How HubSpot’s Certifications Have Changed Our Agency

A story of Zero to Gold in 6 Months

Every one of us has been there. You buy a service online or sign up to become a partner for service supplier X. And then nothing happens. You keep paying a monthly fee, sure the software is there, but… 

The HubSpot Certificate Program

Our company, Sales Communications, has been a value added reseller for less than a year now and the package of support they’ve provided both personally through channel consultants and indirectly via materials and training programs has been - I kid you not - mind blowing. 

We’ve become a Diamond-tiered partner in a fairly small, yet competitive European market (Finland) and we wouldn’t be here without our support team and HubSpot’s Certificate Program. With each certificate we’ve reached a new milestone.  

Boston Packs Some very Smart People

Starting and growing a business is tough. It’s a lot easier when you can develop the sales side and operating philosophy around empirically proven stuff that’s being produced by sharp minds in Boston. As InBound marketers we’re in a new world, tasked with teaching and spreading the news, facing a world not entirely on our side as we communicate the benefits of helping versus interruptive sales, inbound versus outbound, smart versus plain creative.

Here is a pic that shows how good we are at converting leads and practising inboud-marketing. Conversion rate is 1,72% total in 90 days period. 178 new leads! Now!!!! 

Each agency has to manage its own distinctive competences to generate genuine value add and differentiation, but being able to utilise the structured approach of the Certificate Program has enabled us to take huge steps as a business - in a shorter amount of time and quite probably with much improved quality. 

Let me clarify.  It’s easy for me to pick up on some of the main benefits for us from certificate program:

1. One step at a time we’ve evolved in mind and matter. From the basics of using the system and InBound as a methodology to the intricacies of developed workflow tactics, the certificate has pushed us forward each step of the way. 
2. There's something for everyone. Each person is critical in a small organisation and what works for me isn’t always what our designer or web developer needs. So each individual from sales rep to delight-phase content producer has his/her own areas of focus which they can take further. 
3. Hello, we’re a business. Certificates have helped us understand the opportunities and realities of the business. We’re more profitable and our sales works much more efficiently than before. Sales theory is one thing, but actually working on critical processes and pricing which we can immediately implement has got be one of the largest benefits for us folks on the business end of things.
4. Our clients love it. Not only do we help them personally but we can provide them with a really good program to train their future inbound professionals. Also, the materials that the certificate provides really add value to our client’s internal meetings etc. 
5. Benchmarking and shared best practice. Doing the certificates helps us understand where we stand in the larger picture, what our colleagues in different countries are doing and why HubSpot and its partners are leading the way in many areas.

One More Reason AGAIN to HubSpot

So there you have it. Our agency has grown from two to eight in just over a year. We’re pushing on ten soon. We reached Gold tier as a Value Added Reseller in just over six months. That’s growth - and for it to be profitable we have to know what we’re doing. 

With a good certificate program I think we’ve been taking a lot less risk and moving forward very credibly.  With each certificate we’re a stronger business and things are looking pretty cool. Maybe I’ll go do the the next certificate like now.