How to gain buy-in for a Sales Enablement strategy?

In an ever-evolving and highly competitive market, change is something all businesses have had their fair share of Logically, a sales enablement strategy is no exception. Companies that are reactive rather than proactive about it often find themselves behind the curve, missing out on valuable opportunities. If this might seem like common sense for some, the reality in companies is often far from that.

Our 5 tips to successfully launch a Sales Enablement strategy

    1. Assess your company’s needs
    2. Do your research
    3. Identify your key stakeholders
    4.Gain support from your managers
    5. Start small, expand later

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Sales enablement strategy : why is buy-in key ?

How many times have you heard an innovative project was put aside because “it’s always been done this way”? There can be several reasons behind resistance to change:

  • Tradition;
  • Fear of failure;
  • Rejection of new projects that are not strictly necessary;
  • Change resistance.

Anyhow,  companies still -too- often blind themselves when faced with the possibility of change. Proactivity is key in business and it is not because a matter is not  “critical” that it should not be worked on. Processes can always be improved, software can always be enhanced, teams can always learn, and so on.

Proactivity today can save businesses from falling behind or having to deal with a critical issue tomorrow.

In this context, and with Sales Enablement being a relatively new concept, it is not always easy to convince your “C-Suite” to go in that direction. Let us say you have been looking into Sales Enablement and you think  your company could benefit from it. Unfortunately, just because you see the value in Sales Enablement since you’ve been reading all about it, it doesn’t necessarily mean this will directly translate to your executive team. Their support is however required as they are the ones calling the shots.

To gain their buy-in, you will need to build a convincing Sales Enablement strategy applied to your company, but where to start? Don’t panic, we have compiled a few pointers that should help you out:

1. Assess your company’s needs

The first step of convincing your executives to try something new is to show them precisely why it is needed. To do so, you should try to define what could be improved through Sales Enablement. Focus your great ideas on a clear set of tangible and measurable goals. This  will speak to somebody who hasn’t particularly looked into this subject before.

Our tip for your sales enablement strategy

For each goal, you can show a concrete example of “AS IS/ TO BE”. This way, nobody loses track of why this goal needs to be set for your organization. 

2. Get your research on

Once you have outlined your organization’s issues and set the according goals, focus on how to achieve them. Detail your plan in writing clearly defining ownership, investments, staffing and metrics to supervise the whole operation and its success. Do not hesitate to use the internet as one of your resources. You will not only find reliable sources to back up your sayings (Gartner or Forrester reports for example) but also to look into what other companies similar to yours have done. You can also look into data from within your company through your CRM, existing platforms or even interviews of people impacted by the issues you pinpointed.

Our tip for your sales enablement strategy

 A chart speaks a thousand words, and so does ROI. Executives are result-oriented and expect a quick return on investment. If you can simulate a quick ROI, you will improve your odds of gaining buy-in!

3. Identify your key stakeholders

Once you have solid research to back up your ideas, you need to identify the key stakeholders within your organization. Indeed, several individuals will have a say in the final decision so you should address them. To gain their support, you identify their individual pain points and how Sales Enablement would address them. It is key that you adapt your pitch to the person you’re addressing: communicate your initiative in a clear way and tie them to their business goals. For example, when addressing the CFO you should focus on ROI. Likewise, when addressing the CMO, emphasize the positive impact on branding.

Our tip for your sales enablement strategy

Always think cross-functionally when identifying stakeholders. The broader and deeper connections you establish the better your chances are to convince the CEO.

4. Gain support from your managers

Change management requires broad support, and the best place to start looking for it is around you. Before approaching the “C-Suite”, convince your close management of the program’s potential. On one hand, this will allow you to prepare your pitch even better. In fact, your management might have a better vision of what the executives are concerned about at the moment. On the other hand, your proposal will gain credibility. Indeed, backing from your close management builds strenght.

Our tip for your sales enablement strategy

Establish a concrete use case for your own department along with your close management. If they take part of in the project  it will gain momentum.

5. Start small, expand later

Instead of thinking big right away, identify that one leader that seems especially enthusiastic about the program. Afterwards, find the specific pain point that your Sales Enablement program could help them with. Then, you can start working on achieving the preset goals and gain credibility through results. Most initiatives can fulfill its purpose and create organizational change, even if they did not have full support in the beginning. By starting small and demonstrating concrete results over time, you can gradually earn stakeholder’s trust and expand the program across the organization.

Our tip for your sales enablement strategy

 Always keep in mind each key stakeholder’s business goals to adapt your speech. The concerns of today might not be the same as those of tomorrow and keeping your momentum is key.

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