You’re a HubSpot specialist (a HubSpot Super Admin, if you will), and you've got all the pieces in place—HubSpot is up and running, your teams are rockin' and rollin'—with content, with email newsletters, with sales sequences, and more—and your HubSpot CRM is packed with actionable sales data.
But you know something's off, and so do your marketing and sales teams, and leadership. The negative performance trends you're observing are all screaming, "Houston, we've got a problem!"
- Maybe you saw a bump in lead generation, but your growth has now stalled
- The leads who are coming in aren't as qualified or ready to take action as they should be
- Engagement rates with your content and email is lower than it should be
- You're now seeing a slight uptick in unsubscribes, which is concerning
- The customer experience—from messaging to communication cadence—is disjointed
Is HubSpot the problem? Are you the problem?
I've got good news for you, my HubSpot and inbound superstars—the answer to both of those questions is no. HubSpot is not the problem, and neither are you. It's the focus of your HubSpot strategy.
🚀 Learn More: Check Out Our 10-Week HubSpot Super Admin Training Program
Success with HubSpot isn’t just about following the steps or ticking off checkboxes. It’s about bringing it all together into a strategy that revolves around one thing—your customers, the humans you serve selflessly with whatever it is you do or sell as an organization.
But what does it take to build a human-centric customer strategy in HubSpot? What mindsets, strategies, and team collaboration-fostering tactics do you, your organization's HubSpot and inbound superhero, need to know?
By the end of this article, you'll understand exactly:
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How to think like your customer when using HubSpot: Your mindset is everything! I’ll show you why it’s crucial to put your customers at the heart of every move you make in HubSpot—trust me, it’s the secret sauce for real engagement and growth.
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Why keeping things fresh is key to staying customer-focused: You’ll discover how to keep your CRM sharp and in tune with what your customers really want, so you’re always one step ahead.
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How to use HubSpot lists and views to speak your customers’ language: I’ll help you understand how to slice and dice your contacts so every message hits home, no matter where your customers are on their journey.
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The art of making every interaction feel personal and memorable: We’ll dive into how to use HubSpot’s personalization tools to make your customers feel like you’re speaking directly to them—without making it a headache for you or your team.
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How to get your whole team working together to wow your customers: I’ll share tips on breaking down the walls between marketing, sales, and service, so you’re all rowing in the same direction and delivering a seamless experience your customers will love.
OK, enough chit-chat. Let's get into it.
Your Mindset: Your Customer Is Always the Hero
When your customer isn’t the star of your HubSpot strategy, things can go sideways fast. This is the root cause of some of the symptoms we talked about above:
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Why are you seeing fewer leads come through? Because you're not creating content and conversion opportunities that authentically and directly speak to the problems, needs, and goals of your customers—you're focused more on what you want them to want from you.
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Why are fewer leads engaging with your emails, or even unsubscribing? Because your emails don't tap into what they actually care about. You're not earning your place in their inbox with the value they need to do their job better, achieve their goals more effectively, or make smarter decisions faster.
The moment you make yourself (or your organization's goals) the hero of your HubSpot strategy, rather than your customer, is the moment you fail. But here’s the kicker—this happens all the time, even to the best teams. Even to teams that are genuinely human-centric, that genuinely care about customers.
đź’Ą We Can Help: Learn About Our Human-Centered Inbound Strategy Services
I bet your people care about the humans you serve. So, why does this happen? Because it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle—getting campaigns out the door, managing your workflows, and ticking off those daily to-dos. Before you know it, you’re so focused on the process that the customer—your real VIP—gets lost in the shuffle. And that’s when things start to go off the rails.
How you fix it is simple—you change your mindset.
How to Shift to a Customer-Centric Mindset
A customer-first mindset means you’re always asking, “What’s in it for your customers?”
Really, that's all you need to do. Start asking that question. Often. And challenge others around you to do the same. When you're building a strategy. When you're brainstorming a new idea for a newsletter, campaign or piece of content. This is the question that drives real engagement and growth.
