Choosing software for your sales team isn’t about buzzwords or shiny features. It’s about picking tools that actually help your team close deals, without drowning you in clutter or draining your budget. If you’re a sales or RevOps leader trying to sort through the noise, this guide is for you.
The focus here: B2B go-to-market (GTM) software—especially outbound sales engagement tools. We’ll dig into Supersend and how it stacks up against the biggest names out there. You’ll get concrete advice for picking what works, skipping what doesn’t, and avoiding common traps.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Your Team Actually Needs
Skip the “feature matrix” for now. Start with reality:
- How big is your team? Five reps need different things than fifty.
- What’s your outbound volume? Are you sending 100 emails a week, or 10,000?
- What channels matter? Is it just email, or do you need LinkedIn, calling, SMS, too?
- Do you need integrations with your CRM or other tools? Or are you fine with spreadsheets?
- How tech-savvy is your team? Will they tinker, or do they want “just works” software?
Pro tip: Write down your top three must-haves and top three dealbreakers. If you don’t, every demo will start to sound good.
Step 2: Know What “GTM Software” Really Means (and What Doesn’t Matter)
“GTM software” is a broad term, but in B2B sales, it usually means:
- Email outreach and tracking
- Sequencing (automating follow-up)
- Multi-channel options (LinkedIn, phone, SMS)
- Reporting and analytics
- Deliverability tools (avoid spam filters)
- Integrations (CRM, enrichment, etc.)
What’s less important than vendors claim:
- Fancy A.I. copywriting (it’s never as good as you want)
- “Predictive” anything (most teams just need good lists and follow-up)
- Over-designed dashboards (you’ll export to Excel anyway)
- Gamification (maybe useful for huge teams, mostly ignored)
Step 3: Supersend vs. The Big Alternatives
Let’s get specific. Here are the main players you’ll see:
- Supersend – A newer, lower-cost, no-fluff sales engagement tool.
- Apollo – All-in-one with built-in contact database, lots of features, can get complex.
- Outreach – The enterprise standard, very robust, very expensive.
- Salesloft – Similar to Outreach, slicker UI, also pricey.
- Lemlist – Focus on personalization, known for “icebreaker” features.
- Instantly – Focused on high-volume cold emailing, competitive price.
- Mailshake – Simpler, email-focused, SMB-friendly.
Here’s a quick, honest rundown:
| Platform | Price (starts at) | Ease of Use | Channel Support | Standout Features | Where It Falls Short | |-------------|------------------|-------------|---------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------| | Supersend | $25/mo | Simple | Email, LinkedIn, SMS| Clean UI, solid deliverability | Not as many advanced integrations | | Apollo | $49/mo | Medium | Email, LinkedIn, Calls| Built-in contact data, enrichment | Can be overwhelming, upsells everywhere | | Outreach | Custom/$$$ | Steep | Email, Calls, Social | Deep analytics, automation | Pricey, overkill for small teams | | Salesloft | Custom/$$$ | Medium | Email, Calls, Social | Playbooks, analytics | Expensive, setup takes time | | Lemlist | $59/mo | Easy | Email, LinkedIn | Personalization, images | Less reporting, can get pricey| | Instantly | $37/mo | Easy | Email | Scales high volume, simple| Not multi-channel | | Mailshake | $58/mo | Simple | Email, Phone | Quick setup, SMB focus | Limited customization |
Supersend stands out for teams who want:
- Email + LinkedIn + SMS in one spot
- Affordable, month-to-month pricing
- Not a lot of “feature bloat,” just works
But it won’t do your data enrichment, or plug into every CRM under the sun. If your team is small-to-medium and mostly doing outbound, it’s worth a look.
Step 4: Test Deliverability and Real-World Use
This is the non-sexy part, but it matters more than most features. If your emails go to spam, nothing else matters.
- Set up a trial (most tools offer this, or at least a demo).
- Send test campaigns to real inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, etc.).
- Check reply rates, not just open rates.
- Look for built-in warmup tools or advice from the vendor.
- Don’t trust “inbox placement scores” from the vendor. They’re usually optimistic.
Pro tip: Run a real campaign during your trial. Don’t just test-dummy emails; see how it handles bounces, unsubscribes, and messy data.
Step 5: Evaluate Workflow, Not Just Features
Ask yourself:
- How many clicks does it take to build a sequence?
- Will reps actually use the tool, or will they default to Gmail?
- Can you easily import/export contacts?
- How much does it nag users with pop-ups or “helpful” banners?
- Does it actually save you time, or just look pretty in screenshots?
You’ll hear a lot about “AI-powered” features and “seamless integrations.” In reality, what slows teams down is clunky UX, confusing navigation, or having to ask Support for everything.
Step 6: Don’t Get Suckered by Pricing Tricks
Most vendors love to hide their true costs:
- Watch out for “seat minimums.” Outreach and Salesloft, for example, often won’t talk unless you have 10+ seats.
- Beware of feature gating. The “pro” plan is what you actually need, not the cheap starter tier.
- Annual contracts. Month-to-month costs more, but saves you if things don’t work out.
- Hidden add-ons. Data enrichment, extra mailboxes, API access—all can add up.
Supersend and Instantly are straightforward on price. Apollo can get expensive fast if you need contact data. Outreach/Salesloft are enterprise tools—they charge like it.
Step 7: Check Support, Community, and Roadmap
- Is there live chat, or just a ticket system?
- How fast do they respond?
- Are there user guides that don’t assume you’re a software engineer?
- What’s their pace of updates? (Some tools move glacially, others break stuff with every release.)
Small teams often get better support from scrappier vendors (Supersend, Instantly). The big players will prioritize their largest accounts—just the way it is.
Look for an active user community or Slack group. If nobody’s talking, there’s probably a reason.
Step 8: Make a Decision—Then Iterate
Here’s the dirty secret: No tool is perfect. Your team will outgrow whatever you pick, or your needs will change.
- Start simple. Don’t overbuy.
- Pilot with a small group. Get honest feedback.
- Review after 30-60 days. Is it making your life easier? Are reps using it?
- Don’t be afraid to switch. The switching pain is real, but not as bad as being stuck with a tool everyone hates.
Keep It Simple—and Don’t Sweat the Hype
You don’t need every bell and whistle. Most sales teams just want to send emails that land, follow up automatically, and see what’s working. The rest is window dressing.
Pick the tool that matches your team’s real needs. Try it out. If it doesn’t fit, move on. The best GTM software is the one your reps actually use—and that helps you win deals, not just demos.