Want to increase sales and boost your bottom line?
First, you must ensure that teams are properly equipped to meet these goals.
This article provides best practices to help you revamp your sales enablement process so you can increase efficiency and maximize performance.
Key takeaways
- Sales enablement equips sales and marketing teams with everything they need to succeed.
- It’s a different process to sales operations (which helps support the day-to-day functioning of sales) and encompasses much more than sales training.
- Sales enablement tools are essential for providing top-class support to your sales agents.
- PandaDoc’s sales enablement software is equipped with all the features you need.
What is sales enablement?
Sales enablement is a strategic approach that provides resources, tools, and training to empower sales teams, enhancing their effectiveness and efficiency throughout the sales process.
“Sales enablement has the ability to put in place measurable change that can move bottom-line results,” Katie Drury, Head of Revenue Enablement at PandaDoc, says. “This means improving overall close rates by targeting one particular behavior, such as improving win rate against a competitor, can make a huge difference at scale. We can also drive more consistency across performance, so we can understand and make changes.”
Take a look at your sales and marketing teams.
Can you honestly say that they are well-equipped to convert prospects? An effective Sales enablement process means your team members have the necessary resources for every customer touchpoint.
What does sales enablement do?
Simply put, sales enablement helps you set your sales and cross-functional teams up for success, to close more deals and optimize processes.
At its heart, sales enablement means your organization can align different functions encompassing multiple areas, including:
- Providing learning and sales training resources to your teams.
- Helping to improve the performance of individual team members.
- Improving internal processes with automation and other tools.
- Offering easy access to data so that teams can better interact with customers and improve performance.
“Sales enablement is one of those behind-the-scenes investments that pays off in real and measurable ways,” Mimi Nguyen, Founder of Cafely, says. “I’ve personally seen teams go from scrambling for answers to confidently closing deals just by having the right tools, training, and content in place.”
What sales enablement isn’t
Sales enablement is sometimes used interchangeably with sales operations and sales training.
In reality, it’s an entirely different process (we’ll explain the differences in the next section).
Sales enablement is also not a set-it-and-forget-it strategy.
It’s not about ensuring teams are onboarded properly and sending them on their way.
Enablement means providing continuous support and adapting your approach to meet the needs of your employees.
Sales enablement vs sales operations
The sales operations team is separate from sales enablement.
As the name suggests, the team handles all the operational side of sales.
They’ll be in charge of looking after your customer relationship management software (CRM).
This involves tracking leads and sending follow-up reminders to reps.
If any errors occur with your CRM, the sales operations team will be the first to respond.
On the other hand, sales enablement ensures your sales team has the tools and resources they need for success.
Learn more about sales enablement vs sales operations.
sales enablement vs sales training
There’s no denying that training is a big part of sales enablement. It’s important to note, though, that training is only an aspect of what this team provides.
As mentioned, enablement involves many different elements, including supplying the right tools and software and aligning cross-functional teams.
Why is sales enablement important for business? The benefits
Sales enablement benefits your business in several ways.
The biggest, of course, is that it helps to produce more sales.
With the proper sales enablement process in place, sales teams have everything they need to succeed and can convert prospects more easily.
Here are some additional sales enablement benefits.
Enhances onboarding
Sales enablement plays a key role in improving the onboarding process by providing new reps with the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed from day one.
A strong enablement program includes hands-on training, consistent coaching, and role-playing exercises that sharpen sales skills and accelerate ramp-up time.
Elitsa Zaimova-Miller, Sales Director at Preply, shares the results of their enablement efforts:
“The enablement team built a hands-on onboarding program, launched consistent coaching and role plays to sharpen sales acumen, and worked closely with product and marketing so reps were always in the loop on projects impacting the customer experience. They also rolled out smart SPIFFs that created healthy competition among the team and incentivized them to close deals faster. It helped us cut new rep ramp time by 35%, increase average deal size by 18%, and boost rep conversion rates by 25%.”
Provides helpful content
Even the most seasoned sales team members need assistance sometimes.
Sales enablement means providing a library of helpful resources to aid agents.
