If you’re leading a B2B sales or marketing team, you’ve probably been pitched a dozen “go-to-market” (GTM) software solutions in the last year. Some promise to automate your reference process, others say they’ll turn your sales reps into superheroes. It’s a crowded, confusing space. This guide cuts through the noise and gives a straight-up comparison: Point of Reference (linked here) vs. everyone else.
Whether you’re looking to tighten up your customer reference program, get better sales enablement, or just avoid yet another tool collecting dust, this is for you.
What Is GTM Software Supposed to Do, Anyway?
Let’s set the terms. GTM software for B2B teams generally claims to help you:
- Find and manage customer references and case studies
- Equip your reps with the right content at the right time
- Track reference usage and results
- Streamline the handoff between marketing and sales
In reality, most teams want two things: less time chasing down references, and more deals closed. Everything else is just window dressing.
Meet Point of Reference
Point of Reference is a specialized tool focused on customer reference management. It’s not a sprawling GTM platform that tries to do everything. Instead, it zeroes in on helping you:
- Build a searchable library of reference customers and assets
- Automate the process of matching references to sales opportunities
- Track reference requests, approvals, and fatigue (so you don’t burn out your champions)
- Integrate with Salesforce (its main home base)
Point of Reference isn’t the flashiest tool, but it’s got depth where it matters if references are your bottleneck.
The Usual GTM Software Alternatives
When people say “GTM software,” they might mean:
- All-in-one sales enablement platforms (e.g., Highspot, Seismic, Showpad)
- Customer advocacy/reference tools (e.g., ReferenceEdge, RO Innovation, Influitive)
- Content management systems (CMS) with some sales tie-in
- Homegrown Frankensteins cobbled together from spreadsheets, SharePoint, or Slack
Here’s a quick rundown of what these other options typically offer:
1. Sales Enablement Platforms
- Strengths: Broad content distribution, analytics, training modules, integrations with CRMs and email.
- Weaknesses: Reference management is usually a bolt-on, not a core feature. Expect basic tracking, little automation, and clunky workflows for actual reference requests.
2. Customer Advocacy Platforms
- Strengths: Manage reference programs, run advocacy campaigns, sometimes include gamification to keep customers engaged.
- Weaknesses: Often overcomplicated for teams who just need “find me a happy customer for this prospect.” Prone to feature bloat.
3. “We Use Spreadsheets”
- Strengths: Cheap, flexible, everyone knows how to use Excel.
- Weaknesses: Total chaos at scale. Zero automation, no insight into burnout, and you’ll lose track of who said yes to what six months ago.
Side-by-Side: Point of Reference vs. The Field
Let’s get practical. Here’s how Point of Reference stacks up:
| Feature/Need | Point of Reference | Sales Enablement Platforms | Advocacy Platforms | Spreadsheets | |-----------------------------------|--------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------|-----------------| | Reference search & matching | Excellent | Basic | Good (if configured) | Manual | | Reference fatigue tracking | Yes | Rare | Sometimes | No | | Salesforce integration | Deep (native app) | Varies | Usually good | Manual uploads | | Automated workflows | Yes | Not really | Sometimes | No | | Reference asset library | Yes | Yes | Yes | Maybe | | Reporting & analytics | Focused, practical | Broad, generic | Overwhelming at times | None | | Ease of use | Simple, focused | Can be overwhelming | Steep learning curve | Familiar, messy | | Cost | Mid-range | High | Mid-high | Cheap |
What Actually Matters?
- If references are mission-critical for you (e.g., you sell to enterprise, or buying committees demand peer proof), you’ll want a tool that does reference management really well. Most sales enablement platforms just aren’t built for the job.
- If you need a general content hub and references are only a small piece, a bigger platform might make sense.
- If you’re drowning in reference requests and losing track of who’s been pinged too much, Point of Reference’s fatigue tracking is a lifesaver. (You’d be surprised how quickly you can burn out your best advocates.)
What Works (and What Doesn’t)
Point of Reference Strengths
- Laser-focus: It does references—and does them well. No extra fluff.
- Salesforce integration: If your team lives in Salesforce, it’s a smooth experience.
- Reference fatigue: So few tools track this, and it’s a real issue once you scale.
- Good reporting: Not just vanity stats, but actual insight into who’s helping close deals.
Where Point of Reference Falls Short
- Not an all-in-one: If you’re looking to replace your content library, sales training, and reference management all at once, this isn’t it.
- Requires Salesforce: If you’re on HubSpot, Pipedrive, or something else, look elsewhere.
- UI isn’t flashy: It’s functional, not beautiful. Don’t expect “delightful” experiences.
Where Other Solutions Shine (and Falter)
- Sales enablement platforms are great for distributing all types of content, onboarding reps, and running analytics across the sales cycle. But they struggle with the specifics of reference management—think more “content vending machine” than “reference matchmaking.”
- Advocacy platforms can help you run big customer programs and generate reviews or testimonials. But they’re often overkill if you just want to find a reference quickly.
- Spreadsheets work until they don’t. If you’ve got fewer than 10 referenceable customers and a single sales rep, it might be fine. Beyond that, expect chaos and missed opportunities.
What to Ignore
Here’s the stuff that sounds nice but rarely moves the needle:
- “Gamification” for internal users: Sales reps don’t need badges. They need something that works.
- Overly complex reporting dashboards: If you need a consultant to explain your reference analytics, you’re doing it wrong.
- AI hype: Yes, AI can help with content suggestions or matching, but most teams are better off with simple, reliable workflows.
- Integrations you’ll never use: Focus on what your team actually needs today—not a wishlist for next year.
Picking What’s Right for Your Team
Here’s a simple way to decide:
- Start small: If references are your main pain point, don’t buy a Swiss Army knife when you need a screwdriver.
- Ask your sales team: What’s their biggest headache—finding references, losing track of them, or just getting content?
- Audit your process: Where do deals actually get stuck? If it’s always at “can you introduce me to a customer like me?” then invest in a real reference tool.
- Pilot, don’t boil the ocean: Try out a focused tool before rolling it out to 100 reps.
Pro Tips
- Get buy-in from sales early. The best tool is the one your reps will actually use.
- Keep your reference list fresh. No software can fix bad data. Schedule regular reviews.
- Automate what you can, but not everything. Some reference requests need a human touch.
- Ignore the hype. Most “AI-powered” features in this space are just fancy filters.
Bottom Line
Don’t overthink it. If customer references are what’s stalling your deals, specialized tools like Point of Reference can save you time and headaches. If you just need a place for all your content, a broader platform might do. Most teams don’t need every feature under the sun—they need a system that’s simple, reliable, and helps them close.
Start with what’s broken, fix it with the smallest tool possible, and iterate. That’s usually enough to get ahead of the pack.