When you shift your focus back to what matters most (your customers), you stop just sending out emails and start building relationships. Because when you ask this question, here's the powerful, customer-centric goodness you should be unpacking:
- What are they really trying to achieve?
- How would they describe their problem, in their words?
- What (or who) is stressing them out?
- What (or who) is standing in the way of their goals?
- What are they not telling you?
- How can you make their lives easier?
Your New Mindset in Action
For instance, when you’re setting up a new workflow, don’t just think about the steps—think about the value you’re delivering at each step. When you’re crafting an email, focus on what they need to hear, rather than hyperfocusing on what it is you want to say. Your content, your emails, your customer touchpoints ... none of it is about you.
🚀 Learn More: Check Out Our 10-Week HubSpot Super Admin Training Program
Next, look at your data. What are your customers’ actions telling you about their needs and preferences? Use that insight to fine-tune your approach. Maybe it’s time to segment your lists differently or tweak your content to better match where they are in their journey.
When you put your customer at the center of your strategy, and every decision you make, everything clicks into place. You create value, build trust, and set the stage for real growth with ease—because you’re not just running campaigns, you’re making meaningful connections.
Keep It Fresh with Continuous Optimization
So, you’ve got the right mindset—your customer is front and center. But now we need to acknowledge something we all know intellectually, but usually fail to integrate into our strategies—your customers' needs and behaviors are constantly evolving. What worked last quarter might not work today, and what resonates with your audience now might fall flat in a few months.
That’s why continuous optimization isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential if you want to stay relevant and keep your customers engaged.
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If you’re not regularly tweaking and refining your HubSpot strategy, you risk falling out of sync with what your customers actually need. If you want to keep delivering value, you need to stay on top of the changes in your customers’ behavior, preferences, and pain points. That means making optimization a regular part of your HubSpot routine.
How to Keep Your HubSpot Strategy Fresh
Start by making a habit of reviewing your data—not just to see what’s working, but to identify what could be working better. Look for trends and shifts in customer behavior that signal it’s time for a change. Maybe your open rates are slipping, or your click-through rates aren’t what they used to be. Instead of waiting for a bigger issue to emerge, take those as cues to dig deeper and make adjustments.
For example, ask yourself:
- Are your HubSpot workflows still relevant, or are they feeling a bit outdated?
- Is your content still speaking your customers’ language, or is it time to refresh your messaging?
- Are your customer segments as sharp as they could be, or do they need a tune-up?
Remember, optimization isn’t just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about finding opportunities to enhance what’s already good and making it even better. The more you fine-tune, the more aligned your strategy will be with your customers’ current needs.
Next, Keep an Eye on Your Data
Your data is a goldmine of insights into what your customers want and need. Pay attention to it. When you see a shift in customer behavior, that’s your signal to act. Maybe it’s time to revise your segments, or perhaps your content needs a refresh to better match where your customers are in their journey.
But don’t wait until something goes wrong to make changes. By staying proactive and continually optimizing, you ensure that your HubSpot strategy remains in sync with your customers, keeping them engaged and coming back for more.
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When you make continuous optimization part of your routine, your strategy stays fresh, your customers stay engaged, and your results keep improving. It’s not about overhauling everything at once—it’s about making small, meaningful adjustments that keep you in tune with the people who matter most: your customers.
HubSpot Lists + Views to Speak Their Language
So, you’ve got your customer-first mindset in place, and you’re committed to keeping things fresh with continuous optimization. Now, let’s talk about how to make sure you’re actually speaking to your customers in a way that resonates. This is where HubSpot’s lists and views come into play—they’re not just organizational tools; they’re your secret weapon for delivering personalized, relevant experiences at scale.
Why Smart Segmentation Matters
Your customers are not all the same. They’re at different stages of their journey, have different needs, and are looking for different things from you.
