The HubSpot Flywheel: What It Is and How Small Businesses Can Apply It for Growth

Traditional business models often rely on the sales funnel to describe the journey from attracting leads to converting them into customers. However, the HubSpot Flywheel presents a more modern and customer-centric approach, focusing on momentum and growth through continuous engagement with customers.

In this blog, we’ll explore what the HubSpot Flywheel is, how it differs from the traditional funnel, and how small businesses can apply it to drive sustainable growth by putting the customer experience at the heart of their strategy.

What is the HubSpot Flywheel?

The HubSpot Flywheel is a business model that revolves around customer satisfaction and continuous engagement. Unlike the sales funnel, which ends when a customer makes a purchase, the flywheel continues to build momentum by focusing on attracting, engaging, and delighting customers—turning them into promoters who help fuel further growth.

The flywheel is made up of three core stages:

• Attract: Drawing in new potential customers through valuable content, social media, SEO, and other marketing efforts.
• Engage: Building relationships with leads and prospects through meaningful interactions, personalisation, and excellent service.
• Delight: Going above and beyond to provide outstanding customer experiences, turning satisfied customers into loyal advocates for your business.

The key difference between the funnel and the flywheel is that the customer isn’t just the end goal—they become part of the process, helping to drive referrals, repeat business, and organic growth.

1. Attract: Drawing in Potential Customers with Value

The first stage of the HubSpot Flywheel is attraction. Here, the goal is to attract potential customers by providing valuable content and resources that address their needs and solve their problems. Instead of interrupting customers with traditional advertising, you draw them in with helpful information and solutions.

How to apply the attract stage:

• Content marketing: Publish blog posts, videos, and guides that answer common questions or solve pain points for your audience. Focus on topics that are relevant to your niche and provide real value.
• SEO: Optimise your website and content for search engines, ensuring you rank for the keywords that your potential customers are searching for.
• Social media engagement: Use social media platforms to share content, engage with followers, and build a community around your brand.
• Lead magnets: Offer valuable resources like eBooks, whitepapers, or free templates in exchange for contact information, allowing you to continue nurturing leads.

Example: A small accounting firm might create a blog series on “Tax Tips for Small Businesses” or offer a free downloadable tax checklist to attract business owners in need of accounting services.

2. Engage: Building Trust and Nurturing Relationships

Once you’ve attracted potential customers, the next stage is engagement. This phase focuses on nurturing leads by providing personalised interactions and building trust through meaningful communication. The goal is to guide leads through the decision-making process by offering them the right information at the right time.

How to apply the engage stage:

• Email marketing: Use email automation to deliver personalised messages based on where leads are in the customer journey. For example, send welcome emails to new subscribers or follow-up emails to leads who’ve shown interest in a particular product or service.
• CRM tools: Use HubSpot’s free CRM to track customer interactions and personalise your communication. This helps ensure that you’re engaging with leads at the right moment with relevant information.
• Conversational marketing: Implement chatbots or live chat on your website to engage visitors in real-time, answer their questions, and help guide them to the next step.

Example: A small online retail business might use email workflows to send targeted product recommendations to customers who’ve recently browsed specific items, increasing the chances of conversion.

3. Delight: Turning Customers into Promoters

The final stage of the HubSpot Flywheel is delight. Once a customer has made a purchase, the goal is to continue delivering exceptional value and experiences that exceed their expectations. Delighted customers are more likely to become repeat buyers and refer your business to others, helping to generate further growth.

How to apply the delight stage:

• Personalised follow-up: Send follow-up emails thanking customers for their purchase and offering additional support or recommendations based on their previous interactions.
• Customer support: Provide outstanding customer service by quickly resolving any issues and offering ongoing assistance. HubSpot’s Service Hub can help you manage support tickets, feedback, and inquiries efficiently.
• Encourage reviews and referrals: Delighted customers are more likely to leave positive reviews or refer others. Create a referral programme or ask satisfied customers to share their experience on social media or review platforms.
• Exclusive offers: Reward your most loyal customers with exclusive discounts, offers, or early access to new products, helping to keep them engaged and coming back.

Example: A small fitness studio might send personalised class recommendations or fitness tips to members based on their workout history, making them feel valued and increasing their loyalty.

Why the Flywheel is Perfect for Small Businesses

The HubSpot Flywheel offers several advantages for small businesses, particularly in terms of creating sustainable growth through customer-centric strategies. Here’s why it works so well:

• Customer retention drives growth: Small businesses often rely on word-of-mouth marketing and repeat customers. The flywheel puts the customer experience at the forefront, ensuring that happy customers become promoters who drive referrals and repeat business.
• It builds momentum: Unlike the funnel, which often ends at the point of conversion, the flywheel keeps spinning as satisfied customers continue to fuel the cycle. This makes it a more sustainable and scalable model for long-term growth.
• Focus on relationships, not just transactions: The flywheel encourages businesses to build lasting relationships with customers, rather than focusing solely on one-off transactions. This approach can lead to stronger brand loyalty and higher customer lifetime value.
  
  

Applying the HubSpot Flywheel to Your Small Business

Implementing the flywheel model in your small business doesn’t require massive changes—just a shift in focus towards customer experience and engagement. Here’s how you can start:

1. Evaluate your current customer journey: Identify where your business is excelling and where there are gaps in customer attraction, engagement, or delight. Look for opportunities to improve the customer experience at each stage.

2. Invest in tools that support the flywheel: Use tools like HubSpot’s CRM, Marketing Hub, and Service Hub to streamline your processes, automate tasks, and personalise communication with leads and customers.

3. Focus on customer feedback: Regularly gather feedback from your customers to understand their needs and how you can improve their experience. Use this insight to fine-tune your flywheel and ensure you’re continuously meeting (and exceeding) expectations.

4. Encourage and reward referrals: Make it easy for your satisfied customers to share their positive experiences. Consider setting up a referral programme or offering incentives for customers who recommend your business to others.
   
   

The Flywheel as a Growth Engine for Small Businesses

The HubSpot Flywheel offers a dynamic, customer-focused approach to growth that’s perfect for small businesses. By focusing on attracting, engaging, and delighting customers, you can create a self-sustaining cycle of growth driven by loyal customers and organic referrals.

Rather than focusing on one-time conversions, the flywheel encourages businesses to nurture relationships and turn customers into promoters, helping your business grow steadily and sustainably over time.

Ready to apply the HubSpot Flywheel to your small business? Get in touch, and I can guide you through the process step by step!