Hubspot Case Analysis
1. Most Important Facts. Briefly summarize the situation facing the business in the case. Make sure to include the most important facts.
2. Key Issues. Specify the key issues in the business situation that will be addressed in your analysis using the facts provided in the case.
3. SWOT Analysis.
4. Do you agree with Hubspot that the “rules of marketing” have changed? If so, how? Is inbound marketing the answer? Why or why not?
5. Is HubSpot finding and serving the right set of customers? Given its position as a start-up company, should it widen its focus to serve any customer that comes its way? Or narrow their target, by focusing exclusively on either Owner Ollies or Marketer Marys? Or by focusing exclusively on either B2B or B2C customers? Pros and cons?
6. HubSpot has begun to differentiate its products as it has learned more about its customers. Should it do more? Should its pricing strategy change too? Does the software-as-a-service (SaaS) pricing model work for both Marketer Marys and Owner Ollies? Should HubSpot try to immediately capture more value for either of these customers? Pros and cons?
7. Are Halligan and Shah being too stubborn by not doing any outbound marketing? Or should they continue to practice what they preach by focusing on inbound marketing alone? Pros and cons?
8. Halligan and Shah want HubSpot to be to marketing, what salesforce.com is to sales. What would your plan of action be to make this happen? Why would you take these actions? What keeps you up at night about your plan? Pros and cons?
