As a Hubspot agency owner and a marketing service provider, we understand the importance of having a strong marketing strategy. That's why we work with companies and clients who want to implement Hubspot for their CRM, sales enablement, inbound marketing, and automation needs, among others. But, what about those clients who are looking for something more simple?
If your client is looking for a simple CMS, some basic web design, or web development, or doesn't feel they need all the bells and whistles that come with using the Hubspot platform, we can help. We've had a ton of clients like this, and we'll be bringing years of experience to provide you with simple arguments and workarounds that'll get them on board with Hubspot.
1) "Our Company Doesn't Need Something so Complex"
Hubspot is a comprehensive platform, which can be its downfall in the eyes of some clients. They may want something more simplistic and feel Hubspot is overkill for their needs. In this case, you'll need to show them that Hubspot's features can be tailored to fit their company size and scope.
The Hubspot platform is a Complex Marketing Service Provider
Your client might be right to a certain extent, and a Hubspot investment can be overwhelming. The Hubspot platform isn’t simply a marketing platform. It’s a CRM platform, that contains CMS resources, and web content management systems that can help you automate your marketing efforts. Even at that, Hubspot offers more than just website development, lead generation, and general social content marketing.
Hubspot is a Complex Solution to an Even More Complex Problem
This will convince your customers that real results don't require an entire team of digital marketers and that the Hubspot software comes equipped with everything they need to see exponential growth in conversions, boosting revenue for their business.
As a marketing service provider, we can showcase how Hubspot is also awesome for automating the creation of lead-nurturing emails and other marketing emails that generate conversions for a business. Showcase how Hubspot CRM, Hubspot CMS, and the various website development tools available are effective strategies that can be of direct aid to your client's growing business.
It may seem overwhelming, but it ultimately simplifies growing businesses and sales enablement.
2) Your Clients are Using Legacy Systems
The next reason your customers don't want HubSpot is that they're using older software.
This can be a problem because it's difficult to migrate data from old systems to new ones, or upgrade those old systems if they haven't been updated in years. It's also expensive, not just for your client but for you as well. Finding developers familiar with old software can be challenging too, which means you'll be spending more time on these projects and paying more money for them than necessary.
Agencies or Service Providers Make it Easy to Adapt
This can be a difficult one to tackle, but you might be able to convince your client by telling them support for their legacy systems has already ended, and it's only a matter of time before they're effectively forced to make a shift. It's better to make it on their own terms. Hubspot is great to switch to (as long as they have the right solutions partner) because the software is updated regularly but never all at once. They can rest assured the software will remain modern while making small changes that are easy to adapt to.
3) They're Afraid of Implementing HubSpot and it Being a Waste of Time and Money
If your clients don't understand how HubSpot works, they might think that implementing it will be a waste of time and money.
In reality, this is often not the case. Many companies have been able to grow their business by using HubSpot because they've used its automation capabilities effectively.
4) "I Just Need a Few Landing Pages, Not Total Website Development
Why not use Hubspot, then? CMS comes pre-loaded, and it's a great landing page tool for clients using the Hubspot platform. It does, however, require some technical know-how, so you'll have to convince your clients that your team has the knowledge and experience to pull off a successful strategy, whether it's just a few landing pages or an elite marketing campaign.
5) I Have a CMS Already, I Don't Need Hubspot
This one is popular amongst many of our customers, and it's another reason for not wanting to use Hubspot that you'll encounter a lot. While some clients push on this point in an attempt to get a free HubSpot account, a client might also genuinely argue that they have CMS software that's worked for them (even with minimal results to showcase), and that they'd like to stick with that platform or software.
Here it's important to show them that If they're using a content management system (CMS), such as WordPress or Drupal, that's not exactly marketing. Not even close.
A CMS is not a marketing tool. It is not going to help you get more traffic or sales. In fact, using a CMS can actually hurt your business because it doesn't offer the features and functionality that HubSpot does. Your customers probably don't care if they're on WordPress or some more advanced marketing tool, they just want great content and an easy way to contact their favorite brands online. Hubspot is great for that, and previous results of what an agency has achieved for their customers will usually convince people, so show some numbers.
