If you’re tasked with picking the right B2B go-to-market (GTM) tool for your sales team, you know the drill: every vendor promises a “streamlined process,” but most just add more tabs and headaches. This guide is for anyone who wants to cut through the noise and figure out if Spiky—or any other GTM software—actually makes your sales process smoother, not messier.
Let’s break down the steps to compare Spiky with other options, what to watch out for, and how to make a decision that won’t have your reps cursing your name a month from now.
1. Get Clear on What Actually Needs Streamlining
Before you even look at features, ask yourself: Where are the bottlenecks in your current sales process? Don’t just parrot what’s trendy (“AI-based lead scoring!”) or what vendors are pushing. Take a beat to figure out:
- Are reps wasting time on manual data entry?
- Is lead routing slow or inconsistent?
- Do you lack visibility into where deals get stuck?
- Is onboarding new reps a nightmare?
Grab a coffee and actually ask your sales team what slows them down. Vendors love to sell you on bells and whistles, but most teams only use a fraction of what’s promised.
Pro Tip: Write down your top three pain points. If a tool doesn’t address at least one, move on.
2. List Out the Must-Have Features (and Ignore the Fluff)
Now that you know your real problems, make a short list of features that matter. Not “nice to have”—actual must-haves. For B2B GTM tools, the shortlist usually includes:
- CRM integration: Not just claiming to “integrate”—does it really sync data, or just import contacts?
- Lead management: Can you customize stages? Is it easy to assign and reassign leads?
- Workflow automation: Are repetitive tasks (like follow-ups, meeting scheduling) automated?
- Reporting: Are the reports actually useful, or just pretty dashboards?
- User experience: Will your team actually use it, or will they try to work around it?
Here’s what to ignore:
- “AI-powered” anything—unless you can see exactly how it saves you time or money.
- Feature bloat—endless lists of integrations you’ll never use.
- Gamification—unless you know your reps care about badges.
Reality check: If you see a feature that sounds fancy, ask, “Will this save my team time every week?” If not, skip it.
3. Dig Into Spiky’s Real Strengths (and Weak Spots)
Let’s talk specifics. Spiky is marketed as a streamlined GTM platform, but what does it actually do well?
What Works
- Simplicity: Spiky’s setup is lighter than most. You can usually get started without a 100-page manual.
- Good automation: It handles repetitive tasks decently—follow-up emails, reminders, and lead assignment are actually automated, not just “templated.”
- Clean UI: It’s not “beautiful,” but it’s not confusing. Your reps won’t need a week of training.
- Decent integrations: The basics (Salesforce, HubSpot, Gmail) are covered, and they mostly work as advertised.
What Doesn’t
- Limited customization: If you want to build wild custom workflows or deeply tweak reporting, Spiky might not go deep enough.
- Basic analytics: Don’t expect advanced forecasting or AI-driven insights. The reporting is straightforward, but not groundbreaking.
- Feature gaps: Spiky focuses on “core” GTM users. If you need territory management or advanced partner channels, look elsewhere.
What to Ignore
- Any claim about “revolutionary” AI. Spiky’s automation is useful, but it’s not going to write your sales emails for you in a way that sounds human.
4. Compare Spiky Against Other Popular GTM Tools
Here’s how Spiky stacks up against some of the usual suspects: Outreach, HubSpot Sales, and Apollo.
Outreach
- Best for: Heavily outbound sales teams who want granular control over sequences.
- Pros: Deep sequence customization, powerful analytics, great for large SDR teams.
- Cons: Steep learning curve, pricey, and can be overwhelming for small teams.
HubSpot Sales
- Best for: Teams already using HubSpot CRM, or who want an all-in-one marketing/sales setup.
- Pros: Tight CRM integration, lots of templates, solid reporting.
- Cons: Can get expensive fast, especially as you add users or features. Some automation feels clunky.
Apollo
- Best for: Prospecting-focused teams who want built-in data enrichment and outreach.
- Pros: Huge contact database, good enrichment, quick setup for outbound.
- Cons: Less focus on deeper deal management, UI can be cluttered.
Spiky
- Best for: Teams who want to get up and running fast, and care more about “doing” than endless configuration.
- Pros: Quick start, minimal fuss, good enough automation for most.
- Cons: Not as deep as Outreach or as broad as HubSpot. Reporting and customization are basic.
Bottom line: If you need power-user features or deep marketing-sales alignment, Spiky may feel light. But if you just want your team to actually use the tool without mutiny, it’s worth a look.
5. Test the Tools—Don’t Trust the Demos
Sales demos are like first dates: everyone’s on their best behavior. Insist on a trial (even if it’s just a sandbox environment). Here’s how to stress-test Spiky and the competition:
- Setup a real workflow: Try moving actual leads through your pipeline, not just canned demo data.
- Invite real users: Get at least one skeptical rep to use it for a week.
- Check integrations: Actually connect to your CRM and see if data flows both ways.
- Run a report: Pull the kind of report you use in your weekly meetings. Is it easy? Is the info useful?
Pro Tip: If you’re stuck waiting on support during your trial, that’s a bad sign for real life.
6. Add Up the True Cost (And Watch for Hidden Fees)
Pricing pages are famously opaque. Here’s what to watch for:
- User limits: Are you paying per user or per feature?
- Support tiers: Is “premium” support extra? How much do you get at the base price?
- Integration costs: Some tools charge extra for “premium” integrations (even basics like Salesforce).
- Feature gating: Will you hit a wall and need to upgrade just to get a report or an automation?
Reality check: Add up your costs for one year, assuming you use all the features your team actually needs. Most teams are shocked how fast “starter” plans balloon.
7. Get References (Not Just Case Studies)
Ask vendors for real customer references—people you can actually email or call. Case studies are cherry-picked for success; real users will tell you what’s annoying, what breaks, and what support is really like.
Questions to ask:
- How long did it take your team to get up and running?
- What’s the #1 thing that still annoys you?
- Would you buy it again if you had to start over?
If a vendor balks at this, that’s a red flag.
8. Make the Decision—But Don’t Overthink It
You’ll never find a perfect tool. Pick the one that solves your biggest pain point and that your team will actually use. Set a reminder to review in 6 months—most teams find out quickly if a tool is helping or just collecting dust.
Quick Recap: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
There’s no magic GTM tool. Spiky is worth a look if you want something straightforward and easy to roll out. If you need deep customization or a giant feature list, look elsewhere. The best tool is the one your team doesn’t dread opening each morning.
Start with your biggest bottleneck, test with real users, and don’t get blinded by shiny feature lists. Keep it simple, and don’t be afraid to switch if you get it wrong the first time. That’s how real teams end up with tools that actually help, not just more digital clutter.