AMA: Zendesk Director of Product Marketing, Polomi Batra on Sales Enablement

This is a good question and one that is likely debate-able. I don’t think I’ve seen evidence to prove this one way or the other. However, being part of a global software company with a widely international customer base, my observation has been that certain markets like data sheets over others. Typically a data sheet is useful to provide an overview of the product’s features, specifications, and benefits. They help customers make informed decisions by offering detailed and relevant information at a glance. The key information that customers find most valuable in data sheets includes: * Product specifications: Details on what comes with it, supported platforms, and integration capabilities with existing tools * Key features and benefits: Overview of unique features and differentiators, along with the business benefits of each * Customer testimonials: Success stories from customers that have implemented the software and realized significant improvements in efficiency * Pricing and packaging information (with key market currencies listed) * Support information: Clear outline of the support options available, including 24/7 technical support and comprehensive user manuals (optional)

Great question! At Zendesk, we do provide sales enablement for a global product with a global sales team. Here are a couple of things I like to focus on: * Region-specific case studies: Include relevant case studies and testimonials from each region to make the material more relatable. * Whenever possible, localize the content for 1-2 priority regions * Involve local teams early and often: Work with local sales teams and regional experts to gather insights and ensure the material is relevant and effective. And also, establish feedback loops with local teams to continuously improve and update the materials based on their input and market changes. * Provide continuous support and resources to address any questions or challenges that arise with office hours, or region-specific trainings/Q&A sessions * Work with your enablement team, or regularly review performance data and feedback to refine and improve the materials 

This is a tough one! A couple of things you can put into place: * Regular training and updates by conducting regular training sessions, workshops, office hours, certifications * Weekly updates by sending out weekly emails with new terms and industry news, slack announcements * Centralized knowledge repository like Seismic for example * At Zendesk, we use a tool called Gong to listen in on calls our reps are having with customers, we also join customer calls and EBCs to observe and provide feedback to the sales team on their positioning and pitching of our solutions

Working with sales is a collaborative effort; when you offer them assistance, they're more inclined to involve you in discovery calls. Here are some strategies that have proven effective for me in fostering strong relationships with sales: Show up in the calls as the product expert: Deepen your knowledge of the product so you can provide valuable insights during prospect interactions. Whether it's troubleshooting, sharing best practices, demonstrating ROI metrics, or sharing use cases from other customers, your expertise adds significant value. Offer to present or demo: Volunteer to present the product roadmap or conduct a demo during discovery calls. This proactive approach not only showcases the product but also highlights your commitment to supporting sales efforts. Partner beyond the sale: Instead of viewing interactions as one-off engagements, offer ongoing support and collaboration even after the customer buys the product for example. Offer to have feedback calls, more roadmap sessions, etc. I would also recommend starting by investing your efforts in a select group of sales reps, build those strong relationships with a few first and then scale over time as needed.

Great question! First thing you want to answer is “what is the goal of your sales enablement”? Is it increasing sales productivity, reducing sales cycle length, improving win rates, and enhancing rep onboarding, etc.. A couple of things we typically look into today to see how effective our sales enablement has been and the ROI of it. One thing to note is that it can be difficult to know for sure, but these are all indications of ROI of sales enablement. * Win rates: Percentage of deals won versus deals lost * Average deal size: Value of closed deals * Content usage and effectiveness: # of downloads, # of shares with customers * Qualitative feedback from reps in different regions, CSAT and completion of trainings