July 1, 2024
People enjoy buying things—especially sales enablement software—but they don’t enjoy talking to salespeople half as much.
That’s also true for the B2B decision-makers who will stumble upon your solution during their research. When searching for their sales team’s next favorite tool, 70% of those decision-makers are open to making fully self-serve purchases that cost more than $50,000. Not to mention, 80% of them prefer those experiences to be personalized in a virtual setting.
Did I just describe the exact purpose of Digital Sales Rooms (DSRs)? You bet. In a pool of sales enablement platforms, DSRs are the apple of B2B’s eyes for a reason: the best ones can increase deal velocity and win rates.
You often need to share so much specific content with them to educate them on the value of your product, answer questions, and help them get onboarded. But it can be messy to send just a bunch of links to this slide deck, this video, this document.
And today, we’ll be talking about two of them: Journey and Allego.
What Is Allego?
Allego stands out as a sales enablement platform thanks to its modern revenue enablement software, GO. Its patented technology brings sales and marketing teams together in one platform to meet B2B buyers' expectations, no matter where they’re located.
Within its sales suite, Allego offers a DSR solution where sellers and buyers can connect, share content, and align strategies on any device. It simplifies buyer experiences by giving quick access to critical materials— without the inbox clutter.
The key features of Allego’s DSR include:
Single-link sharing.
The ability to embed multi-format sales collateral into a single accessible place.
Easy access to ready-made templates, as well as customization of those templates.
Secure access management and advanced privacy administration.
Live chat options and secure file sharing.
Real-time email alerts and analytics for tracking buyer engagement.
What Is Journey?
Journey is a dynamic DSR and storytelling platform designed to turn boring email exchanges and static attachments into an interactive workspace for B2B buyers and sales teams. It makes expressing creativity and sharing ideas an easy, trackable way of improving the sales process without feeling overly promotional.
In addition to its DSR functionality, Journey offers handmade templates for proposals, case studies, mutual action plans, seed fundraisers, and more.
Key features include:
Single-link sharing
A sleek interface that integrates with your brand (and clients’ brands) through customizable logos and colors.
Easy content embeds, from videos to PDFs to landing pages and beyond.
Email capturing, as well as person-level and presentation-level analytics.
AI content creation
Live chat options (AI-driven and buyer-led)
While Both Solutions Do The Expected Jobs of Great DSRs…
Even though Allego doesn't have a ton of information about their DSR functionality on their website.
One major aspect of DSRs is that Clients often need to revisit some of the content I present, and they also share this among their team members. I update journeys based on client requirements, which cuts out clunky email threads and miscommunication.
One of them will fit your needs, budget, and processes better depending on what you’re currently looking for. With that in mind, let’s begin by asking ourselves…
Is It Primarily a Digital Sales Room? Or Does It Offer a DSR – Among Other Things?
Plenty of sales enablement platforms offer DSRs as part of their packages, which is awesome. The only issue is that their DSR solutions may not be as complete because DSRs aren’t their “specialty.”
Because they have so many cool sales enablement tools, some platforms won’t necessarily hone in on what makes DSRs truly hassle-free. For example, many modern DSR tools are adding AI features to their stack—not because of the hype, but because they know how AI saves sales teams so much time. It all goes back to the only reason B2B teams are using them in the first place: to close better deals much faster.
What’s more: if you purchase a “full suite” (which often includes DSRs + other sales tools) you risk falling into the trap of tool fatigue. I talked a little bit about this in another post. Tool fatigue happens when a tool intended to simplify processes ends up complicating them instead. A mismatched tool can overwhelm your team with unnecessary features, leading to confusion, inefficiency, and a hindered workflow rather than the intended improvement.
Before our comparison, let’s start on this note:
If you already have your sales enablement stack down pat, focus on a DSR-only tool. If you need other tools, such as conversation intelligence and content channels, you can safely choose a multifaceted solution.
Side-By-Side Comparison
I usually only include a table in this section. But here’s an interesting screenshot that ties into what I’ve mentioned earlier…
Notice how both tools are categorized as Digital Sales Rooms and Content Experience Platforms.
(A Content Experience Platform helps businesses curate and display content in a way that improves user/viewer interaction, making the information more relevant and accessible to the audience. All DSRs should excel at this!)