🚀 Learn More: Check Out Our 10-Week HubSpot Super Admin Training Program
Again, this is something we know intellectually but often forget when we start building strategies and tinkering with HubSpot. Tools and technology make it easy to forget those "contact entries" and "data points" in your HubSpot database are living, breathing human beings. So, if you’re treating them all the same—sending the same emails, offering the same content—you’re missing out on opportunities to connect in a meaningful way. That’s why smart segmentation is so critical.
By using HubSpot’s lists and views effectively, you can ensure that the right message gets to the right person at the right time. This means your customers are more likely to engage with your content, trust your brand, and eventually convert into loyal advocates.
How to Use HubSpot Lists + Views for Segmentation
HubSpot gives you two types of lists: active and static. Active lists update automatically based on the criteria you set, which makes them perfect for dynamic segments like contacts who recently engaged with your content. Static lists, on the other hand, are fixed snapshots in time, ideal for one-off events or specific campaigns.
Here’s how you can make the most of these tools:
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Active Lists: Use these to keep your segments current and relevant. For example, create an active list of leads who have interacted with a particular piece of content in the last 30 days. This way, you can follow up with them while your brand is still fresh in their minds.
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Static Lists: These are great for organizing contacts based on a specific event, like webinar attendees or a list of VIP customers you want to send a special offer to.
Views are another powerful tool that allows you to tailor your data display based on what you need to see. Whether it’s tracking high-potential leads, monitoring customer satisfaction scores, or keeping tabs on open deals, views let you zero in on what matters most to your team.
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Your segmentation strategy should evolve with your customers. Regularly review your lists and views to ensure they’re still aligned with your current goals and your customers’ needs. If something’s not working, don’t hesitate to adjust. The more in tune your segmentation is with your customers, the more effective your communication will be.
Make Every Interaction Personal + Memorable
Alright, you’ve got your segments dialed in, and you’re speaking to your customers in a way that makes them feel seen, heard, and understood. But there’s one more piece of the puzzle: making each interaction feel personal and memorable. It’s not enough to just get the right message to the right person—you need to make sure that message feels like it was crafted just for them.
We're living in a loud world where all of us (and our customers) are constantly being bombarded with marketing and messaging and advertising—which is why a little HubSpot personalization magic goes a long way. When you take the time to tailor your communications—whether it’s an email, a landing page, or even a follow-up call—you’re telling your customers that they matter.
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Of course, there's just one catch. While you want to keep your personalization strategies simple (complex personalization gets creepy super fast), you can't just someone’s first name in an email and call that box unequivocally checked. You need to become fluent in what your customers need at every stage of their journey. Then you need to deliver relevant content that speaks to those needs directly.
Your HubSpot Personalization Toolkit
HubSpot gives you a lot of tools to help you personalize your interactions, and when you use them right, the impact can be huge:
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Personalization Tokens: These are the basics—name, company, job title. But don’t stop there. Think about how you can use the data you have to make your messages more relevant. Maybe it’s referencing the specific product they’ve been checking out or the last piece of content they engaged with. The goal is to make your message feel less like a broadcast and more like a conversation.
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Smart Content: This is where things get really interesting. Smart content allows you to change what your customers see on your website or in your emails based on who they are or what they’ve done. For example, if someone is returning to your site after downloading a white paper, show them content that dives deeper into that topic instead of just generic information. It’s about making each visit feel like a natural progression, not a reset.
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Segmentation-Based Personalization: Combine your smart lists with personalization to send highly targeted messages that address the specific needs of different segments. For instance, a customer who’s just starting to explore your services might appreciate an educational guide, while someone further along might be ready for a detailed case study.
🚀 Learn More: Check Out Our 10-Week HubSpot Super Admin Training Program
Make Personalization Work for You
Imagine you’re about to send a follow-up email to a customer who recently attended one of your webinars. Instead of just thanking them for attending, you could use personalization tokens to mention a specific question they asked during the session.
