If you lead or support a B2B sales team, you already know: there’s no shortage of software vendors promising to “transform” your go-to-market motion. But most tools are either overhyped, unclear about what they actually do, or don’t play nicely with the systems you already use. This guide is for sales leaders, RevOps, or anyone evaluating whether to bring in something like Journey versus the dozens of other GTM platforms out there.
Let’s get clear about what matters, what doesn’t, and how to cut through the fluff.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Problem You’re Actually Trying to Solve
Before you even look at demos or pricing pages, nail down what you actually need. Most GTM software tools (including Journey) promise some mix of:
- Deal acceleration (moving prospects through stages faster)
- Collaboration (internal, external, or both)
- Process consistency (follow-ups, task automation)
- Visibility (better forecasting, less guesswork)
- Buyer experience (making it easier for your prospects to buy)
But not every team needs all of these. Be honest: What’s really slowing your team down? Is it too much admin work? Deals stalling out? Reps not following process? Or is it more about making life easier for your buyers?
Pro tip: Write down your top two or three pain points. If you can’t do that, you’re not ready to evaluate tools. Any software that claims to “do it all” is probably just stretching the truth.
Step 2: Make a Shortlist—And Don’t Just Rely on G2 or Capterra
Once you know your “must-have” problems, make a shortlist of tools. Yes, sites like G2 and Capterra can help, but their reviews often boil down to “I like this” or “I don’t.” Dig deeper:
- Ask peers at similar companies what’s actually working.
- Check out real case studies (not just the ones with giant logos).
- Do a quick search on LinkedIn or Reddit for honest feedback.
- Look at integration docs—not just “integrates with Salesforce,” but how.
Your shortlist should have no more than 3-5 products. Include Journey if it seems like a fit, but don’t be afraid to look at less-hyped or niche tools if they line up with your pain points.
What to ignore: Overly polished “magic quadrant” charts, or features you’ll never use just because they look impressive in a demo.
Step 3: Compare the Core Features—Not the Laundry List
Here’s where most buyers get distracted. Every GTM tool throws a wall of features at you, but most of them don’t matter. Focus on the basics:
1. How does it organize deal information?
- Is it just a prettier CRM, or does it actually help reps and buyers work together?
- Can you customize fields and stages, or are you stuck with their way of doing things?
2. What’s the actual workflow for reps?
- Will reps need to bounce between tabs, or is everything in one place?
- How much manual updating is required? Is it actually faster than using your current setup?
3. How does it help buyers?
- Can you set up shared “deal rooms” or mutual action plans?
- Do buyers get stuck behind logins or weird invitation links?
- Does it actually make buying easier, or just look good in a sales deck?
4. Does it play nicely with your existing stack?
- Native integrations with your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) matter—not just “we have an API.”
- Will it break your reporting or require new workflows?
5. What’s the learning curve?
- Can reps (and buyers) figure it out with minimal training?
- How fast can you roll it out to a small pilot group?
Reality check: Most teams use about 20% of any tool’s features. Focus on that 20%.
Step 4: Dig Into Journey—Where Does It Actually Shine?
Let’s talk specifics about Journey, and how it stacks up against competitors like Accord, Aligned, or even “build your own” workarounds (think Notion, Google Docs, or Monday.com).
What Journey Does Well:
- Buyer-facing workspaces: Journey makes it easy to create collaborative spaces for deals—think shared checklists, timelines, and document hubs. This is a real step up if your deals are complex or have lots of decision-makers.
- Mutual action plans: Not just a buzzword—these can genuinely help keep both sides on track. Journey’s templates are solid and easy to tweak.
- Decent CRM integrations: Out-of-the-box Salesforce and HubSpot integration means less manual updating (though it’s not perfect; see below).
- Modern, simple UI: It’s not going to confuse your less-techy reps or buyers.
- Quick setup: Teams can be up and running in a day or two, not weeks.
Where Journey Falls Short:
- Customization is limited: If you want to deeply tailor every field or workflow, you might hit a wall.
- CRM sync isn’t always perfect: Complex Salesforce setups may need extra work.
- Analytics are basic: If you live and die by custom reports, you’ll want more.
- Not a full sales enablement platform: You’ll still need a content repository or knowledge base elsewhere.
Who it’s best for: Teams selling to multiple stakeholders, with deals that need structure and visibility—not the “spray and pray” outbound crowd.
Step 5: Run a Real-World Pilot—Not a Vendor-Scripted Demo
Demos are designed to look slick. But you need to see how any tool (Journey included) works in the wild.
- Choose a real opportunity: Don’t run tests on fake deals—pick a real live deal, or at least a realistic scenario.
- Involve both reps and buyers: If possible, get a friendly customer to try out the buyer-side experience.
- Test integrations: Sync with your CRM and see what actually gets updated (and what doesn’t).
- Track how much time it saves (or doesn’t): Are reps actually using it, or reverting to old habits?
- Collect honest feedback: Don’t just ask “do you like it?”—ask what’s confusing, what’s missing, and what they’d stop using if it vanished.
Warning sign: If you need a two-hour training call just to get started, the tool is probably too complicated for real life.
Step 6: Ignore the Hype—Focus on Adoption and ROI
No tool, no matter how shiny, will magically fix process problems or get lazy reps to work harder. So judge any GTM tool on:
- Adoption: Will people actually use it without being nagged?
- Time to value: How quickly do you see a real impact on deal cycle or win rates?
- Cost versus hassle: Is the juice worth the squeeze? (Factor in setup time and ongoing admin, not just sticker price.)
- Support: Is the vendor responsive, or do you get stuck in support ticket purgatory?
What to ignore: Vague promises about “AI-driven insights” or “redefining collaboration.” If it doesn’t do something tangible for your workflow, skip it.
Step 7: Make a Decision—And Keep It Simple
After your pilot, you’ll know what’s working and what’s not. Don’t overthink it:
- Pick the tool your team will actually use.
- Don’t get locked into long contracts if you’re unsure.
- Be ready to walk away if it’s not clicking—there’s no shame in sticking with Google Docs if that’s what works.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Chase Perfection—Iterate
There’s no perfect GTM tool. The right one is the one your team and your buyers will actually use, day in and day out. Start small, keep it simple, and don’t be afraid to revisit your decision in six months. The goal isn’t to have the flashiest stack—it’s to make selling (and buying) less painful.
Good luck, and don’t let software FOMO drive your decision. Your process matters more than any tool.