When it comes to maximising your HubSpot investment, one truth stands out: data is your best friend. But not just any data—the right metrics can make or break your success with HubSpot.
At Real Inbound, we've seen time and again that using data strategically is the key to closing the HubSpot Adoption Gap. Today, we’re diving into how to leverage key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics to drive HubSpot adoption across your organisation.
Why Metrics Matter in HubSpot Adoption
Let's face it—HubSpot is packed with features. From marketing automation and CRM tools to sales pipelines and service ticketing, there’s a lot you can do.
But here's the kicker: none of it matters if your team isn't using the platform to its full potential. This is what we call the HubSpot Adoption Gap—the space between buying HubSpot and using it effectively across the organisation.
Metrics are crucial because they provide a tangible way to track progress, identify gaps, and hold teams accountable. Without data-driven insights, it’s easy for teams to revert to old habits, resulting in inconsistent use of HubSpot and, ultimately, missed opportunities.
Using the right metrics helps you identify where your adoption gaps are and provides a roadmap for improvement. The trick is to focus on actionable data that can inform your strategy and drive user behaviour.
Strategy 1: Identify the Right Metrics for Your Team
Every team within your organisation uses HubSpot differently. Marketing, sales, and customer service each have unique KPIs that reflect their goals and day-to-day activities. Understanding which metrics to track for each department is the first step in driving adoption.
1 Marketing Metrics
Marketing teams rely on HubSpot for everything from email campaigns to social media scheduling. Here are the key metrics that matter for marketers:
Email Open and Click-Through Rates
These metrics give you a direct line to understanding your audience's engagement. For example, if your email open rates are below industry standards (typically around 15-25% for B2B), it may be time to revisit your subject lines and preview text. A low click-through rate (CTR) could indicate that the content within the email isn’t compelling enough or that your call-to-action (CTA) isn’t clear. Test different elements—subject lines, CTAs, images—to see what works best and iterate based on data.
Lead Conversion Rates
Not all leads are created equal. Track how many leads generated through marketing efforts convert into customers. Segment your leads by source (e.g., organic search, social media, paid ads) to identify which channels are driving high-quality traffic.
If your conversion rate is lower than expected, dig into the data to pinpoint where leads drop off. Are they engaging with your content but not scheduling demos? This could indicate a disconnect between your messaging and the value proposition.
Campaign ROI
Every marketing campaign should have a measurable impact. Use HubSpot's campaign tracking and analytics tools to calculate the ROI of each campaign.
For instance, if you spent £1,000 on a social media campaign that generated £5,000 in revenue, your ROI is 400%. Tracking this not only helps justify marketing spend but also informs future budgeting decisions. Focus more resources on high-performing campaigns and refine or eliminate those that underperform.
2 Sales Metrics
For sales teams, HubSpot is the heart of CRM and pipeline management. Sales adoption often hinges on the following KPIs:
Deal Stage Progression
This metric tracks how deals move through your sales pipeline. If deals are getting stuck in a particular stage (e.g., Proposal Sent), it's a red flag. Investigate potential causes—are sales reps failing to follow up in a timely manner? Is there a lack of clarity in the next steps? Use this data to coach your sales team, providing specific guidance on how to move deals forward.
Contact Engagement
Monitor how often sales reps engage with contacts using HubSpot tools like email sequences, calls, and meetings. A low engagement rate might indicate that reps aren't taking full advantage of HubSpot's features, such as automated follow-up emails. Encourage the use of HubSpot’s built-in productivity tools like task queues to ensure consistent contact engagement.
Lead Response Time
HubSpot studies have shown that responding to a lead within 5 minutes can significantly increase the likelihood of conversion. Measure how quickly sales reps follow up on new leads and set a standard for response time. Use HubSpot's automation tools to assign new leads to reps instantly, ensuring no opportunities slip through the cracks.
3 Customer Service Metrics
Customer service teams use HubSpot to manage tickets, track customer interactions, and ensure satisfaction. Key metrics for this team include:
Ticket Resolution Time
This metric measures how long it takes to resolve customer issues from the time a ticket is created. A high-resolution time could indicate bottlenecks in your support process, such as complex internal workflows or inadequate knowledge base resources. Consider implementing ticket automation workflows in HubSpot to route issues to the appropriate team members and streamline the resolution process.
Customer Satisfaction Scores
Use post-interaction surveys to gather customer feedback and calculate CSAT scores. If your CSAT scores are consistently low, it may indicate that customers aren't satisfied with the support they're receiving. Dive into survey responses to identify recurring themes—are customers complaining about long wait times, unhelpful responses, or unresolved issues?
Knowledge Base Usage
HubSpot’s knowledge base analytics show you how often customers access articles and which topics are most frequently viewed. A high usage rate indicates that customers find your knowledge base helpful, reducing the volume of direct support requests. Use this data to identify content gaps—what questions are customers asking that aren't covered in your knowledge base?
