How to Aligning Sales Strategy with Sales Enablement

In modern business, the concept of sales enablement has emerged as a cornerstone for integrating leadership's vision with ground-level market strategies.

Sales enablement has become an integral part of every successful organization.

Therefore, a question arises:

How can you effectively integrate sales enablement with your sales strategy to drive measurable impact and results for your overall organization?

Gail Behun, Director of Revenue Enablement at LivePerson, has all the answers prepared.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Integrating Sales Enablement into Your Sales Strategy

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1. Understand Sales Enablement

Sales enablement serves as a key link between a company's leadership vision and its operational arms, including product marketing and customer service.

As Gail puts it, "I always look at sales enablement as like a Venn diagram, this conduit between leadership, the big picture vision of the company, what needs to happen, the product marketing team, and the product team by extension."

This strategic alignment ensures that every team is equipped with the right tools to meet and exceed their sales targets.

While sales enablement's placement within a company may differ, Gail strongly opposes housing it under HR, or Learning and Development, as sales enablement's core aim is driving revenue, not simply training.

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2. The Blueprint for Effective Sales Training

Creating an effective sales training program involves more than simply sharing knowledge; it requires a commitment to continuous improvement and practical application.

Here are some steps to ensure your sales training aligns perfectly with your strategic goals:

• Blend Hard and Soft Skills

"When you talk about hard skills versus soft skills, whether you develop either internally or externally, there has to be a good marriage to make sure that you are giving your teams the best in the breed," Gail mentions. Ensure your training programs offer a mix of technical know-how and interpersonal skills.

• Continuous Reinforcement

Implement ongoing coaching and regular evaluations to embed the learned skills and adjust the training as per evolving market needs and internal feedback.

• Ownership and Accountability

Encourage sales teams to take ownership of their learning, which helps enable a proactive culture and ensure the application of skills in real-world scenarios.

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3. Look Beyond Vanity Metrics

"I hate vanity metrics more than anything. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it."

Track long-term performance indicators instead of just initial achievements.

Gail values consecutive months of meeting quotas and the consistent performance of sales reps.

Additionally, she pays attention to important metrics such as deal size variations and the lengths of sales cycles, not superficial metrics like attendance at training sessions.

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4. Leverage Community Strength

Sales enablement teams have drastically reduced in size due to economic changes.

Therefore, the ability to connect with a community for support and resources becomes priceless.

These communities offer essential frameworks, training advice, and strategy tips that are essential when you're the only strategist in your organization dealing with unique challenges.

Moreover, in the current climate of job insecurity, a community might help you with your daily tasks and enhance your go-to-market strategies, as well as your personal branding.

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Aligning your sales strategy with sales enablement doesn't just add structure; it transforms your business outcomes through strategic empowerment and community collaboration.

As Gail shows, by focusing on meaningful metrics, fostering continuous learning, and tapping into the collective wisdom of enablement communities, businesses can achieve considerable, sustainable growth.

Integrate these elements into your strategy to see a real difference in your organizational success.

‍Now that you know how to integrate sales enablement with your sales strategy to drive measurable impact and results for your overall organization, discover the full list of episodes at The B2B Revenue Executive Experience. If you enjoy the show, instructions to rate and review it are found here.