5 Expert HubSpot Tips You’ll Use Forever

Whether you’re a marketing leader responsible for keeping campaigns running without constant technical troubleshooting or a director looking to prove HubSpot ROI, these expert tips from the MarCloud team will make your life easier.

Of course, if you need a hand implementing any of the below, get in touch!

The issue:

A contact fills out a form, hits your nurture workflow, and lands in a Lifecycle Stage like Lead or MQL. And then… nothing. They don’t move, and no one notices.

The fix:

Add a delay and internal notification in HubSpot if the lifecycle stage hasn’t changed in a set number of days. Here’s how:

• Build a workflow triggered when a contact enters a Lifecycle Stage (e.g., MQL).

• Add a delay, typically 5 to 7 days.

• Set an “if/then” branch to check whether the Lifecycle Stage has changed.

• If it hasn’t, send an internal email to the contact owner.

Why it works:

• Surfaces contacts who might otherwise fall off the radar.

• Keeps pipelines moving without adding admin load.

• Helps sales prioritise timely follow-ups.

This tip is deceptively simple, but it’s the first automation we check when reviewing HubSpot accounts. It works equally well for stuck SQLs, stale opportunities, or even post-sale cross-sell prompts.

Explore our HubSpot support services.

Marketing teams often treat HubSpot Lead Status as a passive field; a place to log updates, not drive them. But when used intentionally, it becomes a powerful signal for sales enablement.

The issue:

Leads pile up in a generic “New” status. Sales teams aren’t sure who to contact first, and marketing loses visibility into lead quality.

The fix:

Define and enforce a clear Lead Status framework that aligns with your sales process (New, Attempted Contact, Connected, Qualified, Unqualified). Then use workflows to:

• Automatically update Lead Status based on activity (for example, if a contact opens 3+ emails, mark as “Engaged”).

• Trigger task creation or internal alerts based on high-priority statuses.

Why it works:

• Salespeople spend less time guessing who to contact.

• Marketing gets fast feedback on campaign performance.

• Leads don’t sit idle while everyone assumes someone else is handling them.

This small process change can significantly improve marketing to sales handoff.

Lead scoring isn’t new, yet too many HubSpot strategies lean heavily on demographics (e.g. job title, company size) and ignore behavioural intent.

The issue:

You’re passing leads to sales based on what they look like, not what they do. This results in wasted time contacting leads who aren’t ready to convert, and risks alienating potential customers.

The fix:

Update your lead scoring model to include both demographics and engagement:

• Demographics = static criteria like industry or seniority.

• Engagement = dynamic behaviour like visiting pricing pages or attending webinars.

In HubSpot, use score properties that combine these inputs and trigger workflows when thresholds are met (e.g. move to MQL at 50+ points).

Why it works:

• You get better quality MQLs.

• Sales sees more sales-ready leads and less noise.

• You can tailor follow-up timing based on intent signals.

Scoring is particularly effective when used alongside lifecycle stage automation, helping you prioritise quality over volume.

We often see lifecycle stages managed manually, or worse… never updated at all.

The issue:

Without automatic updates, leads get ignored or incorrectly contacted. This skews reporting and muddies your funnel metrics.

The fix:

Use workflows to progress lifecycle stages automatically based on clear criteria:

• MQL → SQL: if the contact books a meeting or meets a scoring threshold.

• SQL → Opportunity: if a deal is created and associated.

• Opportunity → Customer: if a deal closes as ‘Won’.

Why it works:

• You keep your funnel clean and consistent.

• Reports reflect the actual buyer journey and future pipeline.

• You reduce admin for both marketing and sales teams.

The sales team doesn’t need to be notified every time a qualified contact clicks an email. However, some actions should prompt immediate follow-up, especially if timing matters.

The issue:

High-intent signals go unnoticed because no one’s watching the activity feed 24/7.

The fix:

Use subtle but strategic alerts for key actions, like:

• Visiting the pricing page

• Returning to the site after 30+ days

• Re-engaging with a nurture email

• Completing a demo request but not booking

In HubSpot, these alerts can be built into workflows and sent as internal emails, Slack messages, or even task assignments - just don’t overdo it!

Why it works:

• Sales gets timely prompts without being overwhelmed.

• Follow-ups feel natural and contextual.

• You stay front-of-mind when the prospect is already thinking about you.

This tip is particularly useful for teams focused on long sales cycles, where touchpoints are minimal and timing is everything.

Every HubSpot tip above is designed to solve common issues without adding unnecessary complexity. Automation should support your team to deliver greater ROI, and our recommendations are based on a decade of experience in marketing automation.

Before launching your next HubSpot campaign, ask yourself:

• Are leads moving through the funnel at the right pace?

• Are the right people being notified at the right time?

• Are we using automation to support human action, not replace it?

If you’re unsure, start with Tip 1. We’ve yet to see a team that didn’t benefit from adding a lifecycle nudge!

Need help implementing these HubSpot tips?

If you’d like support building any of these workflows, or auditing your current HubSpot setup for gaps, our HubSpot automation consultants can help. 

We’ll ensure your marketing systems are fully integrated and running smoothly, so you can focus on strategic, creative marketing. Simply send us a message today.