If you have looked at the HubSpot app marketplace recently, you’ve probably noticed the expanded number of native integrations available and that it keeps growing by the day. HubSpot never sought out to be the all-in-one platform (regardless of how much it may feel like it). They set out to be the all-ON-one platform. They realized that they couldn’t check every single box. That there were always going to be other tools that we, as businesses, needed. And they embraced it. They created the app marketplace and over the last year, they’ve really invested in it.
With so many apps in the marketplace, plus an open API, the integration possibilities are endless. But, which ones are we most in love with? Which ones do we rely on? And which ones can our clients not live without? Well - I’m glad you asked.
Now, I’m going to skip some of the obvious ones like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Video powered by Vidyard, and Google Calendar because they’re so obvious. Install them. Use them. It’s a no-brainer. Instead, I’m going to talk about some of our favorite integrations that give us extra power, not just basic or obvious need fulfillment.
I love my job. I love marketing. I love finding creative ways to help clients (and my business) find new prospects, solve problems, and create value.
I HATE accounting. I hate the transactional piece of a deal. I hate sending invoices, keeping track of what has been sent, what hasn’t been paid, who is late, and making sure everything balances. It just plain sucks.
That’s why I love the Quickbooks integration. It eliminates a step for me. Once a quote is signed, I can go into the deal and create the invoice. I can set the products, the cost, the due dates, all of it. And it syncs right to Quickbooks. I am a fan - like a really, really big fan - of eliminating steps in anything that I do, especially in business and this integration helps me do that.
One note - it will not send the invoice (I REALLY wish it would). Instead it creates the invoice draft and you’ll still have to send it from Quickbooks. Either way, it helps my process and helps me make sure that I don’t forget to send out an invoice.
Data is everything, but you just can’t track everything in HubSpot. But you can in Databox. Being able to create a single dashboard (or a bunch of dashboards, whatever your preference is) to house your data from all different places all across your marketing and sales is huge. Being able to share results with clients on a simple dashboard helps us to eliminate a ton of separate reporting and it’s super flexible. We are able to show data that correlates to specific KPIs for each client instead of being stuck in rigid boxes.
This one doesn’t get a ton of press, but it’s my newest jam. I absolutely love it. So - one thing that we all wish we did more of, and could find the time to do more of, is to create a personal touch with our clients. It really does make all the difference. That’s where Handwrytten is clutch.
Handwrytten is a tool to help you send handwritten cards to anyone in the handwriting font you want. You can schedule cards to be sent, choose from a huge variety of card designs, and even upload your own designs. It helps to create a personal touch, without all the time needed to do so.
Right from a contact record in HubSpot you can design and send a handwritten note or thank you card in a matter of seconds. It’s amazing.
When it comes to database management and cleanup, Insycle is the best. Whether you just want to make your data more consistent (such as making sure that all first names are structured with a capital first letter and lower case letters afterwards) or want to manage duplicates or setup intricate steps to clean up your data, Insycle can handle it. Through the integration with HubSpot, you can pull in your data, clean it however you want, and sync it right back to HubSpot. It’s a life saver.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a beast on its own. If you’re not using it for your sales outreach, what are you actually doing? It’s an absolute game changer in giving you insight into your prospects, helping to connect with the right people, and helping you to really craft a personalized messaging strategy to engage the right people at the right time.
Through the HubSpot integration, you can supercharge that. You can send an inmail right from a contact record, see who they’re connected to that you might want to know, see which connections you have in common, and find other potential leads.
Again, HubSpot knows that they are not now, nor will they ever be, an all-in-one. Frankly, all-in-one just doesn’t exist. They also know that there are so many tools out there in so many industries that it’s nearly impossible to create a native integration for every single one. That’s where middlewares come into play. Not long ago HubSpot actually acquired PieSync and immediately integrated it into their processes and systems making it probably the strongest middleware that you can use with HubSpot. I mean there is a PieSync certification for crying out loud.
The most well known middleware is Zapier because of its ease of use, low cost (and free version), and gigantic number of platforms that it can connect with.
Whatever you do and whatever industry you’re in, at one point or another you’re probably going to need a middleware and these two are the bees knees.
One feature that I am frankly surprised that HubSpot hasn’t created themselves is the ability to send external text messages. You can send internal text messages through a workflow, but there is no native functionality to send text messages to prospects, leads, or customers. That’s where Salesmsg comes in. With their slick integration, you can utilize text messaging right in your workflows and engage your prospects, leads, and customers in a whole new way through automation.
Not everyone is a graphic designer. Not everyone has the designer eye. And not everyone wants to sit and tweak a Photoshop image for hours on end. That’s why Canva is such a great tool for marketing and sales people. You can build a beautiful image from scratch or from one of their many templates for whatever project you need in no time. And with the Canva integration, you can do it from whatever post, page, or email you’re working on! In the upload image section, you will have the option to create an image in Canva. Once you do, you’ll open up Canva, design your image, and it will be immediately and forever available in your HubSpot portal. It’s a beautiful thing.
One thing that I’ve always admired about HubSpot is that they know who they are and who they are not. There have been features and functionality that customers have screamed for and HubSpot has blatantly said no because they do not fit into who HubSpot is and who HubSpot wants to be. That doesn’t mean, however, that they won’t find a way to make it happen through an integration. There are hundreds of native integrations in the app marketplace (and thousands more if you consider middlewares) that can make your life easier, your work better, and your prospects, leads, customers, and team happier. Take a look. I’m sure you’ll find some new favorites.
If you’re looking to get more out of HubSpot, sometimes that means looking outside of HubSpot. And that’s ok. Whatever your goals, HubSpot can have some hand in it. If you want to get more out of your investment, let’s chat! Our HubSpot Audit can help you get more out of your investment, save you time, and help all of your teams be more efficient and effective!