What Is Sales Enablement

December 16, 2022
Contents

Sales enablement is a term that is often heard but not always fully understood. What does it mean, and what does it entail? In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about sales enablement.

We'll start with a definition of the term, then discuss the goals and objectives of sales enablement and the different components that make it up.

By the end of this article, you'll have a clear understanding of what sales enablement is and how it can benefit your business!

What Is Sales Enablement?

Sales enablement is the process of equipping sales teams with the resources and knowledge they need to be successful.

This includes providing access to accurate and up-to-date information, training on new products and services, and tools that help them close deals more effectively.

The goal of sales enablement is to improve the performance of sales.

What Sales Enablement Is Not

Now that we've answered the question "what is sales enablement?", let's look at what it is not. Sales enablement is not just another name for sales training.

While sales training can be a component of sales enablement, it is not the only thing that falls under this umbrella.

Additionally, sales enablement is not a one-time event but an ongoing process that you should revisit regularly.

Sales Enablement Vs. Sales Operations

It's vital to understand the difference between sales enablement and sales operations. Sales operations manage the sales team's day-to-day activities, such as setting quotas, tracking progress, and generating reports. On the other hand, sales enablement provides the resources and support that sales teams need to succeed.

Sales Enablement Vs. Sales Training

Sales enablement is not the same as sales training. Sales training is a specific type of education that helps salespeople learn new skills or improve existing ones. While sales training can be a part of sales enablement, it is not the only element.

The Growth Of Sales Enablement

The Growth Of Sales Enablement

Sales enablement is a relatively new field but rapidly growing in popularity. This is partly due to the ever-changing landscape of sales and the increasing emphasis on data-driven decision-making.

Businesses can significantly increase productivity and efficiency with the right sales enablement strategy.

If you're looking to improve the performance of your sales team, sales enablement is a great place to start.

By definition, sales enablement is the process of equipping sales teams with the resources and knowledge they need to be successful.

This includes providing access to accurate and up-to-date information, training on new products and services, and tools that help them close deals more effectively.

Sales enablement aims to improve sales teams' performance, directly impacting the bottom line.

Why Is Sales Enablement Important?

Sales enablement is crucial because it helps businesses close more deals more efficiently. 

In today's competitive marketplace, businesses need to be able to move quickly and adapt to change. Sales enablement helps sales teams do just that.

By giving them the resources they need to be successful, sales enablement allows businesses to stay one step ahead of the competition.

What Are The Benefits Of Sales Enablement?

There are many benefits of sales enablement, but some of the most important include:

  • Increased sales productivity
  • Improved close rates
  • Faster time to market
  • Reduced sales cycles
  • Improved customer retention

Implementing a sales enablement strategy can be a game-changer for businesses. When done correctly, sales enablement can help companies to close more deals, do so more efficiently, and improve customer retention. 

If you're looking to take your sales team to the next level, sales enablement is the way to do it.

What Are Some Of The Biggest Changes In The World Of Sales?

Buyers Are More Informed

Buyers Are More Informed

One of the most significant changes that have occurred in sales is the fact that buyers are now more informed than ever before.

Thanks to the internet, buyers have access to a wealth of information and can easily compare products, prices, and features. This change has made it more difficult for salespeople to close deals, which is where sales enablement comes in.

By providing sales teams with the resources they need to be successful, sales enablement helps businesses close more deals and do so more efficiently.

Sellers Need To Be Smarter

Sellers Need To Be Smarter

To succeed in today's marketplace, sellers need to be brighter. They must understand products, services, and the buyers’ needs deeply.

Additionally, they need to be able to quickly adapt to change and find new ways to close deals. Sales enablement helps sales teams do just that.

By providing them with the resources they need to be successful, sales enablement helps businesses close more deals and do so more efficiently.

Who Owns Sales Enablement?

The short answer is that sales enablement should be a joint effort between marketing and sales. However, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question.

The best way to determine who owns sales enablement in your organization is to sit down with your team and figure out what makes the most sense for your business.

In some cases, it may make sense for sales to take the lead on sales enablement, while in others, it may be more beneficial for marketing to take the information.

Ultimately, you should decide based on what will help your business achieve its goals.

What Are Some Common Challenges With Sales Enablement?

 Common Challenges With Sales Enablement

One of the most common challenges with sales enablement is getting buy-in from both marketing and sales. To succeed, sales enablement must be a joint effort between these two groups.

However, getting both marketing and sales on board can be a challenge. Another common challenge is finding the right resources.

With so many options available, knowing where to start can be difficult.

Additionally, ensuring that the resources you're using are up-to-date and relevant is vital. Finally, another common challenge is measuring the success of your sales enablement efforts.

Sales enablement can significantly impact your business, but it can be challenging to measure its success.

Learn more: Sales Metrics: How to Measure and Increase Your Sales

Components Of Sales Enablement

Sales enablement has four main components: content, process, technology, and people.

