Did you know companies with dedicated enablement professionals typically see double-digit improvements in win rates and quota attainment? It's a significant jump that can take a sales team to a brand-new level of success. But despite the obvious benefits, many businesses have yet to create a separate role or assign someone to focus exclusively on managing enablement endeavors.

Unfortunately, those companies are missing out on a fantastic opportunity to grow! It pays to properly manage sales content and enablement tools for reps. Having a few old pitch scripts and product breakdowns isn't going to cut it for long-term success. If your organization wants to reach the upper echelons of sales success, you need a good sales enablement manager.

What Is a Sales Enablement Manager?

Salespeople working in companies without sales enablement teams often ask, "What is a sales enablement manager, and what do they do anyway?"

Simply put, a sales enablement manager oversees enablement programs and initiatives. Some companies have entire enablement teams who work to create and circulate everything from captivating sales content to detailed write-ups on the competition. Some companies have an enablement department of one. Either way, the manager is at the helm and dedicates their time to providing all the sales support representatives need to do their job.

It's an important role that can make a world of difference in how customer-facing reps succeed. Salespeople rely on enablement tools when they create a sales pitch and guide prospective customers through the buyer's journey. The enablement managers are the ones who ensure that the latest and most effective tools are available to them.

Why Is Enablement So Important for Modern Sales Teams?

On the whole, sales is not as cut-and-dry as it used to be before the Internet age. Now, customers have the means to seek out products and services on their own terms. Pair that with a barrage of companies vying for each sale, and many prospects are naturally wary of anything that remotely resembles a traditional sales pitch.

It's a fierce market out there, and sales reps need all the support they can get! That's where enablement comes in. Think of the enablement team as ground control on a space mission. They provide the explorers (your sales team) with the information and strategy they need to complete their mission and make a deal. Without sales enablement, your reps might as well be drifting aimlessly in space - “Houston, we have a problem.”

Enablement is crucial for modern sales teams to put their best foot forward, address every potential objection, and create a compelling case as to why a customer should do business with your organization. From training materials to in-depth market research, enablement content makes a difference.

How to Make the Pivot to Enablement

If you are a sales professional and you see a need for a dedicated sales enablement role on your team, you are in a great position to grow your career and help your sales team succeed. Now is your chance to take action, expand your horizons, and make a real difference in your company.

Don't let this monumental task scare you. It's easier to pivot into a sales enablement role than most realize. Here, we've outlined steps you can take to coordinate with your team and develop a dedicated sales enablement program.

Assess the State of Enablement Content, Resources and Tools

The first step is to look at the big picture and the current state of your company's sales enablement efforts. A good sales organization will have some form of enablement in place. But whether that's enough is usually up for debate.

Look at what tools, content, and resources are currently available. Are they up to date? How many sales agents use them? Do they bring anything beneficial to the table? Those are all questions you need to ask yourself. Understanding the existing state of enablement will give you the leverage you need to convince leadership that it's time for a change.

Speak With Your Sales Leaders About the Opportunity

Here's where things get real. Have an open discussion with leaders about your wishes to pivot into a sales enablement manager role. Focus on the benefits better enablement programs can bring. Talk about the current status quo, how it’s hindering business, and what you can do to make improvements across the board.

Do your due diligence before calling this meeting—the more information, understanding, and solution-oriented ideas, the better your chances of making a case.

Speak With Your Sales Team About Their Enablement Needs

Sales enablement is not about you and you alone. It's a big undertaking that will help everyone on the sales floor. The best way to forge a plan forward is to have the support and guidance of those who will use your enablement program most.

See what your sales teams want out of enablement initiatives. Determine how they use existing tools and what changes they want. When you create a strategy with the representatives' needs in mind, it's bound to be a success.

Gather, Organize and Analyze All Existing Resources

Your next task is to look deeper into the existing enablement resources. Earlier, you assessed the current state of your company's enablement processes. Now is your chance to organize what's available and analyze their effectiveness.

What you do now will ultimately help you later down the road. Your goal is to become a successful sales enablement manager and deliver content and initiatives that make a difference. Understanding existing sources gives you more insight into what you should and shouldn't do.

Consider the Gaps in the Sales Enablement Status Quo

As you look over existing enablement content and resources, note areas that need work. Identify gaps and learn about how (and if) the resources are shared with sales reps. Where does your sales content come from? What software platforms are used to manage, capture, create and share new sales strategies?

Assessing the existing status quo is critical. Creating sales enablement content is a complex process that involves many steps. Spotting gaps in that process can help you improve things across the board.

Select a Comprehensive Enablement Platform

The right sales enablement platform can transform how your sales reps do their job. Enablement resources need to be easily accessible on the spot. Not only that, but your resources should be ever-evolving. The right platform makes all of that possible.

When creating a new enablement program, choosing a solid platform for your tools and resources is one of the most critical steps of the process. There are many crucial features to consider. These include easy content management, a system conducive to peer-to-peer learning, streamlined communication, onboarding and training processes, performance tracking features, accessible real-time insights, and more.

The right sales enablement platform can make your job easier while ensuring that your initiatives are accessible to those who need them most.

Move Existing Resources into the New Platform

Once you choose a platform, you must move your existing resources to it. Migration can be a tall task in itself. However, a good platform like Flockjay will make the process more manageable thanks to the streamlined user interface and built-in software integrations.

Work with Leadership and Sales Reps to Fill Content Gaps

Here's where you get to put your skills to the test. If you're going through the trouble of establishing a new enablement program, your existing resources probably weren't serving your sales team as well as they could have. Now is your chance to fill content gaps and provide the resources your reps deserve.

Work with leadership to make this happen. Developing new content isn't a quick process. It takes time, research, and some creativity. Let your leaders and your reps have a say in developing training courses, onboarding tools, and other resources that can turn your team into a selling powerhouse.

Cultivate Peer-to-Peer Insight Sharing Across Departments

Sales enablement isn't a one-time thing. The market changes constantly, and individual agents will gain insight and develop new sales techniques relatively frequently. Peer-to-peer education can help you foster an environment of teamwork. Sales is notoriously competitive, but everyone on the floor has the same goal.

Encourage reps to share insights. Facilitate the flow of information across departments and make it easy for everyone in your organization to help one another. Use your sales enablement platform wisely, and it can be a hub of training, tip-sharing, and more.

Establish Ongoing Performance Analysis for Enablement KPIs

Finally, establish a cycle of analysis and performance review. Your enablement processes will change regularly. As a new enablement manager, it's your job to ensure that your efforts continue to make a positive impact.

Establish enablement KPIs and watch them closely as you continue to improve your strategies. You can develop a North Star metric to analyze your efforts at a glance and perform deeper performance reviews with critical KPIs. The goal is to push for improvements and ensure that you're always supporting sales.

Grow Your Role and Your Team with Flockjay

Want to make your life as a new sales enablement manager easier? Turn to Flockjay. This all-in-one enablement platform is a game-changer. It has all the tools you need to develop a successful sales team, and it's the perfect companion for expanding your role and taking the reins on enablement initiatives. From a live feed to capture winning moments to an easy-to-access library ready for your enablement content, it's all here.

Check out Flockjay today and see what it can do for enablement at your company!

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