You see this happen a lot in companies. New salespeople sit through training sessions that last for days. They look at slides that talk about negotiating and they practice role-playing. They also watch product demos. By the end of it they feel pretty confident. They think they have learned everything they need to know.
Then they start making calls to buyers.
A weeks later the same salespeople are talking to buyers on Zoom. The conversation does not go as planned. The buyer asks about something that was not covered in training like a feature comparison or pricing. The salesperson has to think on their feet. That training session they had month does not seem so helpful now.
Managers see this happen all the time. Training looks good. It does not last long.
This is why companies are changing the way they think. Sales leaders are still spending money on training. They are also asking what happens after training is over.
That is where sales enablement comes in.
Sales enablement is not an idea. It is about giving salespeople the support they need while they are doing their job. Of just training them and hoping they remember everything companies are giving them tools to help them.
A salesperson might go to a workshop to learn about handling objections.. When they are on a call with a buyer they can also look at guides and case studies to help them. It is not about memorizing things it is about having the right information when they need it.
Salespeople like this approach better than training.
If you talk to salespeople they will tell you the same thing. They might know the theory of selling. It is hard to use that in a real conversation with a buyer. Training does not always prepare them for that.
Selling is not easy. Deals can take weeks or months to close. Buyers do not always have all the information they need. They can be skeptical. Sometimes salespeople spend a lot of time just trying to figure out what the buyer wants.
That is where sales enablement can help. Of guessing what to say salespeople can look at examples from similar deals and use that information to help them.
For companies with a lot of salespeople this is even more important. When salespeople are working in places it can be hard to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Customers notice when salespeople are not consistent.
Companies are using sales enablement to make sure everyone has the information. They are not trying to force salespeople to follow a script they are just making it easier for them to access the information they need.
Sales training is still important. Sales enablement is becoming just as important.
Training gives salespeople the basics. Sales enablement helps them use that information in their daily work. It fills the gap between learning something and actually using it.
Some companies are just starting to figure this out. Others are already building teams to focus on sales enablement.
The interesting thing is that this did not start as a plan. It just happened because companies realized that salespeople forget things or remember them differently.. When they are under pressure they need more, than just their memory to help them.
In the end companies are realizing that selling is not something you can learn in one training session. It is something you have to practice and adjust all the time.
Companies are starting to design their systems around this idea. Whether it will actually help sales teams close deals is still to be seen.. They are definitely trying something new.
