Over the past decade, HubSpot has redefined marketing—where once the focus was solely creating profits, HubSpot shifted the focus to providing customers with value instead (and with great success). Recently, the company announced another big change; it’s rebranded its Agency Partner Program to better reflect the comprehensive software and services now offered.
Starting in 2020, those who meet the qualifications outlined by HubSpot will be part of the Solutions Partner Program. The update comes a decade after the initial launch of the Agency Partner Program, so obviously we’re excited to show you what’s changed since we became partners in 2012.
What’s changed?
In the past, the Agency Partner Program was designed for digital marketing agencies who provided HubSpot support to their clients. This meant designing email templates, setting up landing pages, creating workflows, and much, much more. When a client needed help, they had a dedicated, highly-trained team of HubSpot experts right there for them.
So what changed in the rebrand, if anything at all?
“…the top pain point for companies using multiple service providers is friction that’s caused by a disconnect between their business goals, the providers they hire, and the software they use. By managing their entire collection of apps, data, and solutions partners from one easy to use software suite built on an easy to navigate ecosystem, they can create better experiences for their customers.” – Ellie Flanagan, HubSpot
To put that in simpler terms, HubSpot is pivoting away from partnering solely with marketing agencies—in recent years, it’s become more and more evident that with HubSpot’s expanded product offerings, marketing agencies are no longer the only types of businesses utilizing and implementing the software. You’re apt to see service providers specializing in HubSpot’s Sales Hub, or developers whose expertise lies in implementing HubSpot’s CMS.
“HubSpot’s move is a recognition that multiple partner types are important over the buyer’s journey.” – Jay McBain in an interview with Channel Partners
This is not to say that a marketing agency in the Solutions Partner Program can’t offer a full array of HubSpot support services—here at Raka, we have experts who can teach you how to utilize the CRM database tool, manage your Marketing Hub, help you implement Sales Hub, assist with Service Hub management, and even build your business a custom website on HubSpot’s CMS. We’ve been doing it for years, and our experience has earned us our position as HubSpot Platinum Solution Partners.
How a HubSpot Solutions Partner can help your business
HubSpot’s software offerings are vast. If your business just purchased HubSpot for the first time, you’ll want a dedicated partner to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck from the outset. That’s where a Solutions Partner like Raka steps in. We can help you identify the exact tools you’ll need to use in HubSpot, help you implement and integrate the software seamlessly with your business, and provide you with ongoing support and assistance. Let’s dig into what that all looks like.
Consulting services
Perhaps your business is interested in purchasing HubSpot Marketing Hub, but you’re unsure whether to choose Starter, Professional, or Enterprise and how each could potentially help your business grow. Terms like “partitioning” and “adaptive testing” might be Greek to you, and you’re not quite sure whether it’s important to have a CMS membership or not.
This is where we’ll sit down with you and get to know your business. When we’re confident that we understand the ins and outs of your industry, your business goals, and what actions you’ll be taking using Marketing Hub, only then will we match you with your best-fit tools.
HubSpot is an investment, so you’ll want to feel confident that you’re choosing the right tools. Having one, committed partner to help with this process will make a world of difference—your business will be able to leverage all the necessary tools to absolutely crush your growth goals when you work with a HubSpot Solutions Partner.
Implementation services
Another critical step after picking your HubSpot tools is implementing them correctly. At first glance, it may appear to be an intuitive process that your business can handle internally. We don’t doubt your competence, but there is an indisputable advantage when you get some expert help. Did you know that it takes five days at a minimum to set up your HubSpot CRM? You’ll have to:
- Integrate your email
- Create filters to organize contacts
- Import your contacts
- Define deal stages
- Develop lead ads
It’s a heavy undertaking for any company to do alone. Not only does the implementation process go faster and smoother with a Solutions Partner, but we know all the best practices that are important for a successful setup the first time around. HubSpot Solutions Partners like Raka can get you up and running more quickly. We even provide onboarding at no extra cost to your business, making it the most cost-effective way to get on HubSpot.
Hands-on support
There are times for all of us when we need a little help. When it comes to HubSpot, that might mean cleaning up contacts lists, setting up custom reports, or setting up email templates for automation. We often find that many of our clients struggle with setting up HubSpot lifecycle stages that accurately represent their buyers’ journey. It can be a tricky process, so we will help you define each stage, assign those stages within HubSpot, and show you how to leverage each stage for lead nurturing.
As a Solutions Partner, we can help with all the tasks (big and small) that might come up as you dive into HubSpot.
We’re here to support your success, from the very first consultation all the way through to ongoing support and account maintenance. HubSpot Solutions Partners give our clients the freedom they need to focus on bigger-picture goals, rather than troubleshooting any issues that might arise in their sales or marketing software. When you work with a Solutions Partner, you can rest assured that we will put your business’ best interests first, and do everything we can to ensure future success with HubSpot.
