HubSpot Onboarding: Everything you Need to Know

There’s no doubt that HubSpot can be a game-changer for your business.

Despite fierce competition from market alternatives such as Salesforce, over 228,000 businesses in 135 countries trust HubSpot - and with good reason.

The platform includes tools and features that can greatly improve your company's operations, such as marketing and sales.

However, if the software is not properly implemented or “onboarded”, you’ll miss out on the full potential of its features.

In this article, we’ll explain what you need to know to ensure a successful HubSpot onboarding, so you can hit the ground running and drive results from the get-go.

What is HubSpot Onboarding?

The HubSpot onboarding process helps you set up and integrate HubSpot's suite of tools into your business or organisation.

Typically, this includes configuring the HubSpot CRM, marketing, sales, and service hubs to align with your goals and company workflows.

Why HubSpot onboarding can benefit your business

HubSpot is an incredible platform, with a range of features you can use to support many areas of your business.

HubSpot onboarding is designed to give you the understanding you need to use it efficiently to improve your customer engagement, marketing campaign, sales processes, and service operations.

What challenges do businesses face with HubSpot onboarding?

When onboarding to HubSpot, businesses encounter a variety of challenges before they begin using sophisticated technology, depending on their starting point, which is influenced by their current technology, size and industry.

For example, if you're from a smaller company or an industry like engineering, where CRM systems or advanced marketing tools might not have been used, the transition can be overwhelming. You might currently rely on spreadsheets or basic standalone tools, which makes the leap to HubSpot more complex.

The first challenge is often understanding what HubSpot can truly do for your business. You’ve likely had meetings with HubSpot’s sales team, where they’ve outlined the platform’s capabilities and aligned them with your business goals.

However, turning that vision into reality is where many businesses struggle. It’s not just about buying the software; it’s about understanding how to use the tools properly to solve your specific pain points and achieve the outcomes promised.

Another significant challenge is figuring out how to successfully implement HubSpot within your existing processes.

Many businesses find it difficult to create a detailed plan for onboarding and using the platform effectively. This includes knowing the steps required to get started, the resources needed, and how to integrate HubSpot’s marketing, sales, and service tools into your operations.

Without a well-defined strategy, you’re running the risk of missing out on HubSpot’s full potential, leaving you unsure of how to deliver on the goals you’ve set with the platform.

Ultimately, a common hurdle is moving from the initial excitement of purchasing HubSpot to making it work for your business in a way that drives results. You need to assess the onboarding options on the table to develop a thorough understanding of how to leverage HubSpot’s powerful suite of tools to suit your business needs.

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Avoid unnecessary challenges when setting up and using HubSpot, with expert support from Axon Garside. Download your free pricing guide today and discover the costs associated with each of our services.

What are your HubSpot Onboarding options?

When it comes to HubSpot onboarding, you’ve three main options to choose from.

Each comes with its own set of pros and cons, so it’s important to select the right path for your business based on your resources, expertise, and desired outcomes.

DIY onboarding

If you decide to complete HubSpot onboarding yourself, you take full control of the process.

However, this option can be risky, especially if you don’t have someone in-house with prior experience.

The complexity of setting up HubSpot’s marketing, sales, and service tools can be overwhelming, particularly if you're trying to maintain business operations while using the platform. Without the necessary bandwidth, you may struggle to get the job done properly.

Additionally, navigating potential pitfalls on your own can be difficult, as you might not be aware of common issues or how to overcome them.

While this HubSpot onboarding option can save on costs, it’s crucial to weigh the risks of misconfigurations or inefficiencies that may arise from a lack of experience.

Guided HubSpot Onboarding

HubSpot offers a more structured onboarding option through what’s often referred to as Guided Onboarding or Objective-Based Onboarding.

In this approach, HubSpot (or a certified partner) acts as your guide, providing you with a fixed methodology to follow.

You’ll handle most of the hands-on work, but HubSpot will serve as a project manager, offering advice during weekly checkpoints and guiding you through the necessary steps.

