Sales is an ever-evolving discipline. In a world where customer preferences shift like sand dunes and competition is fierce, a sales enablement plan is your compass and map.
In this article, we'll guide you through the Sales Enablement Plan creation process. Equip yourself with a keen mind and an eagerness to learn as we embark on this essential expedition to empower your sales force and bolster your business growth!
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A sales enablement plan or sales enablement strategy is a well-designed plan that empowers your business of professionals with the information, resources, tools, guidance, content, and knowledge necessary to engage efficiently and effectively with prospects and clients–It aligns your teams with achieving common business goals.
This plan is not set in stone; it’s dynamic and evolves with market trends and customer preferences – but you need to have the plan to start from somewhere to maximize the impact of your efforts. The sales enablement approach and the strategy development might differ based on the organization, but the basic steps and key elements are more or less the same. In this article, we will cover all the key steps and elements to ensure the success of your sales enablement efforts.
Having a sales enablement plan or sales enablement strategy is critical for various reasons:
Before you set foot in the forest, you need to build a sturdy base camp.
Key stakeholders, such as sales, marketing, and IT teams, play an instrumental role in crafting and executing an effective plan. You cannot get every single person in your organization actively involved, but it's crucial to have all relevant departments' support.
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💡 Pro tip: Build a preliminary business case for sales enablement and discuss it with your leadership team to get everybody's buy-in. For example, Amazon uses these 1 and 6-pagers to build business cases, share their ideas, and for enhanced decision-making. Our team in Showell can also help you to start the conversation and provide you with the relevant information and materials needed. |
Pinpointing the business and team requirements ensures that the plan you devise is specifically tailored to your organizational needs. It also helps to prioritize the sales enablement goals, roadmap, milestones, and efforts later.
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💡 Pro tip: Talk to different department leaders and managers about their needs and map the requirements. By facilitating the discussions on requirements, you also start building ownership, and accountability and reduce change resistance when different people get involved already in the early stages. |
Effectively structuring a sales enablement plan necessitates prioritizing initiatives, setting lucid objectives, a roadmap, and establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Sales Enablement.
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💡 Grasping the importance of clear communication can foster an environment of trust, boost team morale, and ensure alignment with organizational objectives. Learn How to Successfully Communicate Sales Targets to Your Team → |
Assigning roles and responsibilities in sales enablement is like giving everyone in the orchestra their sheet music. Ensuring the success of your sales enablement plan requires a clear assignment of ownership and fostering a culture of accountability within the team.
By establishing ownership and accountability, you ensure that every member of the different teams is aligned with the sales enablement and actively engaged in contributing to its success. This not only maximizes efficiency but also fosters a culture of commitment and responsibility.
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💡 Clear definitions of roles and responsibilities are not just administrative formalities; they are the backbone of an effective sales strategy. Read more about Defining Key Roles and Responsibilities in Sales Enablement. |
Empower your sales team by creating a robust sales enablement toolbox. This involves providing them with the necessary resources, tools, and training. Here's how to structure it effectively.
Utilize Technology: Adopt tools that streamline the sales process. Use CRM systems for managing relationships, analytics tools for insights, and sales enablement platforms for efficient sales execution. Ensure that these tools can be integrated for maximum efficiency.
In summary, building an effective sales enablement toolbox involves combining sharp audience insights, impactful content, continuous training, and leveraging technology. This empowers the sales team to engage with prospects more efficiently and drive better results. Keep the toolbox dynamic – continuously evaluate and update it to align with the evolving market and customer needs.
Once you’ve built your sales enablement toolbox and have a well-crafted plan in place, the next critical step is effective implementation and communication. This phase is where the rubber meets the road. Here’s how to ensure your sales enablement plan gets off the ground successfully.
Starting the implementation requires a well-orchestrated rollout. This should be done in phases. For example, you might begin by rolling out new training programs, followed by the introduction of new tools and content.
Consider a soft launch with a smaller group before going company-wide. This approach, often used in software development, allows you to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments.
Communication is key. Maintain open channels of communication with your sales team. Regular updates, newsletters, or meetings can be effective in keeping the team informed. For instance, Atlassian uses "Confluence" as a central hub for company communication and documentation. Engaging with Atlassian consultants can help you maximize the potential of Confluence and other Atlassian tools, ensuring seamless communication and collaboration across your sales team.
Sales don’t operate in isolation. Foster collaboration between sales, marketing, product, and other departments. Regular inter-departmental meetings or shared project management tools like Trello or Asana can be helpful.
As the plan rolls out, ensure that your sales team has the support and resources they need to adapt to new processes and tools. This might include tutorials, FAQs, or a help desk.
Create a system for collecting feedback from your sales team. They are on the front lines and may offer valuable insights into what’s working and what isn’t. Tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey can be effective for this purpose. You can also use SurveyMonkey alternatives if you need more advanced features.
