A recent research report by SiriusDecisions presents the top sales enablement priorities for high and low performing organizations. Let’s look at the similarities and differences between them. Their sales enablement plans reveal attitudes that separate winners from losers.
1. Deploy and train on new sales technology.
High performing organizations: 57 percent
Low performing organizations: 55 percent
Highly successful and not-so-successful businesses agree that investing in new sales enablement technology is something they want to do in the near future.
Systems have changed significantly. More than ever, they improve the relationship between sales and marketing. They also provide new ways to collect and interpret data that can help increase sales. They’re critical for keeping sales enablement programs organized and working efficiently. On top of that, it’s easier to integrate them into the other systems used by most marketing and sales organizations.
If you haven’t checked out sales enablement systems lately, you owe it to yourself — and the future of your business — to do some research. Mobile Locker offers one that’s designed specifically for small- to mid-sized firms.
2. Improve rep social media use.
High performing organizations: 55 percent
Low performing organizations: 57 percent
Few firms have cracked the code on how to use social media to engage buyers and close sales. Those that have are leaders in their industries.
Start by learning about the social media habits of the people in your client base.
- Many network with prospective clients and employees in Linkedin and find business-building information shared in that channel helpful and interesting. For those people, Linkedin is a good way to build awareness of your company, drive web traffic and generate leads.
- Others view Facebook and Twitter as not just tools to connect with family and friends, but businesses, as well. Using promoted posts is a cost-effective way to stay top-of-mind when their products or services are needed by consumers.
If your organization hasn’t been successful in using social media to connect with buyers, hire a reputable consultant with experience in your industry. They will offer you fresh perspectives and insights on how to launch, maintain and optimize a social media program that could turn into a dependable source of leads and sales.
3. Create or restructure a sales enablement program.
High performing organizations: 55 percent
Low performing organizations: 45 percent
The gap in the numbers is telling. Organizations that perform at the top of their games understand the value of sales enablement and know the importance of constantly evolving their programs.
Companies that don’t win at sales aren’t as committed to sales enablement. It’s that simple.
If you want to join the ranks of top-tier organizations, committing to sales enablement is key. Develop a program using best practices and consistently look for ways to improve it over time.
4. Define or refine enablement program metrics.
High performing organizations: 54 percent
Low performing organizations: 44 percent
This is another area where the gap between high and low performers is worth paying attention to.
Top sales organizations understand that you must have goals in order to reach them. They also know you have to reset them upward regularly to continue succeeding at higher levels.
Organizations that fail likely do so because they don’t have clearly defined goals and specific plans to achieve them. If you want to be more successful, take a lesson from winning sales and marketing teams:
- Set goals for your sales enablement program
- Have a plan for monitoring them
- Be prepared to optimize the things that work and fix (or eliminate) the ones that don’t.
5. Deploy a new sales methodology.
High performing organizations: 51 percent
Low performing organizations: 52 percent
This is an area where most sales and marketing departments — successful or not — agree. Everyone is looking for the latest and greatest sales technique.
If it exists, wouldn’t every organization have found it by now?
The reality is, most marketing and sales tactics can be successful if they connect with — and speak to the needs of —intended target audiences.
What’s important is to use sales enablement to track results, find winning strategies and make the most of them. The strategies may be new or tried-and-true classics that prove their value over time. Only sales enablement will point the way to the ones that will help you win the sales game.
