9 ways to use HubSpot workflows

Unlike so many other tools and native applications, HubSpot comes with the benefit of continuous innovation, releasing new products and solutions frequently.

One of its most versatile tools for business is the ability to automate tasks, segment data, and track conversion goals through its Workflows tool. 

While many of us may have some experience using HubSpot Workflows, we’ve found that businesses are often surprised by what they didn’t know or didn’t think they could automate with HubSpot’s Workflows.

Once you start using HubSpot Workflows, you’ll want to automate every minuscule task and integrate every available tool. 

We understand that automation may feel intimidating, but HubSpot Workflows makes automating tasks easy and intuitive. 

What are HubSpot workflows?

The HubSpot Workflows tool is an automation builder that allows you to enroll contacts, companies, deals, and more in a series of automations to send marketing emails, create tasks, update property values, and more. 

For example, HubSpot Workflows in the Marketing Hub can be used to act on leads with a certain HubSpot Score by automating an email drip campaign or passing off those leads to a sales rep. 

It's located under the Automation tab at the top of the HubSpot portal, allowing users to automate virtually any task or action supporting their Revenue Operations strategy. 

Additionally, HubSpot integrates with several tools and platforms to add additional Workflow Action. These integrations include Salesforce, Asana, Slack, and Microsoft to improve communication and data sharing.

Benefits of HubSpot workflows & integrations

HubSpot Workflows are incredibly easy to use and manage, so even if you don’t get it right the first time, you can easily fix any errors and format data appropriately. 

Once mastered, HubSpot Workflows offer several benefits to your business that will reduce costs and labor and boost qualified conversions.

For example, you can set up a HubSpot Workflow to do any of the following tasks:

• Automate email follow-up and drip campaigns for contacts who view your website
• Create tasks for sales to call leads who contact your business
• Send out internal notifications using Slack, SMS, or email
• Seamlessly create tasks directly in your favorite project management software
• Segment leads by dozens of pre-determined filters, including job title, company size, or degree
• Format data to keep data useful and consistent
• Track campaign performance based on goals, assigned values, and dozens of additional factors

With this in mind, let’s discuss nine incredibly easy and powerful uses of HubSpot Workflows for your business. 

9 handy HubSpot workflow examples

#1 Automate equence enrollment for sales

Personalization is the key to any marketing success, but personalization often runs counter to automation. However, with Automated Sequences Enrollments in HubSpot Enterprise, users can automatically send personalized, one-on-one emails to qualified leads in the Sales Hub.

New contacts who visit your site or click on an ad can automatically enroll in an email sequence, sending timely and customized emails based on their prior engagement.

Once that contact books a meeting or responds to an email, they will be automatically unenrolled from the sequence to stop sending emails to contacts that have already converted.

#2 Re-Engage lost contacts

If your initial email reachout doesn’t result in a conversion, don’t fret, as you can achieve massive success by re-engaging dead contacts with follow-up emails long after they go cold.

For example, HubSpot has a Workflow template for a follow-up email based on enrollment triggers, such as users who still subscribe to your emails but haven’t opened your last 5 emails.

Using this Workflow, you could send out an email with a special promotion or just to ask contacts if they still want to be subscribed to your email.

Next, you could assign an action based on their engagement to either update their lifecycle or move them to a separate list to no longer send them emails.
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#3 Create a Salesforce URL in HubSpot

Even after a HubSpot Salesforce integration, your sales team may likely use Salesforce, which is not a problem, thanks to HubSpot Workflows.

Teams using HubSpot often want to notify Sales teams when contacts submit a form. The standard form notification emails only include a link to view a record in HubSpot. So, what if you don’t want your sales team in HubSpot? How can they see the record?

We’ve designed a workflow to populate a text field for “Salesforce URL” using the Salesforce Contact and Lead ID in HubSpots.

This Salesforce URL guide provides all of the steps needed to create a custom Salesforce URL and send notifications to Sales users not in HubSpot with a link to a HubSpot contact’s Salesforce record.

#4 Trigger action based on lead scores

HubSpot’s Lead Score is one of its most beloved tools and helps users grant points to contacts based on how likely they are to complete a conversion task. Marketers can assign positive or negative points to a lead’s score based on previous action or contact record data.

For example, marketers could assign positive points to contacts who fill out a lead generation form or deduct points from contacts with entry-level job titles that don’t make purchasing decisions at companies.

Users can optimize HubSpot’s lead scoring with contact enrollment triggers that initiate an action or notification once a lead reaches a certain score.

