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Stop me if this sounds familiar: you’ve invested in HubSpot because you know it’s a powerful tool, but you’re not seeing the results you expected. Your workflows keep breaking, your team struggles to stay on top of new features, and integrating other tools feels like a never-ending puzzle. Sound familiar?
Managing HubSpot effectively can feel overwhelming, especially when it’s not your full-time job. That’s where a HubSpot Retainer comes in.
It’s more than just technical support—it’s a partnership that ensures your HubSpot portal is working seamlessly, aligned with your business goals, and always up to date with the latest features.
But more than that, it comes back to strategy.
It’s not just about fixing workflows or optimising tools—it’s about mapping your customer journey and using HubSpot to enhance every stage of that journey. By understanding your personas and aligning HubSpot’s tools with their buying processes, a retainer ensures that your marketing, sales, and service functions work in harmony to drive results.
At RedPandas, we specialise in helping businesses make the most of HubSpot. After working with over 300 HubSpot portals across various industries, we’ve seen firsthand how a tailored retainer can transform how businesses use HubSpot, from smoother workflows to more insightful customer journeys.
In this article, you’ll discover exactly what a HubSpot Retainer is, what it includes, and whether it’s right for your business.
What is a HubSpot Retainer?
A HubSpot Retainer is an ongoing service designed to help businesses optimise and manage their HubSpot portal. It goes beyond basic support, offering strategic and technical expertise to ensure that your HubSpot tools are not just functioning but actively driving your business goals.
Think of it as a long-term partnership where your unique needs dictate the roadmap. Whether you need help fixing broken workflows or staying on top of HubSpot’s frequent updates, a retainer ensures you’re always ahead of the curve.
Unlike a standard digital marketing retainer, which might focus on broader marketing activities, a HubSpot Retainer is laser-focused on leveraging HubSpot’s tools to their fullest potential. White it includes strategic direction, it also includes elements like portal monitoring, customer journey mapping, and even guidance on new features—all tailored to meet your specific business requirements.
With a HubSpot Retainer, you gain not just expertise but peace of mind, knowing you have a dedicated team ensuring your portal operates smoothly while adapting to your evolving business needs.
Key Components of a HubSpot Retainer
Every HubSpot Retainer is bespoke and tailored to the unique needs of your business.
Some businesses may need a hands-on approach with frequent reactive support, while others might prioritise proactive planning and strategic guidance.
Regardless of the focus, a retainer is designed to be flexible, ensuring you get the most value from HubSpot in a way that fits seamlessly with your team and objectives.
In saying that, below is what a HubSpot Retainer might include. Note that each of the items may also include coaching and training as required.
1. Workflow Optimisation and Maintenance
Workflows are the backbone of HubSpot automation, but they’re only effective if they run smoothly. With a HubSpot Retainer, your workflows are regularly reviewed and optimised. This includes:
- Fixing errors that disrupt automation
- Updating workflows to align with changes in your business processes
- Ensuring your workflows are efficient, accurate, and error-free
2. Customer Journey Mapping
At the heart of every successful HubSpot strategy is a clear understanding of your customer journey. A retainer helps you map this journey, ensuring your HubSpot tools are configured to support every stage of your buyer’s experience.
Read more: Comprehensive Guide to Customer Journey Mapping
This includes:
- Developing detailed personas and buyer journey stages
- Aligning HubSpot’s features, such as email campaigns and lead scoring, with your customer journey
- Adapting strategies based on changing customer needs or market trends
3. Quarterly Roadmaps and Strategic Planning
A HubSpot Retainer includes regular planning sessions, typically on a quarterly basis. These sessions help prioritise and plan projects to maximise your results.
Roadmaps focus on:
- Identifying high-impact projects for the next quarter
- Allocating resources to tackle critical challenges
- Ensuring every action aligns with your business goals
4. Proactive and Reactive Support
Life happens, and so do unexpected issues with your HubSpot portal. A retainer provides both:
- Reactive Support: Quick resolutions for urgent issues like broken forms, email delivery problems, or misassigned contacts
- Proactive Support: Regular reviews of your portal to identify and fix potential problems before they escalate
5. Guidance on New Features and Updates
HubSpot is constantly evolving, and staying updated on new features can be a challenge. With a retainer, you get:
- Expert advice on how new features can benefit your business
- Implementation of updates that improve your portal’s performance
- Training to ensure your team can use these tools effectively
6. Integration and Revenue Operations Support
While we don’t offer integrations as part of a typical HubSpot Retainer, we can customise the retainer if this is something that your business needs.
