Looking for a B2B lead generation tool feels a bit like shopping for a car on a lot full of salespeople: everyone promises the best ride, but you’re not sure what’ll actually get your team from A to B. If you’re sizing up Cognism against other options like ZoomInfo, Apollo, or Seamless.AI, you want the truth—not just feature lists and slick marketing.
This guide is for sales leaders, ops folks, and anyone tired of demos that never answer the real questions. Here’s how to cut through the fluff and figure out if Cognism (or its competitors) is the right fit for your team.
1. Get Clear on What “Good” Looks Like for Your Team
Start with your actual needs, not what vendors say you should care about. Every sales org is a little different, so decide what matters most before you start comparing tools.
Ask yourself: - Who’s using this? SDRs? AEs? Marketers? (If it’s everyone, you’ll want something simple.) - What’s your target market? Are you after US tech companies? European manufacturers? Niche healthcare? - What data do you really need? Direct dials, verified emails, firmographics, intent data, LinkedIn profiles? - What’s your workflow? Are leads handed off to sales, or do reps pull their own lists? Do you need integrations with your CRM or outreach tools? - How important is data accuracy versus quantity? Be honest—would you rather have 100 leads at 80% accuracy, or 1,000 leads at 50%?
Pro tip: Write down your non-negotiables and “nice to haves.” Bring these into every demo. If a vendor can’t check your must-have boxes, move on.
2. Test the Data—Don’t Trust the Hype
Every tool claims “the best data,” but there’s a lot of hot air here. You’ll see big numbers thrown around (like “200 million contacts!”) but what matters is whether you can actually reach the right people.
Here’s how to see through the smoke:
- Run a real-world test. Give each vendor a short list of your ideal customer profiles (ICPs)—job titles, company types, geos. Ask for sample data. Don’t accept demo data; use your own.
- Check contact details. How many verified emails and direct dials do they actually have? How recent is the data?
- Try to connect. Have your reps call or email a sample. Track hard bounces, wrong numbers, and how many actually respond.
- Look for gaps. Can the tool find the tough-to-reach roles, or just generic decision-makers?
- Check data coverage by region. Some tools are strong in the US but weak in Europe or APAC. Cognism, for example, pitches itself as strong in EMEA, but you’ll want to see proof.
Watch out for: - Vendors “enriching” your list with third-party data that isn’t really theirs. - Claims of “compliance”—ask how they handle GDPR, especially if you’re selling in Europe.
3. Evaluate Ease of Use and Workflow Fit
A tool that’s clunky or gets in the way won’t get used—no matter how great the data. Make sure your team can actually work with it.
What to look for: - User interface. Is it intuitive, or do you need hours of training? - List building. How easy is it to filter, sort, and export the exact lists you need? - Integrations. Does it play nice with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, or your sequencer? Can you push leads straight into workflows, or do you have to mess with CSVs? - Speed. Does it lag, or can reps move fast? - Mobile/Chrome extension. Can your team use it on the fly while browsing LinkedIn or company sites? - Permissions and admin controls. Can you lock down sensitive data, or is everything wide open?
Pro tip: Have a couple of frontline reps try the tool—not just managers. If they hate it, you’ll know quickly.
4. Scrutinize Pricing—And Don’t Be Fooled by “Unlimited”
Pricing for B2B lead gen tools is almost always murky. Prepare for negotiation, and don’t get distracted by “unlimited” plans or fluffy add-ons.
Questions to ask: - What’s included? Are you paying per seat, per contact, or for credits? Any hidden fees? - Are there usage caps? “Unlimited” often isn’t—read the fine print. Some tools throttle exports or API calls. - How does data enrichment work? Is it included, or does it cost extra to fill in missing info? - Contract terms. Is there a minimum term? Annual upfront? What happens if you want out? - Support and onboarding. Is there an extra charge for training or support? What does onboarding actually look like? - Price creep. Ask what happens at renewal—will your price jump?
Honest take: Most vendors will negotiate. Don’t accept the first quote. If you have a clear alternative, use it as leverage.
5. Dig Into Compliance, Privacy, and Ethics
Data privacy isn’t just legalese—it’s a real risk. If you’re working in Europe (GDPR) or California (CCPA), you need to know where your data is coming from and how it’s handled.
What to check: - GDPR and CCPA compliance. Ask for specifics, not just checkboxes on a slide. - Source of data. Is the data gathered ethically (public web, opt-in sources) or scraped questionably? - Right to be forgotten. Can people request removal? Will the vendor help you respond to data requests? - Audit trails. If you’re ever questioned about your outreach, can you trace back where a lead came from?
Red flag: If a vendor dodges these questions or gets vague, move on.
6. Compare Support, Service, and Community
If something breaks, will you get help—or just a bot chat? The best tech in the world won’t save you if your reps get stuck and can’t get answers.
Look for: - Responsiveness. How fast do they reply to tickets or emails? - Onboarding quality. Is there real training, or just a help center? - Knowledge base. Is documentation clear, or is everything hidden behind a login? - User community. Are there active forums or Slack groups where you can swap tips and hacks? - Customer feedback. What do real users say on sites like G2 or TrustRadius? Look for patterns—both good and bad.
Pro tip: Ask to talk to a current customer who matches your size and industry. Not a reference call handpicked by sales—ask for one at random.
7. Make a Shortlist and Run a Real-World Pilot
Don’t try to evaluate a dozen tools at once. Narrow it down to two or three that hit your must-haves and seem like a good fit. Then, run a short, side-by-side pilot with your team.
How to do it: - Set clear success criteria (eg., connect rate, speed to build lists, rep satisfaction). - Give each tool a fair shot—don’t stack the deck. - Collect feedback from actual users, not just managers. - Track real results, not just “leads generated” but meetings booked or deals started.
A week or two of hands-on use will tell you more than any demo ever could.
What Actually Matters (and What Doesn’t)
Focus on: - Data quality and coverage for your ICP - Workflow fit and integration - Real-world usability by your team - Honest, transparent pricing and support
Ignore: - “AI-powered” everything (unless it actually helps you prospect faster) - Vanity metrics (number of contacts in the database means nothing if they’re stale) - Fancy dashboards you won’t use
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Picking a lead gen tool isn’t forever. Find something that fits your needs now, gives your team a leg up, and doesn’t lock you in. If something isn’t working, switch it up. The best tool is the one your team actually uses—and that gets you talking to the right people, faster.
Don’t get distracted by buzzwords. Stay focused, stay skeptical, and let results—not promises—do the talking.