How to Create Workflows in HubSpot (Step-by-Step)

Key Takeaways

• HubSpot workflows automate repetitive marketing and sales tasks

• You can build workflows that send emails, create tasks, update properties, and trigger other actions

• Setting up your first workflow takes 10-15 minutes

• Workflows work 24/7, even when your team is offline

• Most teams start with 5-10 workflows covering their key business processes

Why Your Team Needs HubSpot Workflows

Imagine if you could eliminate repetitive manual tasks and have HubSpot do the heavy lifting. That's what workflows do. Instead of your team manually sending follow-up emails or updating records, workflows handle it automatically when conditions are met.

A typical workflow might look like: "When a form is submitted, send a welcome email after 2 hours, add a tag, and notify the sales team."

Step-by-Step: Create Your First Workflow

Step 1: Navigate to Workflows

1. From your HubSpot dashboard, click "Automation" in the top menu

2. Select "Workflows"

3. Click "Create workflow" in the top right

4. Choose "Object-based" for contact workflows (this is most common)

5. Select "Contact" as your object type

6. Name your workflow something descriptive like "New Lead Welcome Sequence"

Step 2: Set Your Trigger (What Starts the Workflow)

Triggers are the "if" part of your workflow. They define when the workflow runs. Common triggers include:

1. Click "Set up trigger"

2. Choose your trigger type. 

   Popular options are:

   - "Contact submitted a form"

   - "Contact property value changed"

   - "Contact added to a list"

   - "Email was opened"

   - "Contact became a customer

3. Set specific conditions if needed (for example: "Form equals Demo Request")

4. Click "Apply filter"

Step 3: Add Your First Action

Actions are what the workflow does when triggered. To add an action:

1. Click the "+" icon below your trigger

2. Select an action type. Most common first actions:

- Send an email: Automatically email the contact

- Create a task: Alert your sales team to call or email

- Delay: Wait hours or days before the next step

- Send notification: Alert a teammate in HubSpot

- Update property: Change a contact's status automatically

Let's add an email action:

1. Select "Send an email"

2. Choose an email template or create a new one

3. Add any personalizations (first name, company name, etc.)

4. Click "Apply"

Step 4: Add a Delay (Optional but Recommended)

Most workflows include a delay to make them feel natural:

1. Click "+" below your email action

2. Select "Delay"

3. Choose your delay time (we recommend 2 hours or 1 day)

4. Click "Apply"

Step 5: Add More Actions

Let's say after the welcome email, you want to notify your sales team:

1. Click "+" and select "Send notification"

2. Choose who gets notified (you can pick team members or teams)

3. Add a message like "New lead from demo request - follow up within 2 hours"

4. Click "Apply"

Step 6: Test Before Activating

Before going live:

1. Look at the workflow summary

2. Click "Test" in the top right

3. Search for a test contact to run through the workflow

4. Verify the test contact receives the email and notifications work

5. Once confirmed, click "Turn on" to activate

Step 7: Monitor and Optimize

After your workflow is live:

1. Check your "Workflow analytics" weekly

2. Look at enrollment and completion rates

3. Check if the workflow is achieving your goal (more sales, faster follow-up, etc.)

4. Adjust timing, messaging, or actions based on results

Common Workflow Examples

Workflow 1: Demo Request Follow-Up

• Trigger: Contact submits demo request form

• Action 1: Send welcome email (immediate)

• Action 2: Create task for sales team (immediate)

• Action 3: Send second email (after 2 days if no demo scheduled)

Workflow 2: Lead Nurture Sequence  

• Trigger: Contact added to "Cold Lead" list

• Action 1: Send educational email about your solution (immediate)

• Action 2: Wait 3 days

• Action 3: Send case study email

• Action 4: Wait 3 days

• Action 5: Send feature benefits email

• Action 6: Wait 3 days

• Action 7: Send final offer email, then remove from workflow

Workflow 3: New Customer Onboarding

• Trigger: Contact property "Customer" equals "Yes"

• Action 1: Send onboarding guide

• Action 2: Create customer success task (assign to owner)

• Action 3: Add to customer portal list

• Action 4: Wait 1 week, send training video

Workflow Best Practices

Less is More: Don't create too many actions per workflow. Keep it to 5-7 steps maximum.

Always Include Delay: Emails sent immediately to emails sent after a 2-hour delay perform better. It feels more natural.

Test Thoroughly: Always test workflows with a dummy contact before going live to hundreds of real leads.

Monitor Performance: Create a dashboard that shows workflow enrollment and completion. Track which workflows deliver ROI.

Update Regularly: Review your workflows quarterly and update messaging, timing, and actions based on performance data.

Conclusion

HubSpot workflows are not just a helpful automation feature. They are a practical way to build consistency, reduce manual effort, and create a better experience for both your team and your leads. When set up thoughtfully, even a simple workflow can save hours of repetitive work, improve follow-up speed, and make your marketing and sales processes more reliable.

The best part is that you do not need to build everything at once. Start with one workflow that solves a clear problem, test it properly, and refine it as your team grows more confident. Over time, these small automations can become the foundation of a smarter, more scalable operation. For teams looking to get more value from HubSpot, workflows are often the first step towards building a system that works harder in the background so your people can focus on higher-impact work.