If you’re shopping for B2B go-to-market (GTM) software, you know the drill: every vendor claims to be “all-in-one,” “AI-powered,” and “transformative.” Reality? Most tools eat up time, budget, and patience. This guide is for busy marketers, sales ops, and founders who want to buy smarter. We’ll break down the features that actually move the needle—and cut through the noise with a no-nonsense look at how Leadonion stacks up.
What Matters in B2B GTM Software
B2B GTM software promises to help you find, engage, and convert business leads. But let’s be honest: most teams use only a fraction of what they pay for. Here’s what actually matters if you want results—not just dashboards.
1. Real, Reliable Data (Not Just More Noise)
Why It Matters
You can’t build pipeline on bad data. If your “leads” are outdated, missing info, or not even in your ICP (ideal customer profile), you’re wasting everyone’s time. Good GTM software helps you cut the junk and focus on real opportunities.
What to look for: - Data freshness: How often is contact data updated? - Coverage: Does it have the industries, regions, and titles you need? - Actionable insights: Can you see intent signals, buying triggers, or just generic info?
What to ignore:
Vendors bragging about “millions of contacts” but can’t tell you what percentage is verified or recently updated.
How Leadonion does:
Leadonion sources B2B contact data from multiple places, and pushes regular updates. It’s not magic, but you get intent signals layered on top—so you’re not just blasting stale lists.
Pro tip:
Always test a sample. Don’t trust any vendor’s claims until you see the data in your market.
2. Intent Data That’s Actually Useful
Why It Matters
“Intent data” is a hot buzzword—everyone says they have it. But a lot of what’s sold as intent is just web traffic or generic signals, not strong buying intent. You want signals you can act on, not noise that sends you on a wild goose chase.
What to look for: - Source transparency: Do you know where the intent signals come from? - Recency: Are you seeing signals from this week, or last quarter? - Relevance: Are signals tied to your ICP, or just random companies?
What to ignore:
Intent scores with no explanation. If you can’t figure out why a lead is “hot,” it’s probably not.
How Leadonion does:
Leadonion pulls in intent data from sources like Bombora, combining it with its own behavioral tracking. You can see which companies match your ICP and what topics they’re researching now, not just last month.
Pro tip:
Don’t just chase high intent scores. Look for patterns (e.g. multiple contacts from one company researching your category) before you act.
3. Easy, Flexible Segmentation
Why It Matters
If you can’t slice and dice your data—by industry, company size, buyer role, and more—you’re stuck with generic campaigns. That means lower response rates and more wasted effort.
What to look for: - Custom filters: Can you build lists based on your exact ICP? - Dynamic segments: Can segments update automatically as data changes? - Export options: Can you get your lists out easily?
What to ignore:
Tools that lock you into rigid, pre-built segments or make exporting a pain.
How Leadonion does:
Leadonion’s filters are straightforward—by company, industry, revenue, job title, tech stack, and more. You can build and save custom audiences, and export to CSV or integrate with your CRM.
Pro tip:
Don’t overcomplicate your segments. Start simple (e.g., industry + seniority) and refine as you go.
4. Multi-Channel Engagement (That You’ll Actually Use)
Why It Matters
GTM isn’t just about finding leads; it’s about engaging them—via email, LinkedIn, phone, and more. Too many tools promise “omnichannel” but only do one or two things well.
What to look for: - Email + LinkedIn + phone: Can you reach out across multiple channels from one place? - Sequencing: Can you automate follow-ups, or do you have to babysit every step? - Deliverability: Are their email tools built to avoid spam folders?
What to ignore:
“AI writing” features that spit out robotic messages nobody responds to.
How Leadonion does:
Leadonion lets you build multi-step outreach campaigns—email, LinkedIn, and calling—in one dashboard. You can personalize sequences, set triggers, and track replies. The email tools are basic, but they’re built for deliverability.
Pro tip:
Start with a simple sequence. See what gets replies before you build a 10-step automation.
5. Workflow Automation That Doesn’t Create More Work
Why It Matters
Automation should save you time, not create new headaches. The best GTM tools automate lead routing, notifications, and follow-ups—without requiring an admin to babysit them.
What to look for: - Drag-and-drop workflows: Can you build automations without coding? - Integration with your CRM: Does it sync with Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.? - Error handling: Are you notified if something breaks?
What to ignore:
Overly complex workflow builders that take more time to set up than just doing it manually.
How Leadonion does:
Leadonion has some basic workflow automation—lead scoring, routing, notifications, and integrations with major CRMs. It’s not as deep as a full-blown marketing automation platform, but it covers the essentials for most B2B teams.
Pro tip:
Automate repetitive tasks, but keep critical steps manual until you trust the tool.
6. Integration with Your Existing Stack
Why It Matters
No one wants another silo. If your GTM tool doesn’t play nice with your CRM, marketing automation, or sales engagement tools, you’ll waste hours wrangling CSVs and chasing down data mismatches.
What to look for: - Native integrations: Does it connect directly to your CRM and email? - API access: Can you build custom integrations if needed? - Data sync frequency: Is it real-time or batch?
What to ignore:
Vague promises of “Zapier compatibility” without real integrations.
How Leadonion does:
Leadonion offers out-of-the-box integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, and Salesloft. There’s also an API if you need something custom. Sync is near real-time for most CRMs.
Pro tip:
Test the integration before you roll out to your whole team—especially if you rely on custom fields or workflows.
7. Honest Reporting (That Doesn’t Hide the Ball)
Why It Matters
You need to know what’s working and what’s not—without playing CSI on your own funnel. Reporting should be clear, actionable, and easy to share.
What to look for: - Funnel reporting: Can you see conversion rates at each stage? - Attribution: Do you know which campaigns actually drive pipeline? - Export/share: Can you share results with stakeholders easily?
What to ignore:
“Vanity metrics” dashboards that look pretty but don’t drive decisions.
How Leadonion does:
Leadonion’s reporting is straightforward: campaign performance, lead engagement, conversion by source. It’s not a BI tool, but you get the basics without a lot of fluff. You can export or share reports easily.
Pro tip:
Pick one or two key metrics to track each week. Don’t drown in dashboards.
What Leadonion Gets Right (And Where It’s Just Okay)
Leadonion checks most of the important boxes: up-to-date B2B data, useful intent signals, flexible segmentation, and multi-channel outreach. Integrations are solid. Reporting is honest, if basic. The UI is built for speed, not eye candy.
Where it’s just okay: If you want deep marketing automation, advanced scoring models, or highly customizable workflows, you might find Leadonion a little lightweight. It’s built for practical teams who want to run outbound campaigns fast—not for folks chasing the latest MarTech trend.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
You don’t need every bell and whistle. Start with clean data, clear intent, and a simple workflow. Test, learn, and double down on what gets results. Whether you’re considering Leadonion or another tool, don’t get dazzled by features you’ll never use. Focus on tools that actually help you find, engage, and convert the right leads—without turning your stack into a science project.
Try, tweak, and don’t be afraid to ditch what isn’t working. That’s how real B2B teams win.