When you are running a B2B (business-to-business) company, selling your products and services to other businesses, it is different compared to a B2C (business-to-customers) company. Every business is different but the goal that unites everyone is to grow revenue and build a loyal customer base. Generally, B2B startups have different tools for each department. It becomes more challenging to keep everything organised and aligned as you scale. That's where HubSpot helps B2B companies looking to grow their business.

In this article, we will talk about how HubSpot can streamline your B2B operations and drive growth.

How does HubSpot help B2B companies?

HubSpot is an all-in-one platform for B2B companies combining the efficiency of CRM (customer relationship management) software with inbound marketing. It follows RevOps philosophy which we will discuss at the end.

Traditional marketing or as often called, outbound marketing is broad. For ages, companies have been using traditional marketing, using multiple methods and platforms to market themselves. The only issue here is that this approach is not targeted, so you are pitching to anyone and everyone and wasting not only your efforts but money as well. Methods like cold calling, direct mail, and traditional advertising are often perceived as interruptive and intrusive, as they reach out to potential customers without their prior consent or expressed interest.

Curious about RevOps? Learn more about how Revenue Operations can streamline your business processes.

How does inbound marketing direct your efforts to generate leads?

Inbound marketing means attracting customers by creating valuable content and a positive experience, rather than running after them with traditional ads. With HubSpot, you can easily create blogs, optimise your website for search engines, manage social media, and nurture leads through email campaigns all from one place.

In inbound marketing, B2B companies use a targeted approach to make content that helps users at different buyer journeys. In order to talk to your business's audience you need to have an ideal customer profile. The messages and content are personalised, crisp, and to the point guiding the potential customer from the beginning to making the purchase.

Aligning your marketing strategies with the way modern B2B buyers conduct research and make purchasing decisions is crucial. By embracing inbound marketing, businesses can enhance their effectiveness, reduce costs, and foster long-term customer relationships.

How can B2B companies use HubSpot to generate more revenue?

One of the key benefits of using HubSpot for B2B companies is its ability to effectively align marketing, sales, and customer service functions, ultimately leading to increased revenue growth. HubSpot's inbound marketing tools allow companies to attract and nurture leads. It is considered to be the best CRM platform for sales and marketing. As these leads interact with the content and show interest in making a purchase, HubSpot's lead management system enables marketers to identify them as Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs).

As MQLs progress through the buying process and demonstrate a higher level of purchase intent, they can be categorised as Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs) within HubSpot's CRM. Now, the sales team can get in touch with this lead to help them make a purchase. This seamless integration between HubSpot's marketing and sales tools facilitates a smooth transition of these sales-ready leads to the sales team. 

Here, the noteworthy thing is that you did not disturb the customer with your product or sales pitch but the customer came to you. Having all the lead information and engagement history, sales representatives can effectively prioritise and engage with SQLs, ultimately increasing the chances of closing deals and generating revenue.

Maximise your sales potential with our HubSpot sales consulting services, tailored to align your marketing and sales efforts.

Overview of HubSpot tools for B2B companies

HubSpot has all the tools you need to help you out at every stage of the customer journey. When it comes to marketing, it has tools like blog creation, search engine optimisation (SEO), social media management, and email marketing to help you nurture leads. The sales team can make use of a solid CRM system for managing leads, tracking deals, automating tasks, and closing more sales. On top of that, HubSpot has customer service tools like a knowledge base, a ticket system, and feedback surveys to make sure the customers receive the best support.

Tools for marketing teams

The marketing hub from HubSpot is extremely easy to use and it helps B2B businesses connect with potential customers by assisting them in creating enticing content that speaks to their customers’ interests. It's all about inbound marketing, which focuses on drawing in people who are already into what your company has to offer.

New to HubSpot? Our HubSpot onboarding guide will help you get started with CRM quickly and efficiently.

Automated email tool

The Marketing Hub has an Automated Email feature, which lets B2B businesses send personalised emails based on specific actions or criteria met by the contacts. 

For a B2B software company, this could mean using automated emails to welcome new clients, promote events or product demos, or connect clients with partners.

Marketing analytics & reporting dashboard

The marketing analytics & reporting dashboard, gives businesses all the data they need on their marketing performance. This includes credentials like sales volumes, website traffic, and lead conversion rates. 

Want to dive deeper into your sales data? Learn how to use HubSpot's tools for effective sales data analysis.

A B2B software company could use this dashboard to change their marketing strategies, like keeping an eye on lead generation numbers or conversion rates from their website.

Need insights into your marketing efforts? Our analytics setup services can provide the data you need to drive decisions.

