If you’re a founder, ops lead, or just the person who always ends up fixing broken processes, this guide is for you. You’re probably knee-deep in spreadsheets, clunky tools, and half-baked “workflows” that feel more like workarounds. You want to get your B2B go-to-market (GTM) engine running smoother—without buying into hype or adding yet another SaaS subscription you’ll regret. Let’s cut through the noise and get practical about how to actually choose a GTM software tool that works for your business (and why Paperform might be a contender).
What Is B2B GTM Software, and Why Should You Care?
B2B GTM (go-to-market) software is supposed to help you manage the messy stuff: forms, data capture, lead handoffs, approvals, onboarding, and all those steps that happen after someone says, “Yes, let’s talk.” In theory, these tools save you time and money. In practice? Many just add another login and more things to manage.
The Good News
With the right tool, you can: - Automate repetitive tasks (think: lead intake, proposals, client onboarding) - Reduce manual errors and “did you see my email?” moments - Get more visibility into your pipeline and bottlenecks - Free up your team to do actual work, not chase paperwork
The Bad News
The market’s flooded with half-baked products, overpromised integrations, and platforms that do everything but nothing well. If you’re not careful, you’ll swap one headache for another.
Step 1: Get Honest About Your Actual Problems
Before you even look at features or read another “Top 10 GTM Tools” list, figure out what’s actually slowing you down.
Ask yourself: - Where are things falling through the cracks? (Is it leads, onboarding, approvals, data entry?) - Are you duplicating work across tools? - What’s your team complaining about the most? - Where do clients or partners get stuck?
Pro tip: Spend a week jotting down every manual step you or your team takes to move a deal from “qualified lead” to “happy client.” That’s your real wish list.
Step 2: Map Out What You Need (Not What Vendors Want to Sell You)
Once you have your pain points, turn them into “must-have” and “nice-to-have” lists. Be brutally honest.
Must-haves might include: - Customizable forms or intake processes - Easy integration with your CRM or email - Automated notifications or approvals - Simple reporting (not a PhD in dashboards)
Nice-to-haves: - E-signatures - Payment collection - Conditional workflows - White-labeling/branding
What to ignore: - Fancy AI features that sound cool but don’t solve your core issues - Overhyped analytics if you barely use the ones you have now - Endless customization if your team just wants something that works out of the box
Step 3: Shortlist Tools That Actually Fit (Including Paperform)
Now, start matching your needs to what’s out there. Here’s where Paperform comes into play. It’s a flexible tool for building forms, automating workflows, and collecting info—without needing a developer or a week-long onboarding.
When Paperform makes sense: - You need to create custom forms quickly (lead capture, onboarding, feedback, etc.) - You want to automate follow-ups, notifications, or approvals right from the form - You’re tired of clunky form builders or tools that require coding - You need integrations with tools like Slack, Google Sheets, or your CRM
When it probably doesn’t: - You need a full-blown CRM with advanced sales forecasting - Your workflows are so complex you need a dedicated ops platform (think: Salesforce with custom objects) - You’re looking for deep marketing automation (nurture sequences, behavioral targeting, etc.)
Other tools worth a look (depending on your needs): - Typeform (nice UX, but less flexible automation) - Jotform (feature-rich, but can get overwhelming) - HubSpot (robust CRM and marketing, but pricey and overkill for small teams) - Airtable (great for databases, but not a form powerhouse out of the box)
Don’t get distracted by a tool’s shiny homepage. Try to get a live demo, poke around a free trial, or at least watch a real use-case video—not just a sizzle reel.
Step 4: Test with a Real Use Case (Don’t Just Click Around)
This is where most teams mess up: they sign up, poke around, and never build anything real. You’ll never know if a tool works until you try to solve your actual problem with it.
How to test smart: - Take your most painful process (say, onboarding a new client) - Build it end-to-end in the tool: forms, automations, notifications, whatever you need - Force yourself (and at least one team member) to actually use it for a full cycle - Ask: Did it save you time? Did it break? Did it confuse anyone?
What to look for: - Time to first working process (if it takes more than a day, that’s a red flag) - How easy is it to tweak things when requirements change? - Does it play nice with your existing tools (email, CRM, calendar, etc.)? - What does support look like? (Test this—don’t assume.)
Step 5: Check for Hidden Headaches
You’d be surprised how many “streamlined” tools create more work down the road.
Watch out for: - Integration limits: Some tools only connect with a handful of apps, or charge extra for every integration. - Pricing creep: Basic plans that don’t include features you actually need, or weird usage limits (like form submissions). - Lock-in: If your data’s stuck in their platform, you’re at their mercy. - Mobile experience: If your team or clients need to use forms on their phone, test this early.
Pro tip: Ask for real-world references or look for honest reviews—not just testimonials on the vendor’s site. If you can’t find a single critical review, be suspicious.
Step 6: Roll Out Gradually (and Get Feedback Early)
Don’t try to “big bang” your new process. Start with one workflow. See if it actually solves the problem. Get feedback from the people using it—not just your IT or ops lead.
Keep it simple: - Launch with the basics, then add bells and whistles later - Encourage honest feedback (anonymous if needed) - Be ready to ditch a tool if it’s not working, even if you’ve sunk time into it
What works: Iterative rollouts, clear documentation, and actually listening to your team.
What doesn’t: Forcing everyone onto a new platform overnight, or building a monster workflow nobody wants to use.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Buy the Hype
The best GTM software is the one your team actually uses—and that makes their lives easier, not harder. Don’t get caught up in buzzwords or features you’ll never touch. Start small, solve a real problem, and build from there.
If Paperform fits your needs, great—give it a real-world try. If not, keep looking until you find something that makes your process smoother and your team happier. And remember: nothing beats a tool that just works, quietly, in the background, making your business run a little better every day.