Intro
What to Test in a Sales Intelligence Trial (Most Teams Don’t)
Most sales intelligence trials fail—but not because the tools are bad.
They fail because teams test the wrong things.
Trials become feature tours.
Dashboards get clicked.
Data gets sampled.
Then, weeks later, leaders are surprised when the tool doesn’t change outcomes.
The problem isn’t the product.
It’s how the trial was run.
Why Sales Intelligence Trials Miss the Mark
During a trial, teams usually ask:
- How many contacts does it have?
- Does it integrate with our CRM?
- Can reps find accounts quickly?
These questions feel practical.
They’re also superficial.
They test access—not impact.
The Real Question a Trial Should Answer
A sales intelligence trial should answer one thing:
Does this reduce friction in our sales motion?
Not “Is the data big?”
Not “Is the UI nice?”
But whether reps can move faster with more confidence.
What Most Teams Forget to Test
Here’s what actually predicts success—and what most teams skip.
1. Data Freshness Over Data Volume
Static data performs well in demos.
It performs poorly in reality.
During a trial, test:
- How often contacts update
- Whether role changes are detected
- If new stakeholders appear without manual refresh
Outdated accuracy creates hidden rework.
2. Time-to-First-Useful-Insight
How long does it take before a rep says:
“This actually helped me.”
If value takes weeks, adoption will stall.
Test how quickly:
- Relevant accounts surface
- Priority contacts are identified
- Outreach context is usable
Speed matters more than completeness.
3. Signal Quality, Not Just Signals
Many platforms show activity.
Few show meaning.
Test whether signals:
- Align with real buying motion
- Reduce false positives
- Help reps choose when to engage
Noise increases activity.
Signal increases outcomes.
4. Rep Behavior Change
The best trial question isn’t asked to the vendor.
It’s asked to reps:
- Are you prepping less?
- Are you trusting the data?
- Are you skipping fewer steps?
If behavior doesn’t change, results won’t either.
5. CRM Decay Prevention
Most teams test enrichment.
Few test maintenance.
During a trial, observe:
- How quickly records go stale
- Whether updates happen automatically
- If reps stop manually correcting data
Data that degrades fast erodes trust.
6. Cross-Team Consistency
Sales intelligence shouldn’t work differently for:
- SDRs
- AEs
- RevOps
Test whether everyone sees:
- The same account truth
- The same prioritization logic
- The same data confidence
Inconsistency creates internal friction.
Why Most Trials Lead to Disappointment
When trials focus on features, teams buy hope.
When trials focus on friction reduction, teams buy outcomes.
The difference shows up months later.
Where FAC Intelligence Fits
This is why teams evaluating FAC Intelligence test it differently.
Rather than sampling static records, teams observe how real-time account and contact intelligence continuously removes uncertainty—so reps spend less time verifying and more time selling.
Final Takeaway
Sales intelligence trials shouldn’t answer:
“Does this tool work?”
They should answer:
“Does this make our sales motion easier?”
Most teams never test that.
And that’s why most trials disappoint.
