HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows

HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows: Which Automation Tool is Right for You?

6 min

HubSpot users often wonder: should I use Sequences or Workflows?

Though both of them are used to automate emails and improve your business’s marketing and sales efficiency, their primary use cases are different.

The key difference between HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows is that Sequences are generally used for sales, and Workflows are used for marketing.

In this guide, we will explore what HubSpot Sequences and Workflows are, their differences, pros and cons, use cases, and more. So, let’s dive in and explore both of these HubSpot automation tools in detail.

What are HubSpot Sequences and Workflows?

HubSpot provides multiple systems for sales and marketing teams to deliver emails to customers. However, many companies combine all emails and don’t take advantage of special HubSpot tools, such as Sequences and Workflows.

So, let’s first define each HubSpot Sequences and Workflows to get a primary idea of them.

What are HubSpot Sequences?

HubSpot Sequences is an automation tool for your sales team to streamline business outreach efforts by regularly sending a series of emails to customers.

It can be used for different purposes like personalizing sales emails, automating follow-ups, scheduling meetings, promoting new products and services, and upselling or cross-selling to current customers.

What are HubSpot Workflows?

HubSpot Workflows is a HubSpot tool that triggers tasks, emails, and information based on particular rules. It’s a popular way to automate marketing, customer services, sales, and administrative processes.

Using HubSpot Workflows, you can automate properties and notify users of app updates, enlist emails in HubSpot and mass-send them prospects and customers.

Now, let’s examine key differences between HubSpot Sequences and HubSpot Workflows.

HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows: Key Differences

Moving ahead of mere definition, here are the key differences to note while choosing between HubSpot Sequences and Workflows.

1. Required HubSpot Plans

  • Sequences: Users should have Sales or Services Hub’s Professional or Enterprise plan to access HubSpot Sequences
  • Workflows: To access Workflows, users must have Marketing Hub’s Professional or Enterprise plan.
  • 2. Main Purpose of Use

  • Sequences: The main focus of HubSpot Sequences is automating the task of sales emails
  • Workflows: On the other hand, Workflows automate emails of marketing operations
  • 3. Different Available Actions

  • Sequences: There are limited actions available in HubSpot Sequences like task creation, LinkedIn InMail as action, and sales emails
  • Workflows: HubSpot Workflows have a wide range of actions, such as sending marketing SMSs or emails, creating records, updating data, notifying users, and creating tasks.
  • 4. Contact Enrollment

  • Sequences: You have to enroll your list of contacts manually
  • Workflows: Here, contacts are enrolled automatically
  • 5. Who Owns them

  • Sequences: An individual sales representative owns a HubSpot sequence that he creates
  • Workflows: Meanwhile, the whole marketing team owns Workflows that are created
  • 6. Allowed Conditions

  • Sequences: HubSpot Sequences are less flexible in terms of conditions to be used within
  • Workflows: Meanwhile, Workflows are more flexible as you can set if/else conditions to perform an alternative action in it
  • 7. Timing

  • Sequences: HubSpot sequences are time-based and follow a predefined schedule
  • Workflows: They are event-based and get triggered by particular criteria or actions
  • 8. Integration

  • Sequences: Sequences are integrated tightly with HubSpot CRM
  • Workflows: While Workflows are used in conjunction with HubSpot Marketing Hub
  • 9. Complexity

  • Sequences: HubSpot sequences are simpler than Workflows
  • Workflows: Meanwhile, Workflows have more advanced functionality than Sequences
  • 10. Unenrolling Contacts

  • Sequences: HubSpot Sequences will automatically unenroll contacts from the email series once they book a movie or reply to the email
  • Workflows: Automatic unenrollment of contacts isn’t a feature of HubSpot Workflows
  • Now, if you want to build Sequences or Workflows and automate emails for your sales and marketing tasks, you can hire a HubSpot developer for an easy setup process.

    You can also ask them to assist you to create or update HubSpot Sequences or Workflows that already exist in your CRM.

    HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows: Pros and Cons

    Let’s differentiate these HubSpot tools based on their advantages and disadvantages.

    Advantages of HubSpot Sequences

  • Remains consistent in delivering the same high-quality communication to every prospect and customer
  • Users can create and send customized emails to customers and leads to build strong relationships and convert them
  • Reduces manual tasks by automating repetitive operations like scheduling calls or sending follow-up emails
  • Sequences provide automatic contact unenrollment
  • They make tracking and management easier once integrated into HubSpot CRM
  • Lead nurturing becomes structured with HubSpot Sequences
  • Sequences can help the sales team cut down the sales cycle time and improve close rates
  • Disadvantages of HubSpot Sequences

  • Sequence has a limited number of contact enrollment
  • Due to less flexibility, HubSpot Sequences can act as a rigid tool in some situations
  • Users with high sales requirements may find sequences to be too basic
  • Advantages of HubSpot Workflows

  • Workflows automate repetitive tasks and save you time
  • Makes your campaigns and related processes consistent
  • Helps with tasks like lead nurturing, lead scoring, etc
  • HubSpot Workflows automates external communications like follow-ups from prospects or customers and more.
  • Sends automated notifications to the marketing team to remind them to take follow up or nurture potential leads
  • Workflows also help in streamlining your data and organize it in a structured manner
  • Disadvantages of HubSpot Workflows

  • HubSpot Workflows have a limited number of pre-built templates
  • Previously, in Workflows, users found bugs while entering data
  • Editing active Workflows can be a complex task and may end up in unexpected behavior
  • HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows: Use cases

    After discussing almost every differential factor of HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows, the last question that might arise in users’ minds is when to use which? So, here are the instances of when to use Sequences and when to use Workflows:

    When to Use HubSpot Sequences?

    HubSpot Sequences are ideal to use for sales reps who want to manage their outreach process and enhance their productivity. Here are some popular scenarios of when to use Sequences:

  • Nurturing leads: Build Sequences of touchpoints to nurture leads and send them to the sales funnel
  • Follow-up with leads: Use HubSpot Sequences to automatically follow up with prospects and leads who are showing interest in your service or product
  • Sales prospecting: Sequences help you reach out to prospective customers and bring new business opportunities
  • Deal closing: Use Sequences to stay on the top of the minds of your prospects and effectively close more deals.
  • Scheduling appointment: Automate the process of scheduling appointments with your prospects or leads
  • When to Use HubSpot Workflows?

    HubSpot Workflows are a valuable tool for marketing people looking to automate their marketing campaigns and nurture leads. Here are the primary scenarios where using HubSpot Workflows is beneficial:

  • Marketing emails: Workflows help with automating marketing emails
  • Lead scoring: Users can automatically assign scores to their leads by using Workflows
  • Lead nurturing: You can use Workflows to send targeted and personalized content to your customers or leads
  • Cross-selling and upselling: Build Workflows to find opportunities for cross or upselling to your current customers
  • Customer onboarding: Welcome new customers and onboard them smoothly into your services and products
  • Which one should you choose: HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows?

    It’s a bit tricky for us to answer this question because choosing Sequences or Workflows will depend on your business requirements. In the above guide, we have covered every detail that is important for you to know while comparing HubSpot Sequences vs Workflows.

    As a business owner, you can ask your sales and marketing teams to suggest which automation tool will bring more leads and enhance the ROI of your business. Based on that, you can ask your HubSpot development partner to help you set up Sequences or Workflow in CRM. Once done, you can start leveraging automation and keep your resources occupied with other important tasks!

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