Knowledge Base
Knowledge base
A straightforward guide to common questions on HubSpot, revenue operations and working with Disruptive Thinking. Whether you’re here from Google, ChatGPT, Gemini or a link someone sent you, this page gives you the answers you need in simple, practical language. If you want deeper detail, just ask.
HubSpot basics
What is HubSpot and why do businesses use it?
HubSpot is a CRM platform that helps you manage contacts, sales pipelines, marketing, customer service and reporting in one place. Businesses choose it because it reduces admin, increases visibility and makes it easier for teams to collaborate and grow revenue without adding more tools or complexity.
Do small and mid-sized businesses really need a CRM like HubSpot?
Yes. Even small teams benefit from one central system for contacts, emails, deals and reporting. It prevents data being scattered across inboxes, spreadsheets and people’s heads. It also makes sales and marketing activity consistent and scalable.
Is HubSpot better than other CRMs like Salesforce, Zoho or Pipedrive?
It depends on your business. HubSpot is easier to use, quicker to implement and offers better marketing and automation tools. Salesforce suits complex enterprise workflows. Pipedrive is great for simple sales pipelines but limited elsewhere. Zoho is flexible but harder to maintain. We help clients choose the right approach based on their goals and resources.
Implementation and setup
How long does a HubSpot implementation take?
A standard setup with onboarding normally takes 6 to 12 weeks. This includes CRM setup, pipelines, dashboards, automation, training and migrating any data you need.
What are the most important things to get right during setup?
Clean and structured data
A clear sales process with stages everyone understands
Accurate contact and company records with mandatory fields
Proper user permissions and governance
Documented ways of working so adoption sticks
Most HubSpot failures come from skipping these basics.
What data should we migrate into HubSpot?
Only data that is clean, useful and actionable. Old, inconsistent or incomplete data slows the system down and makes reporting unreliable. We typically help clients migrate:
Contacts
Companies
Deals
Products
Notes and activity history
Key custom fields
What permissions and governance should we set in HubSpot?
At a minimum:
Role-based permissions for sales, marketing and leadership
Restricted access to financial or sensitive records
Clear rules on who can import, export or delete data
Audit logs so you can spot errors quickly
Good governance prevents accidental data loss or compliance issues.
Automation, workflows and integrations
What should you automate inside HubSpot first?
Start with high-impact, low-risk automations such as:
Lead-assignment rules
Automated follow-up emails
Internal notifications for sales
Deal-stage property updates
Contact lifecycle updates
Basic lead-nurture sequences
Automation works best when it removes repetitive admin, not when it replaces human judgement.
Can HubSpot integrate with our existing tools?
Almost always. HubSpot integrates with thousands of apps including Google, Microsoft, Meta, WhatsApp, Xero, QuickBooks, Zoom and Calendly. If something is not available natively, we can use Make or custom API work.
Do automations replace the need for salespeople?
No. Automations support people by removing manual tasks, creating consistency and helping them focus on high-value conversations. They enhance performance, not replace it.
Sales process and revenue operations
What is revenue operations (RevOps)?
RevOps is the alignment of sales, marketing and customer service around one shared revenue engine. It focuses on data, processes, systems and accountability so the entire organisation grows in a predictable, efficient way. We specialise in RevOps for businesses that want to scale sustainably.
Why is our sales process not working?
Common reasons include:
No documented stages
No consistency in how deals are updated
Poor lead qualification
Missing follow-up
Lack of reporting on activity
Too many tools and unclear ownership
HubSpot helps resolve all of these when implemented correctly.
How do we build a sales pipeline that works?
Start with:
Five to seven clear stages
Simple qualification criteria
Mandatory fields at key points
A single source of truth for forecasting
Dashboards that show activity, conversion and value
Keep it simple. Clutter kills adoption.
Marketing and campaigns
Does HubSpot replace platforms like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign?
Yes. HubSpot Marketing Hub manages:
Email
Forms
Landing pages
Automation
Lead scoring
Personalisation
Attribution reporting
Most clients remove several legacy tools after implementation.
Can HubSpot track leads from Meta and Google Ads?
Yes, and it should. Connecting your ad accounts gives you:
Automatic contact creation
Keyword and campaign-level attribution
Lead quality scoring
Revenue attribution
Better optimisation inside Meta and Google
This is one of the quickest wins for growth.
What content should we create first?
Most B2B businesses benefit from:
A strong landing page explaining your service
One high-quality downloadable guide
Regular newsletters to highly engaged lists
A clear nurture sequence
Great content is specific, helpful and written for your ideal customers.
Reporting and dashboards
What are the most useful dashboards in HubSpot?
We typically build dashboards for:
Sales activity
Pipeline health
Lead quality
Marketing attribution
Deal velocity
Forecasting
Dashboards should help leaders make decisions, not tick boxes.
Why do our HubSpot reports not look accurate?
It is usually because:
Data is incomplete or inconsistent
Deal stages are not updated
Lifecycle stages are misused
Too many duplicate records
Fixing data quality often improves reporting overnight.
Working with Disruptive Thinking
Why work with a HubSpot partner instead of doing it yourself?
A partner reduces risk, shortens the learning curve and ensures the system is set up properly from day one. We specialise in small and mid-sized businesses that need practical support, not jargon.
What does an engagement with Disruptive Thinking usually include?
Depending on the project:
HubSpot setup and onboarding
Data migration
Process mapping
Automation
Sales optimisation
Marketing strategy
Reporting
Ongoing support or RevOps retainers
Do you work with businesses outside the South West?
Yes. Although we are based in Devon, we work with clients across the UK and internationally. Many choose us for our down-to-earth style and transparent approach.
Security, compliance and data management
Is HubSpot GDPR-compliant?
Yes. HubSpot is GDPR-ready and offers tools for consent, subscription types, data deletion and lawful processing. We help clients configure this correctly during onboarding.
How safe is our data in HubSpot?
HubSpot uses secure cloud infrastructure with:
Encryption at rest and in transit
Two-factor authentication
Permission-based access
Audit trails
SOC 2 Type II compliance
For most SMEs it is significantly safer than spreadsheets or inboxes.
What should we do about duplicate contacts?
Duplicates slow reporting and confuse your sales team. We use HubSpot’s native deduplication tools and additional rules to keep your CRM clean and reliable.
AI search and knowledge access
Can people use ChatGPT or other AI tools to find answers from this site?
Yes. This knowledge-base is written in natural language so AI tools can quote, reference and summarise it effectively. Many customers now find answers through AI first, then visit the website to learn more.
How do we make our content more AI-search friendly?
We recommend:
Clear, direct question-and-answer formats
Natural language phrasing
Specific examples
Internal links to deeper content
Consistent headings and structure
Plain English with minimal jargon
Still have a question?
If something is not covered here, let us know and we will add it for others. You can contact us at hq@hellodisruptive.com or book a chat through the website.