Sales Enablement Platform: Essential Things You Need to Consider

Sales enablement platforms have been defined as "tools that unite sales enablement functions with customer-facing sales execution. They predominantly support native content, sales training delivery and reinforcement, and sales coaching."

Why are these platforms such a big deal? Because organizations that develop and implement a sales enablement strategy tend to perform better than their counterparts that don't. In fact, research shows that companies with a dedicated sales enablement function have a 52.1% win rate, versus a 45.5% win rate for businesses without one.

So the question becomes: How can you select the best sales enablement platform for your business? Here are 6 key features to look for as you explore your options.

6 Key Features to Consider When Looking for a Sales Enablement Platform

1. Standardized Reporting

A best-in-class sales enablement platform should include a standardized reporting system that can be used and cross-referenced throughout the organization. The system might include sales reports such as:

• The number of leads generated
• The number of leads worked
• Number of deals won and lost
• The sales rep's activity log
• Room for comments and notes under each customer interaction

2. A Lead-Scoring System

We live in the age of "information overload" — and your sales reps are not immune to this phenomenon. In practice, this means that it can be difficult for them to sift through hundreds of prospects to uncover those high-quality leads that are most likely to become valuable customers.

A good sales enablement platform will likely include some kind of lead scoring system. In other words, the platform will assign a certain positive or negative "weight" to each prospect. Depending on factors like the nature of the business, the attributes of the prospect, and the actions the prospect has taken so far. This lead scoring system will help your sales team to stay focused on those consumers that offer the highest potential value for your company.

3. An Organized Content Library

In the marketing world, there's an old saying that "content is king" — and there's still a lot of truth in that maxim! In terms of sales enablement, there are three key elements that make for a useful content library:

1. The available content has to cover all stages of the buyer's journey
2. Content has to be valuable to the customer
3. The sales rep must be able to easily share the content with prospects and leads

Of course, a sales enablement platform by itself can't provide the solution for elements #1 and #2. For instance, you'd need to obtain your more specialized content from a knowledgeable, professional source, either in-house or external. However, even the most well-written piece of content will lose its value if your sales team can't find it when they need it the most, or they can't easily share it with their audience. 

You should look for a sales enablement platform that allows you to organize and audit your content library. That way, your blogs, case studies, white papers, comparison charts, and pricing information will be at your reps' fingertips when a lead needs some more nurturing before the final purchase decision. Moreover, it should be easy to search and locate older pieces of content that need to be updated or replaced. (After all, an article that performed well three years ago may not be very compelling today.)

4. Email Templates

Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways for salespeople to connect with consumers in a personalized way. Of course, it would consume a lot of time if your reps had to create every single email from scratch. For this reason, it's important that your sales enablement platform empowers sales reps to create email templates for specific consumer segments. 

Of course, these templates should still leave room for some personalization. From obvious elements like the recipient's name to more subtle features like the recipient's city or state. Best-in-class sales enablement platforms also allow for the widest possible range of template types. As an example, one study found that 91% of consumers want interactive content from companies (GIFs, embedded videos, quizzes, and so forth). When your reps incorporate such interactive content into their templates, they'll likely increase their click-through rate by as much as 200%!

5. Email Sequences

The creation of email sequences that are triggered by specific user actions is a powerful way to keep prospects engaged, win "second-chance business," and even foster brand loyalty among existing customers. Any sales enablement platform you're considering should include the ability to develop email sequences for a number of different triggers (such as an abandoned cart, a submitted order, or even a visit to a specific page on your site).

Automated email sequences often lack the personalized touch that other communications provide. However, they can work wonders as additional touchpoints between your business and your customers — without wearing your sales team out. For instance, something as simple as a follow-up email a few days after a customer places an order can serve as a reassuring reminder. It shows that you appreciate their business, and are ready to support them if any issues do arise.

6. Live Chat

It makes sense that the best time to talk to a prospect is when they're already on your website, right? Look for a sales enablement platform that allows you to set up live chat on your site. That way, your reps will be able to engage with interested prospects in real-time. They may even be able to close a sale over the course of one interaction!

Of course, many chat-bot systems only transfer visitors to a live agent after they've scored as a high-quality lead. Whatever tactic you decide to implement, don't discount the value of live chat as part of your overall sales enablement strategy.

Conclusion

These 6 key features are often the difference between a mediocre sales enablement platform and a stellar one. Granted, there are other factors you may need to consider, depending on the nature of your business. But there's no need to feel overwhelmed. If you'd like to learn more about what to look for in a sales enablement platform, reach out to our friendly team of experts at OverGo Studio for a free consultation today.

Do you want to organize, streamline, and optimize all of your sales processes in order to win more customers? If so, then you should consider investing in a sales enablement platform for your company.