In a nutshell: What is HubSpot?
HubSpot is an all-in-one platform for sales and marketing that contributes to an improved customer experience. With the ready-to-use software, you can implement your inbound marketing strategy, improve your content and increase your reach.
Who is HubSpot suitable for?
HubSpot CRM is primarily aimed at small and medium-sized companies that want to expand their inbound marketing and are looking for an all-in-one software solution - from email marketing to leads and content management.
HubSpot is also suitable for all companies that want to improve their team collaboration with a complex marketing automation system. Thanks to the numerous collaboration functions, the CRM software enables seamless collaboration between the marketing and sales departments.
Who is the founder of HubSpot?
The founders of HubSpot are Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah. Both came up with the idea of developing a CRM platform for inbound marketing during their Master's degree.
What advantages does HubSpot offer? Why the content management software is worthwhile for companies
HubSpot offers companies a wide range of options to make their marketing more effective and time-saving. This is primarily achieved with the CRM system, the Customer Relationship Management, which clearly summarizes everything important to customer service. The HubSpot software offers the following advantages:
- Many tools: HubSpot's platform offers a wide range of functions and helpful tools for marketing, sales and distribution.
- All data in one place: HubSpot bundles your marketing, service and sales data on its user-friendly software so that your teams can keep an eye on all important information at all times.
- Marketing automation: HubSpot products enable automated processes that save you time. Marketing automation also helps you to generate more leads.
- Precise analysis of your marketing measures: Would you like to know whether your product is successful on the market? The HubSpot Service Hub creates individual reports on your KPIs to help you find out whether your marketing strategy is working.
- Free, simple and expandable: HubSpot CRM software is available free of charge and is easy to use even without IT knowledge. For an extra charge, you can unlock additional functions that offer your company even more possibilities.
Functions and tools: how the marketing software is structured
The HubSpot sales platform combines different hubs with each other. In addition to the HubSpot CRM, there are other modules that you can add to and combine as required. However, depending on the range of functions, not all modules are available free of charge.
HubSpot CRM as a basis
HubSpot's CRM system forms the basis of the platform and is primarily used to manage customer data. With this free operations software, companies can improve their interaction with customers and increase their brand awareness.
Marketing hub for advertising
With the "Marketing Hub Professional", HubSpot offers an additional module that allows you to control and manage various phases of your inbound marketing campaign. For example, you can plan, design and implement marketing campaigns.
But you can also use the Marketing Hub for search engine optimization. For example, you can integrate a blog on your website, add contact forms or draw your customers' attention to new content with email campaigns thanks to the marketing software.
But the Marketing Hub can do even more: it relieves your employees of important tasks, freeing up valuable resources. For example, the system allows marketing automation for various processes.
Whether lead generation, social media marketing or web analytics: thanks to the collected customer data, the tool is able to trigger processes automatically and can effectively adapt the scaled campaigns to your respective target group. The resulting optimized customer journey helps you to improve customer loyalty and thus contributes to your company's success.
Service Hub increases customer satisfaction
HubSpot also offers a Service Hub, which is designed to contribute to first-class customer service. You can use this tool to create tickets, answer inquiries and integrate chatbots. The Service Hub also collects all incoming customer inquiries on a central dashboard.
This CRM system also allows you to create a FAQ database for your customers. These search engine-optimized question-and-answer articles can also be found via Google search results. You can also store such a knowledge database for internal purposes, such as for standardized documentation.
HubSpot Sales Hub for the sale of products
In addition to tools for customer service, HubSpot offers aids for sales. These include the Sales Hub, which you can use to manage your sales activities.
Operations hub for automated processes
HubSpot's tools also include the Operations Hub, which improves your company's workflow. You can use this tool to adjust data records or transmit important information in real time.
CMS hub for your content marketing
The CMS Hub gives you access to a user-friendly content management system. It helps you to manage and customize your website. Use the platform to set up your websites for specific target groups. At the same time, you can also use this content management system to create an internal portal for various company branches, for example.
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Use HubSpot effectively: The best tips
HubSpot can be used as an all-in-one solution not only in the B2C sector, but also by B2B companies. The following tips will help you to generate new leads and increase your traffic.