Common types of sales enablement content includes:
- Sales scripts – to equip teams with a structured dialogue to approach sales calls confidently.
- Objection handling guides – to arm reps with effective responses to common customer objections. This helps them overcome challenges and close deals more effectively.
- Battlecards – give sales professionals quick comparisons between your product and competitors. Battelcards help your team highlight your unique selling points during conversations.
- Slide decks/presentations – to help team members communicate product value and key messages.
- Product tours – to provide an interactive experience for prospects and allow sales reps to demonstrate key features and product benefits.
- Playbooks – to help sales teams follow a structured approach to prospecting and closing.
- Interactive quizzes – to engage prospects by asking tailored questions. Quizzes help sales teams gather insights to personalize their sales pitches.
- Case studies and customer stories – to help reps showcase real-world examples of how the product has helped individuals or businesses succeed..
This ranges from sales scripts to presentations and interactive quizzes.
“Smart companies know that arming sales teams with the right tools and training makes their job easier,” John Karsant, CEO of LevelUP Leads, says. “Sales enablement turns scattered resources into assets, allowing sales reps to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time closing deals.”
Reduces mistakes
Mistakes can be costly and take time to correct.
Salespeople may make mistakes like:
- Miscommunication: Failing to share accurate product information.
- Lead qualification issues: Wasting time on unqualified leads.
- Following up: Failing to follow up or waiting too long to do so.
- Misunderstanding customer needs: Offering irrelevant solutions for a customer’s role or objectives.
- Neglecting resources. Failing to use available sales tools.
Ensuring that agents are well-equipped and educated helps to reduce the risk of errors.
A sound sales enablement process helps reduce the risk of these errors by ensuring sales content is well-organized and accessible, and by providing ongoing training on the latest sales methodologies, strategies, and product features and enhancements.
Sales enablement also involves equipping your teams with the right tools and technology to reduce human error.
For example, sales teams need a solid customer relationship management system (CRM) to centralize customer data and a Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) tool to help generate fast and accurate quotes.
With PandaDoc CPQ, sales teams can create fast and accurate quotes, avoiding costly mistakes. Plus, PandaDoc CPQ offers two-way data integration with top CRM systems, including Salesforce and HubSpot.
Saves time
Whether it’s stopping to ask questions or delays due to manual tasks, many elements can slow down sales reps.
Enablement helps remove these roadblocks so teams can focus on key tasks.
Empowers teams
Enablement gives leaders greater confidence in their teams.
They’ll be more empowered to work towards success. Teams, in turn, will benefit from more effective leadership.
“Leaders think sales enablement is about doing more, it’s not, it’s about doing it right,“ Vito Vishnepolsky, Founder and CEO of Martal Group, says. “Sales enablement is what separates high-performing teams from the ones stuck in endless activity loops. It’s the foundation–tight targeting, sharp messaging, ongoing training–that lets reps execute under pressure.”
Align cross-functional teams
Sales enablement is vital for aligning cross-functional teams, such as sales and marketing, ensuring that every department works toward common goals.
It promotes collaboration through consistent messaging, streamlined communication, and real-time feedback loops.
The result is a more consistent buyer journey and stronger overall performance.
Promotes ongoing training
Sales enablement empowers sales teams with the tools, training, and resources they need to succeed, driving faster and more successful contract closures.
“Sales staff receive thorough training and ongoing updates to their knowledge base,” John Pennypacker, VP of Sales and Marketing at Deep Cognition, says. “They learn proven techniques for customer engagement. The outcomes include better conversations with potential buyers and more completed sales. Companies can also easily grow their sales departments.”
By providing consistent and structured support, companies can achieve steady results, enhance customer engagement, and adapt effectively to market changes.
With sales enablement, businesses can build reliable processes that deliver sustainable growth and improve sales performance, not just relying on a few star performers.
What are the pillars of sales enablement?
The four key pillars of sales enablement include content, training, technology, and communication.
Let’s look at each one in more detail.
Content
Effective sales enablement content helps reps communicate with prospects at every stage of the buyer journey.
The most important and common types of content include:
- Sales scripts: Sales scripts provide reps with a structured dialogue, ensuring consistency and confidence when engaging with prospects.
