HubSpot is a genuine heavyweight of CRM software. Catering to businesses large and small, it’s known for its all-in-one business software with a focus on marketing and CRM.
When it comes to inbound marketing and CRM software, Hub-Spot is the most frequently mentioned name. Founded in 2006 by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, HubSpot has grown into one of the largest CRM platforms, serving over 200,000 customers globally.
In this Hub-Spot assessment, I’m evaluating the sales, marketing, and service hubs, exploring aspects such as contact management, automation, email marketing, and lead generation features. I will delve into usability, customer support, and pricing, providing a detailed explanation of the free functionalities offered.
HubSpot’s Most Important Features
As a genuine all-in-one CRM, HubSpot offers a huge range of tools. These are some of the highlights:
- Sales CRM: It’s at the core of all HubSpot tools with in-depth, customizable contact management and deal tracking.
- Marketing Hub: Including email marketing, landing pages, websites, SEO, social media marketing, and analytics. There are AI tools for generating content.
- Service Tools: The Service Hub has live chat automation and ticketing. Automate answers to recurring questions and assign chats to team members based on rules.
- Automation: HubSpot is packed with automation options across its sales, marketing and service suites. A visual editor makes building sequences easy.
- Integrations: With 1500+ integrations, you can connect almost any tool you want.
HubSpot Review: CRM, Marketing Automation and Service Platform
HubSpot’s suite of products is referred to as the Customer Platform, consisting of six distinct Hubs: Marketing, Sales, Service, CMS, Operations, and B2B Commerce.
You have the flexibility to customize your package by combining features from different Hubs, and there’s also an option for a comprehensive plan that grants access to all six Hubs.
HubSpot CRM and Sales Automation
The HubSpot CRM serves as the central repository for all data, remaining integral to Hub-Spot’s core since its inception. The sales CRM is included for free with every account.
Within the CRM section, you’ll find a roster of your contacts, companies, deals, and customer service tickets.
The key is to consolidate all your Pipeline Data into a unified location. When identifying a potential sales opportunity with a specific contact, you initiate a deal to access comprehensive information and actively progress the deal. Deals can be manually generated within each contact record.
You can change the deal stages to reflect your own sales process. And simply drag and drop into a new stage of your sales pipeline.
Hub-Spot consolidates all pipeline information into a single location, ensuring uniform and current details for the entire sales team. The pipelines are visually represented on the Deals page through a Kanban board. You can click on a deal to supplement it with additional information, such as attachments, quotes, notes, and product details.
Generate tasks to progress deals to the subsequent stage and assign them to the appropriate team member. Within Hub-Spot, you have the capability to craft and assign emails, phone calls, and other follow-ups. Simply mark the checkbox on a deal and select ‘Create Tasks’ to streamline the process
The Hub-Spot Sales Hub seamlessly integrates with your email, whether it’s Gmail or Outlook, facilitating the sending of emails with the added convenience of pre-designed sales email templates.
For a free sales CRM, the functionality is remarkably impressive. If you’re familiar with CRM systems, the interface is intuitively structured, making the learning curve quite manageable.
The sales automation feature of Sales Hub is a significant time-saver. The already streamlined process with centralized Deals and pipelines enhances the efficiency of sales teams. Further time is saved by automating manual tasks.
You have the ability to establish rules for the automatic assignment and progression of tasks. This includes allowing someone to schedule a follow-up call based on deal updates, seamlessly integrating it with automated emails to create a personalized follow-up sequence. A notable feature is the option to A/B test different versions to determine which elicits the best responses.
Automation enables the creation of workflows that span the entire sales funnel, allowing responses to a prospect’s actions, such as clicking a link in a marketing campaign or exploring a product page, to seamlessly enroll them into a sequence.
Sales automation at this level serves as the bridge between sales and marketing. HubSpot enhances this connection by incorporating AI into the process. The prospecting tools efficiently identify the most promising leads, and Hub-Spot AI generates pertinent outreach content to optimize engagement. According to their claim, sales professionals save more than 2 hours daily by leveraging AI tools to automate these formerly manual tasks.
