So you’re shopping for a B2B go-to-market (GTM) platform—maybe something like Discolike. The demos make everything look easy, the promises are sky-high, and every vendor swears they’ll solve your pipeline problems. The truth? Most of these tools sound similar, but the details matter—a lot. This guide will walk you through what actually counts, what’s just marketing fluff, and how to avoid buyer’s remorse.
Who’s this for? If you’re on the hook for sales, marketing, or revenue ops—and your team needs to find, reach, and close business customers faster—keep reading. We’ll cut through the hype.
1. Data Quality: The Foundation You Can’t Fake
Let’s get something straight: If the data’s junk, the tool is too. It doesn’t matter how slick the interface is if your contact info, firmographics, or intent signals are wrong or outdated.
What to look for: - Data freshness: How often is company and contact data updated? Stale leads waste time. - Breadth and depth: Does it cover the right industries, geographies, and job titles for your market? - Accuracy claims: Be wary of “90% accuracy!” unless you can test it. Scrutinize sample lists. - Enrichment and deduplication: Can the platform clean up and enrich what you already have?
What doesn’t matter: Fancy dashboards don’t fix bad data. Ask for a sandbox or a sample export before you sign anything.
Pro tip: Run your own small test—upload a known list and see what the platform finds or fixes. If they won’t let you, be suspicious.
2. Smart Targeting and Segmentation: More Than Just Filters
A good GTM platform should let you slice and dice the market in ways that match how you actually sell—not just by company size or vertical, but by buying signals, tech used, or even recent hiring trends.
Features to look for: - Custom filters: Can you create segments based on combinations of factors, not just one at a time? - Intent data: Are you getting real behavioral signals, or just web traffic guesses? - Account scoring: Does the platform help you prioritize, or just dump data in your lap?
What’s overhyped: “AI-powered recommendations” are everywhere now. Sometimes they’re just a new way to sort a spreadsheet. Ask what’s under the hood.
Honest take: If you can’t easily build a list that looks like your actual ICP (ideal customer profile), keep looking.
3. Workflow Integration: Plays Nicely With What You Use
No one needs another silo. The best GTM platforms slide into your existing tools—CRM, marketing automation, outreach tools—without making you jump through hoops or zap data around manually.
What matters: - Native integrations: Does it plug directly into Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, or your tools? Or is it a CSV-and-pray setup? - Real-time sync: Are updates instant, or is there a lag? Delays can kill follow-up. - APIs and webhooks: For more technical teams, is the platform open enough to automate custom workflows?
Ignore this: Overblown promises of “seamless” integration—get specifics. Ask to see a real demo with your stack.
Pro tip: Integration pain is one of the top reasons teams ditch GTM platforms. Don’t assume it’ll “just work.”
4. Activation: Turning Data Into Action
A pile of leads is useless if your team can’t act on them at the right time, with the right context. “Activation” is a buzzword, but the idea is solid: Can you actually launch effective campaigns or sales motions out of the platform?
Features you want: - Automated workflows: Can you set up triggers (e.g., new ICP match = notify rep) without writing code? - Outreach tools: Some platforms let you send emails, run ads, or kick off sequences directly—handy if you want fewer tabs open. - Playbooks: Pre-built or customizable “plays” for common tasks (think: re-engage old leads, hit up new funding rounds).
What’s often lacking: Many vendors offer “activation” but really mean “export this list and good luck.” Look for features that push leads into the hands of sales/marketing at the right moment.
5. Reporting That Doesn’t Suck
You need to know what’s working, what’s not, and where to adjust—without waiting for a data analyst to build a custom report.
Essentials: - Pipeline attribution: Can you track which leads or segments actually convert? - Campaign tracking: Does the platform tell you which plays or outreach tactics are moving the needle? - Custom dashboards: Can you see the metrics that matter to your team (not just vanity stats)?
Skip this: “Beautiful” visualizations that don’t answer real questions. If you can’t get ROI or conversion data out of the box, it’s a red flag.
6. Usability: Your Team Has to Actually Want to Use It
A GTM platform is only as good as the people using it. If it’s hard to learn or feels like a chore, adoption will crater—and your investment goes to waste.
What to check: - Onboarding and support: Is there real training, or just a help center full of generic videos? - User experience: Can a new salesperson or marketer find what they need fast, or is it a maze? - Customization: Can teams tweak views, dashboards, and workflows to fit their jobs?
What’s oversold: “Intuitive” interfaces that need a PhD to operate. Get your actual users in on the demo.
7. Flexibility and Scalability: Grows With You (Not Against You)
Your business will change. Maybe you’ll add product lines, enter new markets, or double your team. Your GTM platform needs to keep up—without a massive migration or surprise price hike.
Key features: - Modular pricing: Can you add features/users without jumping to an expensive tier? - Multiple teams/workspaces: If you’ve got sales, marketing, and customer success, can they work side-by-side? - API limits: Are there hidden restrictions that’ll bite you as you scale?
Be wary of: Platforms that nickel-and-dime for every little feature or lock you into long contracts before you know they fit.
8. Security and Compliance: The Boring Stuff That Matters
This isn’t glamorous, but if you’re handling customer data—especially in regulated industries—ask tough questions.
Checklist: - GDPR, CCPA compliance: Do they have real policies and audit trails, or just a badge on the website? - Data residency: Where is your data stored? This can matter a lot depending on your customers. - User permissions: Can you control who sees or edits sensitive info?
Don’t stress over: Security certifications that sound impressive but aren’t relevant to your business or geography.
What to Ignore: The Usual Hype
Not every feature demoed is worth your attention. Here’s what often gets more airtime than it deserves: - “AI-powered” everything: Unless you see real impact, it’s just marketing. - Social media integrations: For most B2B teams, these are distractions. - Gamification: Salespeople don’t need badges; they need results.
Focus on what makes your team faster, more accurate, and more coordinated.
A Simple, Repeatable Buying Process
Here’s how to keep your selection process sane: 1. Make a list of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and dealbreakers. Don’t let a flashy demo sway you. 2. Test with your own data and team. Even a week-long trial is better than guessing. 3. Talk to current customers—without a sales rep present if possible. You’ll learn what’s really working. 4. Start small. Buy for one team or workflow, then expand if it delivers.
Bottom Line
Don’t let the pitch fool you: The best B2B GTM platform isn’t the one with the most features—it’s the one your team will actually use, that fits your workflows, and makes your data better (not just bigger). Keep it simple, test what matters, and don’t be afraid to iterate. Most importantly: If you’re not sure, wait. It’s easier to start small than to unwind a bad decision.