- Objection-handling guides: These guides equip sales teams with effective responses to common customer objections, helping them overcome challenges and close deals more efficiently.
- Battlecards: Battlecards offer quick, at-a-glance comparisons between your product and competitors, empowering sales teams to highlight unique selling points.
- Slide decks/presentations: Slide decks help sales teams clearly communicate product value and key messages to prospects.
- Product tours: Product tours offer an interactive, hands-on experience for prospects, enabling sales teams to demonstrate the key features and benefits of the product.
- Playbooks: Playbooks outline proven sales strategies and best practices, helping sales teams follow a structured approach to prospecting and closing.
- Interactive quizzes: Interactive quizzes engage prospects by asking tailored questions, allowing sales teams to gather insights and personalize their pitch.
- Case studies and customer stories: Case studies and customer stories showcase real-world examples of success, providing social proof that helps build trust and credibility with potential clients.
Sales enablement content should be clear and easy to find. This means prioritizing accessibility. If reps want to review materials in their downtime, they should be able to.
Training
Training provides the essential knowledge and skills reps need for success in their role. However, effective sales training goes beyond just the basics. It encompasses various techniques tailored to different aspects of the sales process.
Sales training techniques are varied and can be split into four groups.
Each addresses a slightly different area of sales.
Inside sales
For agents who engage in remote selling; on the phone, via video call, social media, or email.
Training focuses on winning customers’ trust and providing an effective solution to their problems.
Service sales
Focuses on building the customer’s lifetime value (LTV).
Looks at the best tactics for increasing LTV, such as consultative selling (an approach that focuses on building relationships with customers).
Sales management
As the name suggests, this training focuses on managers.
It equips them with skills to oversee teams effectively, including conflict management, effective communication, and more.
Field selling
For any agents who deal with door-to-door selling.
This includes improving face-to-face communication skills, lead identification, and more.
Again, training is only part of the picture.
Sales enablement requires the whole environment to be aligned for success.
Without ongoing coaching, strong content systems, organizational alignment, and the other practices within sales enablement, training won’t have the impact you need.
Technology
Sales enablement is about creating an environment that enables your sales team to be effective and efficient. An important element of this is aligning technology strategy with your sales objectives and creating the best sales tech stack for your team.
A range of tools is available to help reduce workload, improve effectiveness, and provide vital insights.
These include:
Training and development
Modern packages deliver and supplement face-to-face training.
In addition to supporting initial training, they can offer refreshments, updates, and new techniques and insights.
Customer engagement
These will help develop relationships with customers, leading to higher and quicker sales.
Strategy development
Developing an effective strategy is key.
Software can help link strategy to sales objectives and define clear strategies and KPIs.
Planning and monitoring
Putting strategy into action for all of the team.
Practice is easier with tools that generate detailed plans against which progress can be monitored.
They will produce reports that will highlight key points.
Content management systems
CMS systems deliver a library of content, providing version control and ensuring one version of the truth
Insights
Data-driven insights help teams measure progress and make the necessary improvements. Tools can provide visualizations, analysis, and insights into all aspects of sales performance.
This helps identify and improve good practices, offering learning that can lead to the development of new strategies.
Communication
Communication, both internally amongst teams and with other departments such as marketing, is an essential factor in sales.
Too often, though, barriers prevent agents from communicating effectively. Teams break into silos, and departments don’t see eye to eye.
It’s the job of sales enablement to ensure that these situations don’t arise.
This includes implementing new technology to centralize and streamline workflows.
It will help encourage cross-departmental work, promoting discussions and collaborations.
Of course, communication with prospects is just as important for sales.
As mentioned, sales enablement provides teams with the resources and training to communicate with customers effectively.
How does the sales enablement process work?
Every sales enablement methodology is underpinned by a successful sales enablement strategy.
This should be built around factors like revenue goals and a business’s go-to-market strategy.
Most significantly, sales enablement should work to align the marketing and sales departments.
Once a strategy has been outlined, the enablement team typically follows these steps.
- Evaluate an organization’s existing CMS, identifying whether improvement is necessary. Sometimes, the team may decide to look for a new system entirely.
