If you run a mid-sized business, you know the pain of wading through endless “game-changing” go-to-market (GTM) software pitches. Everyone promises growth, automation, and insights. Most deliver… confusion, hidden costs, and more work for your team. This guide is for sales, marketing, and ops leaders who want to cut through the noise and pick B2B GTM software that actually fits.
Let’s break down what matters, what’s hype, and how to make a choice you won’t regret in six months.
1. Get Clear on Your Actual Needs (Not Vendor Promises)
Before you look at features, get brutally honest about the problem you’re trying to solve. Most software is built for “enterprises” or “fast-growing startups,” not the reality of a mid-sized business with limited resources and a team that already has more software than they want.
Questions to ask: - Where is our GTM process actually breaking down? (Lead handoff? Reporting? Pipeline visibility? Follow-up?) - What are the biggest time-wasters for our team right now? - Are we replacing something, or adding something new? - What’s our real budget—including onboarding and training?
Pro tip: Write down your top three must-haves. If a tool can’t deliver those, move on. Don’t get distracted by shiny extras.
2. Focus on Core Capabilities—Ignore the Buzzwords
Vendors love to drown you in features. AI-driven everything. End-to-end pipelines. “360-degree insights.” Most of this is either fluff or only useful for companies 10x your size.
What matters for mid-sized B2B teams: - Data you can trust: Does the software show you what’s actually happening in your funnel, with real data (not just pretty charts)? - Easy sales-marketing handoff: How well does it help your sales and marketing teams work together, without endless meetings? - Fast setup and short learning curve: Can your team get value in weeks, not months? - Integrations with what you already use: Does it work with your CRM, email, and analytics tools—or will you be stuck exporting CSVs? - Transparent pricing: Are there hidden fees for users, integrations, or data?
Ignore: - Overblown AI claims. Unless it’s clear how it saves your team time today, it’s probably a distraction. - “Enterprise-grade” customization. You want something you can set up and use—not hire a consultant to configure.
3. Demo Your Workflow—Not Just Their Deck
Most demos are designed to show off the tool’s best side. That’s fine, but you need to see how it handles your real-life mess.
When you schedule a demo: - Bring your own use case. Ask the vendor to walk through a scenario based on your actual process. - Push for specifics. “Show me how I’d track a lead from marketing campaign to closed deal.” - Ask about ugly edge cases. How does the tool handle duplicate leads or bad data? What happens when reps don’t follow the process? - Test with non-technical users. If your less tech-savvy team members can’t use it, it’ll just collect dust.
If a vendor won’t tailor the demo, that’s a red flag. They’re probably used to selling to bigger companies—or they just don’t care.
4. Dig Into Integrations (This Is Where Dreams Die)
Every GTM tool claims to “integrate seamlessly” with your stack. In reality, it’s often a headache—half-built connectors, broken automations, or expensive API add-ons.
Checklist: - Is there a native integration with your CRM, marketing automation, or data warehouse? Or is it just a Zapier workaround? - What data flows both ways? (E.g., can updates in your CRM show up instantly in the new tool—and vice versa?) - Any limits on number of integrations, data volume, or users? - Who owns fixing things when integrations break—your team or theirs?
Pro tip: Ask for a reference from a customer using the same integrations as you. If they dodge, be wary.
5. Don’t Get Burned on Pricing and Contracts
Mid-sized businesses often get squeezed here: you’re not tiny, but you’re not an enterprise with negotiating power either. Watch out for sneaky costs.
Look for: - Clear per-user or per-feature pricing. No “call us” nonsense. - Short contracts, or at least a real free trial that’s not crippled. - All-in costs, including onboarding, support, and premium integrations. - Fair data ownership—can you export your stuff easily if you leave? - Reasonable scaling: What happens if you grow (or shrink) your team?
Ignore: - Vendors who nickel-and-dime for basic support or “premium onboarding.” - Long contracts with auto-renew clauses.
6. Get Real Feedback—Not Just G2 or Gartner
Review sites are stuffed with paid placements and reviews from folks who barely used the product. And analyst reports? Usually aimed at the Fortune 500.
Instead: - Ask your network: “Anyone actually using [product]? What do you hate about it?” - Look for user groups, forums, or LinkedIn threads where people vent. - Request references from companies your size, in your industry. - Ask about customer support: “What’s the worst issue you’ve had, and how fast did they fix it?”
Pro tip: If you want a less-hyped starting point, tools like Getrafiki are designed with mid-sized B2B teams in mind—not just the whales.
7. Run a Real Test—Don’t Just “Pilot”
Pilots often turn into time sinks that don’t reflect real usage. Instead, set up a true trial in production:
- Use real data, not test accounts.
- Get buy-in from the people who’ll actually use the tool.
- Track how much time it actually saves (or costs) your team.
- Don’t let the vendor hold your hand the whole time—see how much you can figure out solo.
Set a time limit (30-45 days), and at the end, have a blunt go/no-go review with your team. No “maybe next quarter” wishful thinking.
8. Plan for Change Management (or You’ll End Up with Shelfware)
No one needs another tool they log into once a month out of guilt. Even the best GTM platforms fail without a rollout plan.
- Assign an owner: Who’s responsible for adoption?
- Set clear goals: “We want to cut lead-response time by 30%,” not “let’s see what happens.”
- Train your team, but keep it simple—don’t overwhelm with every feature.
- Check in after 1 month: Is it making life easier, or just adding steps?
What Works (and What Doesn’t)
Works: - Tools that play nice with your existing stack. - Clear, simple interfaces your team can learn quickly. - Responsive support from folks who don’t talk in circles.
Doesn’t: - Over-customized setups that need a consultant for every change. - Features designed for huge sales teams you just don’t have. - Lock-in contracts and “gotcha” fees.
Ignore: - Hype about “AI-powered” everything unless there’s a clear workflow benefit. - Big promises about automating your GTM end-to-end. You’ll still need to think and adapt.
Keep It Simple—Iterate as You Go
Don’t let the endless options and buzzwords paralyze you. Start with what your team actually needs, pick a tool that fits (even if it’s not the flashiest), and give it a real test drive. If it works, great—double down. If not, move on and try again. The best GTM stack is the one your team actually uses—and likes.
Remember: it’s better to have a simple, working system than a fancy mess.