Analyzing data becomes challenging when spread across various tools. HubSpot’s integrated analytics, reporting, and dashboards consolidate customer data, empowering you to make informed decisions based on comprehensive insights. Notably, Marketing Hub customers leveraging reporting experience an impressive 8X increase in closed deals.
Sending Emails with HubSpot
Integral to Hub-Spot Marketing Hub is its emphasis on email marketing. To initiate email campaigns, you simply select a template, and the user-friendly drag-and-drop editor becomes accessible.
All elements within a template are categorized into content blocks, allowing for easy organization. You have the flexibility to click and drag blocks to rearrange them or incorporate new ones from the left sidebar. Layout blocks play a crucial role in determining the visual structure of your email design.
Content editing on the page proves to be highly user-friendly. Simply click within a block, and the editing menu appears on the left. I commenced by incorporating my logo, a straightforward process involving image upload and drag-and-drop. Take note of the ‘Design with Canva’ button at the bottom right, showcasing the seamless integration with Canva for graphic design within the Hub-Spot editor.
Subsequently, I aimed to include a primary image and heading. This involved placing image and text blocks into the email body.
HubSpot provides extensive support for crafting email content. Each text box features a formatting menu at the top, and highlighting text prompts a lightning icon. Clicking on this icon unveils Hub-Spot’s generative AI writing tool, capable of rephrasing, expanding, shortening, or completely rewriting the text.
Enhance email personalization by incorporating contact data through ‘tokens.’ Utilize CRM data to personalize emails extensively. With paid plans, you gain the ability to customize emails to display distinct content for different contacts, a feature referred to by Hub-Spot as ‘smart content,’ also known as dynamic content.
In total, my email took under 30 minutes to write and design. It shows how easy HubSpot’s editor is to use.
Onto sending. HubSpot’s email settings, testing and scheduling options are all at the top of the screen.
HubSpot’s AI writer proves highly valuable for generating subject line ideas, offering the same personalization options as body text. In the Settings tab, you incorporate the subject line, recognizing its significant impact on open rates.
In the Send or Schedule tab, you designate recipients and choose between immediate delivery or scheduling for a later time.
HubSpot provides two testing options. The A/B testing feature is remarkably flexible compared to many email marketing tools that limit testing to subject lines. With Hub-Spot, you have the freedom to experiment with various elements. Additionally, you can send a test email to yourself or a colleague to preview how your email appears in an inbox
Email Templates in HubSpot
These are some examples of email marketing templates in HubSpot. The designs are a good starting point and saves time. But these are still pretty basic compared to responsive email templates
HubSpot Marketing Automation
HubSpot’s Marketing Hub excels in marketing automation, offering a wide range of tasks that you can streamline, such as:
- Set up drip campaigns to send sequences of emails at fixed times.
- Trigger workflows based on subscriber actions.
- Combine emails, SMS, and push notifications in the same workflow.
- Split workflows with if/then conditions.
- Automate lead scoring and segmentation.
Hub-Spot’s visual workflow builder facilitates all these tasks, with each Hub having its own Automations tab dedicated to the creation and administration of workflows. The convenience lies in having workflows readily accessible within the platform as needed. For instance, you can establish rules to automate an email campaign directly from the email builder or set up subscription follow-up rules while in the form builder.
I appreciate the way HubSpot structures the building blocks for automation. Workflows commence with an ‘enrollment trigger,’ which can be either filter-based or action-based. The system is straightforward and easy to grasp.
Filter-based triggers hinge on attribute criteria, while action-based triggers initiate when a contact performs a specific action. The Hub-Spot platform offers numerous action triggers, each tailored to the type of automation you’re constructing. For instance, you can set triggers for emails when a contact clicks a link, explores a web page, or completes a form.
