Hubspot Customer Loyalty Ladder Explained

The Hubspot customer loyalty ladder is a simple model that helps you turn first-time buyers into long-term brand advocates. By understanding each step of the ladder, you can design better experiences, improve retention, and grow revenue through repeat purchases and referrals.

What Is the Hubspot Customer Loyalty Ladder?

The loyalty ladder is a framework that maps out how a person moves from stranger to loyal supporter. The original source from HubSpot’s customer loyalty ladder article breaks this journey into clear stages, each with its own goals and tactics.

The model helps service, marketing, and sales teams:

• Recognize where each customer stands today.
• Identify barriers that block them from moving up a step.
• Plan targeted actions that increase satisfaction and loyalty.

Stages of the Hubspot Loyalty Ladder

The Hubspot-inspired ladder organizes relationships into sequential stages. Each stage demands different messaging, offers, and experiences.

1. Prospect

Prospects are people who fit your target audience but have not yet bought from you. They may have visited your website, filled out a form, or engaged with your content.

Your objectives at this stage:

• Build awareness and trust.
• Educate them about their problem and potential solutions.
• Capture contact details for follow-up.

2. Customer

Customers have completed at least one purchase. This is where many companies stop, but in the Hubspot ladder, this is only the beginning.

Focus on:

• Delivering what you promised, on time and without friction.
• Onboarding customers so they understand and use what they bought.
• Checking in early to resolve any issues quickly.

3. Client

Clients are repeat buyers who see you as a reliable provider. They return because you have consistently met expectations.

To move buyers from customer to client:

• Use follow-up campaigns to highlight complementary products or services.
• Offer simple reorder options and reminders.
• Recognize their history with you in communications and offers.

4. Supporter

Supporters like your brand and informally recommend you to others. They are happy, but not yet committed advocates.

Encourage supporters by:

• Asking for testimonials, ratings, and online reviews.
• Creating referral incentives for sharing your brand.
• Featuring their stories and successes in your content.

5. Advocate

Advocates are the top of the Hubspot customer loyalty ladder. They actively promote your brand, defend you in public conversations, and bring you new business without being asked.

To nurture advocates:

• Invite them into beta programs and VIP groups.
• Give them early access to new offers.
• Publicly recognize their contributions and referrals.

How to Use the Hubspot Loyalty Ladder in Your Strategy

Applying the ladder in a structured way helps you plan more effective customer journeys. The idea is to guide people one step at a time, rather than forcing a jump from new buyer to advocate overnight.

Step 1: Map Your Current Customer Journey

Before you adjust processes, understand how people move through your business today.

1. List key touchpoints: ads, website visits, sign-up forms, onboarding, service interactions, and renewal moments.
2. Assign each touchpoint to a stage on the loyalty ladder.
3. Identify where customers drop off or stop progressing.

Step 2: Define Goals for Each Ladder Stage

Use the Hubspot ladder as a planning template by setting clear, stage-based goals.

• Prospect: Increase conversion to first purchase.
• Customer: Improve first-year retention and product adoption.
• Client: Grow order frequency and cross-sell rates.
• Supporter: Increase reviews, feedback, and referrals.
• Advocate: Build a steady pipeline of new business via word of mouth.

Step 3: Design Targeted Actions for Each Step

For every stage of the Hubspot-style loyalty ladder, decide what action you want your customer to take next, then design an experience that nudges them upward.

Examples of targeted actions include:

• Personalized onboarding emails for new customers.
• Loyalty programs that reward repeat purchases.
• Referral programs that compensate for successful introductions.
• Surveys and feedback loops that show you listen and respond.

Step 4: Measure Movement Up the Loyalty Ladder

Without measurement, it is hard to know whether your loyalty efforts are working. Use metrics tied to each stage, such as:

• Conversion rate from prospect to first-time buyer.
• Repeat purchase rate and time between orders.
• Customer lifetime value by segment.
• Number of reviews, testimonials, and referrals.

Track how many people sit at each stage of the Hubspot-driven model and whether your initiatives shift that distribution over time.

Practical Tips to Accelerate Hubspot Loyalty Ladder Progress

To move more people up the ladder efficiently, focus on consistent value and clear communication.

Improve Onboarding and First Impressions

The fastest way to lose a new customer is to deliver a confusing or disappointing first experience.

• Provide step-by-step guides and quick-start resources.
• Offer proactive support during the first days or weeks.
• Send clear, concise messages about what to expect next.

Build Emotional Connection, Not Just Transactions

The Hubspot ladder emphasizes relationships, not only purchases. Emotional connection often determines whether someone becomes a supporter or advocate.

• Share your brand values and mission in a human way.
• Spotlight real customer stories, not just features.
• Communicate transparently when mistakes happen.

Use Feedback Loops at Every Stage

Regular feedback makes it easier to spot friction before it leads to churn.

• Ask simple, timely questions after key interactions.
• Close the loop by responding and acting on feedback.
• Show customers how their input improved your service.

Aligning Teams Around the Hubspot Loyalty Ladder

To get full value from the loyalty ladder, your entire organization should work from the same model and language.

• Marketing tailors campaigns to prospects, customers, and advocates differently.
• Sales understands the long-term relationship beyond the first deal.
• Service focuses on experiences that convert customers into loyal supporters.

Consider documenting your own version of the Hubspot ladder and sharing it in onboarding for all new team members.

Next Steps to Implement the Loyalty Ladder

To put this framework into practice quickly, follow this simple plan:

1. Sketch your current customer journey and label each touchpoint with a ladder stage.
2. Choose one break point where many people stop progressing.
3. Design a small improvement at that point, such as a better welcome email or a new follow-up call.
4. Measure the impact for a set period, then refine and expand.

If you want expert support building a strategy around the Hubspot loyalty ladder and modern CRM tools, you can explore services from consultancies like Consultevo, which specialize in digital experience and growth frameworks.

By consistently applying the steps of the Hubspot loyalty ladder, you create a predictable path from first contact to advocacy, strengthen relationships, and unlock sustainable, referral-driven growth.