This method works well if your onboarding process is relatively straightforward. However, if you're migrating from an existing system or have complex processes to implement, you may find yourself stretched thin in terms of resources and expertise. While this option provides some guidance, it can be rigid, and as complexity grows, so too does the risk of hitting roadblocks.

Partner-led HubSpot onboarding

The third option is to work with a certified HubSpot partner for your onboarding.

While this is the most expensive route, it’s also the one that should deliver the best results. A partner with extensive HubSpot experience can bring expert knowledge to your project, helping you avoid common struggles and get up and running more quickly.

By choosing this option, you gain access to professionals who have done it before, know the intricacies of the platform, and can guide you to achieve speed and efficiency.

If you want to minimise risk and ensure the best possible performance, partnering with a HubSpot partner is the most reliable way to get the full value from the platform.

How Does Axon Garside’s HubSpot Onboarding Work?

While many onboarding processes focus on simply activating HubSpot’s tools and functionalities, our HubSpot onboarding is business-driven and strategic.
Rather than just showing you how to use the tools, we begin by taking a deep dive into your business objectives and processes.

Our approach aligns HubSpot with your long-term business goals, ensuring that the platform becomes an integral part of your growth strategy, rather than just another piece of software.

Strategy and roadmap process

We follow a five-stage process, but what truly sets us apart is the second stage: the Strategy and Roadmap. This is a comprehensive consulting exercise where we work closely with you to analyse your customer journey and assess what changes are needed to boost business performance.

Mapping processes

From there, we map out the necessary processes, independent of HubSpot, needed to drive these improvements.

Once we’ve agreed on the business changes, we then focus on how HubSpot can support and enhance these processes. This ensures you’re making the best possible use of HubSpot’s tools to achieve your unique business goals.

Creation of a long-term roadmap

This strategy leads to the creation of a long-term roadmap, giving you a clear vision of what your business can achieve through HubSpot. Instead of just showing you available tools, we give you a well-defined plan to optimise your use of the platform, tailored to your specific needs.

Building your HubSpot MVP

Think of our onboarding as creating a HubSpot Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for your business. We support you through data migration and process changes, while also laying the foundation for long-term success.

Our consulting-led approach ensures that HubSpot isn’t just a marketing tool but a valuable asset that’s integrated into your business strategy.

Download our Pricing

Reap the benefits of Axon Garside’s in-depth HubSpot onboarding process at your company. Download our pricing guide for a full breakdown of our service costs.

How Long Does Axon Garside’s HubSpot Onboarding Take?

At Axon Garside, the duration of your HubSpot onboarding depends on your unique business needs and goals.

While a standard HubSpot onboarding typically lasts around 12 weeks, our approach is more flexible and tailored to your business objectives.

Our onboarding process begins with a strategic phase, which usually takes around four to six weeks.

During this time, we work closely with you to define your strategy and create a detailed roadmap. This roadmap is typically broken down into three key releases, with each release taking an additional six to eight weeks to implement.

Depending on the complexity of your business and the scope of work, the entire onboarding process could take anywhere from six weeks to several months.

For example, some of our clients have completed their onboarding in six weeks, while others with more extensive requirements have taken up to six to eight months.

This flexible, phased approach ensures that your onboarding isn’t rushed and that HubSpot is fully integrated into your business processes for long-term success.

Begin your HubSpot onboarding with Axon Garside

HubSpot is a powerful platform that can transform the way your business operates, but unlocking its full potential requires a well-thought-out onboarding process.

Whether you opt for DIY, guided onboarding, or choose to partner with an expert like Axon Garside, having a clear strategy is crucial to ensuring success.

At Axon Garside, we take a business-driven approach to HubSpot onboarding, ensuring that the platform isn’t just set up to function, but is integrated seamlessly into your long-term business goals.

Our flexible, consultative process is designed to fit your unique needs, so you can maximise HubSpot’s potential and drive real results.

By partnering with us, you’re not just getting HubSpot up and running—you’re setting your business on the path to sustained growth and success.