While comprehensive, all-hands training has its merits, it can often overwhelm participants and fail to address the unique needs of different roles. To ensure successful adoption and engagement with a platform like HubSpot, a more tailored and strategic training approach is recommended. Here's how to structure it effectively:
1. Role-Based Training
- Why? Different team members use HubSpot for varying purposes. For instance, marketers focus on campaigns, while sales teams use deal pipelines. Tailoring training ensures relevance.
- How?
- Segment training sessions by role (e.g., marketing, sales, customer service, leadership).
- Focus on tools and features relevant to each group (e.g., workflows for marketing, sequences for sales, ticketing for service).
2. Phased or Incremental Training
- Why? Spacing training sessions allows users to digest and apply what they’ve learned before progressing to more advanced topics.
- How?
- Start with foundational features (e.g., navigation, CRM basics).
- Progress to advanced capabilities like automation, reporting, and integrations.
- Offer follow-up or refresher sessions after the initial training.
3. Interactive and Hands-On Practice
- Why? People learn best by doing. Hands-on sessions help reinforce learning and build confidence.
- How?
- Use live demos with real company data or sandbox environments for practice.
- Incorporate guided exercises (e.g., creating workflows, building reports).
- Allow users to troubleshoot scenarios in a safe environment.
4. Self-Paced Learning Resources
- Why? Team members have varying levels of familiarity and availability. On-demand resources let them learn at their own pace.
- How?
- Create a library of video tutorials, guides, and checklists.
- Leverage HubSpot Academy’s certification programs and resources.
- Offer internal documentation tailored to your company’s processes.
5. Role-Specific Champions and Peer Support
- Why? Champions can serve as internal experts, providing ongoing support and ensuring knowledge continuity.
- How?
- Designate "HubSpot champions" for each team to assist with questions and advocate for best practices.
- Encourage peer-led workshops or Q&A sessions to share insights and tips.
6. Focused Enablement for Managers
- Why? Managers play a critical role in driving adoption within their teams.
- How?
- Train managers on reporting and analytics tools so they can track team performance and outcomes.
- Provide them with talking points to communicate the value of HubSpot to their teams.
- Ensure management adopt a HubSpot first mindset. If management don't use HubSpot, neither will the rest of the team.
7. Gamification and Incentives
- Why? Motivation and engagement are key to adoption.
- How?
- Offer recognition or rewards for completing training milestones (e.g., HubSpot certifications).
- Host team challenges, like creating a campaign or using HubSpot tools effectively in real scenarios.
- Encourage sharing of best practices or wins with wider team. For example, success with a sales sequence? Share in the all hands meeting.
8. Continuous Learning and Feedback
- Why? HubSpot is dynamic, with frequent updates and new features. Continuous learning keeps the team current.
- How?
- Schedule regular refreshers or advanced training sessions.
- Solicit user feedback to identify gaps or areas for improvement.
- Provide update sessions when new features are released and actively monitor and test new Beta releases that might benefit your team.
9. Monitor Progress and Adoption Metrics
- Why? Measuring training impact ensures ROI and identifies areas that need improvement.
- How?
- Use HubSpot reports to track user activity (e.g., how often features are used).
- Evaluate adoption via surveys and usage patterns post-training.
10. Blend All-Hands with Role-Specific Breakouts
- Why? It balances alignment across teams with tailored role-specific depth.
- How?
- Begin with a brief all-hands session to explain the platform's overall value.
- Break into role-based sessions to dive into specifics.
By adopting this multi-faceted approach, your team can feel supported, confident, and equipped to leverage HubSpot effectively, ensuring smooth adoption and long-term success. At Growth London we take CRM training seriously as this has a major impact on whether you business successfully adopts HubSpot or not. Schedule a call if you'd like to explore our services.
