I recently was tasked with the project of evaluating and choosing a new prospecting platform, this was my approach to ensure we got a solution people would use as well as increase efficiency and reduce process friction

Understanding Your Organization’s Needs

For me, choosing the right prospecting platform started with understanding our organizations unique needs. To find these I conducted 20-30 minute interviews with internal stakeholders who are directly involved in prospecting. These interviews provided me with insights into how prospecting currently functions within our organization, highlighting both effective practices and pain points. It's also an ideal opportunity to create a process map of the current prospecting workflow. This map can serve as a visual tool to identify friction and areas where inefficiencies exist, setting the groundwork for choosing a platform that could improve or streamline these processes.

These interviews are more than just a data-gathering exercise; they’re also a way to build rapport with your team. By dedicating time to understand each stakeholder’s perspective, you’re showing genuine concern for their input and priorities. I got great feedback on this, and people were genuinely happy to be involved. This not only helped me learn how prospecting is actually carried out but also effectively demonstrated my commitment to finding a solution that will genuinely support those who’ll use it. In the end, this approach helped create a strong foundation for choosing a tool that aligns with the real needs of my team and ensures a smoother adoption process.

Structuring Your Insights

After gathering input from stakeholders, structuring your insights is essential. To effectively organize the feedback, create a decision matrix based on “need-to-haves” and “nice-to-haves.” This matrix will help you prioritize features and ensure the final decision aligns with your team’s essential requirements and preferences.

For the "need-to-haves," focus on essential functionalities without which the prospecting tool wouldn’t be effective for your team. These could include features like lead data accuracy, integration capabilities with your CRM, and ease of use. "Nice-to-haves," on the other hand, might include additional functionalities like advanced segmentation options, enriched contact details, or user-friendly dashboards that enhance usability but are not strictly necessary.

Using a matrix structure helps provide clarity and prioritize the most important features, making the evaluation process more objective. It also ensures that you keep stakeholders' key requirements at the forefront. Organizing your findings into this matrix will provide a valuable reference point as you begin researching prospecting platforms, making it easier to evaluate and compare each option systematically.

Understanding the Market and Available Providers

Once you’ve structured your internal insights, it's time to explore the prospecting tool market. A helpful approach is to start by using tools like ChatGPT and Google to get a list of available providers. At this point, use your decision matrix to evaluate each platform based on the "need-to-haves" and "nice-to-haves" you identified. You can also refer to the process map from earlier to see where each provider could address specific friction points in the current process or help retain workflows that are already effective.

Consider quantifying each requirement in the matrix by assigning scores to each provider based on how well they meet each criterion. For instance, if a platform excels in data accuracy but lacks in advanced segmentation, reflect that in its score. By indexing these scores, you can create a clear visual representation of each provider’s strengths and weaknesses. This indexed score can then be visualized on a cluster chart, where you can see at a glance which tools score highest for your organization’s needs and where they fall on the spectrum of "need-to-haves" vs. "nice-to-haves." This data-driven approach allows you to objectively narrow down your list of potential providers before moving on to the next steps.

For me this approach translated to Feature Score and Data Score categorizing the different providers based on the range of what they offered. The size of the dot represent the price of their solution.

Finding Your Perfect Fit

With your cluster chart complete, you can now start evaluating your top-scoring providers in more detail. Begin by scheduling calls or demos with 2-4 of the highest scorers. Limiting the initial selection keeps you focused and allows you to make meaningful comparisons. If, after these initial demos, you find that none of these options fully meet your needs, go back to the chart and move down the list to explore additional options.

During the demos, remember what you learned during the interviews and ask relevant questions. Include key stakeholders in these demo sessions; this not only ensures that their perspectives are considered but also fosters buy-in, as they become more involved in the selection process. Test the platform’s capabilities for handling friction points identified in the process map, and verify that it can support any “need-to-haves” effectively.

If you follow these steps and prioritize both the objective criteria from your decision matrix and feedback from demos, the final choice should be clear. For my organization, the top-scoring platforms were Apollo, Clay, Cognism, and Amplemarket, each standing out for different strengths. By the end of the evaluation process, you should feel confident that your chosen platform aligns with your team’s specific needs and will add significant value to your prospecting efforts.

Next week I’ll write about how to make sure the organization uses the prospecting tool in a way that ensures you get a net positive value from the platform. Stay tuned for part 2!

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Cheers

Erik