After establishing your trigger, you assemble various workflow actions. A marketing workflow allows the incorporation of six types of actions:
- Communication: Send an email, SMS or web push notification.
- Delay: Set a waiting time before the next action.
- Record management: Create or edit contact data.
- List management: Add or remove contacts to and from lists.
- Ads management: Add to or remove from an advertising list.
- Workflow conditions: Create multiple pathways with if/then conditions. Or connect to and trigger another workflow.
Mastering HubSpot automation is straightforward, especially when you have a clear goal in mind. In the free and Starter plans, you can include up to 10 actions in a single workflow. On more advanced plans, there are no limitations.
Lead Generation in HubSpot
HubSpot has a CMS for website building and content management. Creating landing pages starts with templates.
HubSpot’s web and landing page templates impressed me; the majority are designed for seamless integration, allowing you to dive right into the creation process.
The landing page builder mirrors the look and feel of the email builder, a consistency that I appreciate as it streamlines the learning curve throughout the entire platform. Additionally, you have the flexibility to incorporate videos and meeting scheduling into your landing and web pages.
The landing page template I used came equipped with a form block. Embedding a form is a simple process—just click on the form block, choose a pre-existing form from the left menu, or opt to create a new one, guiding you through the form-building steps.
HubSpot provides six types of forms, including the embedded form that seamlessly integrates into your site, e-commerce platform, or web page at your preferred location. Alternatively, you can construct a dedicated page solely featuring the form. Familiar formats like pop-ups, slide-ins, and dropdown banners are also available, providing engaging options for visitor interaction when used judiciously.
After selecting your form type, proceed to pick a form template with pre-formatted fields. In my case, I opted for a newsletter sign-up form, but there are various alternatives such as registration, e-book downloads, as well as contact and support forms.
All templates are fully customizable, utilizing the form editor built on the same interface as the email editor. Positioning data capture fields or ‘properties’ is as simple as a drag-and-drop process. HubSpot also incorporates smart forms, leveraging criteria like country, device type, source, language, membership, and lifecycle stage on landing pages and websites to display tailored forms for specific visitor segments.
Adding data consent and ReCAPTCHA to forms is a straightforward process, essential for privacy compliance and preventing spam bot submissions. The Options tab allows you to configure post-form completion actions, such as specifying the thank-you page and notifying team members—a testament to HubSpot’s CRM capabilities.
An additional lead management feature involves assigning a lifecycle stage to new contacts, categorizing them based on the nature of your relationship. This classification aids in segmentation, triggers automations, and facilitates lead tracking.
HubSpot ensures the publication of every form on a page, allowing sharing via URL or embedding it onto a webpage.
Contact Management in HubSpot
HubSpot handles segmentation with lists. Lists are groups of contacts organised by shared properties.
The decision lies between crafting static lists or active lists. Static lists remain unaltered unless manually edited, while active lists dynamically adjust as contact properties change. Utilizing automations to update contact properties provides control over segmenting and targeting contacts based on their behavior.
My discussions on HubSpot’s CRM highlight the robust contact management options, evident the moment you access a contact record.
A wealth of information is consolidated on a single screen, and here’s how it’s all structured.
- The left sidebar is where you find actions and contact properties. Actions include communication options, like sending an email or setting up a meeting. Properties are any information you know about a contact. Those shown by default include Lifecycle Stage and Lead Status.
- The main column in the centre shows activities and associations. There’s a summary of recent contact activity. And a separate tab for seeing a full history. Associations show all the other records a contact is linked with.
- The right sidebar also shows associated records. It also adds other objects like subscriptions, payments and invoices.
Most essential information is available on a single page, and a majority of the displayed content is customizable. HubSpot refers to the various record sections as cards, many of which feature a settings cog icon in the top right corner. Clicking on this icon opens up the card builder.
In the card builder, you’ll find a comprehensive list of all existing cards on the record. Clicking “Edit” unveils editing options for each card, allowing you to add or remove properties displayed in various sections.
