If you’re running a B2B sales or revenue team, you already know there are a million “GTM analytics” tools out there—all promising the moon. Problem is, most of them are more sizzle than steak. The dashboards look great in a demo, but when you actually need to answer a tough question about your pipeline, sales cycle, or forecast… you’re back in spreadsheets.
This guide is for anyone tired of buying analytics platforms that collect dust. We’ll break down what features actually matter (and which don’t), and take an unvarnished look at how Insightsquared stacks up.
What Does a B2B GTM Analytics Platform Need to Do—Really?
Before you get dazzled by AI or “revenue intelligence,” focus on the basics. These are the six things a real go-to-market analytics platform should deliver:
- Reliable, up-to-date data (without a PhD in data modeling)
- Clear, customizable dashboards and reports
- Actual pipeline and forecasting insights
- Sales activity tracking that ties to revenue
- Decent integrations with your core systems
- A setup process you can handle, not just the vendor’s consulting team
Let’s break these down, one by one, and see how Insightsquared does.
1. Data Quality: Garbage In, Garbage Out
What matters:
If your analytics platform pulls in messy, duplicate, or stale CRM data, nothing else matters. You want:
- Automated data sync (ideally real-time, or close to it)
- Deduplication and cleaning built-in, not a science project
- Easy troubleshooting when numbers don’t add up
Insightsquared:
They connect to Salesforce (and a few others) with native integrations. Data sync is fast and mostly reliable. They do some cleaning—like de-duping accounts, flagging missing fields—but don’t expect magic. If your CRM is a disaster, no tool will fix it for you. Pro tip: clean your CRM before you try any analytics tool.
What to ignore:
Any tool that asks you to “export a CSV” or wait 24 hours for updated numbers is living in the past.
2. Dashboards and Reporting: Can Your Team Use It, or Just the Ops Person?
What matters:
You need dashboards that show the metrics you care about, not just what the vendor thinks you want. Look for:
- Customizable dashboards (filters, fields, timeframes)
- Drill-downs (can you get from “pipeline down 20%” to the actual deals?)
- User permissions (so reps don’t see the CEO’s view, and vice versa)
- Scheduled reports (email or Slack, not just “log in and pull it yourself”)
Insightsquared:
The dashboards look good and are mostly customizable. You can build your own reports or tweak templates. Drill-down is solid; you can usually get to the “why” behind a number. Scheduled reports work, but you’ll spend some time learning their builder—it’s not 100% intuitive.
What to ignore:
Shiny features like “AI insights” that give you generic tips (“Try more calls!”). If you can’t get the data you want, it’s not useful.
3. Pipeline Analysis and Forecasting: No More Guesswork
What matters:
You want to see where your pipeline is weak, what’s at risk, and if you’ll actually hit your targets. Features to look for:
- Stage-by-stage conversion rates
- Deal slippage and velocity tracking
- Forecasting that isn’t just “last quarter plus 10%”
- Scenario modeling (what happens if we change X?)
Insightsquared:
This is their bread and butter. Pipeline coverage, conversion rates, slippage—these all work out of the box. Their forecasting is better than most; it looks at current pipeline health, not just rep-submitted numbers. You can run simple “what if” scenarios, but don’t expect super advanced modeling.
What to ignore:
Any platform that just regurgitates Salesforce’s forecast or past trends. The whole point is to see around corners, not just look in the rearview mirror.
4. Sales Activity Tracking: Connect Actions to Outcomes
What matters:
It’s not enough to just track activities (calls, emails, meetings). You want:
- Activity data matched to opportunities (not just a volume count)
- Insights into which actions drive deals forward
- Easy filtering by rep, team, or deal
Insightsquared:
Solid here, if your team logs activities in Salesforce (or syncs from email/calendar). You can see activity by stage, by deal, by rep, and tie it to outcomes. The analysis is more “show me the data” than “AI magic”—which is actually a good thing.
What to ignore:
Vanity metrics like “emails sent” or “calls made” with no tie-back to pipeline or revenue.
5. Integrations: No More Data Silos
What matters:
If your analytics tool doesn’t play nice with your CRM, marketing automation, or sales engagement platforms, you’ll be stuck stitching things together manually. Look for:
- Direct (native) integrations with your core systems, not just “via CSV”
- APIs for custom connections (if you need them)
- Support for both pulling and pushing data
Insightsquared:
Best if you’re using Salesforce (native integration). Some support for HubSpot, but not as deep. If you’re on Microsoft Dynamics, Zoho, or a niche CRM, you’ll hit limits fast. No real built-in marketing automation integrations; you’ll have to DIY if you want Marketo or Pardot data.
What to ignore:
Lists of “hundreds of integrations” that are just Zapier connections or CSV imports. Focus on quality, not quantity.
6. Setup and Support: Can You Actually Get Value Without Six Months of Consulting?
What matters:
Nobody wants to wait months or pay five figures for “onboarding.” You want:
- Straightforward implementation (days or weeks, not quarters)
- Good documentation and real support when you get stuck
- Self-service options for building reports, not “open a ticket”
Insightsquared:
Setup if you’re on Salesforce is about as easy as it gets for this kind of tool—usually up in a week or two. Documentation is fine, but you’ll probably use their support team at first. They’re responsive, but don’t expect hand-holding forever. Once you’re up and running, it’s mostly self-service, but the learning curve is real.
What to ignore:
“White-glove onboarding” that costs as much as the product. If you need a consultant just to build a dashboard, the tool is too complex.
What Features Are Overhyped (and What to Really Watch Out For)
Not everything vendors talk up is worth your time. Here’s what to skip, and what actually matters:
Skip the hype: - “AI-powered insights” that just summarize your CRM - Gamification (“leaderboards!”) that nobody uses after week one - “Predictive” anything, unless they show you how it works
Actually useful: - Fast, reliable answers to “what changed in my pipeline?” - Visibility into what activities move deals forward - The ability to tweak reports yourself
Bottom Line: Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go
Here’s the truth: No platform is perfect out of the gate. If you’re considering Insightsquared or any competitor, focus on getting the basics right—clean data, clear dashboards, real pipeline insight. Skip the bells and whistles.
Start with a handful of metrics that actually matter to your business. Add complexity only when you need it. And don’t be afraid to say “no” to features you’ll never use. Simple, actionable analytics beat “AI-powered revenue intelligence” any day.