSpot solution.

Get in Touch today!