What is sales readiness? A look at readiness, enablement, and training for sales teams

It’s no secret that sales is ever-changing and rapidly evolving.  

Deal cycles are longer and more complex. Prospects and buyers are more unique and informed. Competition is fierce. And reps need more knowledge and skills than ever before to engage with prospects, delight customers, and keep closing deals.   

So, how can teams ensure their reps have what it takes to stay afloat and keep doing great work? With sales readiness, that’s how.  

What is sales readiness?

Forrester describes sales readiness as the ability to “equip salespeople with the knowledge and skills required to have the conversations needed throughout a buyer’s journey—and assessing whether, and certifying that, a rep can do just that.” 

We like to think of it as the umbrella that covers sales enablement, sales training, sales coaching, and everything in-between. In short, it’s what helps sales reps close bigger and better deals. The best sales teams build a sales-ready workforce by combining ongoing training, deliberate practice, focused coaching, and consistent accountability for everyone involved. 

• Delivering effective onboarding so reps are ramped quickly and efficiently 
• Practicing demos behind the scenes so reps are ready to sell when it’s showtime
• Honing your team’s core sales skills and certifying rep progress 
• Providing coaching and feedback so reps can improve on their weaknesses and further refine strengths 
• Communicating product updates clearly and concisely through on-demand training and microlearning for team alignment
• Keeping reps on the same page with messaging, process changes, and more with enablement content

Sales readiness vs. Sales enablement and training 

As more sales organizations use the term “sales readiness,” it’s important to remember that readiness is different from sales enablement or sales training. Sales enablement provides reps with the resources, information, and support they need to sell effectively and efficiently. Sales readiness, on the other hand, ensures that sales reps possess the skills and knowledge they need to have effective conversations throughout the entire sales cycle. 

It’s also important to know that sales training is an important component of readiness, but it’s not the end-all-be-all. Instead, it’s a foundational element. Sales reps need to know a ton of information, which can be delivered through various sales training programs.  

But, just because reps complete training, doesn’t mean that they’re ready to hit the ground running. That’s where other areas of sales readiness, like practice and coaching, come into play. So remember: Sales enablement or sales training alone won’t lead to success. That’s why you need to weave both components into your sales readiness strategy.   

Getting started on the path to sales readiness 

A stellar readiness program doesn’t just happen overnight. Whether your team is just getting started or looking to level-up your current efforts, here are a few tips.  

Complete a sales readiness assessment: It’s tough to plan for progress if you don’t clearly understand your sales team’s current skills and preferences. You need the right data and information to make educated decisions, and assessing your reps is the first crucial step toward improvement. Listen to your reps, review performance data, consider the market, and identify successes and challenges.  

Identify the right objectives and metrics: When it comes to measuring sales readiness progress, track the best metrics and review the correct indicators so you can coach your team to success. And there are a ton of metrics and data to consider.   

Find the right tools for your organization: With so many sales enablement tools and training platforms available, it’s easy to focus on features. But it’s crucial to choose a solution that fits your entire sales tech stack. Integrating sales readiness tools with other enablement apps creates a seamless workflow for your reps, helping them perform their best, which boosts team adoption, engagement, and success.

So, here’s the bottom line: If you’re reading this, your team moves fast. And we think sales readiness should too. Every organization needs a sales readiness platform that helps reps feel confident, impress prospects, and close more deals.

Maximize the impact of your sales team today. Check out Seismic’s sales enablement, training, and coaching tools your team can use to transform sales readiness. You can also check out some frequently asked questions about sales readiness below!

How does a sales readiness program address common sales challenges?

A sales readiness program equips sellers with the knowledge and skills needed for effective conversations throughout a buyer’s journey. It focuses on aspects such as continuous training, intentional practice, purposeful coaching, and constant accountability. This ensures that reps can effectively navigate longer and more complex deal cycles, engage with informed buyers, and outperform in a competitive environment. 

What does the successful implementation of a sales readiness program look like?

Successful implementation of sales readiness programs includes continuous training, intentional practice, coaching, and accountability. Learn how these Seismic customers successfully launched sales readiness initiatives at their organizations.