Notice, also, how Allego fits into 6 other categories. It perfectly shows that it’s indeed a sales maestro, but that DSRs, in particular, may not be their forte.
That said, a B2B sales team may not need comprehensive features. They may just need a solution that compiles their sales materials into one place, and that’s fine.
For comparison purposes, here’s a side-by-side look at the main features I'll be mentioning in today’s post:
Ease-of-Use
I’d argue that the easier a tool is to use, the better your presentations will be. When you can find everything you need and you can use each feature with precision, the better your work you’ll look. And the more confident you’ll feel about it – whether you’re in the room or not.
Allego
While some users praise Allego's features, many are not immediately apparent without training. The platform supports many different functionalities, I’ll give it that, but users often struggle to locate those functionalities or understand how to manage content settings (like making content publicly available.)
User-friendliness is a mixed bag for this one. The platform can be initially challenging to tackle, just like any other tool that’s “technical” in nature. The good thing is that the support team is responsive and proactive, which helps mitigate any challenges right away.
One of the relevant pain points for users is the organization of content. Users find it challenging to arrange content visually meaningfully, which should ideally be straightforward. The UI itself can be clunky and confusing, making navigation a bit difficult.
Allego apparently requires a steep learning curve. Improved UI design would make it easier to use, as well as help users organize their content more intuitively.
Journey
Journey is straightforward, with a clear structure and no unnecessary frills. However, its UI is a bit too simple compared to other DSRs I’ve reviewed.
Some users found it a bit bulky to learn in the beginning, but the team also stepped in at the right time to solve those issues.
As clean as it looks, there are mixed opinions on the recent redesign. Some users feel the new interface is less intuitive and doesn't pack as much information as the older version. But the team has upcoming features and updates, which could work to settle the debate.
Pricing
Both platforms are priced “per user per month” instead of “per month.” This model is great because as your team grows or shrinks, you can easily adjust the number of users without committing to a fixed cost.
Allego
Allego offers different plans containing different solutions. You can get their DSR in two plans: Digital Sales Rooms and Full Suite.
In the Full Suite plan, you’ll also get the six other tools Allego offers, including:
LMS/LXP
Coaching
Reinforcement
Conversation Intelligence
Content Management
Digital Sales Rooms
Video Selling
Essentially, you’ll be consolidating those 7 tools into 1. If you don’t need all of that, stick with the DSR-only plan.
As for the pricing, you’ll need to request it. It’s not as transparent and it can be a deal-breaker for some users. However, if you value custom pricing based on your needs and usage, you might find this a better approach.
A few users have reported that the platform isn’t financially feasible at scale and that it’s behind the competition in terms of support and capabilities. I can’t draw a conclusion from that, as I’m not sure what “competition” they’re referring to.
Allego has no free trials available for any of their plans.
Journey
Journey has recently changed their pricing to include more plans, features, and budget-friendly options. In the past, Enterprise users had to contact the team for a quote, but now even this pricing is available on the website. Here are the available plans:
Free: $0 per user per month
Starter: $29 per user per month
Pro: $49 per user per month
Enterprise: $79 per user per month
All plans include:
AI to automatically create your Journey’s text
AI to automatically create images and artwork
Handcrafted templates
AI to automatically theme your Journey to match any brand
10+ interactive blocks
Passcodes, whitelists, blacklists, and email verification
Access to standard and advanced insights
Privacy and Access Controls
The safer the access to a DSR, the more trustworthy a business looks. Plus, the security levels a platform offers can be the difference between protected sales collateral and an “open room” available for all to see. You want the former, not the latter.
Allego
According to users, Allego's strengths include strong privacy controls and access management. You can control end-user permissions, deciding who in the buying committee can access specific content. This ensures sensitive information remains safe and can only be shared with authorized members. Whether you’re using a mobile device or integrating directly within your CRM system, you can control those settings from anywhere.
Unfortunately, detailed information beyond this isn't readily available on their page. Some potential users might appreciate a little more detail on their security and sharing capabilities.
Journey
What sets Journey apart is its granular control options. You can ask for email verification, set passwords, and restrict access to specific domains using whitelists and blacklists. This level of detail secures content while allowing access only to authorized users.
