You are in the middle of the preparation phase for your next webinar. The invitation needs to go out, follow-ups need to be automated, sales needs to be involved - and ideally, it should also be possible to clearly measure the results at the end.
But what happens?
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The target group is stored somewhere in an Excel list.
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The segmentation is vague - "something with HR managers".
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The sales department receives the leads too late or not at all.
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The evaluation? A guessing game between registrations and gut feeling.
Welcome to the daily routine of many marketing and sales teams in the professional services industry.
You know there is a better way. You know that there are tools.
But which one really suits your setup?
Dynamics 365 Marketing Automation vs. HubSpot
Two strong platforms - but with very different strengths, philosophies and entry points.
In this article, we will help you make a decision. Not by comparing features - but by looking at your reality.
Two tools - two schools of thought
HubSpot: Get started quickly, all in one place
HubSpot offers one of the most user-friendly all-in-one platforms for marketing, sales and CRM.
Many companies start with email marketing, then expand to landing pages, lead nurturing, and at some point it grows into a complete inbound machine.
Well suited for you if:
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you want to generate many leads via content
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you have a small team and want to start pragmatically
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you want to quickly measure success and set up processes
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you do not need complex integration
Typical situation:
"We have to invite 50 decision-makers to an event in two weeks - as automatically as possible, but in person."
Dynamics 365 Marketing Automation: Orchestrate instead of improvise
Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys is aimed at companies that already work in the Microsoft ecosystem or are looking for scalable structures for their marketing and sales processes.
The focus is not on speed in the setup, but on consistency, precision and deep integration.
Especially strong when:
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You work with several stakeholders per customer (buying center)
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Marketing and sales must be closely interlinked
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you plan targeted journeys, event campaigns or account-based marketing
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You use reporting & data strategy via Power BI
Typical situation:
"We want to target our top customers with new offers - and build cross-selling campaigns based on CRM data."
What challenges do the tools really solve?
| The challenge | HubSpot | D365 Marketing Automation |
|---|---|---|
| Fast start with few resources | ✅ ideal | 🔸 Rather complex |
| Clear inbound process (content, SEO) | ✅ very strong | 🔸 Optional via third-party tools |
| Integration with Microsoft environment | 🔸 Only via APIs | Deeply integrated (Outlook, CRM etc.) |
| Buying Center & ABM | 🔸 limited | ✅ Clear advantage |
| Event-oriented journeys | 🔸 Basic automation | ✅ Ideal for events + follow-ups |
| Data-driven marketing & BI | 🔸 limited | ✅ Power BI, real-time journeys |
| Platform strategy (One Microsoft) | ❌ Not in focus | ✅ Perfectly embedded |
Conclusion: What do you need - now and in 12 months' time?
Both platforms are strong - but they solve different challenges.
🧠 Dynamics 365 Marketing Automation
is the right choice if you need a professional, scalable setup with data linking, sales integration and process intelligence. Especially if you are already working with Microsoft Dynamics.
⚡ HubSpot
is perfect if you want to start pragmatically, generate leads quickly and are looking for a system that works without deep integration - ideal for agile, content-driven marketing teams.
Our tip: Think in terms of situations, not features
If you are considering which tool is right for you, ask yourself:
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Which campaigns do we run regularly?
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Where do frictional losses arise between marketing and sales?
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Do we need to scale - or create clarity first?
If you answer these questions, the tool fit will often come naturally.
And if not: We are happy to help.
