{"id":498,"date":"2024-11-22T17:59:48","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T18:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/?p=498"},"modified":"2025-01-21T16:29:42","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T16:29:42","slug":"the-future-of-sales-enablement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/howtobigisland.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/22\/the-future-of-sales-enablement\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of Sales Enablement"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hello and welcome to The GTM Newsletter by GTMnow <\/strong>\u2013 read by 50,000+ revenue professionals weekly to stay up-to-date and scale their companies and careers. GTMnow is the media brand of GTMfund \u2013 sharing go-to-market advice from the top 1% of revenue operators including the 350 executives behind the fund, news, and our viewpoints from working with hundreds of portfolio companies. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Product<\/strong> \"\ud83d\udc9a\": HG Insights. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Feeling that AI FOMO? You\u2019re not alone. That\u2019s why HG Insights created The Next Generation of Sales AI report<\/a> \u2014 to calm the FOMO and help you bring AI to your GTM teams. It includes a breakdown of the Sales AI landscape, adoption of GenAI and Sales software across buyer groups. Plus, an analysis of the top 75 trending sales AI tools. HG Insights has been writing market reports for years as the pioneer of tech adoption and market insights and is trusted by GTM leaders at the likes of Snowflake Five9 and Google Cloud to improve GTM efficiency. We\u2019ve shared this or received it from many GTM leaders as an excellent gauge on where to start or further AI adoption for your sales team. Read the free and ungated report<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The Future of Sales Enablement<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sales enablement is undergoing a seismic shift. The changing macroeconomic landscape, advances in AI, and evolving buyer behaviors are reshaping how organizations empower their sales teams. This week we\u2019re unpacked these trends and actionable strategies for navigating the changes \u2013 let\u2019s get into it. <\/p>\n

Defining sales enablement in 2025 <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sales enablement remains a somewhat ambiguous concept. This is due to the fact that enablement spans a vast spectrum \u2014 from content and training to strategic adoption of tools like AI.<\/p>\n

If you ask three leaders for their definition of sales enablement, you\u2019ll likely get three different answers. For example, three go-to-market leaders define it as:<\/p>\n

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\u201cProper sales enablement means I don\u2019t have to be around as much. It\u2019s about empowering the team to do their job faster and more efficiently with minimal oversight.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Ryan Ball<\/a> (VP of Sales at Birdeye)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cSales enablement is the holistic ownership of the knowledge, skills, and abilities sellers need to succeed.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Lisa Kelly<\/a> (Head of Sales Operations at BambooHR)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s about giving reps the best chance to win at scale.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Jacob Fleisher<\/a> (Head of Sales at Attention)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Overall, a broad shared perspective is that sales enablement is about equipping sales reps with the tools, knowledge, and skills to succeed at scale.<\/p>\n

Why the enablement landscape is shifting<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many factors are driving change but there are two that are doing so seismically.<\/p>\n

1. Buyers are smarter and more self-sufficient<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Modern buyers enter the sales process later than ever, often after completing their own research. This requires a shift from \u201ceducating\u201d prospects to disrupting preconceptions and creating value.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe world has changed dramatically in the last few years. It used to be easier to guide buyers through the process, but now they come in later and much better informed.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Ryan Ball<\/a> (VP of Sales at Birdeye)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

2. AI is redefining enablement<\/strong><\/h4>\n

AI isn\u2019t just a tool; it\u2019s an accelerator. It\u2019s about giving sellers the feedback and insights they need in real-time to improve without waiting on managers to intervene.<\/p>\n

At BambooHR, overall AI adoption increased sales attainment by 21% among super-users compared to their peers.<\/p>\n

Tips to implement AI: <\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    Start with behavior change<\/strong>: Encourage teams to adopt AI tools like ChatGPT in daily tasks, building familiarity and confidence.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Governance matters<\/strong>: Form committees to evaluate AI tools and create clear guidelines for their use.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Measure impact<\/strong>: Track adoption and its effect on performance metrics like quota attainment and velocity. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The new priorities for sales enablement<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Many priorities remain the same, with alignment and execution still being focus. What\u2019s different is how quickly you need to adapt your approach to keep up with market changes.<\/p>\n

    Two key areas around that are surfacing:<\/p>\n

    1. Balancing GTM updates and skill development<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    There\u2019s a critical distinction between go-to-market updates \u2014 like new products or workflows \u2014 and skill development, which requires hands-on learning.<\/p>\n

    GTM updates are informational, while skill development requires reps to be in the right psychological state for active learning.<\/p>\n

    Having separate forums helps to strike a balance. For example, deliver GTM updates through emails or asynchronous videos, while conducting skill development in workshops or coaching sessions. <\/p>\n

    2. Leveraging AI for targeted coaching<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    AI offers the ability to scale coaching in a way that manual efforts never could. But to be effective, AI tools need to align aligned with business goals and seamlessly integrated into workflows.<\/p>\n

    For example, BambooHR implemented Attention<\/a> for AI-driven coaching, which has enabled their team to optimize workflows, analyze calls, and create tailored training programs.<\/p>\n

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    \u201cAI allows managers to identify specific gaps in rep performance, like talking about pain points, without combing through hours of calls.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Lisa Kelly<\/a> (Head of Sales Operations at BambooHR)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Adapting to the new buyer-seller dynamic<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The way buyers purchase has changed. Today\u2019s buyers have already done research on their end and demand a deeper understanding of their business needs.<\/p>\n

    Tips to adapt<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n
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    1. \n

      Shift conversations from latent to active needs<\/strong>:<\/p>\n