Thoughtfully calculated, well-executed prospecting is central to virtually every successful sales engagement. It sets a tone — giving you the momentum and perspective you need to lock in on viable sales opportunities and ensure the rest of your sales process goes as smoothly as possible. But as with any other skill, some salespeople have a better grip on prospecting than others — and we, here at the HubSpot Sales Blog, want to do our part to make sure you prospect as effectively as possible. That‘s why we connected with some sales leaders for their takes on habits the most successful prospecto ..read more

It takes a lot of apps to run a business these days. In 2023, the average company used 80 SaaS apps in their operations… talk about a tech STACK. One category that’s having a growth spurt: Legal tools. With 35% year-over-year customer growth and ~$30B in market size, legal tech is dominating the global workplace. Driving the trend are contract management apps like Ironclad, and legal jack-of-all-trades like LegalZoom. And then AI entered the chat… Source: Google Trends, six-month rolling average Get more business ideas and trendy data in our weekly Trends Newsletter. Notab ..read more

We’re sharing the top industries for entrepreneurs in 2024. Our Trends team has found data showing why these industries are booming. Plus, we’ve interviewed entrepreneurs who share their success in these industries: what they did, how you can do the same, and who these industries are best suited for. Table of Contents The 2024 Startup Landscape The Top Industries for Entrepreneurs The 2024 Startup Landscape Some elements of entrepreneurship are easier than ever; access to the internet, social networking, and remote work means that some businesses can be started with no money. According to a ..read more

Social media has forever changed the way we market by giving us a way to build real relationships with the people we’re marketing to. With video now so shareable, it should be an essential part of everyone’s social selling strategy. After all, video is one of the easiest ways to fast-track those relationships because it mimics a two-sided conversation and helps people feel like they really and truly know you. There are several ways to incorporate video into social selling strategies, and everyone does it a little bit differently. Since video plays a big role in my social selling, you’ll get a ..read more

No matter how advanced longevity tech gets, the most powerful anti-aging drug will still be physical exercise.  It could be a cure for loneliness in seniors, too — 38% of baby boomers believe that regular physical exercise is an essential way to connect with their peers. We’re not just talking about Tai chi in the park or 5am walks. Seniors need more specialized training that boosts their health, confidence, and social connections. Source: Fortune Business Insights Despite the $112B fitness club market, current options aren’t doing elderly folks any favors. Those aged ..read more

Once upon a time, in the land down under, a young girl dreamed of taking on giants — and winning. For Melanie Perkins, the giants were the corporate titans that dominated the graphic design industry.  Melanie, a university student, found herself frustrated by the design software options available. They were all: Too expensive Ridiculously complex Difficult to learn So Melanie created an easy-to-use online tool called (drumroll) Canva. Yep, that Canva. Currently valued at ~$26B, Canva is the world’s most valuable female-founded startup.  With 100m+ users, Canva is a sure bet to ..read more

Welcome to "The Pipeline" — a weekly column from HubSpot, featuring actionable advice and insight from real sales leaders. This week's installment comes from Repvue's Founder and CEO, Ryan Walsh. Want more content like this? Subscribe to our newsletter.  Ask any salesperson if they get enough inbound leads. You can bet their answer will be “no.” It won’t matter who they work for or what industry they’re in. It’s kind of a running joke that no seller will ever get enough leads. Every seller wants a strong, steady stream of quality inbound leads. Preferably ones with a big budget and high i ..read more

Anyone not living under a rock knows that subscription businesses are huge these days: The global subscription market is projected to reach $1.5T next year Three in four D2C companies have some form of subscription offering The combined market cap of all digital subscription companies has reached $14T (with new entrants still jumping in) Source: UBS But making a buck isn’t as easy anymore, especially since consumers today paying $1k per year on subscriptions seem to be outgrowing this model. If there’s ever a “subscription apocalypse” – like everyone trading in their sub ..read more

Welcome to "The Pipeline" — a weekly column from HubSpot, featuring actionable advice from real sales leaders. Want more content like this? Subscribe to our newsletter! Are you ready for a shocking, next-level revelation that's going to turn your world upside down? Here it is: Prospects aren't always easy to deal with. Boom! That's the kind of astute, game-changing insight you can only find here at The Pipeline, baby. You're welcome. But in all seriousness, difficult prospects are a fact of sales life, and dealing with a difficult buyer who makes a sale harder than it needs to will always suck ..read more

Hannah Hong and Mollie Cha have a few things in common. They both: ? Grew up in entrepreneurial environments ? Became lactose intolerant in their 20s ? Suffer from a case of sweet tooth So naturally, they co-founded a snack company, and started making dairy-free ice cream together. Source: LA Weekly They got a taste of success, signing deals with retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market, and making ~$3.7m in revenue last year. But they’ve also weathered some storms, like getting rejected on Shark Tank, and having to discontinue their flagship product and lay off most of the ..read more