  • Content: The content component of sales enablement refers to the resources that sales teams use to close deals. This can include everything from product information and collateral to case studies and white papers.
  • Process: The process component of sales enablement refers to how sales teams close deals. This includes everything from the initial contact with a prospect to the final close.
  • Technology: The technology component of sales enablement refers to the tools and platforms that sales teams use to be successful. This can include CRM systems, proposal software, and e-signature platforms.
  • People: The people component of sales enablement refers to the individuals who make up the sales team. This includes everyone from the salespeople to the managers and executives overseeing the sales process.

Sales Content Management

The process component of sales enablement refers to how sales teams close deals. This can include everything from the way leads are generated and nurtured to the actual process of closing a deal.

Sales Onboarding, Coaching, & Training

The people component of sales enablement refers to the individuals who make up the sales team. This includes everyone from the salespeople to the managers and executives overseeing the sales process.

Sales onboarding, coaching, and training are all critical aspects of sales enablement. Businesses can help new hires hit the ground running and close more deals by providing them with resources and support.

Sales Enablement Strategy

A sales enablement strategy is the foundation of a successful sales enablement program. By outlining your goals and objectives, you can ensure that your sales team has the resources they need to be successful.

What Are Some Common Sales Enablement KPIs?

A few different KPIs are commonly used to measure the success of sales enablement efforts. These include:

  • The number of leads generated
  • The number of deals closed
  • The win rate
  • The average deal size
  • The time to close
  • The customer satisfaction score

Sales enablement is a critical part of any successful sales organization. By providing resources, training, and support, sales enablement helps businesses close more deals and improve the quality of their sales teams.

If you want to improve your sales performance, consider investing in sales enablement.

Learn more: How to Invest in Your Sales Team

Reporting and Analysis

Reporting and Analysis

1. Standardize Reporting

The first step in any analysis is to establish a baseline. To do this, you need to standardize your reporting. This means creating a consistent format for all sales reports, including information such as the date, time, product, customer name, etc.

Establishing a standardized reporting system allows you to quickly compare data and spot trends. This will help you decide better where to focus your sales enablement efforts.

2. Review Sales Process

The next step is to review your sales process. This includes everything from the way leads are generated and nurtured to the actual process of closing a deal.

By understanding your sales process, you can identify areas where sales enablement can make a difference. This will help you create more targeted strategies that improve your chances of success.

3. Qualify Leads

One of the most important aspects of sales enablement is lead qualification. This determines whether a lead is ready to be contacted by a salesperson.

There are a few different factors that you can use to qualify leads, including:

  • The source of the lead (e.g., organic search, paid advertising, etc.)
  • The lead's budget
  • The lead's timeline
  • The lead's authority

By qualifying your leads, you can ensure that your sales team only spends time on the most promising opportunities. This will help them close more deals and improve their win rate.

Sales Content Optimization

Content is a critical part of sales enablement. By creating high-quality sales content, you can give your team the resources they need to be successful.

1. Organize Sales Content

The first step in sales content optimization is to organize your sales content. This includes creating a system for storing and categorizing your content so your team can easily find and use it.

An excellent way to do this is to create a sales collateral library. This can include everything from product sheets and case studies to email templates and social media posts.

Organizing your sales content ensures that your team has quick and easy access to the needed resources. This will help them close more deals and improve their win rate.

2. Create Case Studies

Case studies are one of the most effective types of sales content. They tell potential customers how your product or service has helped other businesses achieve their goals.

Creating case studies can be time-consuming, but they're worth the effort. They're an essential part of any sales enablement strategy.

To create a case study, start by outlining your customer's problem, how they used your product or service to solve it, and the results they achieved.

Then, write a detailed account of the story and include quotes from your customer to add authenticity. Finally, design a beautiful PDF or landing page to showcase the case study.

Creating case studies gives your sales team the resources they need to close more deals. This will help them improve their win rate and increase their commissions.

3. Create Email Templates

Email is a critical part of the sales process. By creating email templates, you can give your team the resources they need to be successful.

There are a few different types of email templates that you can create, including:

  • Prospecting emails
  • Follow-up emails
  • Meeting requests
  • Thank you notes

Creating email templates will save your team time and help them close more deals.

To create an email template, start by outlining the purpose of the email. Then, write a few different versions of the email so that your team can choose the one that best fits their needs.

Finally, design a beautiful HTML template that you can easily customize.

By creating email templates, you can give your sales team the resources they need to be successful. This will help them close more deals and improve their win rate.

Sales enablement is a critical part of any sales organization. By understanding what it is and how you can use it, you can give your team the resources they need to be successful.

By qualifying your leads, creating case studies, and designing email templates, you can ensure that your sales team has the tools they need to close more deals.

This will help them improve their win rate and increase their commissions.

Technology and Automation

Technology and Automation

Technology and automation are critical components of sales enablement. Using technology, you can give your team the resources they need to succeed.

There are a few different types of technology that you can use for sales enablement, including:

  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
  • Marketing automation software
  • Sales intelligence software

Using technology will help you close more deals and improve your win rate. Customer relationship management software lets you keep track of your customer's data and interactions.

