If you’re responsible for choosing the right software to help your sales team actually sell, not just sit through more “transformative” demos, this guide is for you. There are more B2B go-to-market (GTM) tools on the market than ever, but most of them sound the same. You want to know if Sailes is worth your attention—or if it’s just another overhyped sales platform. Let’s break it down step by step, minus the fluff.
1. Get Clear on Your Real Sales Problems
Before you compare any tools, get brutally honest about what’s actually slowing your team down. Ignore the features for a minute—what’s the real pain?
- Is your team taking too long to qualify leads?
- Do you have a messy CRM that nobody trusts?
- Are reps wasting time on manual data entry or chasing unresponsive prospects?
- Is your pipeline full, but deals never seem to close?
Make a quick list. If you can’t tie a software tool directly to one of these headaches, it’s probably just another shiny object.
Pro Tip:
Ask your sales reps what they hate doing. Their answers will tell you more than a vendor’s pitch ever could.
2. Know What “GTM Software” Even Means
“Go-to-market” software gets tossed around a lot, but it covers everything from email automation to AI-powered forecasting. Here’s what usually falls under the GTM umbrella:
- Sales Engagement Platforms: Outreach, Salesloft, Groove
- Conversational AI: Sailes, Drift, Gong (for call analysis)
- CRM Add-Ons: Tools that automate or clean up Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.
- Pipeline & Forecasting: Clari, InsightSquared
- Data & Enrichment: ZoomInfo, Apollo.io
Sailes positions itself somewhere between conversational AI and sales engagement, aiming to automate repetitive sales conversations and tasks.
3. Set Your Comparison Criteria (That Actually Matter)
Ignore the endless features checklist. Focus on what impacts your sales team’s day-to-day. Some criteria to anchor your comparison:
- Ease of Use: Can your reps get value from this without a week of training?
- Integration: Does it play nice with your CRM and other core tools?
- Actual Automation: Does it really save time, or just add new busywork?
- Quality of Insights: Are you getting actionable data, or just dashboards for the sake of dashboards?
- User Adoption: Will your team actually use it, or will it sit ignored?
- Support/Onboarding: How much hand-holding do you get, and is it any good?
- ROI: Does it justify its cost with real outcomes (faster deals, better lead conversion, reduced manual work)?
Don’t be distracted by: - Vague promises about “AI-driven transformation” - Endless customization options you’ll never use - Flashy dashboards that don’t lead to action
4. See If Sailes Solves Your Specific Pain Points
Let’s zoom in on what Sailes claims to do, and where it fits:
What Sailes Does Well: - Automates repetitive sales conversations (think: qualifying leads, setting meetings, following up) - Integrates with major CRMs (though always double-check compatibility) - Uses AI to handle common objections and questions so reps don’t have to - Promises to keep your pipeline moving without extra manual effort
Where Sailes Might Fall Short: - If your sales process is highly bespoke or relationship-driven, automation may hit a wall - AI can handle common questions, but nuance is often lost—don’t expect it to close complex deals - Teams that resist process changes (read: most sales teams) may ignore it if onboarding isn’t handled well
What to Ignore: - Any claim that it “replaces your SDRs” or “automates 100% of prospecting”—AI isn’t magic - Overly broad integrations; always test with your stack
Pro Tip:
Ask for real-world case studies from companies like yours, not just the biggest logo on their website.
5. Run a Head-to-Head With Other GTM Tools
Don’t just take the vendor’s word for it. Stack Sailes up against the other tools you’re considering on your criteria (see step 3). Here’s a quick framework:
| Criteria | Sailes | Outreach/Salesloft | Drift/Gong | Clari | |-----------------------|-------------|--------------------|-----------------|----------------| | Ease of Use | Good | Decent | Varies | Steep learning | | CRM Integration | Yes (check) | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Repetitive Task Automation | Strong | Medium | Weak (focus elsewhere)| Weak | | Sales Insights | Solid | Good | Voice analytics | Forecasting | | Customization | Limited | High | Medium | High | | Support Quality | ??? (ask users) | Decent | Varies | Decent | | User Adoption | TBD | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed |
This isn’t gospel—your mileage will vary based on your team size, sales style, and how much your reps actually want to use the product.
Ask for a trial or pilot with your own data and team. If the vendor won’t oblige, that’s a red flag.
6. Ignore (Most) Demos, Trust Real-World Feedback
Vendors love to show off a perfect sales call or a fully automated pipeline. In reality, your data is messier and your team is busier.
- Talk to actual users (not just references hand-picked by the vendor)
- Check independent review sites (G2, TrustRadius), but read between the lines—some reviews are just marketing copy
- Ask about onboarding pain: How long did it really take to get results? What broke?
- Look for complaints about “automation fatigue”—do reps get annoyed by too many auto-emails or bots?
Pro Tip:
If your reps are already ignoring tasks in your CRM, piling on another tool won’t fix it. Solve the root problem, not just the symptoms.
7. Calculate the Real Cost—Not Just the Price Tag
Most sales tools promise massive ROI… if you ignore the hidden costs:
- Setup & Integration: Who’s doing the heavy lifting? Your IT team, or is it “white-glove”?
- Onboarding Time: How long until reps are actually using it?
- Process Changes: Will it force you to change how you sell? Is that a good thing?
- Ongoing Support: Is support included, or are you paying extra every time something breaks?
- Contract Terms: Annual lock-ins, minimum seats, surprise “growth” fees
Bottom line:
If you’re not seeing a clear path to real savings (in time or money) within a quarter or two, keep looking.
8. Pilot, Measure, and Iterate
Don’t commit long-term off a demo or a slick pitch. Here’s what to do instead:
- Start with a small team or pilot project
- Set clear success metrics (e.g., number of qualified leads, time saved per rep, meetings booked)
- Check in weekly: Are your reps actually using it? Is it making their lives easier?
- Iterate: Don’t be afraid to tweak your process or even pull the plug if it isn’t working
Pro Tip:
Vendors love to push for big annual deals. Don’t sign anything until you know it’ll work for your team.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Overthink It
The best sales tool is the one your team will actually use—and that fixes the real problems you have today. It’s easy to get lost in feature lists and AI hype, but most sales teams just need tools that save time and make their jobs less painful.
Stay focused on what matters, keep it simple, and don’t be afraid to change direction if something isn’t working. The best stack is rarely the flashiest—it’s the one that helps your people sell, not just “transform” how they work.
Good luck—and don’t let the next big thing distract you from what actually moves the needle.