If you’re in charge of scaling sales at a B2B company, you’ve probably seen a parade of “game-changing” go-to-market (GTM) tools. There’s always a new platform promising to 10x your pipeline or automate away your team’s headaches. Problem is, most of these tools sound the same—and it’s tough to tell which ones are actually useful versus which are just shiny PowerPoints.
This guide is for folks who want real answers about how Deeto stacks up against other B2B GTM software. I’ll break down where Deeto fits, what it actually does, and how it compares to the rest of the pack—without the fluff.
What Exactly Is Deeto, and Where Does It Fit?
Let’s not kid ourselves: “GTM software” is a vague umbrella. It covers lead gen, sales engagement, customer advocacy, and a lot of other buzzwords. Deeto focuses on the “customer-powered growth” angle. In plain English, it aims to help you turn happy customers into a repeatable sales engine by making it dead simple to get references, referrals, and authentic customer stories into your deals.
Deeto is not a classic sales engagement tool, a CRM, or a lead database. It’s more about social proof—helping your prospects hear from your customers directly, at scale, without the back-and-forth that makes everyone groan.
Who actually needs this? - B2B sales teams with long or complex deals, where trust matters. - Companies with a few happy customers—but not enough time to parade them in front of every prospect. - Teams tired of chasing down references and trying to get quotes approved.
If you’re a startup with zero customers or a transactional sales org, Deeto probably isn’t your first buy.
The Main B2B GTM Tool Categories (And What to Ignore)
Before comparing Deeto, let’s get clear on the lay of the land. Here are the main categories you’ll see in B2B GTM software:
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CRM Platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive)
Store contacts, track deals, run reports. Necessary, but not exciting. -
Sales Engagement Tools (Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo)
Automate email, calls, sequences—helpful for outbound. Not the same as social proof. -
Lead/Data Providers (ZoomInfo, Lusha, Clearbit)
Pull contact info and company data. Good for list-building, but won’t build trust. -
Customer Advocacy & Reference Platforms (Deeto, ReferenceEdge, SlapFive, TechValidate)
Help you capture, organize, and deploy customer feedback, references, and stories. -
Review Site Tools (G2, TrustRadius, Capterra)
Collect and showcase third-party reviews. Useful, but often generic.
If you’re looking to boost trust and shorten sales cycles, you want something in category 4. That’s the playing field for Deeto.
Where Deeto Shines (and Where It Doesn’t)
Here’s the straight talk on what Deeto actually does well:
What Works
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Automated Reference Matching:
Deeto makes it easy to match prospects with relevant references—without endless manual wrangling. Sales reps pick a prospect, and Deeto suggests customers who fit the bill. -
Customer Story Collection:
Instead of chasing down quotes or case studies, Deeto nudges your customers for feedback, stories, or even short videos. Clean, automated follow-up means you get more content without annoying your best customers. -
Reference Burnout Prevention:
There’s a real problem where the same five customers get asked for references until they’re sick of you. Deeto tracks who’s been tapped, rotates requests, and makes it easy to say “not right now.” -
Integration with CRM:
It doesn’t try to replace your CRM. Deeto plugs in, so you’re not managing two sources of truth. -
Analytics on Advocacy:
You can see which stories, references, or customers actually move deals. Not just vanity metrics.
Where It Falls Short
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Not a Complete Advocacy Platform:
Some rivals (like Influitive or SlapFive) offer broader “community” features—forums, rewards, event management. If you want a full-on customer community, Deeto is lighter weight. -
Doesn’t Replace Outbound or Lead Gen:
Deeto isn’t for prospecting. If you need more leads, look elsewhere. -
Limited Customization for Highly Regulated Industries:
If your customer references need legal signoff every time, you might find Deeto’s workflows a bit too “self-serve.” -
You Need Existing Customer Buy-In:
If your customers barely reply to your emails, Deeto can only do so much.
