If you’ve Googled “go-to-market software” for B2B, you’ve seen the endless lists, the same buzzwords, and the promise that this or that tool will “transform” your business. The truth? Tools like Appinio, Qualtrics, and SurveyMonkey can help—but only if you know what you’re actually trying to do. This guide is for busy B2B marketers, product managers, and founders who want to cut through the noise and choose the right tool for their needs, not just the shiniest.
1. Get Clear on What You Actually Need
Before you even look at a feature list, get specific about your pain points. Go-to-market (GTM) software means something different to everyone. Are you trying to:
- Validate a new product idea?
- Understand customer pain points for messaging?
- Test pricing or packaging?
- Quickly run surveys with your target audience?
- Track competitor activity?
List your top three needs. If you can’t write them in plain language, you’re not ready to pick a tool.
Pro tip: Don’t let FOMO drive your decision. If a feature sounds cool but doesn’t solve a real problem, ignore it.
2. Understand What Appinio (and Its Rivals) Actually Do
Time for a reality check: Most “GTM” tools are survey or market research platforms at their core. Appinio stands out by promising fast, targeted consumer insights—think real humans, not just panels of bored survey-takers. Its main rivals are:
- Qualtrics: The heavyweight. Tons of features, but can be overkill for smaller teams.
- SurveyMonkey (Momentive): Easy to use, widely known, but less specialized for B2B targeting.
- Pollfish, Suzy, or Attest: More upstarts, focused on speed and mobile panels.
What do you really get? Usually:
- Access to panels/audiences (sometimes consumer, sometimes B2B)
- Survey creation tools (templates, logic, randomization)
- Analytics dashboards (charts, basic segmentation)
- Some integrations (Slack, HubSpot, etc.)
What you usually don’t get: Deep integration with your CRM, true B2B targeting at the account level, or magic insights that appear at the click of a button.
3. Evaluate Appinio’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Where Appinio shines: - Speed: Turnaround on survey results is genuinely fast, often hours not days. - Simplicity: The UI is clean. You won’t need a PhD in market research to get started. - Audience Quality: Their panel is fresher than most, and you can target by industry, seniority, and more—but double-check coverage in your niche.
What to watch out for: - B2B Limitations: Like most platforms, true B2B targeting (e.g., “CIOs at US SaaS startups with 100–500 employees”) is tough. You’ll get “business decision-makers,” but not always exactly who you want. - Depth of Insights: Fast surveys are great, but if you need deep qualitative feedback or complex conjoint analysis, you’ll hit the ceiling. - Integrations: Decent, but not best-in-class. If you need survey data piped right into Salesforce or custom dashboards, ask about this upfront.
4. Compare Appinio to Leading Alternatives
Let’s skip the giant comparison table and get real:
Qualtrics
- Best for: Enterprises with budget and research teams. Tons of customization, advanced analytics, and integrations.
- Downsides: Expensive, steep learning curve, setup can be a slog.
- B2B fit: Good if you have your own panel; less so if you need to find niche B2B respondents through their platform.
SurveyMonkey
- Best for: Quick, simple surveys—especially if you already have your own B2B list.
- Downsides: Limited targeting for new audiences; analytics are basic.
- B2B fit: Works fine if you upload your own contacts, but their “audience” is mostly consumer.
Other Upstarts (e.g., Attest, Suzy, Pollfish)
- Best for: Fast, high-volume consumer feedback.
- Downsides: B2B targeting is hit-or-miss, features can be thin beyond core surveys.
- B2B fit: Usually not the best unless your “B2B” is really just small business owners or freelancers.
Appinio
- Best for: Mid-sized B2B and SaaS companies who want a fast, easy way to test ideas and get directional feedback. Great if you value speed and UI.
- Downsides: Niche B2B targeting is limited, and you might outgrow the analytics if you need more than charts and basic segments.
Honest take: If you’re at a $50M+ company with a research department, you’ll probably need Qualtrics. If you’re a startup or mid-market team who wants speed and simplicity, Appinio is a strong contender.
5. Hands-On: How to Test Before You Commit
Don’t just take the sales demo at face value. Here’s a practical process:
-
Request a trial or pilot
Most vendors offer free trials or small paid pilots. Don’t skip this. -
Run one real survey
Use an actual business question you care about. Don’t waste your trial on “test” data. -
Check the panel quality
Look at respondent profiles. Are they really your ICP (ideal customer profile), or just generic business folks? -
Export and analyze
Can you get the raw data easily? Does it plug into your analytics stack? -
Ask support real questions
Gauge their responsiveness and honesty. If they dodge your B2B targeting questions, that’s a red flag.
Pro tip: Set a hard deadline for your trial. If a tool takes more than a week to prove its value, it’s probably not the right fit.
6. What Matters (and What Doesn’t) in Your Decision
Don’t get distracted by:
- AI hype: Most “AI-powered insights” just mean basic text analysis or chart generation.
- Feature overload: 90% of users don’t use 90% of the features. Focus on what actually solves your main problems.
- Annual contracts: Push for flexibility. If they won’t let you start small, that’s a risk.
What does matter:
- Panel access: Can you reliably reach your real B2B buyers?
- Ease of use: Will your team actually use it, or will it sit idle after onboarding?
- Speed: Does the platform slow you down, or help you make decisions faster?
- Data ownership: Can you export everything you need, without hassle?
7. Final Checklist Before You Buy
Use this as your quick gut-check:
- [ ] Do you understand exactly who you can reach with the platform’s audience?
- [ ] Is the UI simple enough for your team (not just the power user)?
- [ ] Can you export data in CSV/Excel for deeper analysis?
- [ ] Have you run a real survey and checked the quality?
- [ ] Are you clear on pricing (no hidden fees for responses/audience)?
- [ ] Have you pressure-tested customer support?
If you can check these boxes, you’re probably in good shape.
Keep it simple. The best B2B go-to-market tools help you answer clear questions, fast. Don’t chase every new feature or promise. Start with what you need, run a real-world test, and don’t be afraid to switch tools if something better comes along. You can always iterate—what matters is moving forward, not chasing perfection.