Examples include:
- Connecting HubSpot with CRMs, ERPs, and other systems
- Aligning sales, marketing, and service data to drive better revenue operations
- Troubleshooting data flows and making recommendations for optimisation
7. Content and Conversion Optimisation
While not typically included in full-scale content creation, a HubSpot Retainer can focus on improving your existing assets. This might include:
- Auditing website pages and landing pages for better conversion rates
- Adding CTAs and forms to optimise lead generation
- Conducting A/B tests to refine strategies
What’s Not Included?
While a HubSpot Retainer offers comprehensive support for optimising your portal, certain services typically fall outside its scope.
These exclusions often include:
- Custom Coding and Development: Building bespoke functionalities or complex integrations that require extensive coding are usually not part of a standard retainer
- Graphic Design Services: Creating custom graphics, branding materials, or extensive design work is generally handled separately
- Content Creation: Developing original content such as blog posts, articles, or videos typically isn’t included, though guidance on content strategy may be provided
- In-Person Training Sessions: While virtual training and support are common, on-site training sessions are often excluded
- Business Strategy Consulting Beyond HubSpot: Advising on broader business strategies that don’t directly involve HubSpot’s tools usually isn’t covered
Should You Invest in a HubSpot Retainer?
A HubSpot Retainer is a powerful resource, but it’s not the right fit for everyone. If you’re unsure whether this type of service is for you, here’s a breakdown of when it makes sense—and when it might not.
A HubSpot Retainer IS for you if…
- You use HubSpot as a core business tool. If HubSpot is central to your marketing, sales, or customer service operations, a retainer helps you optimise its use and achieve better results
- You don’t have a dedicated in-house expert. Managing HubSpot effectively requires time, technical know-how, and regular attention. If you don’t have a team member who can dedicate themselves to this, a retainer fills that gap
- You struggle with workflows and automation. If your workflows frequently break or fail to deliver the desired results, a retainer can ensure your automation runs smoothly and aligns with your goals
- You need help with integrations and tech stacks. Businesses with complex setups—like ERP systems or SaaS platforms—can benefit from a retainer to ensure all systems integrate seamlessly and data flows efficiently
- You want to stay on top of new features. HubSpot regularly rolls out updates and new tools. If keeping track of these feels overwhelming, a retainer ensures you’re always informed and equipped to make the most of them
- You value strategy and long-term planning. A retainer provides a roadmap for success, including quarterly planning and customer journey mapping to ensure your efforts align with your broader business strategy
A HubSpot Retainer is NOT for you if…
- You only need occasional support. If you’re confident in your ability to manage HubSpot and only need help with specific projects or troubleshooting, an ad-hoc service might be more cost-effective. You can see pricing for that here
- You’re looking for full-service marketing. A HubSpot Retainer focuses on portal optimisation, not tasks like content creation, graphic design, or overall marketing strategy outside of HubSpot
- You’re not using HubSpot extensively. If HubSpot isn’t a central part of your operations, a retainer may not deliver enough value to justify the cost
- You have a fully resourced in-house team. If your team already has the time, expertise, and capacity to manage HubSpot effectively, you might not need external support
By understanding your business’s needs, you can determine whether a HubSpot Retainer is the right fit. If you fall into the “yes” category, it could be a game-changing partnership to help you unlock HubSpot’s full potential. And if that’s you, get in touch with us here.
So, What’s Next?
Investing in a HubSpot Retainer can be a game-changer for businesses looking to get the most out of their HubSpot portal.
If you rely on HubSpot as a central tool in your business, a retainer provides more than just technical fixes—it’s a strategic partnership that ensures your tools align with your goals, drive meaningful results, and evolve with your needs.
However, not every business needs a retainer. If HubSpot isn’t a core part of your operations or you only need occasional help, a project-based approach might be more suitable. The key is understanding your specific needs and finding a solution that offers the best value for your investment.
If you want to learn more about what this could look like for you, get in touch with us here.