Use HubSpot specifically for email marketing
With Hubspot, you can implement your email campaigns quickly and easily even without an IT department. You have a choice of different layouts, texts and images and can adapt each template optimally to the needs of your customers. Then use the HubSpot Marketing Hub and use HubSpot A/B tests to analyze which type of content is particularly well received by your customers.
Create simple landing pages
With the HubSpot CMS system, you can create landing pages and use them to generate leads. HubSpot even offers you a page editor as a tool that allows you to personalize the landing pages even more with individual designs and content using drag & drop. As soon as the website goes online, you can analyze its success and optimize and adapt your measures based on the results.
Improve communication with your customers
Communication is the key to customer satisfaction. That's why you should use HubSpot's all-in-one platform to stay in touch with your customers. With the "HubSpot Conversations" tool, you have effective options at your fingertips to optimize your customer service.
Thanks to the live chat function, your customers receive real-time notifications and can view the answers to their questions in a mailbox or via the app. The chatbot can also answer complex questions in real time, freeing up your employees to focus on other tasks.
Manage your products
Does your company want to launch a new product on the market? Then use the CRM software to keep track of your sales. HubSpot offers you a complete timeline that you can use to keep track of all your deals.
Planning meetings
The platform takes a lot of work off your hands by organizing meetings better. Use the tool to send appointment suggestions and automatically enter fixed meetings in your calendar. This way, you are guaranteed never to miss a meeting.
Further training with HubSpot
Does your company still have some catching up to do when it comes to marketing? You can change that with HubSpot's online learning platform. In the HubSpot Academy, beginners and professionals can acquire comprehensive know-how on all inbound marketing topics and have the opportunity to receive a certificate after successfully completing a course.
Limits of the CRM platform: What can HubSpot not do?
HubSpot may be a sophisticated inbound marketing software, but it doesn't solve all of your company's challenges. Ultimately, there are some things that the CRM system cannot do:
- With the all-in-one platform, you can't host a website, but you still need a hosting provider.
- The platform supports your company with content management, but it cannot create specific content for you.
- Furthermore, the HubSpot CRM cannot develop the entire strategy for your inbound marketing. The software is and remains a tool that you should use when your marketing and sales strategies have already been developed.
HubSpot and WordPress: How do they differ?
Alongside the HubSpot CMS Hub, WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems on the market. Both platforms offer small and large companies attractive functions.
As a CMS, WordPress is particularly suitable for small companies and freelancers such as bloggers who want to customize their websites. The free platform also scores highly with tutorials, guides and an active online community.
HubSpot, on the other hand, is a paid platform that offers advanced marketing automation and in-depth analytics to help companies manage and structure their campaigns.
What does HubSpot CRM cost? What prices you should expect
If your company would like to use the CRM system for its customer service and marketing, you should first try out the free version. If you like the functions and tools, you can book additional options.
The platform offers several versions. The starter version is available at a price of around 41 euros per month, while "HubSpot Professional" costs several hundred euros.
HubSpot offers this comprehensive version primarily for medium-sized companies and businesses that are experiencing strong growth. As a complex version for interested parties, the enterprise version combines all of the platform's functions and tools and costs around 3,000 euros per month.
Tip: Weigh up carefully whether you really need a cost-intensive all-in-one solution or whether the next higher package is sufficient for your inbound marketing. If you decide to switch, HubSpot offers a trial period.
Basic information on HubSpot and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) imposes strict requirements on companies to protect customer data. In this context, HubSpot offers a special GDPR tool with various functions:
- HubSpot tracking codes for cookie banners on your website
- Data protection and consent texts for contact forms
- GDPR-compliant subscriptions
- Unsubscribe links for e-mail newsletters
- GDPR-compliant data storage in the meeting tool
- GDPR-compliant deletion of customer data with two options: permanent deletion or non-GDPR-compliant possibility of recovery within 90 days
Conclusion: What is HubSpot?
The HubSpot software is a CRM platform that supports small and large companies alike with their inbound marketing.
The software gives you a complete overview of all your marketing and sales activities and you can even continue your education thanks to the HubSpot Academy. However, before taking out a paid subscription, think carefully about which tools your company really needs for its service.
We at Timo Specht will be happy to introduce you to the useful CRM platform in a personal meeting and show you how to use HubSpot effectively for your marketing.
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