Another great addition is expiration dates. Of all the platforms I’ve reviewed, Journey is still the only one that offers this functionality. When you set an expiration date, access to sensitive information is automatically revoked after a certain period. This helps prevent unauthorized access to outdated or confidential sales material, which is crucial for maintaining data integrity and protecting your business interests.
Plus, expiration dates help keep your sales content up-to-date and relevant so that prospects and clients only see the most current information.
Real-Time Notifications
It's exciting and (sometimes nerve-racking) to receive an email or message notifying you that a prospect has viewed your DSR. But what’s even more exciting is seeing who viewed it, how long they stayed, and where they clicked. Both solutions leave nothing to be desired when it comes to real-time notifications.
Allego
Allego's real-time emails alert you when prospects interact with your content, giving you immediate insights into their interest.
The only thing I’d point out is that Allego currently sends notifications only through email. This is perfectly fine if all you need is one ping in any channel to adjust your follow-up strategy. But, if you’d like to be notified in different apps, such as messaging apps, you won’t be able to.
Journey
Journey allows for real-time updates in both email and Slack, so you can stay informed as deals progress. However, the Slack notifications are only available starting from the Pro plan. If you’re in either the Free or Starter plans, you’ll only get notifications via email. Don’t worry, those will also be real time.
Some users have reported that prospects will often ask about it during sales demos. How do they ask it? Through the real-time chat, of course.
Speaking of which…
Chatting Capabilities
I doubt any DSR today lacks real-time chats. They’re a staple, and sales teams appreciate it because a single clarifying message could steer a near-lost deal in a different direction. It’s possible! Especially when the chat comes with self-serving options.
Allego
Allego keeps things simple with a real-time chat, where buyers and sellers can chat, ask and answer questions, and move the deal forward. I’d argue that most buyers don’t need more than that, as a seemingly simple feature is huge when it comes to a great user experience.
Journey
Journey includes 2 chat options: a staple real-time chat and an AI-powered chatbot for users who want to find things out by themselves. You can compare it to the AI chats you’ll find on G2 or Amazon websites, so you don’t need to sift through mounds of information to answer a question.
It’s useful for hasty decision-makers and those who don’t want to contact sales unless absolutely necessary.
Content Creation
I'm saying “content creation” when, in all honesty, I'd be lying if any DSRs today made you create content. Most–if not all–of them have templates you can use, reuse, and tweak to your liking. So, instead, let’s consider the process of “tweaking content within a template” scenario.
Allego
Allego users love their DSR templates. As they should! They can easily design a full custom experience in minutes. On their pricing page, Allego claims that users can create and customize templates in under 5 minutes. That time can be reduced if you’re reusing templates with minimal tweaks.
Journey
Journey also offers DSR templates, but it took things up a notch as far as content goes.
Even if you were to “create” something from zero, you’d already have a draft done in seconds with Journey’s AI assistant. All you need is a prompt, as seen in the image above.
As for tweaks, Journey user Chris Bonsall claimed to spend “roughly 2 minutes to make a new Journey by re-using old blocks.”
Integrations and Embeds
If there’s one thing all DSRs excel at, it's this: They offer so many integrations and embeds with so many apps that it’s impossible to list them all. All I can say is that if you use it, you’ll be able to embed it. Rare are the cases when you won’t.
Integrations are a bit trickier, especially for different plans. Even then, expect high-quality DSRs to integrate with staple tools like Salesforce, Microsoft, Google, HubSpot, and similar.
Allego
Allego integrates into your existing tech stack with over 120 out-of-the-box integrations. Your rep’s daily workflow is safe with them.
You can connect it with key platforms like Salesforce, Microsoft tools, and Google services. Here’s something cool: Allego's web architecture follows open web standards. This means that their technology allows you to embed their huge set of data and content within your infrastructure.
Journey
Journey integrates with Slack, Google Drive, Zapier, Segment, Salesforce, and Gong (in the Enterprise plan).
Not to mention the hundreds of embeds you can add to your DSRs.
Analytics
The right data is essential for sales teams to implement winning strategies based on real-life insights. The way users interact with content can tell a whole story about what motivates them and, most importantly, what stops them dead in their tracks.
