If you're thinking about investing in HubSpot's platform for your business, you know it's an extensive, powerful solution. If your business can implement these tools effectively, you'll see an improvement in the length of your customer's sales cycles and your business growth.
However, HubSpot provides various solutions, including marketing automation, customer relationship management (CRM), lead generation, and analytics software. You may worry that your team won't know how to use them properly and quickly. It's a real concern; however, a HubSpot partner can help.
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What is HubSpot? HubSpot is an integrated marketing platform that helps companies scale their business by delivering a best-in-market customer experience. |
What Is a HubSpot Solutions Partner?
If you're familiar with HubSpot, you may be aware of its HubSpot Solutions Partner Program. It's a program offered to marketers who already use the HubSpot software and are committed to the inbound marketing approach.
Marketing agencies apply to be a partner, once HubSpot has accepted an agency into its network, it provides them with additional training, direct account management through HubSpot, and various other HubSpot tools they may need for providing better services to their clients.
Each HubSpot partner is assigned a ranking based on HubSpot's tier system. The higher a company's tier, the better its services and support team, and the more clients they have helped use HubSpot successfully.
That's why HubSpot partners exist. They help businesses like yours understand what each product does, how to best utilize it, and how to integrate it into your existing processes. This way, you can avoid buying a solution that doesn't work well with your current system.
A HubSpot partner helps you make sense of all the different features and functions within HubSpot and guides you through the process of implementing them. In addition, they provide ongoing support and training throughout the life of your contract.
Different Types of HubSpot Solutions Partners
There are many different types of marketing agencies out there. Some are full-service agencies, while others specialize in certain areas such as digital strategy, creative development, or customer experience.
If they use the HubSpot software and approach their business with an inbound mindset (i.e., using content to attract leads), then an agency can become a HubSpot Solutions Partner by applying for the partner program. So, different types of HubSpot solutions partners are available to you.
Some agencies, like Fine Media, are full-service agencies that offer everything including inbound marketing, web design, email marketing, content marketing, paid search, social media advertising, and more. Other agencies may specialize in certain areas, such as web design, inbound marketing consulting, sales support, etc.
If you're thinking about choosing a HubSpot partner, it's important to know that we're not all the same. To get started, you'll need to dig up some info and maybe even interview potential agencies to find one that fits with your goals, before making any decisions.
How are the partner tiers assigned?
HubSpot partner tiers are evaluated twice a year, meaning that each partner agency could rise or fall each time. The tiers are calculated by combining several key variables:
Monthly recurring revenue (MRR)
This is based on the revenue generated by the agency for HubSpot. They distinguish between sold revenues (how many HubSpot licenses have been sold outright) and managed revenues (the amount their clients are paying monthly for their HubSpot license).
If a HubSpot agency keeps its client base intact, without cancellations, then it's a good indication that they're doing well.
If the HubSpot Partner has access to multiple HubSpot portals, then he/she can determine how frequently each company engages with HubSpot. A portal engagement score is a good way to measure whether the software is worthwhile for the business. If 1,000 people use the software occasionally, but only 20 are actively engaged with the product, then it could be a sign that the platform isn't worth their investment.
Inbound marketing success
More successful campaigns mean a more successful agency. HubSpot hands some awards out to its partner companies based on the results they achieve for clients, but it isn't quite as simple as you might think.
The Tiers
We've briefly discussed the different types of HubSpot partners. At the time of writing, there are four partner levels. Elite, Diamond, Platinum, and Gold tiers are earned based on the above metrics. However, there are also untired 'Solution Partners' who partner with HubSpot but don’t quite meet the requirements for an official tier.
Depending on their tier level, HubSpot Partners receive different perks, benefits, and bonuses from HubSpot. Let's take a look at some key points here:
Elite
The Elite partner tier is the newest, and the most exclusive, partner level. At the moment, agencies get into this platform by managing up to $150,000 per month in revenue, so there is currently only a handful of elite members in the world.
These partners receive additional support from HubSpot, which includes a Solutions Architect to provide strategic guidance, and an experience day at the HubSpot office for their executive team. Elite partners also get access to a special session at INBOUND, HubSpot's annual conference in Boston.
Diamond
The Diamond level was introduced earlier than the Elite level, so you'll see lots of Diamond HubSpot Partners scattered around the world. At the Diamond tier, you get pretty much everything that you would get at the Elite tier, except for the additional support and fewer free tickets to INBOUND.
Diamond Partners can still take advantage of 1-1 sessions with their HubSpot Support teams, and they also get a chance to write for HubSpot’s Marketing Blog.
Platinum
Platinum HubSpot partners receive a similar level of support as the Diamond partners, but they don't receive any special blog privileges or as many tickets to INBOUND as them. For this tier, the MRR is even lower than the previous one, coming in at around $13,000.
Gold
After HubSpot retired Silver in mid-2020, gold became the lowest official tier. To earn this badge, you must achieve an MRR of at least $3,000 and receive the same level of support as the Platinum and Diamond tiers. Unfortunately, Gold Partners don't get any free tickets to INBOUND, nor do they get any HubSpot blog writing privileges.
Myths about tiers
There’s some misinformation regarding the HubSpot Partner Program, since the program can seem complicated at first glance, and each marketing firm describes them differently. Here are some things that the HubSpot partner community has heard from clients before - and the truth behind them:
The higher the tier, the higher the cost - FALSE
It's not a difficult mental leap to make – many business leaders hear 'Elite Partner' and instantly assume that the price point will go up. But this isn't always true.
Though inbound marketing can be costly for some companies, there are usually options available at different pricing tiers. You might want to check out some price quotes from various agencies before committing to a HubSpot partner. And look for an agency that will provide the best service that matches your budget.
