Scoring clients in HubSpot is essential for prioritizing sales and improving close rates—but the default lead scoring tool in HubSpot’s free or starter versions can be limiting and overly complex. In this post, we'll walk you through a simpler, more flexible approach that you can implement today using free HubSpot features.
Why Scoring Your Clients Matters
Not all clients are created equal. Some are an ideal fit for your services and ready to buy. Others may not be worth your time—yet. Implementing a client scoring system helps your sales team:
However, if you’ve tried using HubSpot’s out-of-the-box lead scoring, especially on the free or starter tiers, you’ve probably found it confusing and restrictive.
A Better Way: Custom Lead Scoring in HubSpot (Without Upgrading)
Instead of using HubSpot’s default lead scoring tool, we recommend building your own scoring system using custom properties and a custom field that calculates the score based on logic you define.
1. Build Your Custom Scorecard
Start by identifying the attributes that define a high-quality lead for your business. For example:
Assign a point value to each factor, ideally on a scale of 0 to 3. Keep it simple and make sure everyone on your team understands the scoring.
Pro Tip: Create a scorecard template in Google Sheets to keep the logic transparent and easy to reference.
2. Create Custom Properties in HubSpot
Using your scorecard, create corresponding custom properties in HubSpot. For each category (e.g. company size, industry), use a dropdown or radio button field with the predefined score values.
Example property:
"Client Fit – Company Size"
Options:
3. Add a Calculated Property for the Total Score
Once you’ve built your scoring properties, create a calculated field in HubSpot to total them. You’ll use this to get a single "Client Fit Score" for each contact or company.
Use Case: A sales rep opens a record and immediately sees a score of 9 out of 15. They know this is a solid lead worth engaging with.
4. Automate Score Updates with Workflows
If you’re using HubSpot Starter or Pro, you can use workflows to update your scoring fields automatically based on contact behaviors or properties—such as lifecycle stage, website visits, or content downloads.
For HubSpot Free users, you’ll have to update the fields manually or use integration tools like Zapier.
Pro Tip: Use forms or hidden fields to populate scores automatically when a contact submits key info on your site.
Pro Tips for Professional Service Firms
Pro Tip: Create saved sections specific to your niche. For example, HR firms can have a pre-built section for promoting compliance webinars, while legal firms might save blocks for client success stories.
Use Case: A payroll company could use smart rules to display different contact signatures based on the client’s assigned rep—building trust and familiarity.
Bonus: Use Score Thresholds to Trigger Actions
Once your scoring system is in place, you can use score thresholds to automate internal alerts, sales assignments, or even nurturing campaigns.
Example:
Watch the video:
Key Takeaways
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HubSpot’s built-in lead scoring tool isn’t ideal for most SMBs, especially on the free tier.
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You can build a better scoring system using custom properties and a calculated field.
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This approach is simple, flexible, and easy for your team to understand.
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It helps you focus on the leads that are most likely to close.
Pro Tip: Review and update your scorecard quarterly based on closed-won analysis to keep it aligned with real-world outcomes.
Ready to Score Smarter in HubSpot?
If you want help setting up this kind of system, our team at The Gist Inbound specializes in making HubSpot work smarter for Payroll, HR, and professional services companies. We’d love to show you how simple and effective this can be.
