Looking for a B2B data provider isn’t glamorous, but it’s one of those decisions that can quietly make (or tank) your pipeline. If you’re considering Salesintel, you’re probably comparing it to a few other platforms and running into the usual wall of “industry-leading” claims and feature checklists that all start to look the same. This guide is for sales and marketing folks who want to cut through the noise and figure out what actually matters when evaluating Salesintel—and what’s just window dressing.
Why Your B2B Data Provider Actually Matters
Let’s get something out of the way: good data can help you connect with the right people faster. Bad data… well, it burns your reps’ time and makes your brand look sloppy. The point of a sales intelligence tool isn’t to check a box for your tech stack, it’s to feed your team reliable info so they can actually sell.
So, what should you really look for in Salesintel, beyond the shiny homepage features? Let’s break it down.
1. Data Accuracy: The One Thing You Can’t Fake
This is the hill to die on. If a provider can’t deliver accurate, up-to-date data, nothing else matters. Salesintel touts human-verified data, which is good—but don’t take that at face value. Here’s what to dig into:
- Human-verified vs. AI/automated data: Salesintel claims every contact is checked by a real person. That should mean fewer bounced emails and dead phone numbers. Ask for specifics: How often is the data refreshed? What % is actually verified by humans?
- B2B email deliverability: If you can, start with a free trial or ask for a sample list and run a deliverability test. No provider is perfect, but if more than 10% of emails bounce, that’s a problem.
- Direct dials and mobile numbers: These are gold for outbound teams. Salesintel has a lot, but coverage varies by industry and region—ask about YOUR targets.
Pro tip: Don’t get distracted by “millions of records” claims. A smaller, accurate database is way more valuable than a bloated one full of junk.
2. Depth and Breadth of Coverage
A huge database sounds nice, but you care about relevant records. Here’s how Salesintel stacks up:
- Target market fit: Is your ICP (ideal customer profile) heavily represented? Ask for a breakdown by industry, company size, or region.
- International data: Salesintel is strongest in the US, decent in Canada, and thinner in Europe/Asia. If you sell globally, ask for stats by country.
- Firmographic and technographic details: Beyond phone and email, can you filter by tech stack, hiring trends, or intent data?
- Account-level insights: Look for depth—company org charts, buying committee info, recent funding rounds, etc.
What to skip: Vanity numbers (“50 million contacts!”) don’t help if 90% aren’t in your target market.
3. Intent Data: Hype or Helpful?
Intent data is everywhere right now, and Salesintel offers it too. Here’s the honest truth: most intent data is noisy. It can be useful, but only if it’s actually actionable.
- How is intent data sourced? Is it from bidstream, publisher co-ops, or direct tracking? Not all intent data is created equal.
- Signal strength: Are you getting vague “researching CRM” signals or specific activities like “filled out a demo request”?
- Integration with outreach: Can your SDRs actually use intent data in their workflow, or does it just sit in a dashboard?
Bottom line: Treat intent data as a possible “nice to have,” not a must-have. Test it for your use case before betting big.
4. Integrations and Workflow Fit
It doesn’t matter how good the data is if your team can’t use it without lots of copy/paste pain. Salesintel has decent integrations, but check the details:
- CRM integrations: Does it really sync with Salesforce, HubSpot, or whatever you use—or just export CSVs?
- Sales engagement platforms: Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo—can you push contacts directly, or is it a workaround?
- Browser extension: Salesintel’s Chrome extension is handy for grabbing data on-the-fly from LinkedIn or company websites. But it’s not as slick as some competitors—expect a few rough edges.
- API access: If you have custom needs, is the API robust and well-documented? (Spoiler: not many folks actually use this, but if you need it, check.)
Pro tip: Always test integrations with your own workflow. A “one-click” sync in the demo might mean three extra steps in real life.
5. Compliance and Data Privacy
This one’s easy to overlook but can bite you later. Salesintel says they’re GDPR and CCPA compliant, but ask for details:
- Data sourcing: Are they scraping, buying, or getting direct opt-ins? How do they handle “do not contact” requests?
- Data removal: If someone asks to be removed, how fast does that happen?
- Audits and certifications: If you’re in a regulated industry, you might need proof of compliance.
Don’t ignore this: Some B2B providers cut corners on compliance, especially with non-US data. Better safe than sorry.
6. Customer Support and Onboarding
No one thinks about support until something breaks. Salesintel offers live chat and a dedicated success manager at most plan levels, but here’s what matters:
- Responsiveness: How fast do they actually reply? Try sending a support ticket during your trial.
- Onboarding help: Will they walk your team through setting up integrations, or just send you a help doc?
- Data refresh requests: If you need records updated or cleaned, how’s their turnaround time?
- Community/knowledge base: Is there an active user community, or are you on your own?
Reality check: Every provider says they’re “customer-obsessed,” but many disappear once the contract is signed. Look for recent, real customer reviews (not just testimonials on their site).
7. Pricing Transparency
Let’s be honest: most B2B data pricing is a black box. Salesintel is no different—expect a “demo” before you get real numbers. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Seat-based vs. usage-based: Are you paying per user, per record, or both? Watch for hidden fees.
- Contract flexibility: Can you start small, or do they push annual commitments?
- Hidden costs: Are integrations, intent data, or API access extra?
- Scalability: If you double your team, how painful is it to scale your plan?
Pro tip: Push for a short-term pilot. If they resist, ask why.
8. The Stuff That Doesn’t Matter (Much)
Some features look cool in the demo but don’t move the needle in day-to-day use:
- Shiny dashboards: Pretty graphs are nice, but if your reps don’t use them, who cares?
- “AI-powered insights”: Unless they’re saving you real time or pointing out actual opportunities, this is mostly marketing fluff.
- Random add-ons: Chatbots, banners, or bundled “productivity tools” usually just clutter things up.
Focus on what actually helps your team connect with the right buyers, faster.
Wrapping Up: Don’t Overthink It
There’s no perfect B2B data provider. The real trick is to find one that fits your workflow, covers your target market, and doesn’t drown you in junk contacts. Salesintel does a lot right—especially on data accuracy and US coverage—but you’ll want to kick the tires hard on integrations and pricing.
Start simple: pick your must-haves, ignore the hype, and run a small pilot before you commit. If it helps your team hit quota, great. If not, move on—don’t let inertia lock you into a long contract with a tool that isn’t pulling its weight.
And remember: data is just a starting point. The real work is what your team does with it.