Sales enablement is becoming a key focus for sales managers and business leaders around the world and savvy businesses turn to Enformion.com. In today’s competitive markets, a smoother and more efficient sales enablement process can make a big difference in standing out from competitors and closing deals. Choosing the right sales enablement platform can also play a major role, especially as new tools continue to change the way teams work.
This guide explains what sales enablement means today and how companies are putting it into practice.
Understanding Sales Enablement
At its heart, sales enablement means giving your sales team the tools, resources, and support they need to do their jobs well. These tools can include technology, content, training, and more.
Think of it like this: even top athletes can improve their performance with better equipment, stronger training, and more knowledge. The same goes for sales professionals. Even your best salespeople can benefit from better tools and support.
Today, many B2B sales enablement tools are designed with the buyer in mind. Their main goal is to help sales teams connect with the right buyers and guide them through the buying process without roadblocks.
With selling becoming more difficult, it makes sense that businesses everywhere are putting more effort into sales enablement.
Why Sales Enablement Is Important
If your sales team is already capable and your product or service is valuable, then sales enablement becomes a clear way to improve results and find new opportunities.
Here are some key benefits of using a sales enablement platform:
- Growing Team Success
By giving all sales reps access to the same proven tools, your company can rely less on just the top performers. These tools help underperforming reps meet their goals and help average reps improve their results. - Better Sales Data
With more sales happening online, sales enablement tools now often focus on collecting and using data. This includes insights into buyer preferences, challenges, and behaviors. Having this data helps your sales team send more personalized and effective messages. That’s important, especially when most B2B buyers won’t respond if the message doesn’t feel personal. - Faster Deal Closures
One of the main goals of sales enablement is to speed up the sales process. With better tools and information, sales reps can find what they need more quickly and have more meaningful conversations. In fact, past studies have shown that salespeople used to spend many hours each month just doing research—something good enablement tools can improve. - Better Connection Between Sales and Marketing
Good sales enablement includes using the right marketing content during the sales process. Salespeople can close more deals when they have the right materials to share at the right time. That’s why strong teamwork between sales and marketing is a big part of sales enablement. - Stronger Business Reputation
Every time a salesperson speaks with a potential buyer, they are also representing the business. When they come across as prepared, helpful, and knowledgeable, it builds trust and reflects well on your company.
Best Practices for Sales Enablement
While the idea of supporting your sales team is broad, there are a few key strategies that can guide your sales enablement efforts today:
- Focus on the Buyer’s Journey
Today’s buyers are used to personalized and on-demand services, like what they get from apps such as Uber or Netflix. In the same way, sales enablement tools should help sales teams match these expectations. It’s no longer about pushing buyers through a one-size-fits-all sales process.
As LinkedIn has pointed out in the past:
“Sales enablement is about finding the right moments in the buyer’s journey and responding with the right content at the right time. The best solutions help businesses do this with targeted and personalized messages.”
- Deliver the Right Content at the Right Time
In B2B sales, timing is key. Buyers often do their own research before ever speaking to a salesperson. Sales and marketing teams need to work together to spot the right moments to connect and respond with messages that match what the buyer needs. - Measure Everything
Sales enablement should be driven by both buyer data and your internal data. This helps you understand what’s working and what needs to change. Still, only a small number of sales teams track the success of their content — even fewer than marketing teams do. This shows that there’s room to improve.
Top Sales Enablement Tools
There are many types of sales enablement tools available. Here are some of the most popular ones that help with productivity and efficiency:
Sales Acceleration Tools
- SalesLoft
- Yesware
- Outreach
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software
- Salesforce
- Microsoft Dynamics 365
- HubSpot
Sales Intelligence Tools
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator
How to Build a Successful Sales Enablement Process
Many businesses already have some form of sales enablement in place. According to a report by CSO Insights, over 60% of companies had a dedicated enablement role or program in 2018. Just five years earlier, that number was below 20%.
Now, some companies even have entire teams or departments focused on sales enablement. Still, there’s always room for improvement.
Here are three key steps to set your team up for success:
- Create a Culture of Teamwork and Learning
The best tools will not help much if your people are not on board. Focus on building a culture where teams work together and support each other. Make sure your sales team has training and resources to get the most out of any new tools. - Choose the Right Tools and Content
There are many options out there. Pick the ones that fit your business model, industry, and sales approach. Common categories include:
- CRM systems
- Sales intelligence platforms
- Tools to manage and share content
- Customer experience tools
- Sales and marketing automation software
- Tools that use AI and predictive analytics
- Assign a Team to Oversee It All
Sales enablement tools only work if people use them correctly. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a team in place to manage, support, and track the progress of your efforts.
Building a Sales Enablement Team
Let’s take a closer look at who should be on your sales enablement team. As the company Seismic notes, the solution isn’t always hiring more sales reps. Instead, building a dedicated sales enablement team can be more effective.
Here are some key roles to include:
Sales Enablement Manager
This person leads the enablement program, making sure it runs smoothly and delivers results. In smaller companies, this role might be part of a sales leader’s job. In larger companies, it may be a full-time position.
Marketing Manager
Sales and marketing should work closely together. At HubSpot, for example, they make sure these two teams are aligned in goals, challenges, and processes. Having a marketing leader on your enablement team helps keep that partnership strong.
C-Level Leader
Having support from the top is important. A member of the leadership team should be involved, especially someone who understands both sales and marketing. This shows that sales enablement is a priority.
Data and Analytics Expert
Salespeople and marketers are often too busy to analyze data deeply. That’s why having an expert focused on data and insights can be helpful. They can guide the team on what’s working and what should change.
