Comments on: Balanced Marketing – HubSpot http://totallyincorrect.com/2009/04/balanced-marketing-hubspot/ Marketing, Technology and Cool Stuff Fri, 13 May 2011 08:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Eric Karaszewski http://totallyincorrect.com/2009/04/balanced-marketing-hubspot/comment-page-1/#comment-285 Eric Karaszewski Wed, 04 May 2011 04:35:00 +0000 http://totallyincorrect.com/?p=990#comment-285 David, just came across this post. These are great thoughts and opinions that can help others evaluate HubSpot in an unbiased way. In my opinion, I think HubSpot's great and I like a lot of the ways that they market themselves. My company also provides an inbound marketing software tool for small businesses that is an alternative to HubSpot. Our tool is called Spectate. Spectate integrates with WordPress, but allows you to use any CMS. We also offer free trials, we don't charge implementation fees, and there are no annual contracts (we charge month-to-month) - Spectate.com. David, just came across this post. These are great thoughts and opinions that can help others evaluate HubSpot in an unbiased way. In my opinion, I think HubSpot’s great and I like a lot of the ways that they market themselves.

My company also provides an inbound marketing software tool for small businesses that is an alternative to HubSpot. Our tool is called Spectate. Spectate integrates with WordPress, but allows you to use any CMS. We also offer free trials, we don’t charge implementation fees, and there are no annual contracts (we charge month-to-month) – Spectate.com.

]]> By: Candida Diet http://totallyincorrect.com/2009/04/balanced-marketing-hubspot/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Candida Diet Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:40:18 +0000 http://totallyincorrect.com/?p=990#comment-275 I have enjoyed using the Hubspot free tools and was ready to sign up for the program but the company either makes you pay to convert all your pages to their CMS at $10 per page or you have to sign up for a one year contract. Either way you are forced to pay $500 up front and $250 every month thereafter.<br><br>For me the commitment is all one-sided as I have to take their word on the consulting and the program but they have me locked in to a contract. If the software was all that great then why do they need to tie you into a long term contract?<br><br>I was excited to get the program started but for me those were red flags and I am forced to look into other alternatives. It seems to me that Hubspot is more concerned with protecting its retention ratio of 98% (which seems like a false statistic to me now) than actually working with small businesses to provide a reasonable solution knowing they will have to keep earning the business month after month.<br><br>It is a matter of time before their current business model no longer works. I have enjoyed using the Hubspot free tools and was ready to sign up for the program but the company either makes you pay to convert all your pages to their CMS at $10 per page or you have to sign up for a one year contract. Either way you are forced to pay $500 up front and $250 every month thereafter.

For me the commitment is all one-sided as I have to take their word on the consulting and the program but they have me locked in to a contract. If the software was all that great then why do they need to tie you into a long term contract?

I was excited to get the program started but for me those were red flags and I am forced to look into other alternatives. It seems to me that Hubspot is more concerned with protecting its retention ratio of 98% (which seems like a false statistic to me now) than actually working with small businesses to provide a reasonable solution knowing they will have to keep earning the business month after month.

It is a matter of time before their current business model no longer works.

]]> By: flashfreakmx http://totallyincorrect.com/2009/04/balanced-marketing-hubspot/comment-page-1/#comment-239 flashfreakmx Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:35:02 +0000 http://totallyincorrect.com/?p=990#comment-239 Hubspot is undoubtedly a great system. The problem I had was the fact that as a marketing person who needs the tools to use for several clients, the monthly price and demand of a year upfront pay put too much overhead into providing the service for my clients.<br><br>If you like Hubspot you should give <a href="http://www.rhinoseo.com" rel="nofollow">rhinoseo.com</a> a try. The tools are very similar to hubspot, but not as expensive and a marketing person has the ability to add multiple domains and ‘white label’ brand it Hubspot is undoubtedly a great system. The problem I had was the fact that as a marketing person who needs the tools to use for several clients, the monthly price and demand of a year upfront pay put too much overhead into providing the service for my clients.

If you like Hubspot you should give rhinoseo.com a try. The tools are very similar to hubspot, but not as expensive and a marketing person has the ability to add multiple domains and ‘white label’ brand it

]]> By: Stephen Wade http://totallyincorrect.com/2009/04/balanced-marketing-hubspot/comment-page-1/#comment-170 Stephen Wade Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:57:05 +0000 http://totallyincorrect.com/?p=990#comment-170 I thoroughly enjoy HubSpot's free information; I've gotten quite a bit out of them. Unfortunately for the sales of their software, a recent webinar entitled "Marketing in a Recession" declared multiple times that marketers need to use their brains over their budgets. Which, of course, got me thinking: instead of paying for their analytics system (which is quite good, btw!), it would be less expensive for me to piece together my own report via several different free tools available online. It takes more time, but the cost comparison indicates to me it's less expensive to do it myself than to purchase their services.<br><br>...which is what I told their politely persistent marketing consultant over the phone :)<br><br>got to be careful what free advice you give! it might come back to bite you.<br><br>btw, when the market turns and my budget increases (as does our sales volume) I can see benefit in using their service! I thoroughly enjoy HubSpot's free information; I've gotten quite a bit out of them. Unfortunately for the sales of their software, a recent webinar entitled “Marketing in a Recession” declared multiple times that marketers need to use their brains over their budgets. Which, of course, got me thinking: instead of paying for their analytics system (which is quite good, btw!), it would be less expensive for me to piece together my own report via several different free tools available online. It takes more time, but the cost comparison indicates to me it's less expensive to do it myself than to purchase their services.

…which is what I told their politely persistent marketing consultant over the phone :)

got to be careful what free advice you give! it might come back to bite you.

btw, when the market turns and my budget increases (as does our sales volume) I can see benefit in using their service!

]]> By: David http://totallyincorrect.com/2009/04/balanced-marketing-hubspot/comment-page-1/#comment-30 David Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:31:00 +0000 http://totallyincorrect.com/?p=990#comment-30 Hi Tom. thanks for visiting and commenting. We are always looking for ways to improve the way we relate to our clients and the inbound marketing is working well for us as well. I hope you'll swing by again. Cheers! David Hi Tom. thanks for visiting and commenting. We are always looking for ways to improve the way we relate to our clients and the inbound marketing is working well for us as well.

I hope you’ll swing by again.

Cheers!
David

]]> By: Tom http://totallyincorrect.com/2009/04/balanced-marketing-hubspot/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Tom Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:32:35 +0000 http://totallyincorrect.com/?p=990#comment-28 You nail my same impressions of hubspot. I also have not ventured into utilizing their system, but find myself staying relatively informed of their activities. Their in-bound stuff seems to be working on me. I was a little thrown off with their "politely persistent" marketing consultant calls and emails. I just wasn't expecting it completely from the message you get from their content, but you are correct, it is what you would expect from your own sales staff and they are definitely polite, courteous and professional. Final note, I also enjoy their hubspot.tv broadcast. It's generally full of interesting content. The "irritating" one isn't all that irritating, and even if she (or he it)... the cute factor wins out and the viewer comes back. You nail my same impressions of hubspot. I also have not ventured into utilizing their system, but find myself staying relatively informed of their activities. Their in-bound stuff seems to be working on me.

I was a little thrown off with their “politely persistent” marketing consultant calls and emails. I just wasn’t expecting it completely from the message you get from their content, but you are correct, it is what you would expect from your own sales staff and they are definitely polite, courteous and professional.

Final note, I also enjoy their hubspot.tv broadcast. It’s generally full of interesting content. The “irritating” one isn’t all that irritating, and even if she (or he it)… the cute factor wins out and the viewer comes back.

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