Finally, keep a close eye on the KPIs you’ve established. If something isn’t working as well as you hoped, don’t be afraid to make adjustments. Have regular intervals with key stakeholders to evaluate the progress and make adjustments.
It’s also important to celebrate successes, even small ones. This can boost morale and foster a sense of accomplishment and belonging among the team.
Implementing your sales enablement plan is not a set-it-and-forget-it endeavor. It requires continuous communication, cross-functional collaboration, support, feedback collection, monitoring, and adjustment to ensure that your sales team is well-equipped and aligned with the goals and objectives of the plan.
By understanding and avoiding these traps, you can streamline your journey toward a successful sales enablement strategy.
It’s tempting to provide your sales team with an abundance of resources, but this can lead to information overload. The cognitive burden can impede performance. Instead, curate and organize content so that it’s easily digestible and accessible.
Assuming that initial training is sufficient is a common mistake. Sales is a dynamic field, and your team needs continuous training to stay ahead. Regular workshops and webinars should be a staple.
Sales and marketing are two sides of the same coin. Failure to align these teams can create disconnects in messaging and objectives. Regular communication and shared goals are essential. For example, many organizations encourage collaboration between their sales and marketing departments through shared KPIs and joint campaigns.
Not listening to the feedback from your sales representatives is like ignoring the canary in a coal mine. Sales reps are on the front lines and can offer valuable insights. Establish channels for feedback and ensure that it is acted upon.
The market is not static, and clinging to an outdated sales enablement plan can be detrimental. Regularly review your strategy in light of new market trends, competitor movements, and customer preferences.
Setting KPIs that are unrealistic or misaligned with your business objectives is like chasing a mirage. Your KPIs should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). Regularly reassess them to ensure they remain aligned with your objectives.
While tools and technology are essential, relying too heavily on them at the expense of human judgment and relationships is a pitfall. Remember, at the heart of sales is human interaction.
Failing to monitor the ROI of your sales enablement initiatives is akin to sailing without a compass. Use analytics to monitor ROI and ensure that your initiatives are delivering value.
Avoiding these common pitfalls requires a vigilant, adaptive, and integrated approach to sales enablement. Keep your ear to the ground, foster collaboration, continuously train your team, listen to feedback, and regularly assess and realign your KPIs and tools. This vigilance will serve as your North Star, guiding you through the tempestuous waters of sales enablement towards the haven of success.
As the adage goes, “A single example is worth more than a thousand words in an argument.” After walking through the intricacies of creating a sales enablement plan, it's time to turn our attention to the real world.
In this section, we will look at some inspiring customer success stories. These practical examples serve not just as validation but also as a wellspring of insights that you can draw upon while formulating your own sales enablement strategies.
Let’s dive in and explore how these companies transformed their sales operations and achieved remarkable results through the effective implementation of sales enablement.
Founded in 1683, Gaggenau stands as a global pioneer in the luxury appliance industry, boasting its headquarters in Germany and a network of distributors across the globe. Presently, it operates as a subsidiary of Bosch-Siemens Hausgeräte (BSH Hausgeräte). Gaggenau is renowned for melding classic aesthetics with top-tier functionality, all underpinned by extraordinary partisanship.
Read more about Gaggenaus Sales Enablement Success Story →
Sandvik, headquartered in Sweden and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange (STO), is an international engineering conglomerate with a focus on mining and construction equipment. The company boasts a presence in 160 nations and employs approximately 40,000 people. Sandvik uses Showell with their dealers worldwide.
Read more about Sandviks Sales Enablement Success Story →
Ponsse holds a distinguished position as a leading manufacturer of cut-to-length forestry machinery on a global scale. With operations extending to more than 40 countries, Ponsse is dedicated to supporting its clientele in attaining success by providing reliable, high-performance machines and services. The company is publicly traded on the Nasdaq OMX Nordic exchange.
Read more about Ponsses Sales Enablement Success Story →
Britelite, a leading UK provider of doors, windows, conservatories, and flat roofing solutions, has a team of 75 Showell users, including sales reps, marketing, and operations personnel. To overcome challenges in their sales process, they turned to Showell for help. As a forward-thinking company, Britelite always seeks ways to improve its sales process and grow its business.
Read more about Britelites Sales Enablement Success Story →
In conclusion, a well-designed Sales Enablement Plan is essential for empowering different departments and teams. It provides a strategic framework that aligns efforts, optimizes resources, and fosters accountability. By setting clear objectives, establishing ownership, and building a robust sales enablement toolbox, businesses can equip their sales professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge to engage effectively with prospects and clients.
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Start building your Sales Enablement Plan today and unlock the full potential of your sales team. Book a demo with our sales enablement expert below. We will guide you during your journey toward sales excellence.