So, your business is growing, and suddenly you realize your home-brewed spreadsheets and scattered apps aren’t cutting it. Maybe sales and marketing are stepping on each other’s toes, or ops is tired of duct-taping data together. You’ve heard about B2B GTM (Go-To-Market) platforms, but—let’s be honest—most of the stuff online is just buzzwords and hype.
This guide is for you if you want to make a smart, no-nonsense choice. I’ll cover the features that matter, the ones that don’t, and a few traps worth dodging. No fluff. No “digital transformation” talk. Just what works.
What Is a B2B GTM Platform, Really?
B2B GTM platforms promise to unite your sales, marketing, and customer success teams so everyone’s rowing in the same direction. Think of them as the command center for how you find, win, and keep customers.
But here’s the thing: Not all platforms do the same things, and most try to be everything to everyone. Your job is to find one that actually fits your business—without paying for features you’ll never use.
1. Integration With Your Existing Tools (Don’t Skip This)
Why it matters: If your new platform doesn’t play nice with your current CRM, email, or data warehouse, you’re in for a world of pain. No one wants to manually export and import CSVs every week.
What to look for:
- Native integrations with tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Gmail, Slack, and whatever else your team depends on.
- Open API access so your devs can build custom connections, if needed.
- Data sync that actually works, not just a checkbox on a sales deck—ask for references or try it yourself in a trial.
What to ignore: Platforms that claim “integration” but really mean “you can download a CSV.” That’s not integration. That’s passing the buck.
Pro tip: Make a short list of your must-have tools and ask the vendor to show you a real-world sync or workflow with them—don’t settle for a vague demo.
2. Usability: Will Your Team Actually Use It?
Why it matters: The best features in the world mean nothing if your team hates the interface or needs three days of training just to send an email.
What to look for:
- Clean, modern UI that doesn’t feel like Windows 98.
- Simple onboarding—can a new hire figure it out in an afternoon?
- Customizable dashboards so different teams see what matters to them.
- Mobile access if your reps are always on the go.
What to ignore: Endless “customization” options that require a consultant or a PhD to set up. If it takes two weeks just to create a report, move on.
Honest take: Ask the sales rep for a trial or sandbox. If you can’t figure out the basics in 15 minutes, your team won’t either.
3. Data Quality & Enrichment
Why it matters: Garbage in, garbage out. If your GTM platform can’t help you keep your data clean and up to date, you’ll be chasing dead leads and missing easy wins.
What to look for:
- Automatic deduplication—no more three entries for “Acme Corp.”
- Enrichment tools that fill in missing info (like phone numbers, titles, or company size).
- Data health dashboards so you know when things are getting messy.
What to ignore: Fancy charts about “AI-powered insights” that are just recycled LinkedIn data. Ask where the enrichment data comes from and if you can control what gets added.
Pro tip: Run a test import of your ugliest, messiest list. See how the platform handles it.
4. Segmentation & Targeting (Without the Hype)
Why it matters: You want to reach the right people at the right time—not spam everyone who’s ever downloaded a whitepaper.
What to look for:
- Flexible filters for segmenting by company size, behavior, industry, or whatever you care about.
- Easy-to-update segments—not something you have to rebuild every time the marketing team changes its mind.
- Account-based marketing (ABM) features if your deals are big and complex.
What to ignore: Small businesses probably don’t need “predictive lead scoring” powered by AI. Basic segmentation does most of the heavy lifting.
Honest take: If you can’t explain how targeting works to a non-technical teammate, it’s probably too complicated.
5. Workflow Automation That’s Actually Useful
Why it matters: Automation should save you time, not create more headaches.
What to look for:
- Easy, visual workflow builders—think drag and drop, not lines of code.
- Multi-step automations (e.g., “if X happens, do Y, then Z…”).
- Clear reporting on what automations are running and who triggered them.
What to ignore: Automation for the sake of automation, like sending a “Happy Birthday” email to every lead. Focus on stuff that saves real time (follow-ups, hand-offs, reminders).
Pro tip: Have your team list their most annoying repetitive tasks. See if the platform can automate those—if not, keep shopping.
6. Analytics & Reporting: Not Just Pretty Graphs
Why it matters: If you can’t measure what’s working (and what’s not), you’ll waste money and time.
What to look for:
- Customizable reports—you shouldn’t need IT every time you want a new view.
- Drill-down capability to see what’s behind the numbers.
- Attribution tracking so you know what channels, campaigns, or reps are actually closing deals.
What to ignore: Platforms that only offer “vanity metrics” like page views or email opens. You want insights that help you make decisions—not just feel good.
Honest take: Ask to see real sample reports from current customers in your industry. If the vendor can’t provide them, be wary.
7. Pricing Transparency (and What’s Hidden)
Why it matters: Surprise fees kill budgets. Lots of GTM platforms love to bury costs in “premium” features or add-ons.
What to look for:
- Clear, published pricing for all core features.
- No mandatory onboarding “consulting packages”—unless you actually need custom setup.
- User-based vs. usage-based pricing—know what happens if you double your team or email volume.
What to ignore: Any vendor that refuses to give you a pricing PDF or keeps dodging the “total cost of ownership” question.
Pro tip: Ask exactly what’s included—and what’s not. Get it in writing.
8. Support and Community
Why it matters: When (not if) something breaks, you want help fast.
What to look for:
- Responsive support—not just a bot or a “we’ll get back to you” email.
- Active user community or forums where you can swap tips and tricks.
- Onboarding help for your first projects.
What to ignore: “White glove” support that’s just code for “we charge extra for everything.”
Honest take: Message support with a real question before you buy. See how fast and helpful their answer is.
9. Room to Grow (But Not Overkill)
Why it matters: Your needs will change as you grow, but you don’t want to pay for enterprise bells and whistles you won’t use for years.
What to look for:
- Modular add-ons—buy only what you need, when you need it.
- Simple plan upgrades without starting from scratch.
- Easy data export if you ever need to switch platforms (because nothing lasts forever).
What to ignore: “One size fits all” pricing or feature sets. You shouldn’t have to buy a 747 just to fly to the next city.
A Real-World Example
Some platforms, like People, focus on being dead simple and only include the features small and midsize businesses actually use. You won’t get lost in a sea of rarely-touched settings, and you won’t pay for a bunch of “enterprise” fluff. Not saying it’s the only option, but it’s worth a look if you’re tired of bloatware.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Don’t get paralyzed by a checklist a mile long. Start with what you need now. Pick a platform that makes your team’s life easier, not harder. You can always add features—or switch tools—down the road. The best GTM stack is the one your team actually uses.
Now, go get your hands dirty with a few trials. You’ll learn more in a week of real use than a year of reading vendor websites.