Is Sales Enablement Just a Buzzword? What Does It Actually Mean?

Being in sales can be a challenging career path, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. Just about every company on the planet needs a sales and outreach arm (whether it’s one person or a massive team). Whether they are called sales representatives, client relationship managers, business development managers, or some other title altogether, the goal is probably very similar: pursuing and nurturing sales opportunities. The best sales professionals love what they do and genuinely enjoy interacting with people. It’s all about developing relationships and not just pushing products and services. We’ve all heard the jokes about some smooth-talking used car salesman who leaves you sitting in the showroom while he does the “Let me talk to my manager to see what we can do” routine. Yuck.

If you’re lucky, you’ve got seasoned, savvy sales professionals serving as your brand ambassadors. Even for a natural-born extrovert, however, sales don’t just tumble in based on charisma alone. Your salespeople need all the tools they can get. That’s where sales enablement comes in.

What is Sales Enablement?

HubSpot defines sales enablement this way: “The delivery of the right information to the right person at the right time and in the right place.” In short, sales enablement is powered by data. In order to thrive, your salespeople need the tools, technology, and content to help them succeed. Every prospect falls somewhere on the buyer’s journey. The sales professional’s job is to help guide that journey. Let’s say that a lead comes in from your website. Sure, someone in sales could jump on that lead and hope for the best, but that interaction has a much higher chance of success if the sales team is armed with lots of data first.

Is it Optional?

If you subscribe to the old adage that nothing is certain except death and taxes, then yes, you could make a case that everything else is optional. Sales enablement is not just a buzzword or passing fad, however. The data is solid - we know that sales enablement ties directly to higher sales, and engages customers who are more likely to become enthusiastic evangelists for your brand. According to Forbes, “59 percent of companies that surpassed revenue targets have a defined sales enablement function.”

I Need More Convincing

Has your sales team lost time trying to sell to prospects who weren’t a good fit? Sales enablement cuts down that wasted time by providing data and content at every stage of the buyer’s journey. Most importantly, it provides the right content, helping prospects to feel understood and valued. Many times, this is where your company’s marketing team comes in. It’s critical to have the sales and marketing teams focused on the same goals - what HubSpot refers to as “smarketing.”

Sales enablement embraces the concept that efficiency and sales are not mutually exclusive. Providing your sales team with the right content, tools, and data leads directly to sales - all without short-changing the customer. Sales enablement also removes a lot of fuzziness from the sales process. Results are measurable and repeatable. Plus, the process is not as daunting as you may think it is. 

You wouldn’t expect your mechanic to fix your car without tools. Your sales team needs tools, too!