Carrying out a HubSpot data audit

Your CRM system is only ever as good as the data you keep within it. By being diligent and keeping your house in order, you’ll be able to use the functionality to its fullest potential, make the most of your investment, and generally increase efficiency. Carrying out a data audit is essentially a chance to have a spring clean, and ensure the data in your system is up to date. 

Here are the top benefits of carrying out a data audit on your CRM system:

1. Data Accuracy

Accurate data is the foundation of effective decision-making. Inaccurate or outdated information can lead to poor marketing strategies, missed sales opportunities, and inefficient customer service. A data audit helps identify and rectify these inaccuracies.

2. Compliance

With regulations like GDPR, maintaining compliant data practices is not optional. Regular audits help ensure that your data handling processes meet legal requirements, thereby avoiding potential fines and reputational damage.

3. Improved efficiency

Clean and organised data allows your team to work more efficiently. It reduces the time spent on manual corrections and enables automated processes to run smoothly, thereby enhancing overall productivity.

4. Better customer insights

Accurate data provides better insights into customer behaviour and preferences. This enables more personalised marketing campaigns, effective sales strategies, and improved customer service.

How to perform a HubSpot data audit

Step 1: Define your objectives

Before starting the audit, define what you aim to achieve. This could include ensuring data accuracy, identifying duplicate records, verifying compliance with regulations, or enhancing data segmentation.

Step 2: Review data sources

Identify all sources feeding data into HubSpot. These could include website forms, email subscriptions, social media integrations, and third-party applications. Ensure that each source is correctly configured and relevant to your data needs.

Step 3: Clean up data fields

Examine the fields in your HubSpot records. Look for inconsistencies, missing information, and outdated entries. Standardise formats where necessary (e.g., date formats, phone numbers) and remove unnecessary fields that clutter your database.

Step 4: Identify and merge duplicates

Duplicates can skew your data analysis and waste resources. Use HubSpot’s duplicate management tools to identify and merge duplicate records. Ensure that key information is retained and that no valuable data is lost during the merge.

Step 5: Validate data accuracy

Cross-check data entries with external sources or validation tools to ensure accuracy. For example, verify email addresses using email verification tools and confirm contact details against reliable sources.

Step 6: Segment your data

Effective segmentation is crucial for targeted marketing and sales efforts. Review your segmentation criteria and adjust them based on the latest data. Ensure that each segment is well-defined and useful for your campaigns.

Step 7: Set up automated workflows

Automation can help maintain data quality. Set up workflows in HubSpot to automatically update records, assign leads, and manage data entry processes. Regularly review and refine these workflows to adapt to changing needs.

Step 8: Monitor and maintain

A data audit is not a one-time task. Establish a regular schedule for ongoing data maintenance. Monitor data quality metrics and make continuous improvements to keep your database in top shape.

Next steps

Conducting a HubSpot data audit is essential for maintaining data accuracy, ensuring compliance, improving efficiency, and gaining better customer insights. By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your HubSpot CRM remains a valuable asset to your business, driving effective marketing, sales, and customer service efforts.

Regular data audits not only help in maintaining clean data but also empower your team with the confidence to make data-driven decisions. The impact of clean and accurate data on your business can be pretty game-changing. 

If you’d like some advice on carrying out a HubSpot data audit, book a call.