This will help you better understand their needs and how to best sell to them.

Marketing automation software can help you automate repetitive tasks like email marketing and lead generation. This will free up your team's time to focus on selling.

Sales intelligence software provides you with data about your customers and prospects. This information can help you better understand their needs and pain points.

Technology is a critical part of sales enablement. You can use the right tools to give your team the resources they need to succeed.

1. Automate Prospecting

Prospecting is a critical part of the sales process. By automating prospecting, you can give your team the resources they need to be successful.

There are a few different types of prospecting that you can automate, including:

  • Lead generation
  • Lead nurturing
  • Appointment setting

Automating prospecting will help you close more deals and improve your win rate.

To automate prospecting, start by using a lead generation tool. This will help you generate leads automatically. Then, use a lead nurturing tool to nurture your leads and turn them into sales-ready prospects. 

Finally, use an appointment setting tool to schedule appointments with your prospects.

2. Implement Direct Messaging

Direct messaging is a critical part of the sales process. By using direct messaging, you can give your team the resources they need to be successful.

There are a few different types of direct messaging that you can use, including:

  • WhatsApp
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WeChat

Direct messaging will help you close more deals and improve your win rate

4. Use Sales Enablement Software

Sales enablement software is a critical part of the sales process. By using sales enablement software, you can give your team the resources they need to be successful.

There are a few different types of sales enablement software that you can use, including:

  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
  • Marketing automation software
  • Sales intelligence software

Sales enablement software will help you close more deals and improve your win rate.

To use sales enablement software, start by using a CRM system. This will help you keep track of your customer's data and interactions. 

Then, use marketing automation software to automate repetitive tasks like email marketing and lead generation. Finally, use sales intelligence software to gain insights into your customers and prospects.

You can use the right tools to give your team the necessary resources to succeed. Sales enablement is a critical part of the sales process, and using the right tools can improve your win rate.

Sales Enablement Best Practices

Create A Sales Enablement Charter

The first step in creating a sales enablement function is to develop a charter. This document should outline the sales enablement team's goals, objectives, and responsibilities.

Some things to include in your charter are:

  • The mission of the sales enablement team
  • The goals of the sales enablement team
  • The roles and responsibilities of the sales enablement team
  • The budget for the sales enablement team

Creating a charter will help you define the scope of the sales enablement function and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Develop A Content Strategy

One of the most important aspects of sales enablement is content. Without quality content, your sales team cannot close deals.

To develop a content strategy, start by identifying the needs of your sales team. 

What content will help them close more deals? Once you have identified the needs of your sales team, create a process for creating and distributing content. This process should include both internal and external stakeholders.

Choose a Sales Enablement Manager

Sales Enablement Manager

The next step is to choose a sales enablement manager. This person will lead the sales enablement team and ensure that the unit meets its objectives.

When choosing a sales enablement manager, it is crucial to consider both experience and skills. The ideal candidate should have experience in sales, marketing, and product management. They should also have strong project management skills.

It is also essential to choose a sales enablement manager who is passionate about it. This person should be excited about the opportunity to improve the sales process and help their team close more deals.

If you are having trouble finding a qualified candidate, consider using a staffing agency specializing in sales enablement.

Develop Buyer Personas

Sales enablement is not just about providing content to salespeople. It's also about developing buyer personas as a joint effort between marketing and sales.

Buyer personas are fictional characters that represent your ideal customer. They are based on real data and market research. Developing buyer personas will help you understand your customers better and develop targeted content.

To develop buyer personas, start by collecting data from your existing customers. 

This data can be collected through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Once you have this data, create a persona for each type of customer.

Remember to keep your buyer personas updated as your business grows and changes. Review them every six months to ensure that they are still accurate.

Implement a Sales Enablement Plan

Implement a Sales Enablement Plan

The final step is to implement a sales enablement plan. You should design this plan to help your team close more deals and improve your win rate.

Some things to include in your sales enablement plan are:

  • Training programs for new hires
  • Ongoing training for existing salespeople
  • Sales contests and incentives
  • Commission structures
  • Quotas

Following these steps, you can create a sales enablement function to help your team close more deals. Implementing a sales enablement plan is the key to success.

FAQs: What is sales enablement

What is the difference between sales enablement and marketing?

Sales enablement is a function that provides salespeople with the resources they need to be successful. Marketing is responsible for creating and distributing content.

Conclusion: What is sales enablement

Sales enablement is a function that provides salespeople with the resources they need to be successful. This includes training, content, and tools. Sales enablement is crucial because it can help improve your win rate.

Now that you know everything about sales enablement, it's time to start implementing a plan. Use the steps in this article to get started. And don't forget to develop buyer personas as a joint effort between marketing and sales.

Following these steps, you can create a sales enablement function to help your team close more deals and improve your win rate. Implementing a sales enablement plan is the key to success.

Thanks for reading!

Written By
Rifqi Renanda

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