If your sales and marketing teams are still arguing over lead quality, or you’re drowning in “intent data” but have no clue what to do with it, this guide is for you. There’s a sea of B2B go-to-market (GTM) platforms promising sales and marketing alignment, but let’s cut through the noise and get specific. We’ll break down how 6sense actually stacks up to its biggest competitors, what matters (and what’s just fluff), and how to pick the right tool for your team.
Who This Guide Is For
- B2B sales and marketing leaders who want real alignment, not just dashboards.
- RevOps folks tired of hype and looking for practical answers.
- Anyone considering 6sense, Demandbase, Terminus, or a handful of the other big names.
What “Sales and Marketing Alignment” Actually Means
Before we dig into platforms, it’s worth clarifying: true sales and marketing alignment isn’t just sharing a pipeline report. It means:
- Targeting the same accounts, at the same stages.
- Agreeing on what counts as a “good” lead or opportunity.
- Acting fast on real buying signals (not just form fills).
- Giving reps context, not just data.
If a platform promises “alignment” but can’t help you do those things, it’s just another dashboard you’ll ignore.
The Heavy Hitters: Who’s in the Mix?
Here are the major platforms you’ll see compared most often:
- 6sense (the “AI everything” platform)
- Demandbase (big on intent and ABM)
- Terminus (ABM plus engagement tools)
- RollWorks (ABM for smaller teams)
- Madison Logic (data-driven, more focused on content syndication)
- Leadspace (data unification and enrichment)
All claim to help align sales and marketing, mostly through account-based marketing (ABM), intent data, and pipeline insights. But the devil’s in the details.
Core Features That Matter for Alignment
Let’s skip the buzzwords and focus on what actually moves the needle:
- Account Identification: Can the platform help you figure out which companies to target—and when?
- Intent Data: Does it actually show you who’s “in market,” or just who downloaded an ebook last week?
- Orchestration: Can you automate real actions—emails, ads, alerts—based on buying signals?
- Sales Insights: Are reps getting useful context, or just more noise in their inbox?
- Integration: Does it play nice with your CRM, marketing automation, and existing workflows?
- Transparency: Can you see why a score or alert was triggered, or is it a black box?
Some platforms claim to do everything, but most are stronger in a few areas and weaker in others.
1. 6sense: “AI-Driven” ABM, With All the Bells and Whistles
Let’s start with 6sense, since it’s the most hyped (and, frankly, often the most expensive).
Where 6sense Shines
- Strong Account Identification: Uses a mix of firmographic, technographic, and intent data to build dynamic lists. Good at picking up anonymous website visitors and figuring out which companies are actually kicking the tires.
- Intent Data That’s Actionable: 6sense combines web visits, ad engagement, and third-party data. It’s not foolproof, but it does a better job than most at surfacing accounts that are actually showing buying signs.
- Orchestration and Automation: Lets you trigger ads, emails, and sales alerts based on signals. You can build if-this-then-that workflows without a PhD.
- Sales Insights: The “Sales Intelligence” sidebar surfaces account activity, engagement, and recommended next steps inside platforms like Salesforce and Outreach—no extra tab-hopping.
- Integration: Strong with Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, Outreach, Salesloft, and more. The API is robust but like all APIs, not always plug-and-play.
- Transparency: Scoring models are more transparent than most. You can usually see why an account is “hot”—though it’s still part magic.
The Trade-Offs
- Cost: 6sense is pricey, especially for mid-market and smaller teams. You pay for the data, the AI, and the integrations.
- Complexity: Lots of knobs to turn. If you don’t have someone dedicated to owning it, you won’t get full value.
- Setup Time: Implementation is not quick. Be ready for a 2- to 6-month ramp-up for full ROI.
- Intent Data Can Still Be Noisy: Sometimes you get “hot” accounts that never buy; that’s the nature of the beast.
Bottom line: If you want the Cadillac and can invest the time, 6sense is best-in-class for combining sales and marketing data for true alignment. But you’ll need budget, patience, and buy-in.
2. Demandbase: The “Intent Data” Powerhouse
Demandbase has been around for a while, and they’re strong on intent data and advertising.
Where Demandbase Shines
- Intent Data Depth: Good at surfacing in-market accounts using a deep pool of third-party data partners.
- Advertising: Strong B2B ad targeting, especially for display and retargeting.
- Account Scoring: Customizable models for scoring accounts and prioritizing outreach.
- Integrations: Solid with Salesforce, Eloqua, Marketo, HubSpot.
The Trade-Offs
- Orchestration Is Less Flexible: Not as robust as 6sense for complex workflows.
- Sales Insights Are Just OK: Reps get account activity, but it’s not as actionable as 6sense’s sidebar.
