Direct HubSpot Onboarding vs. HubSpot Partner Agency Onboarding

Looking towards HubSpot to help streamline your business processes? First of all, we think you're making an excellent choice. We love being able to have everything in one place, and the ease of use that comes along with it. 

If this is your first rodeo with a platform like this, you want to make sure of a few things before you make your purchasing decision. There are a ton of things to consider, like ease of use to guarantee adoption among employees, the support you'll need for employee onboarding, and whether or not HubSpot offers what you need to scale your business. 

I'd also recommend reading this HubSpot Implementation Case Study to see how we onboarded Phaidon International with HubSpot. 

Don't make the mistake of buying a platform that caters to the current state of your business. No matter what you choose, buy with growth in mind. 

Now, let's take a step back towards the support piece, and dive deeper into the different onboarding options available to HubSpot customers. To get rolling with HubSpot, you have a choice between directly onboarding through HubSpot, or working with a certified HubSpot Partner Agency (like us at Six & Flow)! 

Why bother with HubSpot onboarding at all? 

Well... to be honest, you don't really have a choice. It's mandatory. It's not that they don't trust you can figure everything out on your own, but if you've purchased most or all of the HubSpot product suite, things are bound to get a little dicey. 

Without learning how to use all of the features you need, you won't use the platform to its fullest potential, and this could negatively impact your ability to hit those business goals you set with this HubSpot purchase in mind.

How you adopt the software and how you initially embed it into your team(s) will set the tone for how you use it for years to come.

What to expect with HubSpot direct onboarding

Depending on the plan you purchase from HubSpot, your onboarding experience will be a little different. Across the board, you'll get paired up with an Implementation Specialist (who will stick with you for your first 90 days), advice on setting up your portal, guidance on what integrations could be a good fit for you, assistance with launching your first campaign, and ongoing support resources from their support and customer success teams. 

If you go the HubSpot direct onboarding route, be prepared to: 

• Handle most of the actual onboarding, as the Implementation Specialist is more of a consultant
• Lose bandwidth to this process, especially if you're team is smaller 
• Adjust your timeline on marketing efforts to allow for the HubSpot platform to be up to speed

What to expect with HubSpot Partner Agency onboarding 

This probably goes without saying, but every HubSpot Partner Agency is going to put a different spin on their onboarding process. That said, there are still certain bases that agencies have to cover, and because of the flexibility, you'll receive a tailored experience backed by knowledge of your industry. 

Looking to integrate your HubSpot instance with other tools? Partner agencies aren't just exclusively tied to HubSpot. Depending on where they're focussed, a HubSpot Partner Agency could be robust enough to help you get all of your tech ducks in a row. 

Initially, it's going to be more costly to onboard with a HubSpot Partner Agency, but the ability to mould to your desired experience, it's definitely worth it. We're big fans of convenience and efficiency-the more specific your HubSpot set-up is to you, the faster you can get up and running with what really matters to your business. 

As your use of the HubSpot matures, the cost of not using a partner to onboard you will start to level out. You'll likely need extra training or won't be getting the full ROI from the platform.

If you go the HubSpot Partner Agency onboarding route, be prepared to: 

• Potentially pay more for a tailored experience that deviates from HubSpot's standard offering 
• Rope in different departments (e.g. marketing, sales, and services) for better alignment on how HubSpot should be used 
• Continue conversations with an agency around collaboration for future projects 

So, which HubSpot onboarding option is for you? 

Unfortunately, we can't make this decision for you. But, we'd suggest that you ask yourself a few questions around what will help you and your team to get the most of your HubSpot suite and your onboarding experience. 

1. Am I prepared to commit 90 days to this? 
2. Do I need more than consultancy? 
3. Do I prefer to work with someone that has knowledge of my industry? 
4. Am I comfortable with paying more money for a tailored experience?