HubSpot has become increasingly popular with associations. Many are finding the HubSpot platform provides a useful complement to iMIS – one that provides additional capabilities in marketing, membership, and engagement. They like its intuitive design and scalability, as well as the clear view of the entire member journey, including demographics, engagement metrics, and content interactions that it provides.
Quite a few of our clients have chosen to partner with HighRoad, a Diamond-level HubSpot partner, to implement their system. We’ve been impressed with what we’ve seen, especially their onboarding process, so we invited HighRoad to join our Mornings with Megs program in October and interviewed them to get more details about their unique approach.
Whether you use HighRoad or a different partner, this onboarding process has been very successful with our clients, and there are some good lessons here for any association that is considering HubSpot.
HighRoad’s Onboarding Process
HighRoad only works with associations, so it’s no surprise that their onboarding process is well-thought-out to address the specific needs associations have. Their 90-day “Road to Results” program takes a two-track approach that involves both setting up HubSpot and HighRoad’s integration tool, Spark.
Discovery Phase
The process begins with an initial discovery phase, in which HighRoad works to capture the association’s goals, learning preferences, and core marketing strategies.
Track 1: HubSpot Onboarding
The first track involves setting up HubSpot, combining strategic marketing principles with tactical, feature-specific training. This includes self-paced, on-demand learning modules designed to provide the association staff who will use HubSpot with training specific to their tasks.
Executives receive an overview of HubSpot’s capabilities to help them support their teams, while marketing team members receive detailed guidance on building campaigns and using HubSpot’s CRM tools.
The training allows association staff to learn at their own pace over a month, supported by additional resources and real-time access to HighRoad’s subject matter experts.
When the foundational training is complete, the onboarding shifts to applied learning sessions, where associations develop a campaign prototype using HubSpot’s features.
HighRoad’s experts lead hands-on sessions, focusing on best practices and practical applications. Each session includes customized project templates, helping the association execute campaigns directly within their HubSpot environment.
This step-by-step, guided approach ensures association staff can confidently use the HubSpot tools to create campaigns that align with their events, mission, and goals.
Track 2: Spark Integration
The second onboarding track focuses on HighRoad’s Spark integration. This proprietary tool syncs association data from iMIS with HubSpot, making the data centrally accessible for marketing, membership, and engagement.
Unlike other integration tools, Spark is designed with a Revenue Operations (RevOps) focus, allowing marketers and program managers access to real-time data to inform strategic planning, as well as daily activities.
HighRoad’s team collaborates closely with association staff to understand their business goals and segmentation strategies, leading them through a structured process to map essential data attributes. This data architecture step is critical, as it ensures data is organized and available in HubSpot in ways that best serve the association’s needs.
Final step: Data Activation
The final phase is a data activation session, where both workstreams come together. With HubSpot and Spark fully implemented, association staff members learn how to leverage their integrated data for targeted campaigns, like membership onboarding or event registration.
By the end of this process, association staff can independently manage and execute campaigns, fully equipped with the knowledge and resources to use HubSpot and Spark in unison for maximum impact.
After Onboarding
HighRoad’s focus is on empowering association staff, aiming for client self-sufficiency rather than creating a dependency on consulting. Their training-based model ensures teams are well-equipped to manage and optimize HubSpot independently.
After the 90-day onboarding program, HighRoad offers ongoing support from strategic account managers and subject matter experts who provide strategy, execution guidance, and continuous staff training on HubSpot’s latest features.
We’ve seen HighRoad’s tailored onboarding process provide associations with a solid foundation for using HubSpot effectively and independently. With its focus on structured training, applied learning, and seamless data integration, this approach empowers staff to manage campaigns, utilize integrated data, and drive member engagement long after the onboarding is complete.
Whether you’re looking to implement HubSpot with HighRoad or another partner, a hands-on, training-centered onboarding process is the first step to ensuring long-term success.