Deeto vs. Other Advocacy Tools (Quick and Dirty Comparisons)
Let’s cut through the laundry lists. Here’s how Deeto stacks up to some common alternatives:
Deeto vs. ReferenceEdge
ReferenceEdge:
- Deep Salesforce integration, heavy focus on managing reference requests and tracking usage.
- More enterprise-y; can feel clunky.
- Good for big orgs with lots of process.
Deeto:
- Simpler interface, less process overhead.
- Faster setup for smaller teams.
- Better automation for collecting new stories.
Verdict:
If you’re a 20-rep sales org that just needs to stop reference chaos, Deeto is quicker to value. If you’re a Fortune 500, ReferenceEdge’s controls might be worth the pain.
Deeto vs. Influitive
Influitive:
- Built for customer marketing teams who want to run full-blown advocacy programs—gamification, rewards, events.
- Tons of features. Also, tons of setup.
Deeto:
- Laser-focused on reference and story management.
- Less “community,” more “get the right story in the right deal.”
Verdict:
Pick Influitive if you want to turn customers into a club. Pick Deeto if you just want to win more deals with proof.
Deeto vs. TechValidate
TechValidate:
- Focuses on collecting and publishing survey-driven customer content at scale.
- Great for data-rich testimonials.
- Not built for reference matchmaking during live deals.
Deeto:
- Prioritizes reference matching and deal support.
- Less survey automation, more real-time sales enablement.
Verdict:
If you want big numbers and stats for marketing, TechValidate wins. If you want to arm your reps with stories to close deals, Deeto is better suited.
Deeto vs. Just Doing It Manually
- You can always run references and collect stories with spreadsheets and elbow grease.
- Works when you have five customers, or five deals a quarter.
- Breaks down fast as you scale.
What About the Big GTM Suites?
Some companies (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) pitch “all-in-one” GTM solutions, where customer references and stories are just another feature. Here’s the deal:
- Their built-in features are usually basic: attachments, notes, maybe a field for “reference customer.”
- They don’t handle the messy stuff: asking customers, tracking burnout, matching references to deals.
- If you’re already buried in Salesforce custom fields, adding “reference management” won’t fix the real problems.
Bottom line: Use your CRM for tracking, not for actually running customer advocacy. Unless you like duct-taping things together.
How to Choose: A Checklist
If you’re deciding whether Deeto or another tool makes sense, here’s a no-nonsense checklist:
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Do you have at least a handful of customers who like you?
If not, come back later. -
Are your reps wasting time chasing down references or stories?
If yes, any advocacy tool (including Deeto) could help. -
Is reference fatigue a real thing for your best customers?
Prioritize tools that automate and rotate requests. -
Do you need advanced marketing/community features?
If you want advocacy campaigns, events, or rewards, look beyond Deeto. -
Are you allergic to complex setups?
Deeto is easier to get started with than most. -
Do you have buy-in from sales and customer success?
No tool fixes a broken process or a siloed team.
Pro tip: Don’t buy for “future needs” that are two years away. Buy for the pain you have now.
Honest Take: Who Shouldn’t Bother
Deeto (or its competitors) is not for everyone. Don’t waste your time if:
- Your deals are transactional and short.
- You’re pre-customer, or your customers are indifferent.
- You’re hoping the tool will magically make customers advocate for you. (It won’t.)
- You just want a testimonial widget for your website. There are cheaper ways.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go
Here’s the deal: customer references and stories can absolutely move the needle in B2B sales. But you don’t need a rocket ship to get started. If you’re scaling, have real customers, and are tired of the spreadsheet shuffle, Deeto is worth a look—especially if you want something lightweight and focused.
Whatever you choose, don’t get hypnotized by feature lists. Start with the basics: real customers, real stories, real proof. Add tools as needed. And remember, no software will save you from bad process or lazy follow-up.
Keep it simple, get proof that matters, and tweak as you grow. That’s what actually scales.