HubSpot CRM Tutorial for Beginners 2026 (Step-by-Step)

Introduction

This tutorial is designed to guide you through setting up HubSpot CRM, perfect for beginners, small teams, and solopreneurs. You will learn how to create your account, add contacts and companies, connect your email and calendar, set up your sales pipeline, and invite team members—all using the free plan.

Step 1: Sign Up and Navigation

• Visit the HubSpot website and sign up for a free account.
• Follow the prompts to complete your registration.
• Familiarize yourself with the dashboard layout:
  • Explore key areas like Contacts, Companies, Deals, and Email.
  • Utilize the navigation bar to access different features easily.

Step 2: Add or Import Contacts

• Navigate to the Contacts section.
• Choose to add contacts manually or import from an existing database:
  • For manual entry:
    • Click on “Add Contact.”
    • Fill in the necessary details: name, email, phone, etc.
  • For importing:
    • Download the contact import template from this link.
    • Fill the template with your contacts’ details.
    • Upload the template in HubSpot to import your contacts.

Step 3: Add and Link Companies

• Go to the Companies section.
• Add companies by clicking on “Add Company”:
  • Enter the company name and relevant information.
• To link contacts to companies:
  • Open the contact profile.
  • Use the "Company" field to associate the contact with the respective company.

Step 4: Connect Your Email and Calendar

• Access the Email integration settings:
  • Click on your profile icon, then go to "Settings."
  • Under "Email," select your email provider and follow the prompts to connect.
• Connect your calendar:
  • In the "Calendar" settings, choose your calendar provider.
  • Allow HubSpot to access your calendar to sync events and meetings.

Step 5: Set Up Deals and Sales Pipeline

• Navigate to the Deals section.
• Click on “Create Pipeline”:
  • Define stages of your sales process (e.g., Prospecting, Negotiation, Closed).
  • Customize stages according to your business needs.
• Add deals by clicking “Add Deal”:
  • Fill in the deal name, associated contacts, and the deal value.

Step 6: Invite a Team Member to HubSpot CRM

• Go to "Settings" and select "Users & Teams."
• Click on “Invite Users”:
  • Enter the email address of the team member you want to invite.
  • Assign appropriate permissions based on their role.
• Send the invitation and ensure they accept it to join your HubSpot account.

Conclusion

You have successfully set up HubSpot CRM with contacts, companies, email, calendar, and a sales pipeline. This foundational setup will enhance your customer relationship management and streamline your sales process. Next steps include exploring advanced features and using the CRM to manage your sales activities effectively. For further learning, consider checking out additional resources or tutorials on HubSpot functionalities.