If you're reading this, you're probably knee-deep in tabs, demos, and free trials trying to figure out which B2B go-to-market tool will actually help your sales team—and which is just another shiny dashboard. This guide cuts through the sales pitches and helps you do a real, apples-to-apples comparison between Folk and the rest of the B2B GTM crowd. You’ll leave knowing what to look for, what to skip, and how to make sure the choice fits your actual workflow—not just the hype.
1. Get Clear On What “Go To Market” Means (For You)
Let’s get this out of the way: “Go-to-market” software is a vague label. It covers everything from CRMs to outreach tools, lead databases, pipeline managers, and more. Companies lump all sorts of stuff under this label to sound more impressive.
What you need to do first:
Write down the real problems you’re trying to solve. Some prompts to get you started:
- Is your team struggling to track leads and conversations?
- Are you wasting hours bouncing between tools?
- Do you actually need complex reporting, or just a way to not drop the ball?
- Is collaboration a mess, or does everyone want to work solo?
Don’t get distracted by features you’ll never use. If you don’t need a built-in phone dialer or AI copywriting, ignore them. The best tool is the one that solves your problems, not someone else’s.
2. Make a Shortlist of Folk and Its Real Competitors
Folk pitches itself as a “modern CRM for teams who don’t like traditional CRMs.” That means you’re probably comparing it to:
- Traditional CRMs: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM
- Lightweight or “next-gen” tools: Airtable, Notion (with sales templates), Copper, Streak, Attio
- Sales engagement platforms: Apollo, Outreach, Salesloft
Pro tip:
Don’t compare Folk to tools way outside its weight class. If you only need to organize contacts and send follow-ups, you probably don’t need the complexity of Salesforce or the marketing bloat of HubSpot.
3. Set Up a Real-World Test—Skip the Demo Theater
Product demos are a show. Feature checklists are 90% marketing. The only way to know if a tool will work for your team is to use it with your data and your process.
Here’s how to do it:
- Pick a small, real team project (e.g., prepping for a campaign, running outbound, managing a deal cycle).
- Import a real slice of your contact data (not just dummy data).
- Have 2-3 people from your team use the tool for a week. Not just the admin.
- Write down what’s annoying, what’s easy, and what’s missing.
Don’t let sales reps or “customer success” people drive the test—they’ll steer toward their strengths. This is about your workflow, not their pitch.
4. Compare What Matters (And Ignore the Rest)
Here’s what you should focus on when comparing Folk vs. other solutions:
a. Ease of Use
- Can your team figure it out without a training session?
- Does it feel like a spreadsheet, or a maze of menus?
- How many clicks to actually do the thing you do most often (log a call, send a follow-up, add a note)?
Honest take:
Folk and other “modern” CRMs often win here. Old-school CRMs are powerful but can be a pain unless you’re willing to spend weeks customizing (or paying consultants).
b. Does It Play Nice With Your Stack?
- Can you import and export contacts easily?
- Does it sync with Gmail, Outlook, Slack, or whatever you already use?
- How easy is it to get your data out if you want to switch later?
Ignore:
Built-in integrations you don’t use. Don’t pick a tool for an integration you “might” need someday.
c. Collaboration and Visibility
- Can multiple people see and update the same contact without stepping on each other’s toes?
- Is there a clear history of who did what, and when?
- For remote teams: Does it work well in the browser? On mobile?
Heads up:
Some tools (especially ones built on spreadsheets or note apps) claim to be collaborative but get messy fast if you have more than a couple of users.
d. Automations and Workflows
- Can you automate boring stuff (like reminders, follow-ups, or lead routing)?
- Are automations easy, or do you need to learn a scripting language?
- Is there a way to build simple workflows, or does everything require a workaround?
Honest take:
Folk is simpler, so it may not have the depth of automation that, say, Salesforce or Outreach offers. But unless you’re running a call center or massive outbound machine, you probably won’t miss those features.
e. Total Cost (Not Just the Sticker Price)
- What’s the real price per user, per month, after the free trial?
- Are you going to get hit with “integration fees” or “premium support” charges?
- Will you need to hire someone just to keep the tool running?
Ignore:
Annual contracts with “discounts” if you’re not ready to commit. Start monthly, even if it’s slightly more expensive.
5. Pay Attention to the Hidden Stuff
a. Data Ownership and Portability
If you ever want to leave, how hard is it to pull all your data out? Some tools make it easy. Others trap you with proprietary formats or half-baked exports.
b. Support That’s Actually Helpful
Is there real, human support when you hit a wall? Or just a help center and a chatbot? Try reaching out with a dumb question—see how they respond.
c. Updates and Reliability
Is the tool stable, or does it break every time there’s a Chrome update? Are they shipping useful updates, or just “AI” features that don’t help you close deals?
6. Ignore the Hype (And Most Reviews)
Most online reviews are either glowing (because someone got a gift card) or angry (because something broke once). Trust your own test, not the G2 or Capterra hype machine.
What to look for in real user feedback:
- Complaints about missing features that matter to you
- Gripes about bugs or outages (is this a pattern?)
- Posts from teams your size and industry—not Fortune 500s or solo freelancers
7. Make a Decision—Then Revisit in 6 Months
No tool is perfect. The goal isn’t to find “the best” software, it’s to find something that helps your team do their actual work with less hassle.
Checklist before you commit:
- The team actually likes using it (or at least doesn’t hate it)
- You can get your data in and out
- It fits your budget without weird add-ons
- You’re not paying for features you’ll never touch
Pro tip:
Revisit your choice after 6 months. If things are working, great. If not, don’t be afraid to switch. The cost of sticking with a bad tool is a lot higher than trying something new.
Keep It Simple—And Don’t Overthink It
There’s always a new tool promising to revolutionize your sales process. Ignore the FOMO. The best software is the one your team will actually use. Start simple, test in the real world, and don’t be afraid to change your mind. The rest is just noise.