Just over twelve months ago, I had barely heard of Hubspot, let alone considered adopting it for our agency. An existing client approached us and asked if we'd be interested in looking after their marketing activities using Hubspot and adopting Inbound methodologies for their marketing and sales activities.
At first we were reticent.
After all we already had a number of software solutions for marketing, and Hubspot appears expensive, why did we need another solution?
Over a series of weeks that followed, we did our research and eventually agreed to help our client with implementing Hubspot in their business.
In the last twelve months, my team and I have waded through masses of online learning, devoting hours and hours to offline learning and homework, and I literally mean devoting 2-4 hours per day, every day, to learning Hubspot and Inbound strategies and methodologies, on top of existing workloads.HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) is a leading growth platform. Since 2006, HubSpot has been on a mission to make the world more inbound.
Today, over 68,800 total customers in more than 100 countries use HubSpot’s award-winning software, services, and support to transform the way they attract, engage, and delight customers.
Comprised of Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, and a powerful free CRM, HubSpot gives companies the tools they need to Grow Better.
HubSpot has been named a top place to work by Glassdoor, Fortune, The Boston Globe, and The Boston Business Journal. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA with offices in Dublin, Ireland; Singapore; Sydney, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; Berlin, Germany; Bogotá, Colombia; Paris, France; and Portsmouth, NH.
HubSpot revenue for the twelve months ending September 30, 2019 was$0.633B, a 33.06% increase year-over-year.
Along the way we all gained incredible amounts of knowledge (as well as gaining certifications by the dozen) and consequently we are all now Inbound methodology converts.
Shortly after jumping on board and using Hubspot, it became very apparent to us that Inbound methodologies combined with Hubspot are game-changing combinations.
What do we mean by this?
Inbound is not new, it has been around for approximately ten years now, but when combined with the power of Hubspot Sales, Marketing, Service and CRM solutions it really is incredibly powerful.
Potentially more powerful than any strategies I have experienced in more than thirty years of business.
Yes, really, that powerful.
Adopting Inbound strategies for sales outreach and marketing activities has proved for us, and our first Hubspot client, to be absolutely mind-blowing.
We have converted strangers to marketing qualified leads, handing MQL's to sales as 'very warm leads' ripe for converting to customers, on a scale that actually has to be managed, almost scaled down, to deal with demand.
And I'm not joking, neither am I overplaying the significance.
Both for us as an agency and for our first Hubspot client, we have experienced MQL's from leading blue-chip clients who had previously been strangers, who are ready to commit and purchase, like never before.
Why?
Everyone recognises being visible and present online is increasingly important.
With that comes an increased need to stand out, an increased need to serve and engage customers, better. An increased need to provide helpful, relevant and excellent content in timely, contextual manners.
I know, lots of buzz words in there, but it is actually true.
Your business needs to be able to serve strangers, prospects, leads and customers at times and in manners that are right for them. That's right, at a time that is right for them, not for you or your business.
Disruption means the days a business defined the hours or times of day it serves customers are gone.
Customers now choose when they want to engage online and how they want to engage.
Whether it is the awareness stages of their buyer's journey, the learning / discovery stages or the decision / closing stages, businesses have to be ready to serve, with contextual, helpful information at times and in ways in which the buyers choose.
And with B2B more so than B2C, buyers spend more time in the research and decision stages, so your online content has to be excellent and has to be served at the right stages of the buyer journey.
Why is this different?
Disruption has put the power with buyers rather than sellers.
After all the market, whichever industry you serve, is global.
And that means buyers buy from anywhere in the world, at any time of day, when it suits them.
What has Inbound + Hubspot changed for us
Our discussions with clients are focussed on helping them grow and to grow better in ways that puts customers at the heart of their businesses, in everything they do.
This requires cultural shifts in thought and adoption of Inbound strategies throughout an organisation.
Of course Inbound can be implemented in stages i.e. Sales, Marketing, Service, finance etc which requires lots of time, strategy, planning and implementation but it also needs buy-in. Not just the financial buy-in but commitment from key players within an organisation to embrace change.
As an agency we are currently re-visiting all of our processes and modus operandi to ensure we are geared for Inbound. It takes a lot of work, effort and commitment, but the benefits are without doubt worth it.
Looking Ahead
We now call ourselves a Growth Agency, as we are capable of aligning Sales, Marketing and Customer service needs within an organisation, adopting Inbound methodologies, unifying our approach on a single platform solution, i.e. Hubspot CRM to make these process easier.
We are able to help customers grow better and as a consequence conversations with prospects and clients focus on adding value, growing their business, providing better lead generation, stronger customer acquisition, improved client engagement and competitive advantage, as indeed they should.
Inbound works for all businesses, particularly those in B2B sectors, who offer a considered service or product. Hubspot and Inbound are a dream for businesses that want to grow better.
Perhaps this is something you'd like for your business?
#growbetter #inbound #hubspot
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If you'd like to find out more about our growth strategies to help businesses grow better, adopting Inbound methodologies, get in touch.