Allego
Allego's analytics and reporting got mixed feedback from users, most of which are on the downside.
While there’s widespread acknowledgment that these features have improved over time, there are areas that could use even more improvement. Some users find the current reporting tools a bit clunky and not as intuitive as they would like.
There’s also been some frustration with reporting capabilities, noting a need to manually export data into spreadsheets for team visibility. However, it's worth mentioning that user error may contribute to some of these issues.
Besides, users desire a simpler admin dashboard and greater customization options for analytics. Many would appreciate more data capture functions and easier report customization to better suit their needs.
On a more positive note, the sales rooms are extremely transparent about what content resonates with ideal customers.
Journey
Journey has recently updated their analytics to include, beyond detailed insights on views and time spent per section…
Referrer source from where they clicked on Journey
Browser type of the viewer
Device type of the viewer
These advanced insights are Clearbit-enriched, adding an extra layer of solid data to your overall sales strategy. However, the advanced analytics are only available for the Pro plan and above.
Users can also see whether their Journey is being forwarded to multiple people within an organization.
Customization
While none of us needs DSRs to be designer-friendly platforms, we need them to offer as many customization capabilities as possible. After all, different clients have different branding, and we want to look professional.
So, not a designer? No problem. Most platforms will make your presentations look great without a lot of effort.
Allego
Allego's user interface could use more customization options according to some users. They feel limited in how they can adjust sections to reduce visual clutter and make the interface meet their preferences.
On the positive side, there aren't any major complaints, but users would appreciate more flexibility in customizing templates. This would allow them to personalize their experience further and make better use of the platform.
Overall, while Allego's interface works well, better customization features could make it even more user-friendly and adaptable.
Journey
Journey is impressive in one aspect: its ability to index websites and extract relevant content into presentations.
Users find its aesthetics particularly appealing, especially the customization options for colors, transparency, logos, and overall sales room appearance. This is great if your team values personalized touches that align with branding.
However, some users suggest more control over aspects like fonts and layout options to better match their specific branding needs.
What Is the ROI of Digital Sales Rooms?
A quick Google search would probably give you a loose figure. But I wouldn’t rely on averages to measure the ROI of digital sales rooms. Instead, I’d go deeper into the options you’re considering and move on from there.
For example, Jumpcrew has driven 75x ROI with Journey in 5 months.
Does that mean you’ll reach the same results? No! But it’s a much better starting point than relying on a general benchmark published a year ago.
If you’ve chosen a DSR and aren’t sure how well it’s paying off, keep a few metrics in mind:
Sales cycle length
Conversion rates
Customer engagement
Deal size
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
Ideally, you should measure these metrics over at least 6 to 12 months to get a better view of the DSR's impact on your ROI.
So, Which One Should You Choose?
The answer is: it depends.
You can start by addressing the market segment you’re in. According to a comparison of both platforms based on G2 reviews, 78.1% of Journey reviewers are from small businesses, excluding business partner reviews. If you’re a small business with a limited budget, you might lean in favor of Journey. Not only can you give it a try and get access to most features on the free plan, but you also have 3 more pricing tiers available.
If you’re in the mid-market, you might want to give Allego a try, even if that means filling out a few forms. The same comparison has shown that many users are in the mid-market.
Or, If You’re More Interested In What the People Have Spoken…
Here’s the unofficial settlement:
Journey wins in all categories. So, there’s that. But I’d strongly advise going against the above before considering your specific business needs.
And Now, a Personal Take
Allego sounds incredibly promising, but it can be a turnoff for users who want to give it a test drive before committing. I’ve reviewed other sales rooms in the past, and they all had some sort of “take a tour” option created with their own platform.
But for Allego, even taking a tour means having to sign up. This can send users scrambling for the back button.
All Things Considered: If You’re In B2B Sales, You Need a Digital Sales Room. You Just Do.
Sales teams are realizing how huge of a deal they are for self-sufficient purchases and faster deals. It’s in Gartner’s predictions: by 2026, 30% of B2B sales cycles will be managed through DSRs.
You still have plenty of time until they become “the norm.” So pick up the pace! Get a DSR.