If you’re reading this, you’re probably tasked with picking a B2B go-to-market platform that actually helps your sales team close deals. Maybe someone on your team dropped the name Dealpad, or maybe you’re just tired of sifting through jargon-filled vendor pitches. Either way, you want to cut through the noise and figure out what features matter—and what’s just window dressing.
This guide is for sales leaders, rev ops folks, and anyone who needs a platform that doesn’t just look good in a demo. Let’s get into what you should actually care about when you’re comparing B2B go-to-market platforms (with plenty of honest takes along the way).
1. Real Collaboration, Not Just a Shared Folder
Most platforms promise “collaboration.” Here’s what to actually look for:
- Deal rooms: Can you create a space for each deal where both your team and the buyer can work together? Dealpad’s whole pitch is around shared digital workspaces for deals, but others tack on “collaboration” as a checkbox feature.
- Commenting and activity tracking: Can you see who did what, and when? Or does everything get lost in a sea of email?
- Version control: Are you able to update assets and make sure buyers always have the latest info, or do old PDFs keep resurfacing like zombies?
- Permission controls: Can you control what buyers see, or is it all-or-nothing access?
What works: Shared spaces where everyone’s on the same page (literally).
What doesn’t: Platforms that just dump files in a folder and call it “collaboration.” If internal notes and buyer-facing comments get mixed up, you’ll have fun explaining that one on a call.
2. Buyer Engagement Tracking: Show Me the Receipts
If you don’t know what your buyers are actually doing, you’re flying blind. Look for:
- Granular engagement analytics: Who opened what, how many times, and when? Dealpad and a few others do this well, but some platforms just give you a vague “last viewed” date.
- Heatmaps or interaction details: Can you see which parts of your proposal or mutual action plan buyers lingered on? Or is it just “file opened”?
- Notifications that matter: Do you get real-time alerts when something important happens, or does your phone blow up every time someone sneezes?
Ignore: Vanity metrics. “Number of invites sent” tells you nothing about actual buyer interest.
Pro tip: If you’re still guessing who your champion is, you need better engagement data.
3. Mutual Action Plans: More Than a Fancy Checklist
B2B deals stall because nobody knows the next step—or who’s on the hook. That’s why mutual action plans (MAPs) are popular.
- Customizable templates: Can you tailor MAPs to your sales process, or are you stuck with a generic list?
- Assigning tasks to buyers: Are buyers actually accountable for their side of the plan? Or is it just a to-do list for your team?
- Visibility: Is everyone (internal and external) clear on where things stand?
Dealpad nails this, but some competitors treat MAPs as a basic checklist buried in a sidebar.
What to watch for: MAPs that are too rigid or too hidden. If your reps end up managing the real plan in Excel, the platform failed.
4. CRM Integration: No More Double Data Entry
Your go-to-market platform shouldn’t become another data silo.
- Native integrations: Does it plug into Salesforce, HubSpot, or whatever CRM you actually use? “Zapier integration” is fine for side projects—not for core sales workflows.
- Single source of truth: Can you sync notes, engagement data, and timelines back into your CRM? Or do you have to copy-paste updates every Friday?
- Two-way sync: Does the integration go both ways, or does data only flow one direction?
Red flag: If the vendor’s “integration” means exporting a CSV, keep moving.
5. Buyer Experience: Respect Their Time
If your buyers hate using your fancy platform, they’ll just email you instead.
- No logins required: Can buyers access key materials without creating yet another password?
- Mobile-friendly: Does the platform work on phones and tablets, or does it break outside of Chrome on a desktop?
- Simple, clean UI: Can non-technical buyers find what they need, or do they get lost in a maze of tabs?
What works: Frictionless access and a UI that doesn’t look like it’s from 2010.
What doesn’t: Platforms that require buyers to jump through hoops just to view a proposal.
6. Security: The Boring Stuff That Matters
You can’t mess around here—especially if you’re in a regulated industry or dealing with sensitive deals.
- Granular permissions: Can you restrict access at the document or user level?
- Audit trails: Is there a clear log of who accessed what and when?
- Compliance: SOC 2, GDPR, and the rest. Not glamorous, but non-negotiable for most B2B teams.
Ignore: Over-the-top security claims (“military grade!”) that don’t actually map to your needs.
7. Ease of Use: If It’s Not Easy, It Won’t Get Used
You can have the fanciest features in the world—if your team dreads logging in, it’s game over.
- Short onboarding curve: Can new users get value in their first week, or is it a month-long slog?
- Good documentation and support: Is there help when you need it, or are you at the mercy of a chatbot?
- Customization without complexity: Can you tweak things to match your process, but not get lost in the weeds?
Pro tip: Get hands-on. A two-minute demo is not the same as living in the platform for a week.
8. Pricing: Transparency Over Tricks
Nobody likes surprise fees or “call us for a quote” pricing.
- Clear tiers: Are you able to see exactly what you get at each price point?
- No hidden fees: Watch for charges for “premium support,” integrations, or per-user pricing that explodes as you grow.
- Trial period: Can you actually test the platform with real deals, or is it just a limited sandbox?
Ignore: Platforms that make you talk to three sales reps before you get a ballpark price.
9. Support and Community: Will They Pick Up the Phone?
When things break, or you need advice, you want answers—not a ticket number and a prayer.
- Responsive support: Do they get back to you quickly? Try submitting a support request during your trial.
- Knowledge base: Is it up to date, or filled with articles from three years ago?
- Active community: Can you learn from other customers, or are you on your own?
What works: Real humans, reachable by chat or phone, and a support team that knows their product.
10. What to Ignore: Shiny Objects and Hype
It’s easy to get distracted by AI-powered widgets and dashboards you’ll never use. Here’s what’s usually safe to ignore:
- “Gamification” (unless you actually need it to get reps to use the tool)
- Dozens of integrations you’ll never turn on
- Endless customization that leads to decision fatigue
- Features that solve problems you don’t have
Rule of thumb: If you can’t see yourself using it in the next quarter, it’s probably not worth paying for.
Keep It Simple—Iterate as You Go
There’s no perfect go-to-market platform, and you don’t need every bell and whistle on day one. Pick something that solves your biggest pain points, is easy for your team (and buyers) to use, and plays nice with your CRM.
Start small. Roll it out to a few deals. Watch what actually gets used, then tweak from there. Chasing the “perfect” solution just burns time—and nobody’s got extra hours to waste.
If you focus on the features that drive real results, you’ll end up with a platform your team doesn’t secretly hate—and that’s half the battle won.