Let’s be honest: picking the right tools for B2B go-to-market (GTM) is a pain. Everyone promises “insights” and “alignment.” But most of us don’t have time for buzzwords—we need to know what actually moves the needle. If you’re in sales, marketing, or operations and want to actually ship something that works, this is for you.
Below, you’ll find a straightforward guide to comparing the key features that matter when choosing Factors (the product, not the generic concept) for B2B GTM success. Forget the fluff. Here’s what’s worth your attention—and what’s not.
1. Data Integration: The Foundation (Or the Headache)
No matter how shiny the dashboard, your Factors tool is only as good as the data it can pull in—and make sense of. If you can’t trust the numbers, the rest is just window dressing.
What to Compare: - Direct integrations: Does it connect natively to your CRM, marketing automation, ad platforms, and customer data warehouse? (Not “coming soon.” Now.) - APIs and webhooks: For the weird edge cases—can your team DIY integrations without a weeklong Slack thread? - Data freshness: How often does it sync? Real-time is nice, but honestly, daily is enough for most teams. - Error handling: Does it tell you when things break, or does it quietly go stale?
Pro tip: Don’t get distracted by the laundry list of “supported” apps. Ask for a demo with your actual data sources.
What to ignore: Claims about “AI-powered data enrichment” are usually just third-party firmographic lookups. Nice to have, but not a dealbreaker.
2. Metrics and Attribution: Clarity, Not Confusion
You want to know what’s working—without having to hire a data scientist.
What to Compare: - Custom metrics: Can you define your own KPIs, or are you stuck with their canned definitions? - Multi-touch attribution models: Do you get more than just “first touch” or “last touch”? Bonus points if you can compare models side-by-side. - Drill-downs: Can you actually see why a number changed—or is it a mystery box? - Transparency: How are metrics calculated? If you can’t get a plain-English answer, it’s a red flag.
Pro tip: Ask the vendor to walk you through a real lead’s journey, with all the ugly details.
What to ignore: Fancy visualizations. If you can’t explain the metric to a new hire, it’s too complicated.
3. Reporting and Visualization: Useful, Not Just Pretty
Yes, everybody loves a good chart. But can you get the report you need, when you need it, without yelling for help?
What to Compare: - Self-serve dashboards: Can non-technical folks build and customize their own views? - Scheduled reports: Does it send out regular updates automatically, or do you have to remember? - Sharing and permissions: Can you share insights with specific teams—or is it all or nothing? - Export options: Sometimes, you just need a good old CSV.
Pro tip: Try building a report during the demo. If it takes more than five minutes, that’s a warning sign.
What to ignore: “Infographic mode.” You’re not sending these to your board for decoration.
4. Collaboration and Workflow: Actually Getting Teams on the Same Page
GTM is a team sport. If your Factors tool doesn’t help sales, marketing, and ops stay aligned, it’s just another silo.
What to Compare: - Commenting and annotation: Can teams discuss data right in the platform, or is it back to endless email threads? - Task assignment: Can you assign follow-ups, or at least flag things for review? - Notifications: Does it tell you when something important happens, or only when you log in? - Integration with team tools: Slack, Teams, email—does it talk to the tools your people actually use?
Pro tip: Ask your team what would actually help them work together. Sometimes a simple “@mention” feature beats a complex workflow engine.
What to ignore: “Gamification.” Most B2B teams will hate it—or ignore it.
5. Usability: Can Real People Use This?
If your team dreads logging in, it’ll never get adopted. Don’t let a slick sales demo fool you—test it with the people who’ll be in there every day.
What to Compare: - Onboarding experience: Is it clear what to do first, or do you need a three-hour training call? - Navigation: Can you find what you need without a map? - Mobile access: Nice to have, but only if your team actually works on the go. - Accessibility: Can everyone on your team use it, regardless of ability?
Pro tip: Don’t just ask leadership to test the tool. Pull someone from the sales floor or support team and watch them try it.
What to ignore: “Personalization” features that just rearrange the same clutter.
6. Pricing and Flexibility: Know What You’re Actually Buying
Nobody likes surprises when the invoice lands. The best Factors platforms are clear about what’s included—and what’ll cost extra.
What to Compare: - Transparent pricing: Are the tiers and overages clear, or do you have to call for a quote? - Seats vs. usage: Will you pay per user, per report, or per data source? Get this in writing. - Contract terms: Is there a free trial? Can you start small? - Scalability: Can you add features or users without a huge price jump?
Pro tip: Always ask for a sample invoice. See if the vendor will walk you through a real customer’s billing.
What to ignore: “Custom pricing for ultimate flexibility.” That often means “We’ll charge what we think we can get away with.”
7. Support and Reliability: When Things Break (Because They Will)
No platform is perfect. What matters is how fast they fix things—and whether they leave you hanging.
What to Compare: - Response time: How fast is support, really? Test it with a real question. - Documentation: Is there a searchable help center, or do you have to submit a ticket for everything? - Community: Are other users sharing workarounds, or is it a ghost town? - Uptime: Is historical uptime published? What’s the track record?
Pro tip: Ask for references. Don’t just read the site’s testimonials—talk to someone actually using it.
What to ignore: “White-glove onboarding” that’s just a fancy name for two Zoom calls.
8. Security and Compliance: Protecting What Matters
It’s not sexy, but you’ll care if something goes wrong. Especially if you’re in a regulated industry or deal with sensitive customer data.
What to Compare: - Certifications: SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA—does it check your boxes? - User permissions: Can you lock down sensitive info? - Audit logs: Can you see who did what, and when? - Data ownership: Can you easily export or delete your data?
Pro tip: Get your security team involved early. Better to find red flags now than after the contract’s signed.
What to ignore: “Bank-level security.” It’s a meaningless phrase.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Here’s the truth: no tool covers everything perfectly. The best way to pick is to focus on the few features your team will actually use, not the endless bells and whistles. Start small, run a real-world pilot, and be ruthless about what matters. You can always adjust as you go. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good enough—shipping is still the best strategy.