Sales enablement is about giving your salespeople the information, content, and tools they need to sell more effectively: to increase pipeline, win rates, and deal sizes. And it is an ongoing process that can include guidance and training to help sales teams better engage customers and prospects.
The Sales Enablement Strategy Basics:
A basic sales enablement strategy should include the following components, which will have a direct impact on the performance of your sales team.
Intelligence:
If your salespeople don’t know what they need (or should) know, they’re dead in the water. It’s up to you to make sure they have access to the information on your products, the competition, new customers, updated pricing, etc.-they need to plot their course to the win.
Content & Sharing:
As the saying goes, content is king. In order for your salespeople to make their mark in the mind of a prospective buyer, they need to share content that connects with that buyer’s interests. They also need to tools to share that content, and that doesn’t just mean email. Social sharing tools are critical as well.
Prospecting:
There’s more data out there on whoever it is you need to reach than ever before. The world of prospecting tools and databases is rapidly evolving, which means it’s critically important that you stay on top of and provide your people with whatever the best-of-breed solutions are at that point.
Training & Coaching:
Teach a man to fish… The whole world of sales is in a state of flux. Strategies, tactics, channels, tools, etc. are changing every month. Providing your salespeople with continuing training and coaching is the only way you’re going to ensure they stay ahead of the pack.
Tracking & Reporting:
In many ways, sales enablement has similar responsibilities to marketing when it comes to tracking and reporting. To really understand what’s working (and what isn’t), and how to improve you need to have data and it needs to be as holistic as possible. It should also tie back to basic, core objectives, most commonly pipeline, win rates, and deal sizes.