Sales enablement: a term that’s been thrown around aimlessly since the beginning of 2014. Everyone is using it, but what does it mean? How valuable is content without context?
Forrester, a global research company, recently went out of its way to put meaning behind sales enablement. No longer is it just a dandelion that sprouts erratically throughout a field of business terminology.
Sales enablement: “The key linchpin required to help a B2B company bridge the gap between their business strategies and how they execute in the field.” – Forrester
There you have it – one of many definitions of sales enablement. However, this doesn’t solve the fact that you don’t know how to put your knowledge of the concept into action.
Think of Your Customers
If you still aren’t sure why you should think twice about sales enablement, take your customers into consideration. The people who are buying your goods and services are the main reason you need to take sales enablement seriously.
For example, think of the level of productivity of your sales reps in the field. Could they be closing more deals if they had the right tools at their fingertips? This is what sales enablement is all about.
Gone are the days when sales reps were simply the holders of valuable product information for consumers – people can find the introductory information they want instantly on the Internet. Now, salespeople need to go the extra mile to get the job done, and having the right content in front of them is a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Invest in the Right Tools
A sales enablement tool can be defined as anything that pushes reps further their toward their overall goal of gaining a new customer – tablets, content management platforms and laptops all fall into this category. If you want to give your salespeople the best chance of boosting their efficiency, you’ll need to invest in these tools.
It might be a foreign concept to companies that have never thought that their salespeople could be better – after all, no one likes to focus on what could’ve been. However, take the following statistic into consideration: salespeople spend 30 hours a month searching for and creating their own sales material, according to the American Marketing Association.
While this highlights the lack of communication between sales and marketing teams, it also exhibits a need for one thing – sales enablement. Sales teams aren’t being given the tools they need to make deals happen, and they’re spending more time creating collateral. This takes away from time they could be using to boost their efficiency.
Make Change Happen
If you’re just realizing the importance of sales enablement, it could be overwhelming. However, it’s never too late to start taking advantage of tools that can push your sales team forward.
There is plenty of software on the market that can give you a place to start. Content management systems can ensure that your business collateral is all organized and at the fingertips of your sales reps in the field.
Starting small with the integration of tools such as tablets can also help your sales team improve their approach to client meetings. Don’t rule out a defined B.Y.O.D. policy as well to encourage mobility.
The concept of sales enablement is still young, meaning you have the perfect opportunity to strike while the iron is hot. There are multiple ways to start a path toward greater productivity, and you can serve as a leader for other people in the business world.
