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You might often find yourself regularly switching between pieces of software/applications in order to pull data from one place to another. This can be time consuming and to put it plainly - boring. Thankfully in the digital world there are solutions for nearly everything, and in this case the solution is referred to as an integration.
HubSpot CRM is a powerful tool with numerous uses, whether it be for sales, marketing or operations purposes - it covers a lot of areas and this is why it's so popular. Due to HubSpot's high levels of use worldwide and the wide amount of purposes it can be used for, there are numerous areas that have been identified by third parties whereby they're able to extend HubSpot's functionality with an integration.
Integrations are great. They help to streamline and simplify, and can help you power your business to complete a wider range of tasks which will become crucial as you grow. There are many types of integration, some might help your business in one specific area whereas others may have a range of benefits that alter (and improve) the way your business functions.
Out-of-the-box integrations
Out-of-the-box integrations can generally be found in an integrations marketplace, such as the HubSpot App Marketplace. They're referred to as out-of-the-box because they will fit your desired piece of software with just a click of a button. Someone will have identified an area that can be improved with an integration, and then had that integration developed. People are able to do this for HubSpot due to them having an open (or sometimes called public) API.
What is an API?
API stands for application programming interface, and it is essentially an interface that software uses to give and receive information. An open API means the interface is public and shared freely on the internet, meaning third parties are able to build software that integrates to it - in the example we've been referring to, HubSpot has an open API which enables third parties to develop software the fits HubSpot.
What out-of-the-box integrations should I get first, and how much will it cost?
So now that you understand out-of-the-box integrations, your next question is probably, "what integration should I get, and how much will it cost?". We're going to list three for you in this blog, however we've made an eBook for you to download with just under 40 integrations across different areas that we think you can benefit from, just click the button below to download it!
Email integration
A good place to start would be with something your admissions team use regularly - their email. The chances are, whatever email provider you use (Gmail, Outlook..) there will be an out-of-the-box, easy to set up integration for it, and in this instance the integration is free! Granted, not all integrations are free and at times they can be quite expensive, however, evaluating the benefit-cost ratio should give you an indication of whether it's worth it - and if you're not sure, why not ask us?
Getting back to the email integration, this simple integration will enable you to reap the benefits of data collection in the CRM whilst allowing your admissions team to continue using their existing email provider software that they're used to.
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The HubSpot sprocket icon will appear in your email screen - like the above Outlook example - giving you access to track and log emails to your CRM database and send pre-saved email templates, documents, meetings links and snippets at the click of a button.
Social Media integration
So now you've integrated your email, the next integration we'd recommend is to connect up your social media. Connect all your school's social media channels into a one-stop shop for scheduling, communicating with followers and reporting on engagement. Facebook messenger conversations conveniently pull through with notifications to boost your response times and associate conversations with the prospects CRM record. Whilst social ads channels can be connected to build and analyse PPC campaigns and promoted posts.
Event integration
It is also possible to link up your event accounts - such as Eventbrite, Zoom or GoToWebinar - with a free integration from the HubSpot Market place. This will enable you to track prospects signing up to your open events, both virtual and in-person. You'll be able to set up automated communications based on a Prospect's event status - registered, attended, cancelled, no show. You'll then be able to report on the success of the event within HubSpot.
Custom integrations
Custom integrations usually come along when there is a niche need for a certain function. Often there'll be an out-of-the-box version available, but if it appears that you're need is very specific to you, you may need to go down the route of a customer integration. This would involve liaising with a developer to have a specific integration built that fits HubSpot's open API.
What custom integration might I need?
You admissions team are likely to be using some sort of school management information system (MIS) to localise assessment, attendance, and behaviour data (amongst loads more) into one system. Having this system communicate with a CRM has a wide range of benefits.
To list a few, you'll be able to:
- create personalised automated emails
- manage ads and schedule social media content
- create forms to capture data into your CRM
- manage your sales pipeline (we find this is a popular one with admissions teams!)
If you're interested in seeing how marketing and admissions teams can use HubSpot alongside existing systems - such as iSAMS and SIMS - linked here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions!
I think we'd benefit from a custom integration, how do we go about getting one?
Funny you should ask, we at HubGem are happy to talk all things custom integration with you and to see how we can help you! We have a great understanding of how schools operate (many of our team used to work in schools!) and how integrations can help, if you're interested you can book a free consultation with one of our experts.
Alternatively, if you have any in-house developers, or liaise with any developers then they should be able to help you. Although we would recommend ensuring you work with a developer that has an understanding of MIS and CRM systems to ensure a smooth-operating and well-functioning integration is developed.
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There are loads of out-of-the-box integrations that you can implement immediately to start reaping the rewards, and we've put them all into a convenient eBook for you to keep.
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