6) I Don't Have Time to Implement it Properly.
Being a HubSpot user can require you to invest in marketing your business, not just the platform. This is where a lot of clients argue that time is a factor and that they resent having to invest more than they can give on such a complex marketing functionality tool, where they could have gone for something simpler.
The best way to overcome this is by making sure your customers know that everyone who touches their marketing in your agency has had access to HubSpot for years, and knows how to fully implement it.
To the client, this means that your agency understands how the platform works and can troubleshoot any issues they might have with it.
It's one thing to make these marketing claims, and it's another (more difficult) thing to fulfill them. If your marketing agency is run by a small team, you should consider hiring an in-house developer or designer (at least part-time) so that they can focus on building out content for your client's site and managing other aspects of HubSpot's features. You might also end up needing someone on staff who's willing to go above and beyond when it comes time for client training sessions if your clients want to feel involved in the process. Speaking on involvement...
7) I Can't Go All In with Hubspot...Yet.
If your customers are not ready to commit to a custom solution, here's what you should do.
Show them that you and your team of marketers are experts in Hubspot, which means you can take them through all the basics of setting up their account and getting started with the platform, but not just that.
Show them how you've built a ton of marketing solutions and can offer marketing insight that's standing rock solid on your agency's years of experience working with Hubspot. Assure your customers that they're in safe hands and that due diligence will be paid on your part to find issues with a marketing campaign, and find the most efficient ways to fix them.
8) It's Too Expensive.
Clients using the Hubspot tool may think it's just perfect. Even your potential customers may already be thinking that HubSpot is a great tool.
They might even feel like they're already missing out on a lot of great features, free tools, and resources that the platform offers, and that's fine—the product has many bright spots. From lead generation to in-depth marketing resources, it's a great tool to bring up revenue from marketing sales.
However, your clients may not totally agree with you. Depending on what country they're from or other socioeconomic factors, they may think that Hubspot is good for their business, but also feel that the price isn't worth it. These customers would then go on to search for other marketing solutions partners to help with leads. Yes, Hubspot can actually be quite expensive as a tool to generate marketing leads.
Demonstrate How the Investment Will Net Them More Money
Hubspot is an investment, but it's one that will net your clients more money in the long run.
Show them cold, hard data on how Hubspot has helped other businesses in their industry increase leads by X% and sales by Y%. This will help change their mind about whether Hubspot is worth the investment.
9) The HubSpot Interface is Confusing.
The HubSpot interface definitely has a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it's not so bad. HubSpot's interface can be confusing for some people, because it's packed with a lot of features, and some of those features are hidden behind tabs or links.
HubSpot's interface is also constantly changing, which can be confusing for users who are trying to keep up with the latest changes. If your client is having trouble understanding HubSpot's interface, you should be prepared to help them out. You can do this by providing training sessions, or by offering to help them set up their account and get started with the platform. HubSpot has a lot of great resources that can help.
Hubspot is a great tool, and while it might not be for everyone, it's your job as an agency partner, and our job as Hubspot experts to provide our customers with information pertaining to all the benefits that come with the tool.
As a solutions provider, show your customers what's right, what they stand to gain from the elite marketing automation that Hubspot offers, and more likely than not, you'll get to convince them that Hubspot CMS and other Hubspot solutions are the right tools for them.
Need your clients to know that you're an award-winning team, a great partner, or a solutions provider? Then never be shy to showcase results, as successful agencies always display what they've achieved for their clients in the past, especially in terms of marketing sales.
Solutions Partner Program
HubSpot's Solutions Partner Program is designed to help you overcome these objections and close more deals. As a HubSpot partner, you have access to exclusive resources, training, and support that will help you position HubSpot as the solution to your clients' needs.
In order to be successful in today's competitive marketplace, it's important to have a HubSpot partner that understands your business and can provide you with the resources you need to grow. If that's something you're looking for, make sure to get in touch.
