Hello!
I am trying to figure out whether I need to use Custom Events and a Custom Object to get the most robust conference reporting possible, or if Custom Events alone will suffice. I seem to get conflicting information on the best way to proceed. I am currently using Custom Events. I have an “event interaction” event that I upload after each conference, including the event name, contact email, interaction type, interaction level (unknown, mql, sql), collected by, and notes. We associate contacts with deals and use an association label if the conference interaction actually led to the creation of the deal. I feel like I am missing how to measure influence, but the conference source is covered.
Do you have any feedback? I know this is a pretty open-ended question.
Hello @KarenDWaldon,
Thanks for bringing this to the Community!
To make sure this gets the right eyes on it - I’d like to note that I moved this post into its own thread as it seems you’re in a different stage of building this out than the original post. We can find the original thread here.
There may be a few options worth exploring depending on how deep you need to go with influence reporting, but I’ll let some of our Top Contributors weigh in with their takes!
Hey @karstenkoehler, @Anton, @SanjayKumar -- do you have any suggestions for @KarenDWaldon on this?
Thanks in advanced!
Sam, Community Manager
Hi @KarenDWaldon ,
I want to make sure I am clarifying this correctly - are you using “Custom Events” or are you using 'Marketing Events"?
I ask because they are 2 different things in HubSpot. Based on your goals, i’d recommend using Marketing Events, it’s essentialy an event object inside of HubSpot. It allows you to identify the event, associate it to contacs and report the performance at the event level.
You could potentially use Marketing Event and Custom Events. Marketing events could capture each conference and Custome Events could help cature more details about interactions etc.
HubSpot KB: Use Marketing Events
- I am using Marketing Events - I will upload the contacts that we interacted to the event.
- I have a Campaign that includes the marketing event noted above.
- I have created a Custom Event (Conference Interactions) that I import after the conference. (email, company name, event name, interaction type, interaction notes, level of interest (unknown, MQL wants more info, SQL wants a demo).
- Long narrative notes about interactions are added as Meetings.
- I also have a custom property on the contact record (multi-select) that is a quick one-stop place to see a contact’s full history at the conferences we track, including our own.
- I make sure the event (conference name) is the same across all objects.
- I know the contact will need to be associated with any deals opened, and we can use the Conference Lead association label if the deal was created due to the event interaction.
I feel like I am missing something in attribution or for reporting, that is why I am wondering if you need a Custom Object for Conferences? Or do I need to associate more things with the deal to have it report accurately? Is there a different process for current customers vs. new business?
I have vague direction that leadership wants to measure ROI on our conference engagements. By going to the conferences, are we closing deals? How many interactions does it take? What kind of interactions (social, demos, long conversations, multiple conversations)? How many MQL or SQL resulted from conference interactions?
Perhaps this isn’t the correct venue for this question, but I need to build a robust process, and any insight would be helpful.
Thank you!
Hi @KarenDWaldon ,
While I would love to be able to give you all the answers, I do not believe I could accurately be able to do so without seeing the data and structure of your portal, while also seeing the short comings you are coming across.
My suggestion to you would to work with a HubSpot Partner. Here is the partner directory.
To try and add some value and not say “go work with a partner”. I beliebe adding as much details throught the journey they are taking is going to only help your reporting. If you are using leads adding a source field that moves from the contact/company iinto the lead when the lead has been created, the once the lead is qualified adding that to the deal. Also using association labels such as Conference Lead on the Contact/Company association.
depending on your HubSpot subscription tier, campaigns could help you report on your ROI. Journey and Funnel reports can allow you to see “Are you closing deals” and where the drop off is happening.
I truly think working with an agency could get you where you would like to be faster, but you might be looking at the gamit of Custom Reports, Customer Journey Report, Attribution Report, and Funnel Report.
Hey Karen!
I’m a product manager on HubSpot’s data platform and pm of custom events! data modeling can have some nuance, i’ve definitely seen a whole range of implementations here. some definitions that might be useful:
object: an entity in hubspot to represent a process (ex. deal, ticket) or a relationship (ex. contact, company). designed to tell you the current state of the world, not designed to tell you how things change over time. mutable by nature, meaning you can edit the property values they contain.
event: an entity in hubspot to represent a moment in time (ex. page view, email open). designed to be the paper trail of objects to help you understand evolution, spikes and dips in activity. immutable by nature, meaning you cannot edit the property values after the fact.
custom object: an process/relationship unique to your business
custom event: an moment in time/action unique to your business
marketing events OBJECT: an object (thats confusing, we know) purpose built to represent the attendance of a conference, webinar, etc.
as others have echoed--the marketing events object is probably the “right” answer here--although i have seen some folks who want to build out their own custom solution with a combination of custom objects/events.
always happy to chat custom events or general data model pros/cons if you have questions
https://www.hubspot.com/meetings/maggie-philbin
Thank you! I just set up some time with you for Monday. 