HubSpot Onboarding - What You Need To Know

With so many HubSpot onboarding guides, tutorials, and checklists, it can be overwhelming to determine the best approach. This blog cuts through the noise and gets straight to the facts, helping you decide the best way to implement HubSpot efficiently and effectively.

HubSpot Onboarding Options:

• Self-Onboarding

• HubSpot Partner Onboarding

• Freelance HubSpot Consultants

• Our Recommended Option

"It’s always cheaper to do the job right the first time." – Philip Crosby

The Self Onboarding HubSpot Option

You've signed up for HubSpot, and you're eager to get started. You have an internal team with the technical expertise to lead the setup and follow a structured list of deliverables.

HubSpot is known for its user-friendly interface, and the basic setup is relatively straightforward. There are countless HubSpot Academy training videos, documentation, and resources to guide you through the process.

However, self-onboarding presents challenges, include;

• Time constraints: Internal teams often struggle to allocate dedicated time for onboarding while managing daily responsibilities.

• Limited expertise: Even technically proficient employees may not be aware of HubSpot best practices, automation strategies, or sales enablement tools.

• Adoption challenges: Encouraging widespread team adoption can be difficult without an objective third-party expert to recognize potential roadblocks.

While self-onboarding may seem like a cost-effective option, the lack of strategic guidance and customization can lead to delays, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities.

HubSpot Partner Onboarding

HubSpot strongly recommends working with a HubSpot Certified Partner to ensure a smooth, strategic, and effective onboarding experience. However, not all HubSpot onboarding agencies are created equal. Here’s why working with a trusted HubSpot partner is the best route:

1. Expertise & Experience

• HubSpot Certified Partners are extensively trained in HubSpot’s CRM, Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub.

• They have experience with hundreds of successful onboarding projects across various industries.

• They bring valuable insights, best practices, and proven strategies to help businesses get the most out of their HubSpot investment.

2. Customized Implementation

• HubSpot agencies tailor onboarding to fit your business goals, processes, and existing tech stack.

• They provide a structured roadmap to ensure an efficient rollout and long-term success.

• A good partner helps you understand what you don’t know yet and guides you through an optimized onboarding process.

3. Efficient & Scalable Setup

• HubSpot partners know the fastest, most effective way to configure HubSpot while avoiding costly mistakes.

• Beware of agencies offering rapid onboarding—a quick setup without proper training may leave your team feeling lost.

• The best partners ensure team adoption and user engagement before moving to the next phase.

4. Comprehensive Training & Support

• HubSpot agencies provide hands-on training sessions, workshops, and tailored documentation.

• Professional trainers ensure your team is equipped to use HubSpot effectively and maximize its automation and reporting capabilities.

• Unlike self-onboarding, partners provide ongoing support to address challenges as they arise.

5. Ongoing Strategy & Consulting

• Beyond onboarding, agencies offer strategic inbound marketing, sales enablement, and automation guidance.

• Many HubSpot partners provide additional services, such as SEO optimization, content marketing, lead nurturing, and CRM automation.

• Continuous insights into new HubSpot features help businesses stay ahead of the competition.

6. Data Migration & System Integration

• Migrating from another CRM platform (Salesforce, Pipedrive, Zoho, etc.)? HubSpot agencies ensure seamless data migration and integration with your existing tech stack.

• Proper data structuring ensures clean segmentation, reporting, and automation.

7. Cost-Effective & Scalable Growth

• While onboarding through a partner requires an initial investment, it prevents costly mistakes and ensures HubSpot is used to its full potential.

• A well-structured onboarding process saves time, increases efficiency, and accelerates business growth.

Freelance HubSpot Consultants

Hiring a freelance HubSpot consultant is another option, offering flexibility and potentially lower costs. However, there are some limitations to consider:

• Varied expertise: While some freelancers are highly experienced, others may lack the depth of knowledge and resources that agencies provide. While a HubSpot Certified Agency will have other team members who specialise in the many different Hubs that they can call upon and a direct link to HubSpot Product Specialists that can save time and money, a freelance consultant may not have access to this or the bandwidth. 

• Limited availability: A single consultant may struggle to handle multiple clients, leading to potential delays in support and implementation.

• Scalability issues: A freelancer might not offer comprehensive services like integrations, data migration, or long-term strategy.

• No agency support: Unlike a HubSpot Partner Agency, a freelancer works alone, meaning there’s no team to support if they are unavailable.

Freelancers can be a great option for specific HubSpot tasks or smaller businesses with limited budgets, but for comprehensive onboarding, an agency is usually the better choice to get you to growth quicker and may be better value for money in the long run. 

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best HubSpot Onboarding Option

Selecting the right onboarding approach depends on your business size, technical expertise, resources, and long-term goals.

Best for…

✔ Small businesses/startups with limited budgets: Self-onboarding (if you have internal expertise and time) but you may require a specialist partner in the long-run see other options.

✔ Growing businesses that need strategic guidance: Certified HubSpot Partner onboarding

✔ Enterprises with complex sales and marketing automation needs: Enterprise HubSpot Onboarding with an expert partner

For a smooth, cost-effective, and results-driven HubSpot implementation, working with a HubSpot Partner Agency is the best option. With the right partner, you’ll have a fully optimized HubSpot CRM that scales with your business.

Need help choosing the right HubSpot onboarding partner? Contact us today for a free consultation on finding the best HubSpot solution for your business!