Are you looking for a powerful sales intelligence platform to help your revenue teams find and connect with ideal customers? In this comprehensive Cognism review, we dive deep into the features, benefits, pros and cons of this global solution. Discover if Cognism is the right fit for your B2B sales needs in 2024.
What is Cognism?
Cognism is a leading B2B sales intelligence and lead generation platform used by over 1,000 companies worldwide. It combines innovative technology, extensive global data coverage, and a team of go-to-market experts to help sales and marketing teams identify and engage with their perfect prospects.
Key features of the Cognism platform include:
- Robust B2B contact database with over 400M business profiles
- Powerful ICP building and search tools to find ideal-fit accounts
- Direct contact information for key decision makers
- Intent data powered by Bombora for account prioritization
- Browser extension for sales intelligence on the web
- Integrations with top CRMs and sales engagement tools
Whether you’re looking to boost outbound prospecting, enrich your CRM data, or align sales and marketing efforts, Cognism aims to be an all-in-one revenue acceleration platform.
Cognism Data Coverage & Quality
One of Cognism’s key differentiators is its data. The company boasts the most complete B2B data in Europe and the best mobile number coverage in the US. Cognism’s database spans over 200 countries and includes detailed firmographic, technographic and contact information.
However, data quality is just as important as quantity. To ensure accuracy, Cognism uses AI-powered data aggregation and real-time verification technology. The platform cross-references data across multiple sources and continuously cleans and updates records.
From our analysis and experience, Cognism’s data is some of the most reliable in the industry. Independent research from Salesforce Ben found Cognism’s data to be 81% accurate, beating out competitors like ZoomInfo and DiscoverOrg.
Finding Ideal Customers with Cognism
Cognism’s ICP builder and search tools make it easy to find high-fit target accounts and prospects. You can search by over 50 different criteria, including:
- Company size and revenue
- Industry and geographic location
- Technographics like CRM or marketing automation used
- Intent keywords to find in-market accounts
- Contact title, seniority level and job function
You can also create your ideal customer profile (ICP) by uploading a list of your best accounts. Cognism will then analyze the common characteristics and build a look-a-like audience of similar companies to target.
Once you’ve found the right accounts, Cognism provides the direct contact information you need to reach out. The database includes verified email addresses, direct dial phone numbers, and social media profiles for key decision makers.
Integrations with Sales & Marketing Tech Stack
To streamline workflows, Cognism integrates with many of the most popular sales and marketing tools, including:
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Outreach
- Salesloft
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator
With these native integrations, you can sync Cognism data directly into your CRM, enrich existing records, and launch email or sales engagement cadences. Cognism also offers a robust API for custom integrations.
Using Cognism for Sales Prospecting
For sales development reps (SDRs), Cognism can be a powerful tool for outbound prospecting. The Chrome extension allows reps to quickly view contact info and sales intelligence while browsing prospects on LinkedIn or company websites.
Cognism’s Bombora intent data integration also helps prioritize accounts showing buyer intent. SDRs can see which target accounts are actively researching relevant keywords and topics, indicating they may be ready to buy.
“Cognism has been a game-changer for our outbound efforts,” says Sarah Johnson, SDR Manager at Acme Inc. “We’ve been able to drastically improve our connect rates and generate 50% more qualified meetings quarter-over-quarter using Cognism data.”
Cognism for Marketing & Demand Gen
While often thought of as a sales tool, Cognism also provides value for B2B marketers. The platform can help to:
- Identify high-fit accounts for ABM campaigns
- Segment and build targeted prospect lists
- Enrich records with key firmographic and contact data
- Cleanse and maintaina a healthy marketing database
- Fuel paid ad campaigns with high-quality audiences
“Cognism has allowed us to transform our demand gen efforts,” said John Smith, Demand Generation Director at Beta Corp. “We’re able to get laser-focused on our ICP and make the most of our marketing budget. The intent data has also been huge for optimizing paid ad targeting and sales-marketing alignment.”
Key Takeaways
In summary, Cognism is a comprehensive B2B sales intelligence solution that can help revenue teams to:
- Identify and target high-fit accounts based on ICP
- Find verified contact data for key decision makers
- Prioritize in-market accounts using intent signals
- Enrich CRM data and improve data hygiene
- Integrate seamlessly with existing sales & marketing tech
- Scale ABM campaigns with precision
- Boost outbound SDR performance and results
While not the cheapest option on the market, Cognism’s data coverage and quality, combined with powerful features for sales and marketing teams, make it a strong contender for B2B organizations serious about revenue growth.
