Why I Chose HubSpot: Thoughts From HubSpot’s New GM & VP of Service Hub
This past Sunday my daughter asked me “Mommy, how work?” She is two-and-a-half, and going through a phase where she has too many questions and even ...
Some of the best perspectives on HubSpot's product come from those who use it every day. In this new interview series, we profile HubSpot partners and customers, and ask their thoughts on what our product team should keep in mind while solving for them, and where the future of the industry lies.
In this installment, we chat with Resa Gooding, HubSpot Certified Trainer and Demand Generation Strategist at Cacao Media.
You're a HubSpot certified trainer and demand generation strategist at HubSpot partner agency Cacao Media, based in Tel Aviv and Nairobi. How did you first come to work with HubSpot's products?
I moved to Israel in 2007 from the Caribbean: Trinidad and Tobago to be exact. Because I did not speak Hebrew, the most logical job to pursue was in marketing, as most Israeli companies were seeking native English speakers for marketing and sales positions within their companies. While working for an advertising company as an account manager, I was exploring ways to reach more clients. I began doing some research about online marketing and came across HubSpot's blog and resources. Upon discovering HubSpot Academy, I spent a lot of time completing the certificates and placing them on my LinkedIn profile. Suddenly companies began reaching out to me asking if I could come in to help them set up their HubSpot accounts and, as they say, the rest was history.
What's the most exciting challenge you're solving with your team right now?
The most exciting challenge our team is solving right now is building templates that allow our clients to execute tasks such as lead scoring and reporting more easily. These two concepts require accessing certain logic that isn't always obvious. We are exploring different ways to make this really simple in the form of templates, or actionable guide books that will clearly explain the logic behind these two highly demanded requests.
In your opinion, what's the most important thing for HubSpot's product team to keep in mind when solving for customers today?
I'd like to say KISS (Keep It Stupid Simple). In my encounter with marketers and sales teams, many are still hesitant to adopt new platforms, especially one that runs their entire company's system. They are afraid to make mistakes so they prefer not to touch anything. Therefore, the easier things appear, the more encouraged they will be to try the system out. Thus far, HubSpot's product team has done an incredible job in the user experience of the platform but I do advise they keep the changes of the interface at a minimum, or at least longer timelines in between changes, so that users can get accustomed to where various functions sit and build the necessary confidence needed to master the platform.
What's your favorite feature within the HubSpot product?
Hmmmmmm... that's a hard question. I'd have to split my answer into two. The feature I enjoy most is Workflows because it makes the maintenance of the platform very easy. There is always something to update on contacts, or deals, or companies, and I couldn't imagine what it would be like if I had to do this manually. But the feature that gives the most value, especially after this year of COVID-19 where businesses needed to find more creative ways to reach their audience, is the Ads tool. I love seeing the look on my customers' faces when they see how many rich insights they can get out of the Ads tool in just a few clicks. Most marketing teams do not understand how to read ad reports in Google Data Studio or Facebook or LinkedIn Ads, so having all the data aggregated in one platform, as well as the ability to see the immediate ROI of their media spend, is a huge win.
What's one prediction you have about the future of marketing and demand generation?
This year, 2020, has definitely been the "Year of Reveal." I say this because it exposed all the gaps in every area of our society, personal lives, and businesses. For the first time ever, it felt as if everyone was brought down to ground zero. We were all given a level playing field and with it the opportunity to reinvent ourselves in ways we never thought of. The last two decades felt like the ultimate race of technological advancements. We've grown leaps and bounds during this time, but there were many businesses and individuals who tried to steer far from this curve. For various reasons, many did not wish to tackle the adoption of technology to their businesses and this year revealed that without taking this step, your businesses have a slim chance of surviving and no one is exempt.
Just take a look at the recent developments with Amazon Pharmacy shaking up an industry that felt they were 'too big to fail.' In one swoop because of technology, Amazon is able to slash prices and improve convenience for shoppers in a way that the pharmaceutical industry was ignoring for far too long. These are the trends I believe will continue in the near future. Businesses that have enjoyed any level of safety or comfort until now can no longer be complacent. We all must figure out how to stay agile and relevant to our consumers. The flywheel is now in full effect.