Then, use smart content to offer them additional resources based on their expressed interests. Now, that’s an email that feels personal and relevant—not just another item in their inbox.
Remember, though: personalization should feel natural, not forced. The goal isn’t to show off how much data you have—that's, once more with feeling, super creepy, and your customers will hate it. You should only use that data to create a more meaningful interaction. So, keep it simple, keep it relevant, and always ask yourself, “Is this adding value for my customer?”
Get Your Teams on the Same Customer-Centric Page
You’ve nailed down your customer-first mindset, you’re optimizing your strategy continuously, and you’re personalizing your interactions like a pro. Now, it's time to get all of your teams collaborating and working toward the same customer-centric vision within HubSpot. Your goal is more than just alignment; it's about fostering true collaboration and teamwork.
Why does this matter? To truly wow your customers, your marketing, sales, and service teams need to be rowing in the same direction. Because when your teams are in sync, your customers feel the difference.
Remember How Your Customers See You
Your customers don’t see your business as a bunch of separate departments. To them, you’re one brand, and they expect a consistent, seamless experience no matter who they’re interacting with. They don't see a difference between marketing, sales, or service; more than that, they don't care.
So, if your teams aren’t aligned, those cracks start to show and turn into buyer repellent real quick. Maybe it’s a miscommunication between marketing and sales, or a service rep who isn’t aware of the latest marketing campaign. These disconnects can leave your customers feeling frustrated and confused, and that’s the last thing you want.
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HubSpot Is Built for Collaboration
The good news is, HubSpot is designed to help your teams work together, not just coexist. Here’s how you can use it to break down silos and create a more unified customer experience:
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Shared Views and Lists: Make sure everyone is looking at the same data. Set up shared views in HubSpot so your marketing, sales, and service teams can all see what’s happening with each customer in real-time. This keeps everyone on the same page and ensures that no one is working in a vacuum.
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Cross-Team Communication: Regular meetings between departments might sound basic, but they’re essential. Use these sessions to share insights, discuss customer feedback, and align on strategies. This isn’t about adding more meetings to your calendar—it’s about making sure everyone’s rowing in the same direction.
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Documenting Processes: Keep a shared playbook that outlines your processes, so there’s no guesswork. When everyone knows how things are supposed to work, it’s easier to collaborate and deliver a consistent customer experience. Plus, it makes onboarding new team members smoother and faster.
Again, your customers don’t care who’s in marketing, sales, or service—they just want their experience with your brand to be smooth and enjoyable. When your teams work together seamlessly, you’re not only meeting their expectations—you’re exceeding them.
When You're Customer-Centric, Growth Follows
Look, if you’re the HubSpot specialist your company relies on, your job isn’t just to keep the lights on in HubSpot—it’s to turn it into the engine that powers a strategy that revolves around your customers. When you do this right, you see the results where it matters—higher engagement, stronger loyalty, and a pipeline that actually converts. A customer-centric approach isn’t just a feel-good strategy; it’s what drives real, measurable growth for your business.
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Of course, the real HubSpot magic happens when you keep refining, tweaking, and improving your strategy, right? When you remember your customers change, as do trends, technology, and tactics. The best plans are the ones that grow and evolve as your customers do. It’s that constant process of adjustment that keeps your HubSpot CRM aligned with what your customers need, helping you stay one step ahead.
Now that you’ve got the framework, it’s time to get to work. Start making those small changes, test and learn, and watch how putting your customers at the center of your strategy can transform your results. And if you’re serious about mastering HubSpot (or you're a business leader who has a HubSpot rockstar your'e ready to empower), our 10-Week HubSpot Super Admin Training Program is built to give you the deep dive you need.
Remember, HubSpot’s power isn’t just in its features—it’s in how you use those features to build real connections with your customers. Keep refining, keep optimizing, and most importantly, keep your customers at the center of everything you do.
Never stop asking: "What's in it for them?"
George B. Thomas
