5 Best Practices For An Effortless Migration From Salesforce To Hubspot

Shaoni Das Jan 29, 2024 3:10:52 PM

Is it time for a move?

Many companies have found themselves exactly where you are now, contemplating an enormous migration project from Salesforce to HubSpot. The process isn’t without its fair share of challenges – not to mention unforeseen complications and costs when we least expect them – but the good news is, at the end of the tunnel, you’re able to set up a CRM infrastructure that operates in "minutes and hours" instead of "days and weeks."

Thankfully, there exist numerous sophisticated tools and processes to facilitate the seamless transfer of your data, automate business processes, and migrate reports without compromising any quality. Moreover, the migration process is actually a remarkable opportunity to elevate your CRM by eliminating duplicates and optimizing redundant processes. This is your moment to create a fresh slate for all your sales and marketing functions.

Here is a step-by-step guide designed to help you smoothly migrate all your data and assets from Salesforce to HubSpot.

STRATEGY

The initial stage of the Salesforce to HubSpot migration involves laying the groundwork to precisely define the components and goals of the transition. Companies that bypass the architecture and strategy phase, jumping straight into data migration, miss out on all the necessary guidance and benchmarks crucial, resulting in tons of uncertainty about what success even looks like in this scenario.

In the first phase of transitioning from Salesforce to HubSpot, it is essential to involve key stakeholders in your CRM program, ensuring representation from almost every team in the business. Following this, a comprehensive CRM and CX blueprint should be developed, covering various aspects such as customer acquisition, conversion strategies, and post-sale customer service.

This phase stands out as the most challenging, requiring considerable expertise and technical knowledge to create a robust, detailed, and realistic strategic blueprint.

Ask yourself 🤔: Why do you actually want to move to HubSpot? Or, at the same time, why do you want to leave Salesforce? Is the latter too overwhelming for you? Is the latter proving too overwhelming, or are you drawn to HubSpot's flexible pricing? Every business has its distinct motivations, and it's your responsibility to identify your own drivers.

MAPPING

CRM platforms, such as Salesforce and HubSpot, pose challenges with variations in record structures and automation logic. That’s why it's crucial to adeptly address these differences during the import process to ensure ongoing operational smoothness.

Otherwise, there are four essential elements to transfer when setting up HubSpot to seamlessly take over from where Salesforce left off:

Records: Exporting your record data requires the establishment of relevant properties in HubSpot. While a native Salesforce integration can aid this process, a custom integration may be necessary for more intricate data.
Integrations: Third-party integrations are pivotal for extracting maximum value from any CRM. However, it's rare for the technical architecture in HubSpot to precisely match your Salesforce setup. With the consolidated architecture mapped in phase 1, this step involves connecting business applications through either native or custom integrations.
Automation: Whether it's lead nurture or sales sequences, your automation workflows should be updated and optimized for the HubSpot platform.
Reports: Transferring reports requires a clear understanding of your reporting needs and how HubSpot's out-of-the-box reports align with those requirements. If needed, custom reports may need to be created to address any gaps.

Review every custom field you've created and assess the names of the entities.

While potentially time-consuming, the smoothness of transferring data is contingent on the effort you have invested in the strategy phase. In an ideal scenario, configuration and implementation are a straightforward checkbox exercise, but more often than not, companies use this time to troubleshoot errors and address discrepancies in their strategic blueprint.

OBJECT TRANSFER/IMPORT

After determining the data categories (leads, accounts, contacts, opportunities, etc.) slated for migration to HubSpot, you can begin the process by creating new properties in HubSpot and exporting Salesforce data into .csv files for cleanup.

While many businesses opt for HubSpot's native Salesforce integration for automated migration, those with complex or custom data may utilize APIs or third-party integrators.

Once assets are established and the portal is almost ready, the next step is migrating your data and going live! Traditionally, this involves importing data from Excel or .csv files into HubSpot using the Import tool.

Tip 💡 In cases of intricate data relationships or dependencies, engaging a HubSpot partner proficient in migrations and integrations could generate significant time and cost savings.

The last stage of the transfer involves operating both HubSpot and Salesforce simultaneously. This is when historical data is already uploaded into your HubSpot portal, and all new records are tracked in both CRMs. Your team can ensure everything is functioning correctly and can address any identified gaps.

TRAINING

Once all the elements have come together, the final steps are all about transitioning your employees to the new HubSpot system, activating connections to email inboxes and other outbound communication systems, and deactivating corresponding options in Salesforce.

However, it's essential to underscore that without an investment in training and change management, all the prior efforts may prove futile. Even the most powerful tool loses its value if not wielded by capable hands.

Tailored training for each department should be your number-one priority, including introducing key stakeholders to the HubSpot platform and establishing their familiarity with its features. The good news is that HubSpot's intuitive and user-friendly interface simplifies this process, but still, the training program should also concentrate on empowering key users by providing resources and best practices for launching campaigns efficiently.

Keep in mind 💭: the complexity of training your teams depends on many factors: the proficiency of those conducting the training, the adaptability of your teams to change, and how well your strategic blueprint aligns with the operational dynamics of your business.

ONGOING SUPPORT

Even when your migration is seemingly complete, your journey with HubSpot is far from over.

You will continue to grow and scale. Therefore, your customer success program – whether you’re working with HubSpot directly or have engaged the services of a Solutions partner – needs to focus on providing strategy and recommendations for you on how to grow with HubSpot. Your partner needs to be able to answer your questions with ample clarity and understand your use case intimately – this way, they can deliver best-in-class enablement resources to ensure continuous learning. It also paves the way for more customizations, optimizations, and development when the time comes.

ENGAGE FLAWLESS'S MIGRATION SERVICES FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION

Embarking on the migration journey, gauging impact, and achieving rapid results can be a bit daunting.

At Flawless, our team of HubSpot experts begins by understanding your business goals deeply, ensuring a migration that's tailored to your success. We approach the process with care, making sure to preserve the integrity and historical records of your data. With a proven history of guiding companies through successful transitions from Salesforce to HubSpot, our team is dedicated to ensuring your move is as seamless and effective as possible.

HubSpot, CRM, migration