Why should a start-up invest in sales enablement?

Simon Gilks, Director of Global Sales Operations and Enablement, GoCardless

1. Why should a start-up invest in Sales Enablement? Simon Gilks Director, Global Sales Operations & Enablement - GoCardless
2. Who am I? 10 years direct sales and sales management experience 8 years experience working in product marketing, sales operations and enablement Designed, deployed and managed sales operations & enablement functions in hyper growth start-ups
3. Who am I? 10 years direct sales and sales management experience 8 years experience working in product marketing, sales operations and enablement Designed, deployed and managed sales operations & enablement functions in hyper growth start-ups
4. “Sales cures all. There has never been a business that succeeded without sales.” Mark Cuban
5. Why should a start-up invest in Sales Enablement? 01 02 03 04 What is Sales Operations & Enablement to me? 04 05 06 08 What challenges does a start-up face in Sales? How does Sales Enablement address these challenges? How does Sales Enablement grow with a start-up? Does Sales Enablement differ in a start-up vs. an enterprise? Is Sales Enablement an option for a start-up? Agenda
6. 01 02 03 04 What is Sales Operations & Enablement to me? 04 05 06 08 What challenges does a start-up face in Sales? How does Sales Enablement address these challenges? How does Sales Enablement grow with a start-up? Does Sales Enablement differ in a start-up vs. an enterprise? Is Sales Enablement an option for a start-up? Why should a start-up invest in Sales Enablement? Agenda
7. What is Sales Operations & Enablement to me? Proactively creating the conditions where more deals, that are more profitable, with better customers are the natural result. Sales Operations • A tactical function that helps the sales organisation run smoothly • Manages the tech stack, reports on the overall efforts and manages quota, commission and the planning process Sales Enablement • Sales Enablement is an overarching strategy to improve Sales & Marketing • Owns the content strategy, sales development/readiness and helps with content creation and much more
8. Definition of Sales Enablement “Sales enablement is a strategic, ongoing process that equips all client-facing employees with the ability to consistently and systematically have a valuable conversation with the right set of customer stakeholders at each stage of the customer’s problem- solving life cycle to optimize the return of investment of the selling system.” Forrester, August 2010
9. What does this mean? Strategic and ongoing process • It means that it is not tactical and one off, it is not just some one-off training or an event Equips all client-facing employees • Involved in every stage of the sales process from prospecting to post close onboarding and enablement Consistently and systematically have a valuable conversation • Continuing a conversation, using the right content at the right time is what will progress a conversation to desired outcome
10. Simply put… Sales enablement is the set of tools, knowledge and processes that enables a sales force to continuously succeed.
11. 01 02 03 04 What is Sales Operations & Enablement to me? 04 05 06 08 What challenges does a start-up face in Sales? How does Sales Enablement address these challenges? How does Sales Enablement grow with a start-up? Does Sales Enablement differ in a start-up vs. an enterprise? Is Sales Enablement an option for a start-up? Why should a start-up invest in Sales Enablement? Agenda
12. No process DISCOVERY QUALIFY COLLABORATE CONFIRM NEGOTIATION SIGNATURE CLOSED
13. What, how, why and when? Who are we selling to? How we do unlock a greater share of wallet? Expansion Strategies and tactics Little or no forward planning What, how, why and when?
14. 01 02 03 04 What is Sales Operations & Enablement to me? 05 06 07 08 What challenges does a start-up face in Sales? How does Sales Enablement address these challenges? How does Sales Enablement grow with a start-up? Does Sales Enablement differ in a start-up vs. an enterprise? Is Sales Enablement an option for a start-up? Why should a start-up invest in Sales Enablement? Agenda
15. Marketing Process Sales Process Buying Process A macro view of the GTM functions A holistic view of the company, then building and enabling a process that works for Sales and Marketing, but most importantly the Customer! Most importantly this is a process that works now but will also work in 5 years! Always plan and build for the future!
16. PLANNING COMMUNICATION SALES ONBOARDING CUSTOMER SUCCESS ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT COMPANY MARKETING Integrated contact strategy
17. Integrated contact strategy LONG TERM INTEGRATED PLANNING ALIGNED GTM STRATEGY GTM CONTENT STRATEGY RIGHT CONTENT RIGHT MESSAGE RIGHT CUSTOMER RIGHT TIME
18. 01 02 03 04 What is Sales Operations & Enablement to me? 05 06 07 08 What challenges does a start-up face in Sales? How does Sales Enablement address these challenges? How does Sales Enablement grow with a start-up? Does Sales Enablement differ in a start-up vs. an enterprise? Is Sales Enablement an option for a start-up? Why should a start-up invest in Sales Enablement? Agenda
19. Growing with a start-up
20. Growing with a start-up Start with a strategy Grow to dedicated focus Build a team Scale with the business
21. 01 02 03 04 What is Sales Operations & Enablement to me? 05 06 07 08 What challenges does a start-up face in Sales? How does Sales Enablement address these challenges? How does Sales Enablement grow with a start-up? Does Sales Enablement differ in a start-up vs. an enterprise? Is Sales Enablement an option for a start-up? Why should a start-up invest in Sales Enablement? Agenda
22. Start-up vs. Enterprise What’s the difference when it comes to Sales Enablement?
23. Start-up vs. Enterprise AGILITY The output should be the same • Access to just in time content • Marketers can act on performance data • The ability to leverage the right technology • Sales & Marketing alignment However the approach will be different • More focus on design rather than evolution • Very little, to nothing to start from • However more dynamic and agile because of no legacy
24. 01 02 03 04 What is Sales Operations & Enablement to me? 05 06 07 08 What challenges does a start-up face in Sales? How does Sales Enablement address these challenges? How does Sales Enablement grow with a start-up? Does Sales Enablement differ in a start-up vs. an enterprise? Is Sales Enablement an option for a start-up? Why should a start-up invest in Sales Enablement? Agenda
25. Do any of these sound familiar? Business is in high growth phase? New sales reps are taking longer to meet quota than planned/needed? Sales reps spend too much time on non-selling tasks I need to increase individual sales quotas next year Marketing efforts aren’t helping sales sell?
26. RAMP REPS FASTER Enable reps to hit their quota sooner INCREASE SELLING TIME Make the most of every minute of the day INCREASE QUOTA Focus on your benchmarks, increase your efficiency INCREASE ROI Make the most of all the GTM efforts Is Sales Enablement an option? Not if you want to succeed
27. In Summary Sales Enablement shouldn’t not be an option for any business that wants to: • Succeed • Sell, engage and retain customers • Offer more to your employees • Help reps over the long haul • Align your GTM functions in a common approach
28. The only question should be… …how much do I invest in Sales Enablement