If you're tasked with picking the right B2B go-to-market (GTM) software for your sales team, you already know the stakes. Get it right, and you make everyone's life easier. Get it wrong, and you'll be dealing with grumbling reps, wasted money, and leadership breathing down your neck. This guide is for anyone who wants to compare Gradual vs. other GTM tools—without getting snowed by sales pitches or fluffy marketing.
No generic checklists or buzzwords here. Just a clear, step-by-step approach to figuring out what matters, what doesn’t, and how to actually compare the options.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Your Team Actually Needs
Before you even look at a product demo, talk to your sales team. Not your boss, not the vendor—your team. Ask them:
- Where are you losing deals? (Is it lead gen, follow-up, qualification, tracking, etc.?)
- What tools do you actually use versus ignore today?
- When something goes wrong, what’s the usual culprit?
Pro tip: Don’t assume you know. Reps will tell you what’s broken if you ask directly and promise not to “solutionize” in the moment.
Make a Quick List
Write down the core problems you’re trying to solve, in plain English: - “Our reps forget to follow up after calls.” - “We have no good way to see who’s actually in the pipeline.” - “It takes forever to onboard new reps.”
If a tool doesn’t address these, move on.
Step 2: Understand What Gradual Really Does
Let’s get specific. Gradual pitches itself as a modern GTM platform for B2B teams. Translation: it promises to help you coordinate sales, marketing, and customer success so deals don’t fall through the cracks.
Key features most folks care about: - Workflow automation (less clicking, more selling) - Lead and contact management - Pipeline visibility - Integrations with your CRM and other sales tools - Analytics on deal progress, rep performance, and bottlenecks
But here’s what matters: Does Gradual actually solve the problems you listed in Step 1? If yes, keep it on the list. If not, don’t get distracted by shiny dashboards or AI fluff.
Step 3: Build a Shortlist of Alternatives
Don’t waste time with thirty demos. Pick 2-4 competitors that are actually in the same category as Gradual. Here’s how to do it:
- Ask your network (not LinkedIn “influencers”—real people who’ve used the tools)
- Google “Gradual alternatives” and see which names come up again and again
- Look for products that focus on B2B sales teams, not generic SaaS
Typical alternatives might include: - Outreach - Salesloft - HubSpot Sales Hub - Apollo.io
Ignore: Solutions built for SMBs if you’re enterprise, or vice versa. “All-in-one” platforms that try to do marketing, sales, HR, and your taxes are rarely good at any one thing.
Step 4: Compare Features—But Stay Sane
Here’s where most teams get bogged down. Yes, features matter. But it’s easy to waste hours comparing 50-row spreadsheets and lose sight of what your reps will actually use.
Focus on: - Core workflows: Can a rep run through their daily processes faster and with fewer headaches? - Integrations: Does it play nice with your CRM, email, and other must-have tools? - User experience: Is it actually usable, or will your reps rebel? - Reporting: Can you get the data you need without an admin degree?
Make a simple table. For each tool, note “Yes,” “No,” or “Not sure” next to your most important needs from Step 1.
Warning: Ignore features you’ll never use. AI “deal scoring” and “predictive insights” sound cool, but if no one on your team trusts them, they’re just clutter.
Step 5: Evaluate Pricing (And the Hidden Costs)
Pricing pages are almost always confusing. Here’s what to watch for:
- Per-user vs. flat-rate: Gradual and most competitors charge per user, but some bundle in features or require upgrades for basic stuff.
- Implementation fees: Some tools charge extra to set up integrations or migrate data.
- Minimum contracts: Is there a 12-month lock-in? What happens if you need to scale up or down?
- Support costs: Is real support included, or do you pay extra for anything beyond email?
Pro tip: Ask vendors for total cost of ownership for your exact team size and use case. Get it in writing.
Step 6: Put It to the Test
Don’t trust marketing videos. Get hands-on.
- Request a sandbox or trial: See if they’ll let a few reps use the tool for real work.
- Try real workflows: Run through the day-to-day—logging calls, updating deals, creating reports.
- Ask your reps: Did it make their job easier or just give them another login to forget?
If possible, have a sales manager and a frontline rep both test it. They’ll notice different things.
Red flag: If it takes hours to set up basic stuff, or you need a consultant to make it work, that’s a bad sign for long-term adoption.
Step 7: Dig Into Support and Community
You’ll eventually need help—bugs, feature requests, or just “how do I do X?” Don’t wait until it’s urgent.
- How fast do they respond? Test by sending an email or opening a chat ticket.
- Is there an active community or knowledge base? Can you find answers without waiting days?
- Do they push upsells when you ask for help? Some vendors treat support as a sales channel—watch out for this.
Step 8: Get Honest References
Ask the vendor for 2-3 customer references—ideally teams that look like yours. Then ask the real questions:
- What broke or disappointed you after launch?
- What do your reps complain about?
- How long did it take to see value?
- Would you pick this tool again, knowing what you know now?
If a vendor can’t provide references, or only gives you hand-picked superfans, that’s a warning sign.
Step 9: Make the Decision (and Ignore the Noise)
By now, you should have: - A short, honest list of what you need - Real-world feedback on how Gradual and competitors stack up - A sense of what your reps will actually use
Pick the tool that solves the core problems best—not the one with the fanciest roadmap, the slickest pitch, or the lowest sticker price.
Remember: No tool will fix a broken sales process. But a good one should make it a lot less painful to run.
Keep It Simple, and Revisit Regularly
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of done. Choose a tool, roll it out to a small group, and see where things break. Adjust, get feedback, and don’t be afraid to switch down the road if it’s not working. Sales is messy—your software should make it less so, not more.
The real trick isn’t picking the “best” GTM solution. It’s picking the one your team will actually use, then iterating as you go. Start small, stay honest, and skip the hype.