The Complete HubSpot Onboarding Checklist to Maximize Your Investment

HubSpot offers a powerful suite of tools to streamline your Inbound Marketing, sales, and service operations. However, unlocking its full potential requires a proper HubSpot onboarding process.

This guide delves into essential steps to set up your HubSpot platform and maximize your investment.

What is HubSpot Onboarding?

HubSpot onboarding is the process of configuring your HubSpot portal to meet your specific business needs. It lays the foundation for successful B2B Inbound Marketing, sales, and service efforts within the HubSpot ecosystem.

While this onboarding process should be done at the start of Your HubSpot investment, it can also be done at a later date if you believe that your business isn’t using the HubSpot platform to it’s true potential.

It’s all about getting the biggest bang for your buck!

Benefits of HubSpot Onboarding

1. Streamlined Operations: Eliminate data silos and unify your sales, service, and Inbound Marketing efforts in a single platform.
2. Enhanced User Experience: Tailor user permissions and access levels for optimal team collaboration.
3. Improved Lead Management: Capture and track leads effectively, nurturing them through the buyer's journey.
4. Data-Driven Decisions: Gain valuable insights with insightful reporting dashboards. Learn 8 Reasons Why Data is Key to a Successful Inbound Marketing Strategy.
5. Vast Integrations: Integrate essential business tools (such as email, CRM, payments etc.) for a seamless workflow.
6. Maximize ROI: Get the most out of your HubSpot investment by utilizing all its functionalities.

HubSpot Onboarding Checklist

Standard Setup for All HubSpot Hubs

• User & Team Permissions: Define user roles and access levels to ensure data security and efficient workflows.
• Account Settings: Update account details and notification preferences.
• Tracking Code: Install the HubSpot tracking code on all your websites not hosted in HubSpot to monitor website traffic and user behaviour.
• Branding: Customize your portal CMS settings with your brand logo, colours, and fonts for a consistent brand experience.
• GDPR Compliance: Understand and implement data privacy regulations like GDPR (it's important to consult legal counsel if needed).
• App Integrations: Connect relevant apps like Slack, Stripe, or Microsoft Teams to streamline communication and processes.
• Sending Email Domain: Configure your sending email domain to enhance email deliverability and brand recognition (keep up with the new rules for 2024 from Google and Yahoo).
• Reporting Set-Up: Build custom reports to track key metrics and measure campaign performance. 

HubSpot CRM Specific Setup

• Import Contacts: Import your existing customer and prospect data into the HubSpot CRM for a centralized contact database.
• Custom Properties: Create custom fields to capture data specific to your business needs.
• Email Tracking Integration: Integrate HubSpot with your email provider (Gmail or Outlook) to track email opens, clicks, and replies.

HubSpot Marketing Hub Specific Setup

• Forms: Design and customize forms to capture leads on your website or landing pages. Update form settings and styles for a seamless user experience.
• Social Media Integration: Connect your social media accounts to HubSpot for centralized social media management.
• Contact Segmentation: Define criteria to categorize contacts as marketing or non-marketing contacts for targeted campaigns.
• Workflow setup: Set up automated email campaigns to target individuals based on specific actions that they take, helping to move them through their buyer’s journey. 

HubSpot Content Hub Specific Setup

• Website Settings: Configure your website pages, landing pages, and blog within the HubSpot CMS, or connect your existing website domain.
• Website Theme: Select a theme that aligns with your brand and user experience preferences. (Explore themes in the HubSpot Marketplace or consider options like Sprocket Rocket).
• Migrate Your Website: If you already have a website, you can migrate your existing website into HubSpot. Check out our blog on migrating a WordPress website into HubSpot - A Step-by-Step Guide for HubSpot Website Migration.
• Blog Setup: Blogs are a critical component of an effective Inbound Marketing content strategy and can easily be set up in HubSpot. If you have an existing blog it can also be migrated over to the HubSpot platform.

HubSpot Sales Hub Specific Setup:

• Meetings Tool: Configure the meetings tool to allow users to schedule and manage meetings effectively.
• Deals Pipeline: Build a customized deals pipeline to visualize deal stages and track sales progress.
• Integrate Your Calendar: Connect your Google or Outlook Calendar to track meetings through the CRM, create events and seamlessly send invites.

HubSpot Service Hub Specific Setup

• Service Pipeline: Develop a service pipeline to visualize and manage your service delivery process.
• Set up a Knowledge Base: This handy tool allows website visitors to learn more about your business through FAQs and additional support.
• Live Chat/Chatbot: Live chat allows visitors to connect with a member of your team during working hours, or an automated response outside of your standard working hours. You can also implement an automated chatbot that is set up to deliver specific pieces of information or direction.

By following these steps and customizing them to your specific needs, you'll be well on your way to unlocking the full potential of HubSpot and achieving Inbound Marketing, sales, and service success.

Not sure where to start? SummitBound's team of HubSpot experts would be more than happy to help you with the HubSpot onboarding process - and the best news? You avoid the mandatory $3,000 onboarding fee that you would have to pay with HubSpot. 

Get in touch with our team today to learn more.