So, you’re trying to pick a B2B GTM (Go-To-Market) software tool, and every vendor promises you’ll “unlock new opportunities” and “drive revenue at scale.” Let’s cut through all that. If you’re in sales, marketing, ops, or anywhere near a revenue funnel, you don’t have time for hype—you want tools that work, don’t waste your budget, and most importantly, actually help you ship and sell.
This guide is for folks who need to choose a GTM tool that gives you more than dashboards and buzzwords. I’ll break down what features actually matter, what’s just marketing spin, and how Proxycurl measures up if you’re serious about B2B data.
What Is a B2B GTM Software Tool, Really?
Let's start simple: a B2B GTM tool helps you find, reach, and engage the right companies or contacts so sales can do their thing. Sometimes it’s called a data platform, sometimes a prospecting tool, sometimes a “revenue operating system” (eye roll). At its core, it should help you:
- Discover new accounts and contacts
- Enrich leads with useful info
- Keep your data fresh and accurate
- Speed up outreach without making you look like a spammer
- Connect to your existing stack
If it can’t do those things, it’s not worth your time.
The Features That Actually Matter (and the Ones That Don’t)
Let's get specific. Here are the key features to look for—and some “nice-to-haves” that, frankly, don’t move the needle.
1. Quality and Freshness of Data
What to look for: - Up-to-date company and contact info (emails, roles, phone numbers, LinkedIn URLs) - Not just “big company” data—SMBs and niche industries matter too - Clear source transparency (where is this data coming from?) - Regular refreshes, ideally daily or real-time
Why it matters:
Nothing kills a campaign (or a rep’s morale) like bouncing emails or pitching someone who left the company six months ago.
What to ignore:
Vague claims like “AI-powered data enrichment.” Ask vendors: How often do you update your data? Where do you get it from? If they dodge, move on.
Proxycurl’s take:
Proxycurl offers direct access to fresh LinkedIn data, covering a wide range of company sizes and roles. Their APIs pull info in real time, not just from a dusty database. You can see exactly when data was last updated.
2. Depth of Data
What to look for: - Detailed profiles: job history, skills, education, company tech stack, funding rounds - Intent data: signals that someone’s actually in-market or experiencing change - Social links and recent activity
Why it matters:
Superficial data (just a name and company) won’t cut it. You need context so you don’t sound like a robot—or worse, like every other SDR.
What to ignore:
Features like “personality scoring” or “AI-fit grades.” Most of that is smoke and mirrors.
Proxycurl’s take:
You get robust profiles—past roles, skills, even recent moves—which means you can personalize outreach or build smart lead scoring models.
3. Ease of Integration
What to look for: - Clean, well-documented APIs - Out-of-the-box connectors for Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, etc. (if you use them) - Bulk export and import options (CSV, JSON) - Zapier or workflow automation support
Why it matters:
If it takes six weeks and a team of consultants to wire up, it’s not a help—it’s a headache.
What to ignore:
“Custom dashboards” that just repackage the same data you already have.
Proxycurl’s take:
Proxycurl gives you REST APIs that are actually readable, and their docs aren’t written for PhDs. You can hit their endpoints directly or plug into your stack with minimal fuss.
4. Pricing That Matches Your Needs
What to look for: - Transparent pricing (no “request a demo” just to see a quote) - Pay-as-you-go or usage-based options - No huge minimums or 12-month lock-ins unless you want them
Why it matters:
You don’t want to get stuck with a giant annual bill for seats you’ll never use.
What to ignore:
Free trials that require a sales call or “custom” plans that are just a fancier way to upsell you.
Proxycurl’s take:
Pricing is public, and you can start small or scale up if you need more. No bait-and-switch.
5. Compliance and Ethics
What to look for: - GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy compliance - Clear privacy policies (not just legalese) - Options to filter or remove sensitive data
Why it matters:
Fines for sloppy data handling are real. So is losing customer trust.
What to ignore:
Vendors that say “we’re not responsible for how you use our data.” That’s a red flag.
Proxycurl’s take:
They’re upfront about where the data comes from and have controls to help you stay compliant.
6. Support That’s Actually Helpful
What to look for: - Fast, human responses (not endless ticket queues) - Good documentation and sample code - Community forums or Slack channels
Why it matters:
When your integration breaks at 5pm on Friday, you want help—not a bot.
What to ignore:
Claims of “24/7 support” if it’s just an FAQ page and a chatbot.
Proxycurl’s take:
They’re a smaller team, but you can get to a real person pretty quickly, and their docs are solid.
What You Don’t Need in a GTM Tool
Here’s a quick list of things that sound impressive, but don’t actually help most B2B teams:
- Predictive AI scoring (unless you have massive volumes and a data science team, this usually produces generic results)
- Overly fancy dashboards (you’ll export to CSV anyway)
- Endless “workflow automation” widgets (Zapier or your CRM probably does it better)
- Baked-in dialers or sequencers (use your own stack, or you’ll get locked in)
Stick to tools that do one thing well: deliver fresh, usable data and make it easy to plug into your workflow.
Where Proxycurl Stands Out
Here’s the honest summary: Proxycurl is built for teams who want direct, real-time access to rich B2B data without the fluff. A few ways it stands out:
- API-first, not dashboard-first: If you want to automate data enrichment or build your own workflows, it’s hard to beat.
- Transparent sourcing: You can see where the data comes from and how fresh it is.
- Flexible usage: Start small, scale up, integrate anywhere. No need to commit to a “platform” you’ll outgrow.
- No-nonsense docs and support: You can get up and running without a lot of back-and-forth.
That said, if you want a pretty UI, or you need a full-blown sales engagement platform, Proxycurl isn’t trying to be that. It’s not a one-stop-shop—and that’s okay. It’s a focused data layer for teams that want to build and move fast.
Pro Tips for Picking (and Actually Using) a GTM Tool
- Test before you commit: Don’t take the sales rep’s word. Run your own data through the tool and see what shakes out.
- Start small: Integrate only what you need. Big bang rollouts almost always get messy.
- Get buy-in from the folks using it: If your SDRs or AEs hate it, they won’t use it. Simple as that.
- Keep your workflow simple: If you need a six-step tutorial to send an email, something’s wrong.
Keep It Simple, Ship Fast
There’s no magic bullet for B2B go-to-market. The best GTM tool is the one your team actually uses—the one that quietly gives you better data, less grunt work, and more time to sell. Don’t get distracted by shiny features or overblown promises. Start with what you need, try it out, and improve as you go.
And if you want a dead-simple way to get fresh B2B data into your pipeline, Proxycurl’s worth a look.