Do I really need Hubspot to do Effective Inbound Marketing?

Check out the video version (less than 2 minutes long) or read on if you prefer...

I have been a Hubspot user and Agency Partner since 2012.  Over the years, I’ve helped dozens of local (and not so local) businesses’ attract and covert leads into customers by using Hubspot.  One question I often get asked is, “Do I really need Hubspot to do effective Inbound Marketing?”

Hubspot has claimed several top awards for software including:  #1 spot on G2 Crowd’s list of the Best Products for Marketers in 2019. In addition, HubSpot was also named the #3 Best Product for Mid-Market, and the #9 Best Software Company overall.   

So why wouldn’t you want to work with the best software available?  When people ask, do I really need Hubspot to do effective Inbound Marketing I think they are really wondering if they can do effective inbound marketing with free tools, and you can. But when it comes to Inbound Marketing the software isn’t the most significant cost.  The human capital to develop and manage campaigns adds up far more quickly than the software cost and the wrong tool or too many platforms can cost you more in lost time. 

So, do I really need Hubspot to do effective Inbound Marketing or can I just use other tools?  Hubspot has actually built a dedicated webpage to show you how to cobble together a set of tools to do Inbound Marketing without using Hubspot.

Introducing, FrankenSpot, by Hubspot.  Hubspot’s guide on, How to Build An Inbound Marketing Platform Without Using HubSpot.  Hubspot says it best, “If you like to hack solutions together. This guide is for you.”

Hubspot has listed the various other tools you could use as well as what you’ll pay for these tools. Featured tools include:

• Website Builder Expert
• Blogger
• Medium
• Wordpress
• Unbounce
• Insta Page
• Lead Pages
• SEO Powersuite
• Moz
• SEM Rush
• Ad Roll

We get it. HubSpot is not for everyone.

HubSpot products are built with the belief that all-in-one is the best option for most businesses. All-in-one means your contacts, data, and communication channels all live in one connected system.

How to Build Your Very Own FrankenSpot

FrankenSpot outlines the three product lines that Hubspot includes: Marketing, Sales and Service.  

Check out the full web page to see the cost associated with each of these tools.  $50 here and there ads up quickly.  What this page doesn’t capture is the amazing training and support that Hubspot offers.  HubSpot Support is accessible any day of the week, so you can call them or have them call you. And the HubSpot Academy offers free, easy resources to learn inbound and the software.

The Hidden Cost of FrankenSpot

There is only one cost to building a FrankenSpot: Time. Given enough time anyone can fix any problem they run into with a FrankenSpot system. The problem is, this is one thing business owners are always running out of. Below are the most common reasons we hear from customers about where they were losing time by having several disconnected systems.

How does this compare to HubSpot?

From attracting visitors to closing customers, HubSpot brings your entire marketing, sales and service divisions together. The end result? Less hassle, more control, and an inbound growth strategy that actually works.

And then checkout the Hubspot pricing.  

You’ll see you can even get started for free.  And when you do pay for a service it comes with tons of training and amazing support. I'd love to tell you more, and share with you specifically the ROI that my clients have realized using Hubspot.

Grab some time with me.