The Ultimate Marketing Migration Checklist for the HubSpot CRM

HubSpot is one of the leading inbound marketing services in the world today, capable of helping your business grow through its unique and detailed approach to creating high-quality content and building critical relationships with leads and sales. 

Moving to HubSpot means migrating your data and existing contact information from your current CRM to HubSpot. This can be a highly complicated process. Keep reading for our ultimate data and marketing migration checklist to get started in HubSpot the right way.

What is HubSpot?

HubSpot itself is a CRM platform. The HubSpot CRM comes with various functions, known as "Hubs," that can allow you to improve your website, target your leads and sales, and identify the kind of content you need to create to pull in customers.

HubSpot uses five Hubs to accomplish these goals:

• Marketing Hub: Allows you to create specific marketing tools and paid ads to attract customers.
• Sales Hub: Assists you in managing sales goals and contacting customers or leads.
• Service Hub: Gives you access to various customer service tools that allow you to connect with customers and provide customer support.
• CMS Hub: This lets you create a high-quality website that integrates with your existing marketing.
• Operations Hub: Enables you to manage and maintain your data.

HubSpot can be the perfect tool to help with inbound marketing. However, using this tool ultimately depends on whether or not you properly migrate your information and onboard correctly to the platform.

What's the Best HubSpot CRM Audit and Migration Strategy?

Working with a checklist is the best way to migrate successfully!

First, you must have internal conversations with your team about the migration. You will need total buy-in from all organization members to ensure that your team is ready to put in the effort to get the most out of the HubSpot CRM. Then, develop a step-by-step approach to this migration and assign various tasks to different team members.

Create Properties for Mapping

Mapping properties refers to the process by which you take data in one platform (your old CRM) and map it to a new platform (HubSpot). In some cases, this can be easy and relatively self-explanatory. 

In many cases, moving data sets like names and addresses will be straightforward. However, moving accounting fields or specific contact records can be more complex and require extensive attention and testing to ensure your transfers work appropriately. 

Clean and Back-up Data

During this process, you'll likely discover inaccurate data or data that is too old to be useful. Clean (or purge) this data from your system. 

Next, you'll want to back up your data. Of course, it is best practice to back up your CRM regularly, but you must do so before migrating data to a new platform. This ensures that you have a backup of your invaluable customer and marketing data in case of migration problems. 

Migrate the Data

You're ready to begin the migration once you have cleaned and purged your data. Basic data can likely move in large chunks, while you may need to move more complex data one record at a time. 

The important thing is that you start slow and use HubSpot's internal migration tools as part of HubSpot Services. Doing so can protect the integrity of your data and allow you to catch small mistakes before they become larger ones.

Conduct Testing

Ask team members to review your HubSpot CRM for information. Have them conduct normal marketing or sales tasks on the system as tests and ensure the information is correct. You can also contact a HubSpot Partner Agency like Geekly Media to help you ensure that everything is working correctly. 

Consider Delta Migration 

In some cases, your business may take advantage of a delta migration. Delta migration refers to migrating files created since the last migration started. This process can be useful if your business takes advantage of staged migrations that move files slowly. 

Keep in mind that delta migrations aren't necessary for every business. However, if you are moving files and data slowly, they can be extremely useful. 

Get Ready to Launch

Once the migration is complete, you should be ready to launch! However, there is no question that you will continue to identify errors in the migration process. 

As such, you may want to consider a soft or staged launch, meaning that you only open up your HubSpot access to selected team members, increasing access to the platform as more staff members become comfortable with the platform. You should also maintain access to your old CRM during this time, as doing so can ensure you can go back and address any errors in the migration experience. 

Consider a Partner Agency for HubSpot Services To Help You Migrate

Migrating to HubSpot can be difficult and overwhelming. However, it's also hugely important to get it right! The only way to get the most out of HubSpot services is to ensure you get this migration right. Hiring a Partner Agency like Geekly Media can ensure a successful migration into your new CRM. Reach out to learn how we can help you get started in HubSpot!

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