Nexa Lab Blog – It is never easy to run a managed service provider business. You are constantly juggling between different tasks, be it managing the relationship with clients or overseeing technical operations. Wouldn’t it be nice if you were able to automate some of them and save some time for strategic growth? There comes the role of HubSpot automation.

If you are looking for CRM software that will help your business boom, then HubSpot is one of your go-to options. They offer robust features. One of these is automation.

HubSpot offers a robust set of automation tools to make your business process easy and more efficient in marketing, sales, and customer service.

But how does HubSpot automation work? How do you actually implement it within your business effectively? Let’s dive in and get to know about HubSpot automation.

Can You Automate Tasks in HubSpot? How Does It Work?

The short answer is yes, you absolutely can automate tasks in HubSpot. In fact, automation is one of HubSpot’s core strengths. 

The platform offers two primary methods for automation: Workflows and Sequences.

Let’s break down each of them.

Workflows

Workflows are the backbone of HubSpot’s automation capabilities.

They allow you to create a series of actions that are triggered based on specific criteria or events.

Think of workflows as your virtual assistant, tirelessly working in the background to execute tasks based on the rules you set.

Here’s how workflows function according to HubSpot official knowledge hub:

1. You define a trigger event (e.g., a contact fills out a form on your website)
2. You set up a series of actions to follow (e.g., send a welcome email, create a task for a sales rep to follow up)
3. HubSpot automatically executes these actions when the trigger event occurs

Workflows can be simple or complex, involving multiple branches and conditions. They’re incredibly versatile and can be used across marketing, sales, and customer service functions.

For example, you could create a workflow that:

• Sends a welcome email when a new contact is created
• Assigns the contact to a specific sales rep based on their industry
• Creates a task for the sales rep to follow up within 24 hours
• Adds the contact to a nurturing email sequence if they don’t respond within a week

The possibilities are virtually endless, allowing you to automate many of the repetitive tasks that consume your team’s time.

More in Nexalab’s blog: What Is HubSpot Workflows? Examples and Integration Capability

Sequences

Sequences are a more specialised form of automation, primarily used in sales processes. They allow you to create a series of timed email follow-ups that can be personalized for each recipient.

Citing from HubSpot official documentation, here’s how sequences work:

1. You create a series of email templates
2. You set the timing for each email in the sequence
3. You enrol contacts into the sequence
4. HubSpot automatically sends the emails according to your set schedule

The beauty of sequences is that they can be paused or stopped if the contact replies or takes a desired action, ensuring your communication remains relevant and timely.

For instance, you might create a sequence for following up with leads after an initial consultation:

• Day 1: Send a thank you email with a summary of the discussion
• Day 3: Share a case study relevant to their industry
• Day 5: Offer a free network assessment
• Day 7: Request a follow-up call

If the lead responds at any point, the sequence stops, allowing your sales team to take over with personalised communication.

HubSpot Automation Examples

Let’s look at some practical examples of how you can use HubSpot automation in your MSP business:

1. Marketing Automation

One of the example usage of HubSpot Automation is for marketing.

You can do a lead nurturing strategy, event, promotion, and content distribution automation with this feature.

For lead nurturing, you can create a workflow that sends a series of educational emails to new leads based on their interests. For instance, if a lead downloads a whitepaper on cybersecurity, trigger a workflow that sends follow-up content on related topics.

This could include blog posts about common security threats, infographics on best practices for data protection, and invitations to webinars on cybersecurity trends.

Then how about event promotion?

An example of this is that you can set up a workflow to promote your upcoming webinar. This could include sending invitation emails, reminders, and follow-up messages with recording links for those who couldn’t attend.

2. Sales Automation

Another scenario of HubSpot automation is for the sales process. You can do a lead scoring strategy, following up with your prospects, and setting the deal stages update.

For lead scoring, you can implement an automated lead scoring system that assigns points based on a contact’s demographics and behaviours.

When a lead reaches a certain score, automatically notify a sales rep to reach out.

For example, you might assign points for actions like visiting your pricing page, downloading multiple resources, or engaging with your emails. This ensures your sales team focuses on the most promising leads.

It also helps you follow up with your prospects through sequences. You can create email sequences for different stages of your sales process in HubSpot automation.

For example, after an initial consultation, enrol the prospect in a sequence that provides more information about your services and addresses common objections. This could include case studies, testimonials, and detailed service descriptions, all delivered at strategic intervals.

More in Nexalab’s blog: What Is HubSpot Lead Scoring? Types, How-To, and Integration Capabilities

3. Customer Service Automation

Lastly, you can also use HubSpot Automation for the customer service process. This feature can help you with the ticketing and customer onboarding.

For ticket routing, you can create workflows that automatically assign support tickets to the appropriate team member based on the issue type or client tier.

For example, high-priority issues from top-tier clients could be automatically routed to senior technicians, while general inquiries could be directed to your first-line support team.

Then for customer onboarding, HubSpot automation can work by developing a series of automated emails to guide new clients through your onboarding process, providing them with necessary information and resources at each step.

This could include welcome messages, introductions to key team members, training materials, and requests for feedback at crucial points in the onboarding journey.

Best Practices for HubSpot Automation

While automation can significantly improve your efficiency, it’s important to implement it thoughtfully. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

1. Start Small: Begin with simple automations and gradually build more complex ones as you become comfortable with the system. This approach allows you to learn as you go and prevents overwhelming your team or your clients.
2. Personalise: Use personalisation tokens in your automated communications to make them feel more tailored to each recipient. This could include using the contact’s name, company name, or referencing specific actions they’ve taken on your website.
3. Test and Refine: Regularly review the performance of your automations and make adjustments as needed. What works today may need tweaking tomorrow. Pay attention to metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to gauge the effectiveness of your automations.
4. Don’t Over-Automate: Remember that personal touch is still important, especially in B2B relationships. Use automation to enhance, not replace, personal interactions. For high-value prospects or complex deals, make sure to include personal outreach in your processes.
5. Keep Your Data Clean: Automation is only as good as the data it’s working with. Regularly clean and update your HubSpot database. This includes removing duplicates, updating contact information, and ensuring your custom properties are being used consistently.
6. Document Your Processes: As you create automations, document them clearly. This will help with troubleshooting and allow other team members to understand and manage the automations. Consider creating a central repository of all your automations, including their purposes, triggers, and actions.
7. Use Suppression Lists: Create suppression lists to ensure contacts don’t receive irrelevant or too many automated communications. This is particularly important if you’re running multiple campaigns simultaneously.

Conclusion

HubSpot automation is a powerful tool that can transform the way you run your MSP business. Build a simple workflow or sequence around it, test it thoroughly, and then watch as it begins to save you time and improve your results. From there, you can gradually expand your use of HubSpot automation, continually refining and optimising as you go.

Investing in CRM software like HubSpot is a smart move for any business looking to improve sales, marketing, and customer service.

But to get the most out of your CRM, it needs to work with your other tools.

Nexalab’s App Integration Services can help you integrate HubSpot CRM with other essential platforms, like PSA software, for example. This means you get a complete view of your customer data, automate repetitive tasks, and personalise your customer interactions. It’s a solution that helps you get the most out of your CRM investment. Contact Nexalab today to explore how App Fusion can drive your business forward.