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Strategy 2: Using Data to Encourage HubSpot Adoption
Once you've identified the right metrics for each team, it's time to use that data to encourage adoption. Here’s how:
1 Set Clear Goals and Benchmarks
Metrics are only valuable if they’re used to drive progress. Set clear, measurable goals for each KPI and establish benchmarks to measure success. Use the SMART criteria—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—to set effective goals.
Marketing
Increase lead conversion rates by 15% over the next quarter. Break this down into smaller, actionable steps, such as optimising landing pages and refining lead nurturing workflows.
Sales
Reduce the average lead response time to under 10 minutes within the next month by implementing automated lead assignment and alert systems.
Customer Service
Achieve a customer satisfaction score of 90%+ for the next quarter by improving ticket resolution times and enhancing the knowledge base.
Setting goals like these creates a roadmap for your team to follow. It also establishes accountability by making it clear what success looks like. Regularly review progress against these goals and adjust strategies as needed.
2 Implement a Management Control System (MCS)
A Management Control System (MCS) is crucial for holding teams accountable for using HubSpot effectively. An MCS gathers and uses information to evaluate the performance of organisational resources, including HubSpot usage.
Performance Dashboards
Create custom dashboards in HubSpot that track key metrics for each team.
Make these dashboards accessible to team members and leadership to foster transparency and data-driven decision-making.
Regular Reviews
Schedule monthly or quarterly review meetings to go over the data. Use these sessions to celebrate wins, identify areas for improvement, and adjust strategies as needed.
For example, if the sales team consistently exceeds their lead response time goal, recognise their efforts and discuss how they can refine their approach further.
Action Plans
Develop action plans based on your findings. If data shows that marketing campaigns aren’t converting as expected, collaborate with the marketing team to tweak campaign messaging, optimise landing pages, or adjust the target audience. Use the data to guide these adjustments and track the results over time.
3 Foster a Data-Driven Culture
Data should be at the centre of your decision-making process. Encourage teams to use HubSpot's analytics tools to inform their strategies and daily actions. When employees see the impact of their efforts reflected in the metrics, they’re more likely to engage with HubSpot consistently.
Highlight Successes
Use metrics to highlight individual and team successes. For example, showcase a sales rep who consistently meets lead response time goals or a marketer whose campaigns generate high ROI. Recognising these successes publicly encourages a culture of excellence and motivates others to follow suit.
Provide Training
Regularly train your teams on how to interpret the data. Make sure they understand how their actions impact the metrics and, in turn, the business. For example, if marketers understand how lead conversion rates affect sales pipeline health, they’ll be more motivated to optimise their campaigns. Offer training sessions, webinars, or workshops to keep teams informed about the latest features and best practices within HubSpot.
Data-Driven Decision-Making
Encourage teams to base their decisions on data rather than gut feelings. For example, if the marketing team is unsure about which campaign to invest in next, have them review campaign ROI data to make an informed choice. If the sales team is deciding which leads to prioritise, guide them to use lead scoring and engagement metrics within HubSpot.
Strategy 3: Iterate and Improve Over Time
HubSpot adoption is not a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. Use the data you collect to iterate and improve over time. Adoption will improve as teams see the tangible results of their efforts and understand the value HubSpot brings to their daily workflows.
1 Conduct Regular Audits
Periodically audit your HubSpot account to ensure data integrity and alignment with your goals. Look for outdated contact properties, unused workflows, or gaps in data.
For example, if you notice that a high percentage of contacts are missing key information like phone numbers or job titles, implement mandatory fields in forms to capture this data moving forward.
2 Adjust Goals and KPIs
As your business evolves, so should your goals and KPIs. Regularly review and adjust your goals to ensure they remain relevant and challenging.
If your marketing team consistently exceeds its lead generation goal, consider setting a more ambitious target or shifting focus to improving lead quality or nurturing.
3 Keep Teams Engaged
Ongoing engagement is key to sustaining HubSpot adoption. Host regular team meetings to discuss progress, share insights, and brainstorm new ideas.
Use these meetings as an opportunity to reinforce the importance of data-driven decision-making and HubSpot's role in achieving business success.
Conclusion: Turning HubSpot into a Strategic Asset
Using data effectively is the key to closing the HubSpot Adoption Gap. By focusing on the right metrics, implementing a Management Control System (MCS), and fostering a data-driven culture, you can transform HubSpot from a tool into a strategic asset for your organisation.
Remember, adoption isn't about forcing teams to use HubSpot; it's about showing them how it can make their work easier, more efficient, and more impactful.
HubSpot adoption is a journey, not a destination. The more your team engages with data, the more they’ll see the value in using HubSpot to drive their efforts. In turn, this will help your organisation realise the full potential of its HubSpot investment, driving growth, efficiency, and success.
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