If you’re shopping for a B2B Go-To-Market (GTM) platform, you’ve probably noticed that every vendor claims to have the “ultimate solution.” Reality check: most platforms are a mixed bag, and your team will only use a fraction of what’s on offer—if you’re lucky. This guide is for anyone tired of buzzwords and looking for a clear, honest take on what features actually matter in a B2B GTM platform, what’s just fluff, and how 2xconnect fits into the picture.
Who Needs a B2B GTM Platform, Anyway?
If you’re in sales, marketing, or revenue operations at a B2B company, you’re managing a mess of tools, data, and handoffs. GTM platforms promise to tie it all together—lead generation, engagement, pipeline management, analytics, and more. But not all platforms are built the same, and chasing every “must-have” feature is a fast track to frustration (and a blown budget).
Core Features That Actually Matter
Let’s cut through the noise. Here are the features you should focus on—and why.
1. Unified Data (and Not Just in a Silo)
Why it matters: Your team’s lost enough hours wrestling with spreadsheets, CRMs, and third-party tools that barely talk to each other. A good GTM platform pulls your data together from different sources, cleans it up, and makes it usable without a degree in data science.
What to look for: - Real integrations with your CRM, marketing tools, and data sources (not just CSV imports). - Deduplication and enrichment—does the platform fix your junk data, or just move it around? - Actual visibility: Can everyone see the same data? Or does every team have their own version of the truth?
What doesn’t matter: Flashy dashboards that look great but hide the fact that the underlying data’s a mess.
2xconnect does this well: Their integrations are genuinely plug-and-play with major CRMs, and the deduplication is automatic—less manual cleanup, more actual work.
2. Account-Based Everything (but Keep It Simple)
Why it matters: ABM (Account-Based Marketing) isn’t just a fad. If you’re selling to businesses, you need to see the full picture—who’s involved, where you’ve engaged, and what’s working. But some platforms make this way harder than it needs to be.
What to look for: - Clear account views: Easy to see all the activity, contacts, and history for an account in one place. - Flexible segmentation: Can you slice your accounts by industry, size, intent, or custom fields? - Collaboration tools: Notes, tasks, or tagging—whatever gets your team on the same page without endless Slack threads.
What doesn’t matter: Over-engineered ABM “journeys” that require a consultant to set up and never get used.
How 2xconnect stands out: The account view is straightforward, not overwhelming, and you can filter by the things that actually help you prioritize (not just what the vendor thinks matters).
3. Outreach and Engagement That’s Actually Useful
Why it matters: Most GTM platforms promise automated outreach, but end up churning out spam. What you want is targeted engagement—personalized, at the right time, with enough automation to save time but not so much you sound like a robot.
What to look for: - Sequencing tools: Can you send multi-step emails, calls, or LinkedIn touches from one place? - Personalization at scale: Merge fields are table stakes. Look for true customization—insert relevant content, not just “Hi {FirstName}.” - Do Not Contact/Opt-Out management: Does the tool help you stay compliant and avoid embarrassing mistakes?
What doesn’t matter: AI-written messages that sound like a bad sales template. If it feels like cheating, your prospects will spot it.
2xconnect’s take: Their outreach module lets you mix automation with manual steps, so you can add a personal touch where it matters.
4. Real Pipeline Tracking (Not Just Activity Logs)
Why it matters: Sales teams need to know what’s moving, what’s stuck, and what’s dying on the vine. Activity logs are fine, but if you can’t see pipeline stages and next steps at a glance, you’re flying blind.
What to look for: - Visual pipeline or kanban boards: Simple, clear, and easy to update. - Custom stages: Every business is different. You should be able to match your sales process, not shoehorn it into the tool. - Forecasting: Decent platforms give you more than just a “gut feel”—look for historical trends, win rates, and deal health.
What doesn’t matter: Overly complex forecasting “AI” that claims 95% accuracy but is really just a fancy guess.
How 2xconnect handles it: Pipeline tracking is visual and customizable—no more wrestling with a spreadsheet just to see where your deals stand.
5. Reporting You’ll Actually Use
Why it matters: Everyone loves a pretty chart… until they realize it’s based on bad data or takes hours to generate. Reporting should help you spot trends, fix problems, and make decisions quickly.
What to look for: - Pre-built reports for common questions: Where are leads coming from? Which campaigns are working? - Custom report builder: For the oddball metrics your exec team cares about. - Export options: Sometimes you just want a CSV.
What doesn’t matter: “Executive dashboards” that are just window dressing for investors.
Where 2xconnect shines: Reports are fast, not buried in submenus, and you don’t need a training session to understand them.
6. Integration (Real, Not “Coming Soon”)
Why it matters: No platform should try to be everything. The best GTM software plays nicely with your stack—CRM, email, Slack, whatever.
What to look for: - Native integrations with the tools you already use (especially your CRM and marketing automation). - Open APIs: If you have custom workflows, you’ll want the option to build on top. - Webhooks or Zapier support: For DIY connections.
What doesn’t matter: Promised integrations that never seem to leave the roadmap.
2xconnect’s story: Integrations are already live with the big CRMs and common marketing tools—no need to wait for “Q4.”
7. User Experience (Don’t Underestimate This)
Why it matters: If your team hates the platform, they’ll find ways to work around it. Usability isn’t about “delight”—it’s about getting things done without headaches.
What to look for: - Clean, uncluttered interface. - Fast load times—no spinning wheels. - Responsive support: When something breaks, you want help, not a ticket number.
What doesn’t matter: Beautiful design that hides slow performance or endless clicks.
2xconnect’s reality: Not the flashiest UI, but it’s fast and direct. Most users pick it up in a day, not a month.
What Features to Ignore (or At Least, Not Overpay For)
- “AI-Powered” Everything: Most of it is smoke and mirrors. Focus on features that save you actual time or improve accuracy.
- Gimmicky Gamification: Leaderboards and badges won’t fix broken processes or low morale.
- Overly Complex Customization: If it takes a consultant to implement, you’ll never maintain it.
- Endless Add-Ons: The basics should be included. Watch out for platforms that nickel-and-dime you for every extra feature.
Pro Tips for Evaluating and Rolling Out a GTM Platform
- Start with your workflow: Map what your team actually does. Don’t adapt your process to fit a tool—pick a tool that fits your process.
- Pilot with real users: Get feedback from the people who’ll use it daily—not just your tech lead.
- Measure adoption: If people aren’t using it in the first month, it won’t magically get better later.
- Check the roadmap—but don’t bank on it: Only buy for what works today, not what’s promised.
Bottom Line: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Buy the Hype
Choosing a B2B GTM platform isn’t about ticking off every possible feature. Focus on what solves real problems for your team, test it in your workflow, and remember: simpler is usually better. Platforms like 2xconnect get the basics right, without drowning you in bells and whistles you’ll never use. Get started, see what works, and tweak as you go. Don’t let your tech stack run your process—use it to make your team’s life easier, not harder.