Looking for data to power your B2B go-to-market (GTM) efforts? You’ve probably run across Peopledatalabs. Maybe you’re sick of vague promises and want to know what actually matters before you spend time—or budget—on yet another data provider. This is for anyone tasked with picking a data solution that actually helps sales, marketing, or product teams hit their numbers. Let’s get real about what you should look for and what you can safely ignore.
1. Data Coverage: Does It Match Your ICP?
It’s easy to get wowed by claims like “billions of records.” But what you really need is relevance.
- Check the fit to your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
Don’t just ask how many records Peopledatalabs has—ask how many match your industry, region, company size, or job titles. For example: If you sell to mid-market SaaS in North America, can they show you how many CTOs and VPs of Engineering they have in that segment? - Pro tip: Ask for a sample file based on your ICP. Any serious vendor should provide that.
- What to ignore: Vanity metrics like “global coverage” if you only sell in one country.
2. Data Freshness: How Stale Is This Stuff?
B2B data ages like milk, not wine. Outdated contacts waste time and money.
- Find out how often Peopledatalabs refreshes their database. Some vendors update quarterly, some monthly, some claim “real-time.” Get specifics.
- Ask about update processes. Is it automated? Do they flag stale records? Can you get notified when data changes?
- Pro tip: If you’re running outbound campaigns, ask for a “last updated” field in the data.
- What works: Providers who can show when and how data was verified.
- What to ignore: Vague assurances about “data quality” with no evidence.
3. Data Accuracy: Will Your SDRs Roll Their Eyes?
Sales and marketing teams quickly lose faith if the data’s junk.
- Ask for accuracy rates and how they’re measured. Anyone can say “high quality”—look for hard numbers or recent third-party audits.
- Get bounce rate stats for emails. If you plan to use email data, ask for average bounce rates for similar customers.
- Pro tip: Run a test campaign with a sample file and track delivery and response rates yourself.
- Watch out for: Vendors who won’t share negative accuracy metrics.
4. Depth of Firmographic and Technographic Data
Surface-level info (“name, title, company”) gets you nowhere.
- Firmographic depth: Can you get revenue range, employee headcount, funding stage, or industry codes? The more filters, the better your segmentation.
- Technographics: If you sell software, can you see which companies use Salesforce, AWS, or your competitors’ products?
- Pro tip: Try to map actual buying signals, not just generic firmographics.
- What works: Datasets that let you segment by tech stack or recent growth.
- What to ignore: Huge lists of companies with barebones fields.
5. Integration and API Options: Will It Play Nice?
If you can’t get the data into your tools, it doesn’t matter how good it is.
- Native integrations: Does Peopledatalabs connect directly to your CRM (like Salesforce or HubSpot), marketing automation, or enrichment platforms?
- API capabilities: Is their API well-documented, fast, and reliable? Are there usage limits or “gotchas” in the fine print?
- Bulk exports: If you need CSVs, can you get them easily, or is it like pulling teeth?
- Pro tip: Ask for API documentation and test endpoints before you buy.
- What works: Simple setup, clear docs, and responsive support.
- What to ignore: Integration “roadmaps” full of promises and little substance.
6. Pricing and Contract Terms: Are You Locked In?
Pricing is often a black box in B2B data. Push for clarity.
- Transparent pricing: Will they give you a straight answer on cost, or do you get a “custom quote” after three calls?
- Contract flexibility: Month-to-month, annual, or multi-year lock-in? Watch for hidden minimums or automatic renewals.
- What works: Usage-based or tiered models that let you scale up or down.
- What to ignore: “Unlimited” pricing that turns out to have fine print on usage.
7. Compliance and Data Privacy: Will You Get Burned?
GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws matter—especially if you’re emailing prospects.
- Is Peopledatalabs compliant with relevant laws? Ask for documentation, not just a checkbox.
- Opt-out and suppression: Can you easily suppress records or honor do-not-contact requests?
- Pro tip: If you’re in a regulated industry, involve legal early.
- What works: Clear compliance documentation, audit trails, and a contact for privacy questions.
- What to ignore: “We take privacy seriously” with no details.
8. Support, Documentation, and SLAs
You’ll run into issues. How are they handled?
- Support quality: Is there real-time chat, phone, or just a ticket backlog?
- Documentation: Is their help site actually helpful, or just marketing fluff?
- SLAs: For enterprise deals, do you get uptime, response, and resolution guarantees?
- Pro tip: Ask for references from current customers about support experiences.
- What works: Fast, knowledgeable support that doesn’t just copy-paste from the FAQ.
9. Enrichment and Deduplication Tools
Raw data is just the start. Enrichment and deduplication matter if you want a clean CRM.
- Enrichment: Can you upload a list and get it filled in with missing data? How quickly?
- Deduplication: Are there tools to help you avoid cluttering your CRM with duplicates?
- Pro tip: Test with a real sample of your own data, not a cherry-picked demo.
- What works: Seamless enrichment that doesn’t overwrite your existing good data.
10. Real-World Results: References and Case Studies
Don’t trust the website. Talk to real users.
- Ask for customer references in your industry or use case. See if the data actually helped hit pipeline or revenue goals.
- Check independent reviews. G2, TrustRadius, and Reddit can be more honest than polished testimonials.
- Pro tip: Ask what didn’t work for other customers. Every product has warts.
- What works: Transparent case studies with hard numbers, not just logos.
Bottom Line: Don’t Overthink It—Start Small and Iterate
The B2B data space is full of hype and half-truths. The features above are the ones that actually matter if you want Peopledatalabs (or any vendor) to help your GTM operation deliver. Most teams are better off starting with a pilot or limited test, then expanding if it works. Keep it simple, stay skeptical, and don’t be afraid to ask hard questions. That’s how you avoid buyer’s remorse—and get data that actually helps you win deals.