How to Choose the Right HubSpot Solutions Partner

In the past few years, HubSpot has made it very clear that they are leaning into their software and pushing all onboarding and user support to their Solutions Partner network.

What does that mean for you? You can't rely on HubSpot as an out-of-the-box solution.

Don't get me wrong, HubSpot is a robust CRM that has features, data, analytics, automation, and tools you can use across your company to deliver significant results. But it does require some setup and ongoing training. And a HubSpot Solutions Partner is where you get that support. 

Start at the HubSpot Solutions Partner Directory to Find Certified & Accredited Providers

I'm going to give you a few things to look for in a HubSpot Solutions Partner, but first, it's best to check out HubSpot's Solutions Partner directory to find a few top agencies that can help with the kind of HubSpot support you're looking for. 

When you click into the directory, here are a few ways to quickly narrow down a shortlist:

• Location — If where your HubSpot Solutions Partner is located is important to you, you can filter the list by location. (You can even select by where their physical office is.)
• Tier — HubSpot Solutions Partners achieve different tiers according to their level of support, how many clients they manage, and how well they've done supporting those clients. The tiers are:
  • Elite - the best of the best, but also the partners who work with bigger, usually Enterprise-level companies
  • Diamond - another premium tier, Diamond gives you a lot of the benefits of Elite, but many Diamond providers work with a wider range of clients. 
  • Platinum - Platinum Solutions Partners manage a smaller client base and might have fewer accreditations than Diamond or Elite partners, but are usually able to help smaller companies and specific types of support. 
  • Gold - HubSpot's first Solutions Partner tier, Gold Solutions Partners are working their way up. They may not be new to HubSpot, but they're newer to selling and supporting HubSpot than other partners. 
• Services — If you know exactly what you're looking for, you can filter the directory by the services each Solutions Partner provides. 

You can also filter the HubSpot Solutions Partner directory by language, budget, certifications, accreditations, and more! If you know what you're looking for, use those filters to find the top 3-4 closest fit options. Here's what you'll see when you click on a Solutions Partner's profile:

Once you have your shortlist, it's important to jump on a sales call with each Solutions Partner. Here's what to look for.

3 Things to Look For in the Right HubSpot Solutions Partner

When you get on that sales call, it's your time to weed out the best Solutions Partner for your company. Not every Solutions Partner is right for every business, and that's okay. As HubSpot grows, so does the Solutions Partner network, which means that whether you're looking for full-scale migration management or just a little quarterly training, there's a Solutions Partner out there to fit your company's HubSpot needs.

Here are the 3 critical items to look for when you're talking to your shortlist of HubSpot Solutions Partners:

1. Culture Fit

First and foremost, your HubSpot Solutions Partner should fit in well with your company culture. If you're a strictly professional corporate company, a very chill Solutions Partner that shows up in t-shirts and baseball caps might not be the best fit for your team. Oppositely, a HubSpot Solutions Partner that primarily works with corporate enterprise-level clients isn't likely to be the best fit for your startup.

Your HubSpot Solutions Partner (if they're good) will be working directly with your team throughout your engagement. From identifying your team's needs to holding regular training sessions with your team, this needs to be someone your team can respect and get along with.

2. Process Fit

This is the most important qualification of the three. Before you hire any HubSpot Solutions Partner, ask them what their process will be when working with you, and pay close attention to their answer.

• Does this process fit your team's needs?
• Does it seem like the process is built on discovering the solutions that best fit your team?
• Does it seem like their process will flex and adapt to suit your team?
• Does their process match how your team prefers to work?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, this is not the HubSpot Solutions Partner for you. Here's why:

HubSpot works differently for every company. It's built for flexibility, specifically so it can support your team in the ways you work best. But that only works when your HubSpot Solutions Partner sets it up for you. 

If your HubSpot Solutions Partner is trying to drop you into a plug-and-play process, you're not going to get the most out of their solutions. 

Here's what a quality HubSpot Process looks like:

• The right HubSpot Solutions Partner will first work to understand your team and how they work. They'll ask about your marketing process, your sales process, what troubles you're having in both, and how you'd ideally like to work.
  
  
• Then, based on your answers, they'll design the solutions to support your team's existing process (or the process you're trying to get to).

That's how a HubSpot Solutions Partner should work, but it's not how all of them do. There are plenty of companies out there who are happy to plop you into a standardized onboarding process, move your data over, and say goodbye. 

If that's what you're looking for, great, but if you want HubSpot to truly work for you, it's important to take a close look at how your HubSpot Solutions Partner is building a process for you. 

3. Needs Fit

Finally, you should look for a HubSpot Solutions Partner who has experience solving your specific needs. 

For example, let's say you're a B2B. You want an agency that's worked with B2B clients before. 

Or maybe you want to migrate from Salesforce over to HubSpot. You want a Solutions Partner who handles that kind of move. 

The third and final quality you want in a great HubSpot Solutions partner is experience. You want someone who's experienced in solving the needs your team has. 

Ask specific questions about the solutions you're looking for, and see if your shortlist of providers has any examples of work they've done with exactly those kinds of solutions. 

Still Looking for the Right Fit?

Finding a HubSpot Solutions Partner isn't always easy. If you're having trouble finding the right provider for you, get in touch with Evenbound. In addition to being Diamond HubSpot Solutions Partners ourselves, we're pretty well acquainted with the HubSpot network. If we're not the right fit for you, we can get you in touch with the agency that is. Let us know what you're looking for — we're here to help!