HubSpot isn’t for everyone.
Maybe you signed the contract with big expectations. More traffic. Better leads. A smoother path from first touch to closed deal.
But now… the needle hasn’t moved like you expected.
That’s frustrating. And your next thought is probably:
“Let’s just cancel it.”
Fair. But before you pull that lever, let’s walk through how to cancel, and more importantly, whether you actually should.
This part is usually more complicated than people expect.
If you’re looking to cancel, start with your Customer Success Manager (CSM). They’re your primary point of contact and the only real path to initiating the process.
If you don’t know who that is:
From there, a few things to keep in mind.
Most HubSpot contracts are annual. That means you typically can’t cancel mid-term without penalty. In most cases, you’ll need to:
If you’re on a free tool or a month-to-month product, the process is more flexible. HubSpot has a support page that walks through those scenarios in more detail.
Bottom line: don’t wait until the last minute. If you’re even considering canceling, start the conversation early.
Let’s zoom out for a second.
Why did you invest in HubSpot in the first place?
Most teams had goals like:
Those goals don’t disappear just because the tool didn’t deliver right away.
That’s why it’s worth asking a tougher question:
Is the software the problem… or is something else off?
Because in many cases, HubSpot isn’t the root issue.
Getting a bunch of leads isn't enough. If you're not reaching the right people with your strategy you'll always struggle to achieve what really matters in the end: revenue. If you find that you are doing well generating traffic and leads, but failing at getting new customers take a step back and consider, "are we focused on reaching the right people?"
Some businesses can manage their own inbound marketing and software without a problem ... but not every business. If you're trying DIY and struggling, maybe it's just too much and there is nothing wrong with that, inbound can be a beast. Consider your options for who might be able to help you.
There are A TON of great marketing agencies out there. There are also a lot of less-than-stellar ones.
If you're using HubSpot, use a HubSpot partner. These people are in it everyday. Look to tiered HubSpot Partners. These are the folks that maintain a certain volume of HubSpot accounts, hold the proper certifications, etc.
Be sure they're the right fit for you. Inbound should be like a partnership. If you don't work well as a team or your agency doesn't care about your success as much as you do ... there might be a problem.
If all else fails, go back to reason #1. If an agency created your strategy, that doesn't guarantee success. It might be time to go back to the drawing board and see where you both missed the mark.
Inbound marketing takes time, regardless of what software you've chosen. It can take 6 months even with the greatest of strategies to start seeing even a glimpse of light. If you're still early on, don't get too discouraged.
We like HubSpot, yes ... but I'm also not going to say it doesn't have flaws or that it works for everyone. Maybe you (or a partner) made the wrong software decision.
After walking through this, you might still want to cancel. Or you might be realizing the situation is a bit more nuanced.
Either way, it’s worth having one more conversation before making the call.
Talk to your CSM. Get a second opinion from a third party. Pressure test your assumptions.
Canceling is easy. Rebuilding momentum after the fact isn’t.
If you're having second thoughts, even if it's just an inkling, it's probably worth a short conversation with your HubSpot CSM or a 3rd party (someone like me, for example).