For example, if a lead reaches a score greater than 60, a Workflow can be set up to automatically:

1. Change a contact from an MQL to an SQL 
2. Switch the contact owner to a sales rep
3. Send out an internal notification to the sales rep

Using HubSpot’s Workflows to streamline lead scoring prevents companies from losing highly qualified leads and potential business opportunities.

#5 Automate lead assignment

It also helps you quickly get leads to your sales team with automated lead assignments.

For example, you can use criteria-based lead assignment to assign leads by territory or certain property values on their Contact record.

Or, you can use the "Rotate record to owner" workflow action to use Round Robin lead assignment amongst certain Teams or sales team members in HubSpot.

#6 Nurture leads

Lead nurturing helps marketers push qualified contacts closer to a conversion.

Using HubSpot Workflows, marketers can set up enrollment triggers anytime a lead downloads an asset from their website or completes a desired action, such as signing up for a Webinar or downloading an eBook. Once enrollment is triggered, you can send out a series of emails designed to speak directly to the buyer’s persona and encourage action.

For example, you could send out an initial email providing awareness of your brand, such as an informative infographic with stats relevant to that contact’s industry.

Next, set an action to delay your next email for five business days. Then, send another email containing mid-funnel content with a case study or whitepaper that speaks to the buyer’s persona.

Finally, if the user remains engaged, you could delay your final email for five more business days and send an email with a pricing or demo page encouraging action. Based on which action is taken if/then logic can be set up to update a contact to an MQL or SQL.

#7 Manage bounced or unsubscribed contacts

Despite your best efforts, some contacts simply won’t convert or may lose interest over time.

Luckily, a Workflow can be created to change the marketing contact status for contacts unsubscribed from your marketing emails or email addresses that have hard bounced when sending an email.

This Workflow reduces the volume of marketable contacts in your account, so you’re only paying for contacts who have opted into your communications and have a valid email address.

#8 Create webinar campaigns

Webinar communications can be a pain. Fortunately, the HubSpot Workflows tool makes webinar invitations, registration confirmations, and follow-up communications a breeze.

You can automate webinar invitations, confirmations, and follow-up emails by using a HubSpot landing page and the integration with Zoom or GoToWebinar.

Wondering how to get started?

Start with a HubSpot landing page and form to capture registrations.

Then set up three Workflows:

1. Invite list – enroll the right contacts and send 2–3 emails pushing them to the registration page.
2. Registrations – once someone submits the form, trigger a confirmation email and add them to Zoom or GoToWebinar.
3. Post-event – on the webinar date, send a thank-you to attendees, log the campaign in Salesforce, and re-invite no-shows.

Salesforce tasks from HubSpot data

‍Workflows aren’t just for marketing. Use the “Create Salesforce Task” action so sales gets automatic tasks when a contact submits a form, visits a key page, or opens a nurture email. That way, HubSpot activity drives real action in Salesforce.

Automation may feel intimidating, but it’s just one more thing that HubSpot simplifies for your business process. Whether it’s automating email reachouts or qualifying leads, HubSpot Workflows save you time and help you grow your business. 

To take back control of your HubSpot CRM or learn how to properly utilize it, be sure to contact our team at Coastal Consulting. 

We offer packages that help our clients integrate HubSpot with software like Salesforce, set up property management automation, and provide support for all of HubSpot’s different services. 

Select any of our HubSpot Onboarding services to learn more, or click the Connect with Coastal button in the top right corner to schedule a free call and consultation.

When you’re ready to level up your HubSpot Salesforce integration, enroll in the HubSpot Salesforce Integration Certification Course.

FAQs: HubSpot workflows

What types of marketing tasks can be automated with HubSpot workflows?

HubSpot workflows can automate various marketing tasks, including lead nurturing, email marketing campaigns, contact segmentation, lead scoring, follow-up communications, task assignments, and CRM updates.

Any repetitive or time-consuming marketing process can be automated using HubSpot workflows, saving time and improving productivity.

How do I create a new workflow in HubSpot?

Creating a new workflow in HubSpot is straightforward. Simply navigate to the Workflows tool in your HubSpot account, click the "Create workflow" button, and follow the step-by-step instructions.

You'll need to define the workflow's trigger, set up the workflow actions, and specify additional conditions or criteria. Once created, you can activate the workflow to automate your marketing tasks.

 What are the different types of triggers and actions available in HubSpot workflows?

HubSpot workflows offer a variety of triggers and actions to customize automation based on your specific needs. Triggers include actions such as form submissions, contact property changes, email interactions, website visits, and more.

Actions range from sending emails and updating contact properties to enrolling contacts in other workflows and creating tasks for team members.

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