- Look at communication between teams and departments, and identify areas that need improvement. Once issues have been spotted, they can find ways to streamline communication.
- Find the best training programs to support staff development and progress towards goals.
4 best practices for sales enablement
As mentioned, sales enablement should be supported by an effective strategy.
When creating your roadmap to success, keep the following points in mind.
Spot high performers
Who are the most successful members of your sales team?
Consider both managerial and junior positions.
Use these high performers as blueprints. What are they doing right? How can others gain these benefits?
Set realistic expectations
Expecting a huge organizational shift overnight isn’t realistic.
Enablement should begin with small steps – then work your way up.
For example, instead of automating all processes at once, it’s better to begin with the most important.
Work for continuous growth
Enablement should mean more than a single training session.
To equip your staff with the best skills, learning needs to be constant.
Encourage agents to work towards self-improvement. Help them to identify new areas that they can work on.
Track your progress
Is your enable strategy working? The only way to find out is by tracking sales enablement metrics.
Try to find KPIs that align with the goals of your enablement strategy.
Examples include customer retention rates, first-call resolution rates, or buyer engagement.
Sales enablement examples
Let’s look at two hypothetical examples of sales enablement.
Example #1
A member of your team is successfully acquiring leads but struggling to close them.
After identifying the issue, you send the employee on a course focusing on closing sales.
You also provide them with supportive scripts to help guide dialogue with clients.
The end result is a 50% increase in the agent’s lead close rate.
Example #2
After an evaluation, you find that repetitive admin tasks hamper your sales teams.
You identify that cutting out these tasks could bring a significant lift in revenue.
You introduce sales automation software as a solution.
Not only can this deal with admin, but also handle onboarding and other time-consuming tasks.
Who is responsible for sales enablement?
The sales enablement team consists of enablement specialists and managers.
A sales enablement manager oversees teams and implements new strategies.
It’s their role to monitor data and adapt their approach when needed.
What is the role of a sales enablement specialist?
Sales enablement specialists carry out their manager’s initiatives.
They’ll ensure that day-to-day enablement tasks are carried out smoothly.
This includes assisting sales teams as they chase leads.
Enablement specialists also provide training and development for agents.
They’ll provide all the information about the latest products and initiatives of your organization.
They’ll also create electronic materials that sales can access whenever they need.
What skills do you need for sales enablement?
When hiring sales enablement specialists or managers, you need to make communication a top priority. After all, sales enablement will liaise with agents daily.
Not only that, but they’ll be in charge of training and coaching.
They’ll need the confidence to provide impactful sales training to agents.
Aside from communication, other essential skills include
- Ability to create effective and well-produced content to educate agents
- Familiarity with storing and managing content
- An analytical mind and ability to make data-based decisions
Sales enablement technology: what tools are needed?
Choosing the right tools is an integral part of sales enablement.
Without the right technology, you won’t be able to provide the support that sales need.
This means finding the best platform to meet your needs.
When choosing sales enablement software, look for some of the following features.
- The ability to communicate with teammates effectively and leave comments on documents
- Document creation that allows you to easily create interactive documents
- The ability to automate repetitive data entry tasks
- Track how customers interact with sales documents so that agents can provide the best support
Close more deals and grow your business with sales enablement
Sales enablement is a crucial part of every modern sales team.
Without it, reps don’t have the skills, technology, or resources to close leads.
But as we’ve explored, an enablement strategy needs to be supported by the right tools.
Empower your team with tools like PandaDoc that reduce document creation time by 50% and increase close rates by 36%. Plus, PandaDoc CPQ helps your team create fast, accurate quotes in minutes.
With comprehensive analytics, you can get all the data you need to measure performance and guide your enablement strategy.
Want to see it for yourself? Why not request a demo today?
Disclaimer
PandaDoc is not a law firm, or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. This page is not intended to and does not provide legal advice. Should you have legal questions on the validity of e-signatures or digital signatures and the enforceability thereof, please consult with an attorney or law firm. Use of PandaDoc services are governed by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Originally published May 13, 2024, updated April 30, 2025