A higher tier means the agency has more experience - mostly TRUE
We've added "mostly" because most of the time, a high-tier position means more experience working with HubSpot and inbound marketing. However, as the levels are determined by the level of revenue, theoretically a HubSpot partner could work with one large client and technically gain platinum or diamond status.
This is rare though, so you'll find that the graph of ‘amount of clients' to ‘partner tier' is a straight lineup.
Elite or Diamond HubSpot partners always provide a better service - FALSE
Here's a hard fact that lots of partners won't be happy to admit: When it comes to providing great inbound marketing or sales solutions, their HubSpot partnership status doesn't mean anything.
If you want a partner to help you execute great inbound marketing campaigns, it's far more important to look for someone who has relevant expertise, knows your business well, and has a strong understanding of how to deliver real results for your business.
You don't need to work with an Elite partner who needs to spend hours researching before writing a piece of content. Instead, you're better off with a Gold partner who has several decades of industry experience.
Picking ‘the best' partner means that I will see faster results - FALSE
Like everything else, inbound marketing is a process and can take time. You don't need to level up tiers to see faster results. There isn't a shortcut for reaching the top when it comes to inbound.
You must create valuable content, nurture your prospects, improve your sales and marketing process, and track your results if you want to succeed with an inbound campaign.
If you can find a HubSpot partner who can adapt their strategy based on the data, then you may be able to get some good results. However, it will take just as long with a Diamond HubSpot consultant as it would with a gold one.
Certifications are more important than the tier-TRUE
When it comes to choosing an agency, there aren't any real "tier" issues, but the certifications are important. To become an official HubSpot solution partner, every HubSpot agency must complete training through the HubSpot Academy. These courses can give you a good idea of what kind of services they specialize in.
If you're looking to do a website redesign project, for instance, you may want to look at HubSpot partners who have a website or growth-driven design (GDD) qualification, and know what they're doing. As with all of these tips, you should always focus on skill and experience rather than having a better HubSpot Partner tier on the case.
What Can A HubSpot Solutions Partner Do For You?
There are more than 2,500 partners listed in the HubSpot Solutions Directory, which means there are plenty of choices for you to select from. You first need to understand exactly what a HubSpot Solutions partner can do for you and just how their service can help your business.
Let's discuss that.
Here are 4 benefits of hiring a HubSpot Solutions Partner:
1. HubSpot CRM Support
This one is essential. As a HubSpot partner, your marketing agency can provide training for your team so they can get the most out of HubSpot CRM and its bundle of tools.
If you don't already have HubSpot, a partner agency will help you get set up, train your team members about the tools, and guide them through the CRM step-by-step.
If your team has already been using HubSpot, a partner agency can help you optimize it. They'll analyze your website analytics, speak to your sales and marketing teams, and implement new strategies for you to improve performance across the whole platform.
The HubSpot CRM is a powerful tool, but it requires some effort to get used to. Working with a HubSpot partner reduces the workload for both parties and provides an expert HubSpot coach who's available 24/7. If you're having trouble using a new feature or if you're trying to figure out why something isn't working properly, your support team can help you solve the issue.
2. Exceptional Inbound Marketing Service
One of the benefits of using HubSpot is its impressive collection of powerful tools. With its advanced analytics, HubSpot CRM provides tracking and reporting, email tracking, blog publishing, social media publishing, and more. With all these tools at their disposal, your HubSpot partner agency can provide you with a much better overall online presence.
Hiring a HubSpot Solutions Partner is a two-for-one deal. You benefit from the experience of an experienced digital agency — their web development support, unique inbound advertising strategies, the software they use to deliver high-quality inbound services, and their team of expert professionals.
Furthermore, you get all the additional tools and organizational capabilities that the HubSpot CRMS offers.
3. Sales Alignment Support
Working with a full-service partner means that you receive more than just a bunch of cool tools and top-notch marketing guidance. You also receive sales support, which isn’t something you usually encounter when working with most marketing agencies. Inbound marketing methodology depends on the idea that if your sales and marketing teams are aligned, then your business will grow better than if they're not.
With its vast array of sales and marketing features, the HubSpot CRMs offer a comprehensive set of sales and marketing features designed to help companies grow. The HubSpot Partner program offers partners access to both sales and marketing partner training.
It means your HubSpot partner is trained to coach both your marketing and sales teams. They'll provide tools, content offers, and training that will allow your sales teams to shorten their sales cycles and close on more qualified prospects.
4. Expert Support for the HubSpot CMS
Working with a high-quality partner like Fine Media means you get access to experienced development help for CMS. Whether you're just starting and using free software or optimizing an already-built HubSpot CMS website, you'll enjoy this feature.
A CMS is a platform that allows you to create, edit, and host websites. The best CMS is a single platform that allows you to integrate seamlessly with your CRM so that you can generate new leads from existing contacts all in one place.
The HubSpot CMS hub is a cloud-based platform for managing your website. These tools give both marketers and developers the ability to design and develop amazing websites that focus on the customer experience.
Are you ready to hire a HubSpot Solutions Partner Agency?
A HubSpot Solution Partner isn't right for every company, but it's a good choice for companies that don't have a full marketing team, want to refine their existing marketing strategy and are trying to streamline their overall business operations, from marketing to sales.
If you want to know a little bit more about if a HubSpot Solutions Partner would be right for your business, don't hesitate to contact us at Fine Media.
We're a certified HubSpot Solutions Partner, so we know everything there is to know about HubSpot. We would be happy to share more about how the partnership works.
Are you ready to hire a partner agency? We've got the experience and expertise to help your company get up and running with HubSpot and continue growing together! Don't wait any further!
