You’ve heard this scenario before: you’ve invested in HubSpot and can’t wait to start using the software to improve your marketing efforts. After working with a sales representative, you’ve gained a general understanding of the different tools available and how they can help you. But there’s one daunting question that remains: how do I get started?
You’ve been told that you’ll work with a Customer Onboarding Specialist to get one-on-one support as you start setting up your account, but what exactly does that mean? How will they help you maximize your onboarding experience?
Keep reading; we’ll show you how!
When it comes to HubSpot onboarding, the process is customized to fit the needs of the client. After all, this is your account, so you want it to be set up in the ways you need. But there are some key steps and practices that carry over from client to client.
In the past, customers unintentionally became frustrated with the onboarding process and felt like the training wasn’t necessarily aligned with their goals. Recognizing that this was a problem, HubSpot sought to revamp the process to make it more focused on the customer and, as a result, provide more clarity and improve the overall experience.
As Alison Elworthy, HubSpot’s Senior Vice President of Customer Success, said, “While we experienced growing pains in our pursuit of helping more customers faster, we did our best to provide an exceptional customer onboarding experience. But internally, we understood that a one-size-fits-all services model wouldn’t work for HubSpot’s long-term growth, and it wasn’t the right move to help our customers grow better.”
During objective-based onboarding, HubSpot solutions partners will make your priorities their priorities, allowing you to start right in on the steps that will allow you to meet your goals faster, rather than having a one-size-fits-most plan.
As we said before, you’ll be assigned a Customer Onboarding Specialist after you finish working with your sales rep. This marks the beginning of your onboarding period, which typically lasts about 90 days (though it can vary depending on your needs). One of the most important factors in a successful Hubspot onboarding process is having regular meetings. During these times, you’re able to connect with your partner agency about any pain points you might be having and get trained on new tools or resources within the software.
The first call is the kick-off call, where you and your Customer Onboarding Specialist will go over expectations for the onboarding process. During this time, you’ll also catch them up on some of the goals and priorities you discussed with your sales rep, so you’re all on the same page and create your unique game plan. This could be any combination of marketing tactics, like:
From there, you’ll meet with your specialist every seven to 10 days to check in about your progress. These meetings allow you to build your HubSpot software knowledge with tool demos and resource sharing, and let you get the hands-on experience of building out your tools yourself. Though your specialist will be there to share best practices or help you strategize, you’re the one responsible for building everything out so that you can feel comfortable and confident using the tools.
Outside of these meetings, you’ll be assigned tasks to complete to make sure your account is up to snuff and fully built out. This includes adding the tracking code to your website, participating in some HubSpot Academy training, connecting your social accounts, building out your reports dashboard, and more. You’re the main person working with your HubSpot account, so chances are you’ll be assigned the majority of these tasks, but don’t be afraid to delegate so others can start working with the software as well.
Once the onboarding process is over, you’ll be connected with either a customer success team or your customer success manager, who will be your go-to resource for any further questions you may have as you continue to explore and build out your account. If you’re working with a customer success manager, your onboarding specialist will schedule a hand-off call to catch them up on the progress you’ve made thus far.
Obviously, the work doesn’t stop at the end of the onboarding period. In fact, it’s only just begun. Along with your customer success manager or team, you can also work with a HubSpot solutions partner, like Raka. We’ll be able to provide an even more customized approach to your marketing efforts. While your specialist was a guide, a solutions partner becomes a part of your team, providing more in-depth training to ensure you’re ready to go.