From personal details to activity logs, HubSpot offers a total of 181 contact properties. Every contact can have web, email, advertising, and sales engagement logs, contributing to properties like lifecycle stage and lead scoring. HubSpot provides customizable lead scoring, allowing you to establish positive and negative scoring for both contacts and companies/deals independently. You have the flexibility to set the point values and use AND/OR criteria to refine your scoring system.
In essence, you have the capability to monitor relationships with each contact in meticulous detail, leveraging these insights to facilitate their conversion into paying customers.
Support Customers Live with HubSpot
As mentioned earlier, support tickets play a central role as one of the primary record types in the HubSpot CRM, equivalent to deals in the sales domain. They serve as a crucial tool for organizing and monitoring customer inquiries and assistance requests.
Within the Service Hub, you have the capability to establish ticket pipelines for efficient task management across teams. Workflows can be constructed to automate various aspects of ticket handling, including creation, delegation, and updates. Integration with multiple communication channels, such as phone, email, and live chat, is also possible.
Speaking of live chat, HubSpot allows you to create live chat widgets that can be embedded on any web page or tailored for use on Facebook Messenger.
Referred to as chatflows by HubSpot, this feature is integrated into its automation functionalities. Although it doesn’t involve the visual automation builder, the process is remarkably straightforward.
A chat ‘flow’ is all about setting how and when a chat window appears. And what people see when it does. You can assign specific widgets to certain team members. This helps direct help to the best place from different pages.
All live chat messages are recorded by HubSpot, and you can access the complete chat history within the CRM’s Inbox view.
HubSpot Integrations
While HubSpot provides an extensive range of features, for those seeking additional functionalities, it seamlessly integrates with over 1500 tools. Common integrations involve platforms like Gmail, Outlook, WordPress, Facebook, Google Ads, and Zoom.
The majority of these are categorized as ‘traditional’ integrations, facilitating one-way data transfer from external applications into HubSpot. This integration captures data generated only after the establishment of a connection between the platforms.
For a more advanced level of integration, the Operations Hub by HubSpot offers two-way, real-time data synchronization. With over 110 apps available, including Pipedrive, Brevo, Zoho CRM, ActiveCampaign, Shopify, and Mailerlite, this option enhances the depth and immediacy of data exchange between platforms.
HubSpot Pricing and Plans
HubSpot offers three pricing plans that encompass the 5 Hubs and the CRM Suite, allowing flexibility for users to tailor their own custom bundle by selecting specific tools.
For the Starter Marketing Hub, priced at $20 per month, you get features such as 1,000 marketing contacts, 5,000 emails, email marketing automation, blogging, landing pages, ads, live chat, and payments. On the Starter Sales and Service Hub, you can access 2 pipelines per account at a cost of $20 per month per user.
HubSpot Customer Support
HubSpot provides excellent support options across its services. A comprehensive online knowledge base offers user guides for all the Hubs, and when you initially sign up, on-screen tutorials guide you through the platform’s features.
Support is accessible through a chat window, allowing direct communication with the HubSpot team on paid plans. For users on the free CRM, the chat function primarily serves as a search tool within the knowledge base. Asking a question prompts a bot to direct you to relevant resources. Additionally, users on paid plans can reach out to support via phone and email.
HubSpot: Is it the CRM & Marketing Automation platform for you?
HubSpot’s popularity as a CRM is well-founded. Small businesses and start-ups can foster their growth through the free and Starter plans, while HubSpot seamlessly scales into a robust, all-in-one platform as your business expands.
Here’s the final scoring for my HubSpot Review.
Ease of Use: 4.5 / 5
Value for Money: 4.5 / 5
Editor and templates: 4 / 5
Functionalities: 5 / 5
Automation: 4.5 / 5
Customer service: 4 / 5
In my assessment, I would rate HubSpot 4.4 out of 5, acknowledging the value of its free plan and the extensive array of features it provides.
