Think back to group projects in school. Maybe, like me, you’ve been actively working to blot those from your brain. But humor me.
There was always that one person in class who was destined to be the group project MVP—they read the book, did the assignments, answered questions correctly, and were easy (and fun) to work with.
Which team would be lucky enough to have this person in their group?
A cheesy example, but when it comes to partners, we all know what we want. We want someone who will be a resource, a good fit with the team, and who knows the answers to the questions we don’t. We want to be better off with them as our partner than we would be without them.
The same is true in business. Great partners are a valuable asset.
With that in mind, HubSpot created a program of partners to help companies use their software and provide strategic direction in their marketing. But what is a HubSpot partner agency? And should you work with one?
The HubSpot Agency Partner Program is built for marketing agencies who deliver inbound marketing services like content creation, SEO, and marketing automation. Agency partners are experts in HubSpot who want to provide exceptional experience for their own clients.
HubSpot is a powerful marketing tool and can impact your potential customers at every step of their journey. But like most powerful tools, it takes some blood, sweat, and tears (figurative, hopefully) to implement it, keep up with the latest features, and see results. That’s where a HubSpot partner agency comes in.
The partner agency will come alongside you as you start with HubSpot, help you onboard, and give you strategic direction for your next inbound move. Or, if you’re already using HubSpot, an agency partner can help you determine how to get more from the tool while adding some valuable bandwidth and strategic assistance to your marketing team.
Working with a HubSpot partner agency is a bit like getting a personal trainer at the gym. You still have to put in some effort to adjust your lifestyle, lift heavy things, and get into shape, but there’s someone to encourage you, guide you, and help with the work. The result? You’re fit and ready to go!
But not every agency can say that they’re a HubSpot partner agency. So how does it work?
To become a HubSpot partner agency, a marketing agency has to prove they know their stuff. This includes going through special training on the platform, getting certifications, and demonstrating that they can help their clients get the most out of the tool. They also have to use HubSpot to power their own marketing.
Which is great news for you as a client!
This means you have an inside scoop on the best ways to use HubSpot to power your marketing. It also means you have a team you can trust to know the answers to your HubSpot questions and help you maximize your investment.
The act of physically finding a HubSpot partner agency isn’t too tricky. HubSpot has a full directory on their website. But that’s just the beginning. If you want to build a good relationship with a HubSpot agency, from your onboarding to a future relationship, we recommend doing more than picking the coolest name on the list.
Here are a few tips to help you find and choose a HubSpot partner agency to accelerate your marketing efforts.
If you’re looking for a partner who can help you implement HubSpot and strategize your next move, make sure they practice what they preach. It’s not enough to say that they believe in the importance of inbound marketing—do their website and content prove it?
A potential partner agency should care about your company and strategy, not just about getting business from you joining HubSpot.
Back to the gym example, you wouldn’t work with a personal trainer who doesn’t have a long-term vision of what you can do and strategic direction to get you there.
If a partner agency doesn’t care about the strategy behind their recommendations, you might end up with some cool pieces of marketing collateral or a lot of cool ideas, but an inconsistent experience for your customers or a net loss on your marketing investment.
This might be the most important thing to consider. Can the agency help you get where you want to go? Are they people you want to work with on a regular basis?
A HubSpot partner agency can be a powerful extension of your marketing team, helping you strategize and reach your goals. Are they an agency you want on your team? A great partner is an agency whose goals, values, and culture align with your company’s.
A good agency will want to make sure it's a good fit between your teams as well. Ask your potential agency who they like to work with and who they don’t. If you like what you hear, see what sort of discovery project they offer. This should be a short-term commitment that allows you to get a feel for what it's like to work with them, while getting some value from it, too.
Working with a HubSpot partner agency gives your company a valuable resource as you work with the HubSpot platform and build your inbound marketing efforts. At Simple Strat, we’re a HubSpot partner agency and actively use the tool to power our own marketing. So take a look! We promise we practice what we preach.