If you've ever sat through a sales demo that looked nothing like real life, or you've tried yet another “game-changing” sales tool that turned out to be all sizzle, no steak—this guide is for you. Picking a B2B go-to-market (GTM) software tool isn’t about chasing the latest buzzword. It’s about making your sales team’s actual day-to-day work easier, faster, and maybe even a little less painful.
Below, I’ll walk you through how to evaluate GTM platforms like Saleo, what really matters, and how to avoid wasting time and money on tech your reps will secretly hate. Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Know What GTM Software Is (and Isn’t)
Let’s be clear on what we’re talking about. GTM software in B2B sales is a catch-all term. Tools like Saleo, DemoStack, or Reprise promise to help sales teams deliver better product demos, personalize customer experiences, and (allegedly) close more deals. Some focus on demo environments, others on automation, analytics, or engagement.
But here’s the thing: No tool is a magic bullet. If your sales process is messy, or your reps aren’t trained, software won’t fix that. What the right tool can do is remove friction so your best people can do their best work.
Ignore:
- Hype about “AI-powered” everything (unless you see how it helps your team)
- Promises to “transform” your sales overnight
Pay attention to:
- How the tool actually fits into your workflow
- Whether it solves a daily headache your reps already have
Step 2: Define Your Real Use Cases
Before you start a single demo or trial, get painfully specific about why you want a new tool. “Improve our demos” isn’t enough. Ask your team:
- What’s the most annoying part of running demos now?
- Where do deals stall in our process?
- What’s eating up reps’ time that shouldn’t be?
Examples of clear use cases: - “We need to show a live demo with real data, but our sandbox is always broken.” - “Our product is too complex for cold prospects—can we customize the demo?” - “Reps spend 3 hours a week prepping demo accounts.”
Write these down. If you can’t tie a tool’s feature to one of these headaches, skip it.
Pro Tip:
If your reps start their feedback with “It would be cool if…”—that’s a nice-to-have, not a real need.
Step 3: Shortlist Tools That Actually Fit
Now you know what you need, so you can actually ignore half the market. For example, if your main problem is demo customization, Saleo or its close competitors are worth a look. If it’s sales engagement, you want Outreach or Salesloft.
How to cut through vendor noise: - Filter out tools that don’t address your top 2-3 use cases - Check for integrations with your CRM and other must-have systems - Look for honest reviews—not just G2 stars, but real complaints on Reddit, forums, or from your network
What to ignore:
- Fancy features you won’t use in the first 6 months
- Vendor “roadmap” promises (assume you’ll only get what’s in the product today)
Step 4: Run a Real-World Trial (Not a Vendor Demo)
Here’s where most teams mess up: Vendor demos are slick, but they’re designed to hide flaws. Insist on a hands-on trial with your own team, your own data, and real workflows.
How to do it right: - Give the tool to your actual sales reps—not just your power users or techies - Recreate a real sales call or demo, start to finish - Track how long setup takes, what breaks, and what feels clunky
Ask your team: - Did anything about this tool make your job easier or faster? - Where did you hit friction or confusion? - Would you actually use this, or default back to your old way?
Watch out for: - Tools that need lots of admin time to set up or maintain - Hidden costs (extra “modules,” API limits, or onboarding fees) - Anyone on your team who says, “I’d just do this in Google Slides instead”
Step 5: Dig Into Security and Data Privacy (Seriously)
If you’re handling customer data—especially in enterprise or regulated industries—don’t just trust the vendor’s website badge that says “SOC 2 Compliant.”
Check: - What data does the tool store, process, or access? - Does it integrate with your authentication (SSO, Okta, etc.)? - Can you control who in your org sees what? - What happens if you need to delete data fast?
Red flags: - Vague answers to security questions - No clear documentation for compliance - “We’re working on that” as an answer to any privacy question
Step 6: Calculate True Cost (Not Just License Fees)
Most SaaS pricing pages are intentionally confusing. Don’t just look at the sticker price.
Add up: - Per-user license fees (and minimums) - Onboarding costs (some tools charge extra for “white-glove” setup) - Time your team will spend learning or maintaining the tool - Opportunity cost: If your reps have to babysit the new tool, what are they not doing?
Pro Tip:
Ask the vendor for real customer references—preferably those who switched away from their tool. You’ll learn more from ex-customers than from their “success stories.”
Step 7: Make a Decision—Then Set a Review Date
Once you’ve run a real-world trial, checked security, and tallied the real costs, make a decision. But don’t treat it as set in stone.
- Pick the tool that solves your top pain, not the one with the longest features list
- Set a 60- or 90-day check-in to see if it’s really working
- Make it easy for your team to give honest feedback (an anonymous survey can help)
If it’s not working, cut your losses early. Sunk cost is real, but so is wasted time.
What Works (and What Doesn’t)
What tends to work: - Tools that are dead simple to use and fit into your reps’ existing workflow - Clear, visible ROI—saving time, increasing demo quality, or shortening sales cycles - Responsive support that actually helps, not just “opens a ticket”
What usually fails: - Jack-of-all-trades tools that try to do everything, but do nothing well - Overpromising on integrations or AI features that never quite work as advertised - Solutions that need constant admin love to keep running
Keep It Simple—Iterate as You Go
You don’t need the perfect tool. You need the one your team will actually use, that fixes a real problem, and doesn’t make everyone’s day harder. Start small, keep your process honest, and remember: If a tool doesn’t make your sales team better at selling, it’s just one more thing to ignore.
Focus on real pain points, test in the real world, and don’t be afraid to change course if something isn’t clicking. Simple is usually better. And no, you don’t need to buy what everyone else is buying—just what works for you.