- UI Can Feel Clunky: Not the smoothest user experience.
Bottom line: If you care most about intent data and B2B ad targeting—and don’t need fancy orchestration—Demandbase is a solid pick.
3. Terminus: Engagement and ABM for Mid-Market
Terminus is big on engagement—meaning ads, chat, and email—wrapped around classic ABM.
Where Terminus Shines
- Multi-Channel Engagement: Ads, chatbots, web personalization, and email all in one.
- Account Targeting: Good for building and segmenting lists.
- Ease of Use: More approachable for smaller teams.
The Trade-Offs
- Intent Data Is Not as Deep: Uses Bombora and other partners, but not as rich as 6sense or Demandbase.
- Sales Alignment Is Lighter: More focused on marketing actions than sales insights.
- Limited Advanced Orchestration: You’ll hit limits if you want complex, cross-platform workflows.
Bottom line: Great for mid-sized teams who want to run ABM campaigns across multiple channels, but not as deep for sales/marketing “alignment” in the sense of shared, actionable insights.
4. RollWorks: ABM for Leaner Teams
RollWorks is the “lighter” version of ABM—cheaper, simpler, but with trade-offs.
Where RollWorks Shines
- Affordable: Good for startups or mid-market budgets.
- Easy Onboarding: Up and running quickly.
- Solid Integrations: Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo.
The Trade-Offs
- Intent Data Is Basic: You’ll get some Bombora signals, but not the sophistication of 6sense or Demandbase.
- Fewer Sales Insights: Mostly marketing-focused.
- Limited Customization: Orchestration and scoring are basic.
Bottom line: Good if you’re dipping your toe into ABM or don’t have a huge team. Outgrown quickly if you need deep sales/marketing coordination.
5. Madison Logic: All About Content Syndication
Madison Logic is a bit different—mainly used for syndicating content and measuring engagement.
Where Madison Logic Shines
- Content Syndication: Good for getting your ebooks, whitepapers, and webinars in front of the right accounts.
- Intent Data for Content: Uses content consumption data to flag in-market accounts.
- Lead Delivery: Integrates with CRM to pass leads.
The Trade-Offs
- Limited Sales Alignment: Not built for deep sales/marketing orchestration.
- Intent Data Is Content-Heavy: If your buyers aren’t consuming a lot of content, the signals are weak.
- Less Automation: Not a full orchestration platform.
Bottom line: Best if your marketing is content-heavy and you want to fuel top-of-funnel. Not a replacement for the more comprehensive platforms.
6. Leadspace: Data Unification Over ABM
Leadspace is all about data enrichment and building a “single source of truth” for accounts and contacts.
Where Leadspace Shines
- Data Quality: Cleans and enriches your CRM data; useful if your database is a mess.
- Audience Building: Good for precise segmentation.
- Integrations: Strong with Salesforce, Marketo, Eloqua.
The Trade-Offs
- Not a Full ABM Suite: You’ll need other tools for orchestration and engagement.
- Sales Alignment Is Indirect: Helps by making your data cleaner, but doesn’t drive action.
- Intent Data Is Add-On: Not the core feature.
Bottom line: If your CRM is a dumpster fire, Leadspace can help—just don’t expect turnkey ABM or sales/marketing orchestration.
What to Ignore: The Fluff That Doesn’t Matter
Every vendor will pitch “AI-powered” everything and dashboards galore. Here’s what you can safely ignore:
- Fancy dashboards: If your reps aren’t logging in, they’re useless.
- Overly generic intent data: If you can’t trace where a “signal” comes from, don’t trust it.
- “AI” with no explanation: If you can’t see how it’s making decisions, it’s marketing, not machine learning.
- Awards and badges: Most are pay-to-play.
Pro Tips for Choosing (and Actually Using) a Platform
- Figure out your real problem first. Are you lacking actionable data, or is it process and communication?
- Pilot with a real use case. Don’t just buy a demo—run a small campaign and see if reps actually use the insights.
- Involve both sales and marketing early. If only one side buys in, you’ll never get alignment.
- Start simple. Nail one workflow before automating everything.
- Don’t trust vendor “benchmarks.” Your mileage will vary.
Keep It Simple (and Keep Iterating)
You can spend a fortune chasing “alignment,” but no platform will fix broken processes or poor communication. Pick a tool that fits your needs and budget, get one thing working, and build from there. The shiniest dashboard won’t help if no one uses it.
Start small, measure real outcomes (not just clicks), and don’t be afraid to switch things up as your team learns. There’s no magic bullet—but with the right approach, you’ll get a lot closer to real sales and marketing alignment.