Consumers today have access to more information than ever before. Companies can find their ideal personas with data-driven marketing tactics, but closing the sale is a bit more complicated. Prospects rely on research about a product and suggestions from their network instead of relying on sales information – especially when they don’t believe a sales representative adds value.
Sales enablement programs are essential to help sales reps add value to the process and address a prospect’s concerns. According to CSO Insights, sales enablement programs saw a 10% average increase in sales, which is welcome news for sales reps having difficulty meeting quotas.
Creating a sales enablement program to boost your sales team’s confidence and increase your bottom line is relatively simple but requires continuous improvement, information refreshers, and innovative materials. Here are five tips for establishing a sales enablement system that your team will love.
You don’t have to recreate the wheel when it comes to sales enablement resources. While you may not have a full suite of videos, training manuals, and leave-behinds, you likely have the basics: brochures, flyers, and product sheets. Use what you have as a starting point for developing more engaging materials to give your sales team a boost.
Mobile video content is quickly becoming the go-to platform for customer communication, and it’s become a boon for sales teams. Research has found that companies who use video marketing and sales communication have grown 49% faster than companies who don’t use multimedia. Video provides engagement and social proof that traditional sales sheets and brochures can’t beat.
Your sales team is interacting with customers day after day, and they have keen insight into what kinds of messages and content help tip the scales in their favor and lead to a successful sale. Use that knowledge to the company’s advantage by asking your sales team for content ideas. Find out how existing materials can be improved and where there are gaps in your sales enablement materials. Consider asking your sales team for common hesitations from their customers and build additional materials to support your team's responses.
A great sales and marketing program includes a defined customer journey, from the first touch to a closed sale. Sales enablement materials should support each step in the journey and be written and designed with the customers’ place in the funnel in mind. For instance, a video for a customer who has only recently joined an email list will require a different message than a video for a customer close to buying. Although customer journey alignment isn’t true customization, your customers will appreciate the targeted message.
Creating sales enablement materials is just the beginning. Your company should actively audit and update materials at least quarterly and add materials often to keep the communication fresh. Determining ownership of the program drives momentum and creates consistency. Ask a senior sales rep, marketing coordinator, or department manager to act as the program owner, or if you are able, hire a sales enablement manager in a separate role.
Building and managing your sales enablement program is a worthwhile investment in the future of your sales team. By keeping these tips on a healthy sales enablement program in mind, you can help your sales department thrive!
Do you want to dive deeper into this topic? Access our infographic on custom sales onboarding for employees with different experience levels.