In my Sales Enablement book exclusive sneak post, I shared why this book is different from other sales enablement books. First and foremost, this book was written from a marketer’s perspective and extends beyond sales training and development. I encourage marketers to think holistically and show them how they can do that by evaluating various different marketing elements. It’s about helping sales connecting the dots. In my first post, I also describe the intended audiences and what takeaways you can expect from the book.
Every company’s sales enablement challenges are different. By talking to many marketing managers, sales ops and sales enablement managers, I’ve come to realize that every company “enables” their sales differently. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. I don’t attempt to boil the ocean and address all the issues. In this book, I share examples of how some companies deal with the issues.
Here is the table of content which may provide a quick insight of my book:
- Chapter 1: Sales Enablement, Da Vinci and the Industrial Revolution
- Chapter 2: Fifteen Sales Trends that Matter
- Chapter 3: The Dilemma for Marketing as a Sales Enablement Function
- Chapter 4: Branding and Messaging Also Apply to Sales
- Chapter 5: Key Sales Enablement Ingredients: Training, Content and Coaching
- Chapter 6: All Marketing Leads to Sales
- Chapter 7: Design and User Experience Enhance Sales Success
- Chapter 8: When It’s Time to Build Your Sales Enablement Team
- Chapter 9: It’s Complicated. Blessings and Curses of Technology
- Chapter 10: Action. Action. Action.
Chapter 1
explains my observation of sales enablement evolution from Da Vinci to the information age. Hopefully, it will give you a holistic perspective of how technology evolution impacts the development of sales enablement.
Chapter 2
touches on future trends that will impact sales and marketing professionals. Trends help you see the forest from the trees and identify future initiatives to better support your sales team.
Chapter 3
discusses marketing roles in sales enablement and suggestions to address friction between sales and marketing. I also reiterate the importance of joint priorities, lead definitions and service level agreements.
Chapter 4
explains how brand, branding and a messaging framework apply to sales and sales enablement. Essentially, the sales team is the frontline interface of a brand. Marketing creates the brand guide, but it’s up to employees to bring brand promises to life.
Chapter 5
illustrates sales training and development. I share examples from different companies about training, sales content and coaching. Interestingly enough, these elements also help account-based marketing in some ways.
Chapter 6
details how salespeople can leverage marketing programs and use them as talking points or even as bargaining chips during sales negotiations.
Chapter 7
explores design and user experience in the context of sales engagements and processes by focusing on interactive content in sales processes and training, sourcing user-friendly tools and creating intuitive and buyer-centric marketing communications.
Chapter 8
proposes the elements you need to establish a sales enablement team. I present the key questions that you should ask and the steps that you can take to build a team. The team structure is strongly based on what you want to accomplish.
Chapter 9
touches on technology. To share technology’s role in sales enablement, I cover three areas: Tool selections for different stages of the sales process, big data analytics, and the use of artificial intelligence. It’s a brave new world.
Chapter 10
is about action, action, action. Everything you read in this book sounds good, but it does not mean anything unless you take action. I presented some key actions that you can take. I hope that the description of each chapter piques your interest in Sales Enablement in relationship to marketing. The book is scheduled to be published on 10/3 in the UK and 10/28 in the US. When I do a workshop and a speaking session at the upcoming Content Marketing World on 9/4-9/7, I will also be giving away some books at each session. I hope to see you there. Of course, you can also pre-order it on Amazon.
How to Get a Free Copy: Each month between now and the launch, I am going to choose one person at random to get a free signed copy of my book. Enter your e-mail address below:
What can Pam Didner do for you?
Being in the corporate world for 20+ years and having held various positions from accounting and supply chain management, and marketing to sales enablement, she knows how corporations work. She can make you and your team a rock star by identifying areas to shine and do better. She does that through private coaching, keynote speaking, workshop training, and hands-on consulting. Contact her or find her on LinkedIn and Twitter. A quick note: Check out her new 90-Day Revenue Reboot, if you are struggling with marketing.
