HubSpot for a manufacturing business

As the manufacturing industry embraces a digital revolution in customer management, HubSpot is at the forefront, offering tools to enhance lead generation, sales, and workflow optimization.   

This guide explores how manufacturers can leverage HubSpot’s CRM capabilities, integrate it with cloud inventory platforms like Katana, and unlock new growth opportunities.  

5 ways HubSpot CRM supports manufacturing   

Manufacturing businesses face unique challenges, such as complex buyer journeys, extended sales cycles, and diverse customer needs.  

HubSpot’s intuitive AI-powered CRM simplifies these complexities through tools like lead scoring, contact management, and sales pipeline visualization. It ensures a seamless experience throughout the buyer journey, from lead generation to post-sale support. 

1. Lead generation with HubSpot  

HubSpot offers robust lead-generation tools tailored for manufacturing: 

• Trade show lead management — Capture leads using forms or QR codes and assign them to sales reps for timely follow-ups  
• Custom quote generation — Automate detailed quotes and proposals based on customer inquiries and historical data  
• Predictive lead scoring — Prioritize high-potential leads using AI-driven analysis of customer behavior

HubSpot also minimizes manual tracking errors by automating follow-ups and leveraging historical data to predict sales trends. Chatbots and forms streamline the process of gathering prospect information, easily turning visitors into leads.  

2. Centralizing customer data  

HubSpot’s CRM enables manufacturers to: 

• Track interactions with prospects and customers  
• Store comprehensive records of quotes, orders, and communications  
• Provide a 360-degree view of the customer journey  

Centralized data fosters seamless communication and collaboration across sales, marketing, and customer service teams, reducing miscommunication and enhancing efficiency. 

3. Enhancing customer support  

HubSpot’s AI-powered chatbots ensure 24/7 customer support by: 

• Answering common questions  
• Capturing leads  
• Routing inquiries to appropriate teams  

This improves customer engagement and enables quick and efficient communication with your manufacturing business. 

4. Marketing with HubSpot  

HubSpot’s marketing tools empower manufacturers to: 

• Send targeted campaigns — Personalize emails to showcase new products, case studies, or insights
• Segment audiences — Focus on specific customer groups by industry, geography, or buying behavior
• Analyze performance — Measure the success of trade shows, ad campaigns, and email marketing
• Generate content — Use AI to suggest personalized content for emails and blogs, boosting customer engagement

HubSpot’s multichannel approach — including email, SMS, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp — aligns marketing efforts with sales goals for impactful campaigns. 

5. Automating Workflows  

HubSpot simplifies manufacturing workflows through automation, such as: 

• Sales-to-production handoff — Notify production teams when deals are closed
• Inventory alerts — Trigger notifications when inventory levels fall below thresholds
• Customer follow-ups — Send automated emails for feedback or support
• Lead nurturing — Create email sequences for interested but undecided leads
• Sales forecasting — Use AI to predict trends and allocate resources effectively

These automations free up time for strategic activities, improve efficiency, and identify workflow bottlenecks for optimization. 

Does HubSpot include inventory management?

While HubSpot excels in customer management, it doesn’t offer native inventory management capabilities. However, manufacturers can integrate HubSpot with cloud inventory software like Katana to bridge this gap. 

Integrating HubSpot with Katana for inventory management  

HubSpot’s integration with Katana creates seamless workflows between sales and production: 

1. Streamlined sales-to-production — Automatically generate production orders in Katana for closed deals
2. Real-time inventory updates — Ensure accurate stock information for sales teams  
3. Automated purchase orders — Trigger restocking alerts and purchase orders when inventory is low  
4. Unified analytics — Combine sales and production data for a comprehensive view of operations  
5. Enhanced communication — Keep customers informed with automated order updates  

Getting started with HubSpot and Katana integration  

To integrate HubSpot with Katana: 

• Log in to Katana and navigate to Settings and then Integrations
• Authorize HubSpot access and configure data synchronization (e.g., customer details, sales orders)  
• Enable seamless workflows between sales and production teams  

Empower your manufacturing business with HubSpot and Katana

HubSpot’s AI-powered CRM is an invaluable tool for manufacturing businesses, offering solutions for lead generation, customer support, marketing, and workflow automation.

By integrating HubSpot with systems like Katana, manufacturers can unify sales and production, enhance operational efficiency, and drive business growth. Leverage HubSpot with Katana and revolutionize your manufacturing processes.

Book a demo now to see exactly how Katana + HubSpot can benefit your business.

James Humphreys

Head of Content Marketing

James Humphreys has produced content on manufacturing and inventory management practices for 6+ years. He began his journey into writing via the creative industry, writing and producing plays, some of which toured the UK and Europe.