Sales and marketing teams should work together, but too often, they’re stuck in their own worlds—different tools, different data, different goals. B2B “go-to-market” (GTM) software claims to fix that. The reality? Some tools make things worse, not better. If you’re sick of buying software that overpromises and underdelivers, this guide is for you. Here’s how to cut through demos and buzzwords and actually compare GTM tools that help sales and marketing work together.
1. Get Clear on What “Alignment” Means for You
Forget the vendor hype for a second. What’s broken between your sales and marketing teams?
- Is it inconsistent data?
- Leads getting lost or ignored?
- No shared view of pipeline?
- Purely a reporting headache?
Write down your real problems. If you can’t point to something tangible (“We waste hours each week reconciling spreadsheets” or “Sales never sees which campaigns drove which leads”), you’ll buy a tool and end up with more logins and no progress. Don’t skip this step.
Pro tip: Ask sales and marketing to each write down their top three daily annoyances. The overlap is your starting point.
2. Build a Shortlist—Ignore the “All-in-One” Hype
You don’t need a 50-feature monster platform. Start with:
- Recommendations from peers (not just glowing online reviews)
- Tools with a clear focus: pipeline visibility, lead routing, campaign attribution, etc.
- Integration with your core stack (CRM, marketing automation)
- Honest roadmaps—does the vendor admit what they don’t do?
A few well-known GTM tools: - Fullenrich (fullenrich.html): Focuses on giving sales and marketing a unified view of accounts and engagement. Not bloated, but strong on cross-team visibility. - LeanData: Best for lead routing and matching, but it can be overkill if you’re small. - 6sense: Strong on predictive analytics and account targeting; pricey and can be complex.
Don’t get sold on “AI-powered” anything unless you see exactly how it works in your workflow.
3. Map Out Your Must-Have Integrations
GTM software that doesn’t plug in where you need it is just another silo. Here’s what to check:
- CRM compatibility: Does it work natively with Salesforce, HubSpot, or whatever you actually use?
- Marketing automation: Can you sync campaigns, not just contacts?
- Data hygiene: Will it make your CRM messier, or help clean it up?
- Reporting: Can you bring together sales and marketing metrics in one place without exporting to Excel every week?
Ask vendors for screenshots, not just promises. If you see a lot of “coming soon” badges, that’s a red flag.
What to ignore: Fancy dashboards that look great in demos but require hours of manual setup. If it’s not out-of-the-box, assume you’ll never use it.
4. Test Real-World Use Cases, Not Just Features
Don’t compare tools by feature checklists. Instead, run through real scenarios:
- How does a lead from LinkedIn get routed to sales?
- If marketing runs a campaign, how does sales see who engaged?
- Can both teams see account activity and status in one screen?
Set up a test account with fake data if you can. Watch for: - Clunky navigation (if you’re lost, your team will be too) - Slow syncing or data delays - Alerts or notifications that make sense (and aren’t just spam)
If you’re stuck in demo hell and can’t get hands-on, ask for a live walkthrough with your specific scenario. Any vendor who dodges this isn’t worth your time.
Pro tip: Don’t let vendors drive the demo. Tell them, “Show me how sales sees new leads from our latest campaign—right now.”
5. Check User Experience—for Both Teams
Alignment falls apart if one team hates the tool. Make sure:
- Sales isn’t forced into a UI designed for marketers (or vice versa)
- Common tasks take fewer clicks, not more
- It works in the apps your team already lives in (email, CRM, Slack)
- There’s mobile support if you need it
Ask for references from companies with a similar sales/marketing setup. Avoid tools where everyone dreads logging in.
What to ignore: Flashy features your team will never use. If it’s not solving your core pain, it’s just clutter.
6. Pay Attention to Data Quality and Transparency
“Unified data” sounds good, but the devil’s in the details. Look for:
- Clear matching and deduplication rules: How does it handle duplicate leads or accounts?
- Audit trails: Can you see who changed what, and when?
- Custom fields and flexibility: Can you map your data model, or are you stuck with theirs?
- Privacy controls: Especially if you’re international—GDPR compliance isn’t optional.
If you can’t trust the numbers, your teams will go back to spreadsheets.
Pro tip: Ask for a data dictionary or schema doc. If they can't provide it, they're probably winging it.
7. Dig Into Support, Training, and Hidden Costs
A GTM tool is useless if it sits unloved because onboarding was a nightmare. Before you buy:
- Ask about onboarding time and who’s involved—will you need a full-time admin?
- Check if support is real humans or just chatbots.
- Look for transparent pricing—watch out for “platform fees” or expensive add-ons.
- See if there’s a real customer community or just a dead forum.
What to ignore: Promises of “white-glove onboarding” unless you get it in writing. Many vendors drop you after the deal closes.
8. Get Honest About Reporting and Attribution
This is where GTM tools often get fuzzy. What you want:
- Sales and marketing activity in one place
- Campaign-to-revenue attribution that’s not a black box
- Ability to build your own reports (not just canned charts)
- Export options (because sometimes you do need a spreadsheet)
Ask to see a real-world attribution report—if it’s confusing or can’t be explained in one sentence, it’s not worth the headache.
9. Pilot First, Commit Second
Don’t sign a long contract based on a sales pitch. Instead:
- Run a 30-day pilot on a small team
- Measure if your original pains are actually improving (less time wasted, more deals touched, fewer lost leads)
- Get honest feedback from both sales and marketing, not just whoever owns the tool
If adoption is slow or complaints pile up, don’t be afraid to walk away. Bad software is harder to escape than it is to buy.
10. Don’t Forget the Basics—Keep It Simple
It’s easy to drown in features and integrations. The best GTM software is the one your teams actually use.
- Start small. Solve your biggest problem first.
- Add features and integrations as you need them—not before.
- Review every quarter: Is it still making things easier? If not, fix or ditch it.
Bottom line: Ignore the noise, focus on your real problems, and don’t let “alignment” become just another buzzword. The best GTM tool is the one that quietly gets sales and marketing on the same page—and then gets out of the way. Keep it simple, check in often, and remember: you can always switch later if something isn’t working.