Checklist for evaluating a subscription-based sales tool

Short answer: before subscribing, confirm that the tool solves a concrete problem, calculate the total cost (including extras), test it with your own data and understand how to cancel and export what you have entered. A good evaluation lasts a few days and avoids months of paying for something you do not use.

Prerequisites

• A description of the problem to be solved.
• A list of what the team does today, and how.
• A maximum monthly budget.

Checklist

1. Need: does the tool solve the problem you described, or does it just look interesting?
2. Total cost: plan price, number of users, usage limits, transaction fees and items charged separately.
3. Essential features: list three to five must-haves and confirm they are in the plan you would pay for.
4. Ease of use: can the team use it without long training?
5. Integrations: does it work with what you already use, such as spreadsheets, email and payment methods?
6. Support: in what language, at what hours and through which channels?
7. Data and security: where is the data kept, who accesses it and how can you export it?
8. Cancellation: is there a lock-in, penalty or automatic renewal? Can you pause?
9. Trial period: use the free trial with a real case, not just browsing.

An example

A shop evaluated an email marketing platform. The basic plan cost $90 a month, but the contact limit was lower than her list, and the next plan cost $250. She found this out in the trial and compared another tool before subscribing. This is an illustrative example.

Common mistakes

• Buying on the entry price, without seeing the limits.
• Signing the annual plan without testing.
• Ceasing to use the tool after the initial enthusiasm.
• Forgetting to cancel what is no longer useful.

Next step

Apply the checklist to a tool you already pay for and assess whether it is still worth it.