I'm new to Sales Enablement and I'm curious how heavy-handed my approach should be. How much input does Sales expect from me, and what are some things that the sales team should be doing on their own?

It's difficult to paint a broad brush stroke answer on this, but as a general rule of thumb: Meet with Sales to understand their expectations and where they need the most help. It all starts with a conversation to understand gaps/opportunities.   In most cases, Sales will look to Product Marketers to help ensure they have impactful content/assets (informed by research/insights) to help them sell. I have not met many sales reps that are interested (or have the time) to develop sales content on th ...Read More

In Sales Enablement, your role is akin to a seasoned conductor guiding an orchestra. While offering invaluable expertise and tools, it's essential to strike a balance. Sales teams rely on your support and insights, yet they also bring their unique strengths to the table. Sales professionals are the frontline performers, akin to skilled soloists. They should autonomously refine their pitch, comprehend customer dynamics, and secure deals. Your mandate involves equipping them with the right resourc ...Read More

Hello! From a PMM perspective, Sales input is critical to a successful SE strategy. They know the needs of their team so they can help SE prioritize and focus. Usually finding a partner in Sales leadership can help you avoid too many cooks in the kitchen and streamline feedback.   Where SE can add value is providing strategy on delivery (role play, compeition, certifications, etc.), structure, and content. The size of your company and enablement team also differentiates how much effort you can y ...Read More

Congrats! Can you share more about your current context? Is this a new role for the team, or are you stepping into an established function? This will likely inform how much/what type of expectation your stakeholders have... Are there critical existing deliverables to keep in the air? Do they have pent up anticipation for key value you'll bring? If it's new, I'd start with evaluating the biggest gaps and start where the impact will be the largest. Does everyone fumble through an inconsistent pitc ...Read More