Lead generation

The suite also has features for Lead generation, management, and tracking. These help businesses find new customers, figure out their level of interest, and track how they engage with company content. By using these tools, companies can bring in more leads and turn them into sales opportunities.

For instance, a B2B consulting firm could use these lead tools to improve communication with their contact database. By keeping tabs on lead engagement, giving them scores, and sharing relevant content, they can increase conversion rates and boost revenue and ROI.

Content management system and blog builder

The Content Management System (CMS) is potent and makes it easy to build and maintain websites and blogs. Website Builder, lets you create dynamic and responsive websites with No-Code tools. You can customise everything from page layouts to brand elements using a simple drag-and-drop interface.

This tool is perfect for B2B companies who want to offer top-notch web development services. With its easy-to-use features, you can create professional websites that are tailor-made to each client's needs.

The CMS tools also include a Blog builder for managing and publishing blog posts. This makes it easy to write, format, and publish blog content all in one place. Content marketing firms can use the Blog builder to create SEO-friendly blogs that drive more organic traffic. 

Tools for sales teams

HubSpot's sales hub offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to assist sales teams at B2B companies in effectively managing and closing deals. The goal is to engage with the potential buyers in a meaningful manner but this is also a continuous challenge, given the ever-changing market conditions and customer behaviours.

Deal management

One of the most effective features is Deal management, which facilitates the entire sales cycle from initial lead qualification to closing. This means, the team monitors all interactions and sets out what's needed for a deal, figuring out the price, and helping sales reps close the deal. 

For manufacturers selling complex, big-ticket items in the B2B world, Deal management makes it easier to handle those hefty deals clearly and efficiently.

Avoid common pitfalls with our expert tips on HubSpot onboarding, ensuring a smooth setup for your sales team.

Sales forecasting

It looks at past data and trends to predict how well your sales might do in the future. By checking out past sales results, conversion rates, and factors in the market, Sales Forecasting gives you an idea of how much revenue you can expect. This helps B2B companies plan things like hiring salespeople, stocking up on inventory, setting aside money for marketing, and other resources based on expected sales. 

Tools for customer service teams

HubSpot's service hub is all about providing B2B companies with the tools they need to provide good customer service. 

Ticketing system

With features like the Ticketing System, businesses can track and resolve customer inquiries and support requests efficiently. This system makes sure no customer problem slips through the cracks. 

For example, an IT company could quickly address technical issues like software glitches or hardware failures reported by clients.

Net Promoter Score System

Service Hub has an NPS (Net Promoter Score) System. This allows companies to gather feedback and measure satisfaction levels with NPS surveys. These surveys can be automated to go out at specific times or after key events in the customer journey. 

For instance, a SaaS company could send out NPS surveys three months after a new customer signs up to make sure they're happy with the product and address any concerns early on. 

By using these service tools, B2B companies can offer quality support, respond to customer needs quickly, and build strong, positive relationships with their clients. As discussed earlier, let's discuss the framework that HubSpot uses to help companies run like a well-oiled machine.

How does the HubSpot RevOps framework help you build a growth engine?

Now being familiarised with HubSpot's CRM and inbound marketing tools, you know that using these, B2B companies can see some serious growth. 

For a business to keep growing and making more money, all the different teams involved in bringing in that revenue must be working together seamlessly. This is what HubSpot's RevOps framework is all about.

Imagine you have separate teams for marketing, sales, and customer support. Traditionally, these teams operated in their own silos, with little coordination or shared goals. Marketing would attract leads (potential customers), sales would try to close deals with those leads, and customer support would handle any issues after the sale.

However, HubSpot recognises that for a business to truly maximise its revenue potential, these teams need to be fully aligned and working as one cohesive unit. This is the RevOps framework.

RevOps means removing the barriers between these different revenue-generating teams. With HubSpot's tools, everyone has access to the same data, insights, and processes, from the initial lead generation stage all the way through to keeping customers happy and retained.

For example, the marketing team can use HubSpot's tools to attract leads and nurture them with valuable content. As those leads show more interest and progress through the buyer's journey, they are seamlessly handed off to the sales team within the same HubSpot platform. The sales team can then pick up right where marketing left off, with full visibility into the lead's previous interactions and preferences.

Once a sale is made, the customer service team can quickly get up to speed on that customer's history, ensuring a consistently great experience throughout their entire lifecycle.

By aligning all these revenue-generating teams on a single platform, with shared data and streamlined processes, HubSpot's RevOps framework helps businesses operate more efficiently, provide better customer experiences, and ultimately drive more revenue growth over the long term.

Ready to set up and optimise HubSpot? Our HubSpot implementation agency can help you out.