What is HubSpot?

The modern business world is moving fast. If you don’t keep up with the latest trends, you’re going to be left behind. We already know that the marketing side of business is moving rapidly. We went from Facebook to Instagram, to TikTok within 15 years, and the next big thing will also take off just as fast.

But, the latest trends in running your business more effectively, more efficiently, and more productively is not talked about enough. Customer Relationship Management (CRMs) systems have become an integral part of the modern business landscape. Don’t be fooled by the name though, CRMs are about much more than just building a solid relationship between your business and its customers. There’s a lot more that happens underneath the surface of a CRM, and this is where it truly provides incredible value.

One of the best CRMs currently available on the market is HubSpot. Founded in 2006, HubSpot is one of the most experienced CRM providers in the industry. But, that’s not what makes this CRM so popular amongst some of the biggest businesses in the world. Keep reading to find out why your business needs HubSpot

What is a CRM?

First of all, what exactly is a CRM? Customer Relationship Management systems have become so important that even the largest companies in the world including Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Apple are using them. Research has shown that nearly 75% of businesses with more than 10 employees have implemented a CRM in their business simply because of the advantage it gives them compared to their competitors.

A CRM is a system that allows businesses to track all communications with their customers. But, the simple definition of this complex system doesn’t do it justice. In order to fully understand why these systems have become so popular, you need to look further into the benefits of a CRM.

With a CRM at the centre of your business, you’ll have a full overview of what is going on within your organisation. From marketing metrics to communications with customers, and even sales forecasting, a CRM can give you a clear view of how your business is performing.

But, a CRM can also streamline your working environment by automating time-consuming tasks, integrating third-party apps, and allowing your team members to collaborate on projects across different departments and geographical locations.

Is HubSpot the Best CRM?

So, is HubSpot one of the best CRMs on the market? The answer is not as simple as you might think. Every CRM is unique, which means that they all have their own unique features, as well as benefits and drawbacks. Ultimately, this system is so integral to a business that you need to have absolute certainty over which CRM you want to use — because switching to a different CRM is incredibly challenging.

HubSpot stands out above all other CRMs because it’s completely free. Unlike other CRMs, HubSpot can be used for free — no time trials, demos, or hidden fees. The free CRM is fully functional, and it’s got enough features for small to medium-sized businesses to benefit from. Some features will be limited, but that’s where the free version of HubSpot offers further flexibility for businesses.

HubSpot’s CRM is divided into three different branches — the Sales Hub, Marketing Hub, and Service Hub. Each of these can be upgraded to a paid package independently of one another. For example, if your business needs to unlock additional features on the Marketing Hub, but the other two branches are sufficient, you can choose to pay only for one branch rather than having to pay for all three.

This flexibility helps businesses to stick within their budget, but still experience the benefits and competitive edge that a CRM brings to their organisation. Whereas with other CRMs, you need to pay for the full package, even if there are features that you don’t use.

How to Get Started with HubSpot

HubSpot might be one of the best CRMs on the market, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to integrate into your business. Any CRM can be a real challenge to integrate if it’s done properly! This is the reason why more than 70% of CRM integrations fail!

CRMs need to become the foundation of your business. That means that you need to make sure that all of your current systems work with the CRM and that all of your current data is successfully transferred across into the new CRM.

If either of these steps goes wrong, the entire CRM implementation process will fail. Once you’ve had a bad experience with the system, you’re likely to turn your back on it, which will close the door to harnessing the full potential of this powerful system in the future.

If there’s one area that you should never try to save costs on, it’s the implementation process of the CRM, even if you’re using the free version of HubSpot. Having a CRM properly implemented into your business will allow your team to thrive and make the most of this essential system.