The Single Priority That Can Make or Break Your HubSpot Adoption

In today's fast-paced business environment, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of tasks labelled as “priorities.” How many times have you juggled five, ten, or even more "priorities"? Here's the catch: having multiple priorities dilutes focus and leads to inefficiency. In reality, you can only have one true priority—the task that is more important than anything else. This distinction is especially critical when it comes to adopting HubSpot CRM.

In this article, we’ll discuss why focusing solely on HubSpot adoption as your primary goal is crucial to closing the HubSpot Adoption Gap. We’ll explore the common pitfalls businesses face when juggling too many tasks and how making HubSpot the focal point can revolutionise your operations.

The HubSpot Adoption Gap: Where It Begins

The HubSpot Adoption Gap occurs when organisations purchase HubSpot, start onboarding, but fail to implement the system fully across the business. One of the most common reasons for this is a lack of focus.

A To-Do List of Priorities? No, Thanks!

The problem with having five, ten, or even more "priorities" is that nothing really gets done. When everything is a priority, nothing is. HubSpot onboarding and adoption require concentrated effort—especially at the beginning. If HubSpot is just another item on your to-do list, it will likely fall to the bottom, and your business will never realise the platform's full potential.

Key Point: If HubSpot adoption is not the number one priority, it’s not going to happen, and you’re left with the same outdated processes.

Why HubSpot Must Be Your Top Priority

Changing Systems is a Major Undertaking

Switching to HubSpot CRM (or any major platform) isn’t a simple task. It’s a huge transformation that requires full attention from leadership down to the employees using it daily. But here’s the thing: many businesses view HubSpot as just another tool rather than a transformation enabler. They don’t give it the priority it deserves.

When you treat HubSpot as a secondary concern, your team sees it that way too. They won't put in the hard yards to get familiar with the system, leading to low adoption rates and wasted resources.

Why Prioritisation Matters for Closing the Adoption Gap

The Adoption Gap begins to form when a business fails to prioritise HubSpot correctly. Here are some real-world signs of this problem:

1. Leadership isn't engaged: Managers delegate the responsibility to lower-tier employees or external partners, without making it their own priority.
2. Teams are too busy: Employees claim they don’t have time for onboarding because they’re swamped with "other priorities."
3. Old habits die hard: Sales, marketing, and customer service teams stick to familiar tools like spreadsheets or older CRMs, resisting the change to HubSpot.

Solution: HubSpot adoption should be treated as the priority, not a priority. Everything else needs to support that goal.

How to Make HubSpot Adoption Easier

The idea that HubSpot implementation needs to be an overwhelming, arduous task is a common misconception. With the right support, it doesn't have to be a difficult process. The key is in setup.

1. Leadership buy-in: When leadership views HubSpot as a priority, they set the tone for the rest of the organisation.
2. Structured onboarding: Rather than letting teams "figure it out," provide role-specific training that makes the transition smoother.
3. Management Control Systems (MCS): Implement an MCS to measure adoption progress and hold employees accountable for using the system.

The Payoff: Why It’s Worth Prioritising HubSpot

When done right, HubSpot adoption pulls through naturally into your daily business processes. Once everyone is on board and trained, it becomes a tool that your teams depend on, rather than an additional piece of work.

Benefits of Successful HubSpot Adoption:

• Efficiency: When HubSpot is adopted fully, workflows become automated, allowing your team to focus on strategy rather than manual tasks.
• Data centralisation: HubSpot gathers all your customer data in one place, providing a complete view that helps with decision-making.
• Collaboration: Teams can work together seamlessly using a single system for sales, marketing, and customer service.

Key Takeaway: The work to fully adopt HubSpot is commensurate with the gains you’ll see. HubSpot is not just a CRM—it's a modernisation tool that improves efficiency, communication, and customer experiences.

Why You Can’t Afford to Let the Adoption Gap Persist

When HubSpot isn't fully adopted, it becomes a wasted investment. The company continues operating as it always did—relying on outdated tools and inefficient processes. This leads to stagnation in growth, missed opportunities, and lacklustre customer experiences.

You end up getting what you’ve always gotten, which is not going to be useful for your business in the long term.

Practical Steps to Close the HubSpot Adoption Gap

1 Prioritise Onboarding

The first 90 days are critical. Make sure onboarding is not just about getting HubSpot set up but integrating it fully into the team’s workflows.

2 Focus on Training

Onboarding is only the beginning. Regular training sessions are essential to ensure the system is used effectively and evolves with your business needs.

3 Create Accountability with MCS

Establish clear goals, track them using HubSpot’s reporting features, and use an MCS to hold the team accountable for progress. This keeps adoption on track.

Conclusion: Focus on What Matters—Close the Adoption Gap

The real transformation happens when HubSpot adoption becomes your single priority. By focusing on closing the HubSpot Adoption Gap, you enable your business to modernise, become more efficient, and deliver better customer experiences.

HubSpot may not be a strategy, but it is the enabler of change that can drive your business forward. The sooner you close the adoption gap, the sooner you’ll start reaping the rewards.