Sales enablement has become a buzzword in recent years. This term has been the top of mind for many B2B leaders, but the problem is that if you question what sales enablement is, you will likely get multiple replies that will still circle you around to find the appropriate answer. So, to clear up all your confusion, we’ve put together a simple guide that might help you grasp the idea of sales enablement and finally put it to use. 

 

So, first and foremost, what exactly does sales enablement mean? Sales enablement is the process by which an organization makes it easier for salespeople to excel in their customer service, resulting in the desired deals for the company. Therefore, you must ensure that all your sales personnel are equipped with suitable content, knowledge, and tools to facilitate a better discussion with your customers.

 

To have outreaching content at your disposal, you must try to align and tailor your content to each phase of your customer’s buying journey. You should also keep an eye on all the information so that you don’t forget to notify your sales staff with new updates. In other words, the sales enablement process ensures that your sales team spends as much time as possible with clients, closing more deals.

 

Why Do You Need Sales Enablement?

According to a recent study, there are around 6.8 persons participating in your client’s decision-making unit, implying that your customer is no longer a single individual (source). So you’ve got a lot of people expecting you to meet their needs; this makes it difficult for your salesperson to knock on all of your customers’ doors and map out their pain areas. 

 

However, a sales enablement solution can assist your salespeople in understanding what customers need, asking the right questions, and providing relevant content to buyers.

 

How Can A Sales Enablement Process Deliver Value To Your Business?

Sales enablement solutions can have a broad and powerful impact on business success by adding the following benefits to your organization:

 

1. Offers stronger sales data

You must teach your sales team to deliver value to customers before attempting to extract value from them. Your team can only add value to the client if they are well-versed in the client’s specifics.

 

So, sales enablement technology can guide you in obtaining valuable facts about your customers. In addition, since their solutions are data-focused, they can provide valuable insights that might help the sales staff to uncover your customer’s preferences and issue points.

 

2. Generates deals in a shorter time frame

Previously, sales reps would spend 43 hours per month on their research activity (source). As a result, a significant amount of time is dedicated to research. However, with the support of a sales enablement system, you can have better data and tools, allowing your sales staff to have faster access to what they need and close deals in less time.

 

3. Decreases new hire ramp-up time

Using the sales enablement process, you can onboard your rookie salesperson as soon as possible. The new procedures and methods may numb your salesperson at first glance, but the sales enablement solutions can make your salesperson quickly grasp the speed required to achieve your desired outcome.

 

4. Connects sales and marketing teams

A disconnection between your marketing and sales team might leave several gaps within your sales process. However, sales enablement as a solution establishes a closed-loop framework for those two teams to align with each other. 

 

5. Enhances company reputation

When salespeople are well-informed, responsive, and helpful, they can represent your company in an organized manner and make a favorable impression on potential customers.

 

What are the best practices for leveraging the sales enablement process at your company?

Here are some valuable guidelines to help you build a sales enablement strategy in your business landscape:

 

1. Pay attention to the buyer’s journey rather than the sales cycle

Many salespeople push prospects through an antiquated sales funnel rather than focusing on customer movements. Yet, the buyer’s journey can tell you what next steps you need to take to complete your sales cycle. Hence, focusing on their journey might lead you to their doorway.

 

2. Provide your buyers with the right content

Presenting content that does not correspond to your customer’s interests may pause their purchasing activity. As a result, your sales cycle may be halted, and your intended deals may be lost. So, deliver the right content to your buyers at the right time.

 

3. Measure everything

Sales enablement is powered by effective data and deep insights into your buyer and corporate information. This might assist you in articulating your entire sales structure and revamping your weak parts. So, utilize sales enablement as a tool to track your sales process.

 

The sales enablement technique can bind all aspects of your sales process and is therefore centered around getting sales teams into the right conversations. It removes the barriers that might hinder your smooth buying process and drives your sales teams to peak performance and customers to brand loyalty. It also serves as a roadmap to assist you in defining your sales process.

 

Related: The Difference Between Sales Engagement and Sales Enablement 

 

The sales enablement process makes it easy for your salespeople to carry out their tasks while ensuring that they do not drive away any of your buyers.