HubSpot vs. Engagebay
Engagebay bears many resemblances to HubSpot, positioning itself as a comprehensive CRM. It organizes its offerings into distinct ‘bays’ for sales, marketing, and customer support, while also presenting an all-in-one suite that amalgamates these functions. The availability of a free plan grants access to tools from all three bays. For an in-depth exploration of Engagebay’s features, pricing, pros, and cons, feel free to peruse our comprehensive Engagebay review.
Engagebay’s biggest difference is pricing. It’s more affordable than HubSpot, especially when above the cheapest tiers. But HubSpot offers much more sophisticated features. It includes a CMS, operations tools, and B2B commerce.
HubSpot vs. Salesforce
Salesforce has a reputation as one of the best CRM tools for enterprise sales teams. Its sales and forecasting tools include more advanced automation options than HubSpot. They are more customizable and the reporting tools are better to analyze business metrics.
But HubSpot serves better as an all-around CRM. Its marketing tools are superior and it offers a full website CMS. HubSpot is also easier to use and quicker to learn. It’s got a slicker, more modern interface. And it has an excellent free tier packed full of features. Salesforce has no free plan.
HubSpot vs. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign stands out as a marketing automation platform with a primary focus on email marketing. Distinguished by its highly intuitive automation builder and over 900 workflow templates, it offers greater ease of use and flexibility compared to HubSpot. Additionally, it features a CRM component for constructing and automating sales funnels.
In terms of overall features, HubSpot surpasses ActiveCampaign with its comprehensive offerings. HubSpot provides a complete set of service CRM tools, and its CMS is versatile, allowing the creation of blogs, entire websites, advertisements, and social posts. The contact management tools in HubSpot are notably more flexible and open-ended in comparison.
ActiveCampaign is more affordable. But HubSpot has a free tier packed full of features.
HubSpot vs. Pipedrive
Designed specifically for small businesses, Pipedrive is a specialized sales CRM known for its proficiency in constructing and overseeing sales pipelines. Its interface is both clean and polished, enhancing the ease of process tracking. With various views for accessing different information, Pipedrive boasts a minimal learning curve. Additionally, its pricing is notably attractive.
While Pipedrive provides paid extras for lead generation, email marketing, and web tracking, it falls short in comparison to the extensive capabilities offered by HubSpot. HubSpot stands out as a comprehensive all-in-one CRM, encompassing sales, marketing, support, CMS, and operations. Although HubSpot’s pricing structure may be slightly intricate, its free CRM serves as a valuable tool for businesses initiating their online presence.
HubSpot vs. Zoho CRM
HubSpot vs Zoho CRM is a battle of two big hitters. Both are packed with features that cover the full CRM spectrum. Zoho CRM is part of an even bigger suite of business apps. It benefits from this with things like its omnichannel communications options. It supports telephone, email, social media, live chat, web conferencing, push notifications and self-service portals. Both sales and marketing campaign options are very flexible. And you can easily automate messages on multiple channels.
Zoho CRM is more attractively priced than HubSpot. HubSpot does benefit from an excellent free tier. HubSpot also offers a superior user experience. Its interface feels modern and user-friendly compared to Zoho’s.
HubSpot vs. Freshsales
Geared towards sales and marketing teams in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Freshsales delivers sales pipelines, multichannel marketing campaigns, and effective lead generation tools. It is distinguished by its user-friendly interface and cost-effectiveness. Notably, Freshsales excels compared to HubSpot, offering advanced features such as sales and marketing automation, as well as AI-powered lead scoring, all at considerably more budget-friendly prices.
Both Freshsales and HubSpot offer free plans that are attractive to beginners. HubSpot edges the number of tools available for free. It’s also the more feature-rich CRM software overall. There’s more flexibility in how you track and log customer interactions. There are customer service, CMS and operations tools. And it scales to meet the needs of much larger teams.