Cognism Pricing
Cognism pricing is customized based on your specific data, user and feature needs. They offer both annual contracts and monthly pay-as-you-go pricing.
From our research, pricing starts at around 1,000 per month for a single user and basic features. More advanced packages for sales teams can range from 6,000 to $10,000+ per year. However, the best way to get an accurate price is to contact Cognism for a custom quote.
Cognism Alternatives & Competitors
Some of the top Cognism alternatives and competitors to consider include:
- ZoomInfo (Cognism vs ZoomInfo comparison)
- Apollo.io (Cognism vs Apollo comparison)
- DiscoverOrg
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator
- RocketReach (Cognism vs RocketReach comparison)
- Lusha (Cognism vs Lusha comparison)
- Seamless.ai
- LeadIQ
Compared to these providers, Cognism differentiates on its data accuracy, intent intelligence, and go-to-market expertise. However, the right choice for your business will depend on your specific needs and budget.
Cognism Reviews from Real Users
What do real Cognism customers have to say? Here are a few testimonials:
“Cognism has been vital to scaling our outbound sales development program. The quality of the data is second to none, and the customer support team has been incredibly helpful every step of the way.” – Mary P.
“We adopted Cognism to help fuel our ABM campaigns. It’s been a huge time saver for identifying target accounts and contacts. The intent data has also become an essential part of our marketing-sales handoff process.” – Tom S.
“As a demand gen marketer, I was hesitant about yet another data provider. But Cognism has really delivered in terms of helping us build high-converting prospect audiences for paid ads and lead gen efforts.” – Sarah M.
Final Verdict: Is Cognism Right for You?
Cognism is a powerful, full-featured sales intelligence platform trusted by over 1,000 leading B2B revenue teams. It’s an excellent fit for organizations looking to scale outbound prospecting, ABM campaigns, and revenue operations with high-quality data and intelligent insights.
While it may be overkill for very small teams or those just dipping their toes into sales intelligence, Cognism provides strong value for B2B companies serious about market expansion and revenue growth. The platform’s data accuracy, intent insights, and sales-marketing alignment tools make it a leader in the space.
Of course, Cognism won’t be the right solution for everyone. It’s worth comparing the specific features and pricing to alternatives like ZoomInfo and DiscoverOrg to find the best fit for your needs. But if you’re looking for a comprehensive sales intelligence and go-to-market solution, Cognism is absolutely worth considering.
FAQs
- What type of companies use Cognism? Cognism serves a wide range of B2B organizations across industries, from tech startups to global enterprises. Some key industries include software/SaaS, IT services, financial services, recruitment and consulting.
- Does Cognism have a free trial? Yes, Cognism offers a 7-day free trial that includes access to the full platform and a sample of credits to test the data.
- How does Cognism compare to LinkedIn Sales Navigator? While both tools are used for B2B sales prospecting, Cognism provides more extensive data and direct contact information. Cognism also integrates with Sales Navigator to provide additional insights.
- Can I use Cognism data for cold email outreach? Yes, Cognism provides verified email addresses for B2B contacts that can be used for cold outreach. However, it’s important to follow email regulations like CAN-SPAM and GDPR. You can also opt out of Cognism if you prefer not to be contacted.
- What type of support does Cognism provide? Cognism offers both self-serve support through its online help center and dedicated customer success managers for enterprise clients. They also provide onboarding and training services.
- Can Cognism be used for recruitment? While Cognism is primarily used for B2B sales and marketing, it can also be a valuable tool for recruiters looking to find and engage top talent. The platform’s data and insights can help identify high-fit candidates and obtain direct contact information.
- Is Cognism GDPR compliant? Yes, Cognism is fully GDPR compliant and is registered with the ICO. They have strict data privacy and security measures in place.
- Does Cognism offer any sales training or consulting? Yes, Cognism provides go-to-market consulting services to help clients optimize their sales and marketing strategies. They also offer training and certification programs like Cognism Academy.
- Does Cognism have an API? Yes, Cognism offers a robust API that allows clients to integrate Cognism data and functionality into their existing systems and workflows.
- What is Cognism’s data refresh rate? Cognism refreshes its data in real-time using AI-based verification processes. On average, each record is updated every 60-90 days to maintain accuracy.
