Many GTM teams already rely on sales enablement software. The recent increase in its use isn’t just because more organizations are adopting new technology; it’s also about how enablement leaders are using modern tools to lead change, scale proven methods, and revolutionize training. That’s why for enablement leaders, investing in enablement technology isn’t just a matter of convenience — it’s a strategic necessity.  

To better understand the critical role enablement technology plays in empowering GTM teams across the globe, Seismic recently surveyed nearly 2,000 managers and senior leadership figures across GTM roles. The aim was to delve into their enablement strategies, the effectiveness of those strategies, the obstacles they face, and their GTM approaches. 

The study revealed that 92% of enablement tech users believe the desire for strategic, effective enablement will increase over the next 5 years, with 49% predicting a significant increase.  

Read on to understand the importance of sales enablement solutions and why this strategic investment is critical for driving growth, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring long-term sustainability. 

Why enablement technology matters 

Enablement technology empowers organizations to drive impactful customer engagement and prospect interactions. According to our study, increasing revenue, boosting customer satisfaction, optimizing operations, improving marketing and sales alignment, and increasing client retention are just some of the ways respondents say enablement technology helps their organizations. In fact, 82% of respondents estimate that enablement tools will help their company exceed its revenue targets in 2024. 

Part of the reason that it’s possible to achieve the business outcomes noted above is because enablement technology is great at enhancing the efficiency of GTM teams. On average, it saves respondents 12 hours per week, enabling teams to trade administrative work for higher value activities. Beyond streamlining processes, the adoption of enablement technology holds profound implications for employee retention and organizational competitiveness. Respondents feel so strongly about the necessity of enablement technology that 52% of enablement tech users say they simply wouldn’t work for a company without these tools. 

Who uses sales enablement tools? 

Once primarily utilized by sales teams, sales enablement technology now encompasses other GTM functions like customer success and marketing, reflecting its growing importance across customer-facing and revenue-generating teams. According to our study, 6 in 10 enablement users say that their company’s sales team uses enablement tech, while 58% report that marketing uses enablement tech and 53% say that enablement tech is used by customer success teams. 

When asked if the desire for strategic, effective enablement has increased over the last 3 to 5 years, 9 in 10 sales enablement tool users say yes — with 38% reporting a significant increase.  

The case for investment 

The study revealed that enablement spend is on the upswing: 58% of respondents say that their company plans to increase their investment in enablement technology in 2024. Notably, those who already use enablement technology and know its benefits were 75% more likely to say this. Sales leaders were 34% more likely than average to report an increase in spending. 

Investing in enablement technology isn’t just about staying ahead; it’s about securing your organization’s future resilience and competitiveness. A staggering 83% of those planning to increase or retain investment agree that enablement technology is integral to weathering difficult economic times. This speaks volumes about the perceived value of sales enablement tools.  

And the repercussions of neglecting this investment are real — with 36% of respondents considering leaving their organization due to inadequate tools, putting organizations at risk for attrition and diminished GTM performance.  

The promise of AI and outlook 

Recent advances around generative AI have the potential to transform digital sales enablement. In fact, 92% of respondents who plan to increase investment in enablement tech plan to do so because of the promise of AI. Today, AI is already transforming and simplifying enablement workflows, saving humans hours of administrative time by assuming repetitive, manual tasks.  

As generative AI continues to evolve, organizations can expect to improve data-driven decision-making, better understand customers, and deliver the personalized interactions that buyers crave. Investing in AI-powered enablement technology positions organizations to thrive in the future by driving innovation, streamlining operations, and delivering a superior customer experience. 

It’s time for Generation Enablement 

Today’s GTM teams are not just adopting sales enablement software — they’re  harnessing it to drive transformational change across the business. They’re not defined by their age, but by their outsized impact on GTM strategy, behaviors, and results. At Seismic, we’re calling this Generation Enablement, or Gen E for short.  

The Seismic Enablement Cloud^TM is designed to help GTM teams break down silos across departments and generations to help them perform their best and drive revenue growth.  

To learn more about Gen E and the results of our study, download the report here.  

The post 2024 is the year to invest in enablement software  appeared first on Seismic.

In previous articles, we’ve covered everything from measuring enablement success to blended learning programs. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key stages of the process, drawing parallels between constructing a home and establishing a thriving enablement program. So, grab your hard hat, and let’s look at some best practices to follow and common pitfalls to avoid when it comes to laying the groundwork for your enablement program.   

Stage 1 – Blueprinting: Utilize experts at Seismic 
Prior to Launch  

During the blueprinting phase, collaborating with your customer success & services team is crucial. Their insights into existing processes and pain points can help inform the design of your enablement program. Conduct joint workshops to gather input, ensuring that the program aligns with your organization’s objectives and outcomes. This collaborative approach will lay a solid foundation and foster a sense of ownership from all stakeholders. 

Stage 2 – Foundation: Define your goals and objectives. 
Prior to Launch  

Just like a sturdy house requires a solid foundation, a successful enablement program starts with a clear understanding of your goals and objectives. Identify what your organization needs – whether it’s onboarding new employees, improving sales efficiency, increasing product knowledge, or enhancing customer engagement. This foundation will guide every step of your enablement journey. 

• To do: Familiarize yourself with the program structure, curriculum, resources, and partners. 
  • Set clear goals for the year. Then, break them down into smaller, actionable milestones with benchmarks to measure progress.  
  • Define what success is for your program at each milestone. 
• Pitfalls to avoid: Be sure to include important stakeholders and involve direct leadership of your end users in this stage. 

Stage 3 – Framework: Design your program structure. 
Prior to Launch  

Now that you have a solid foundation, it’s time to design the framework of your enablement “house.” Develop a structured program that  provides governance across your program, platform, and content, defines your onboarding processes, outlines continuous training, and includes resources for ongoing learning. To increase awareness of what content is being used, when, and why, consider the roles and responsibilities of your team members – they are the pillars that support the entire structure. Pay close attention to the resources they are using daily, like pitch decks or demos. 

• To do: Identify and gather necessary learning resources. 
  • Consult internal partners on content requirements. 
  • Establish an internal process for content intake/build requests.  
  • Start building a governance committee.  
• Pitfall to avoid: Not setting expectations with initial content owners to partner for auditing content in the future (which will help to establish the content lifecycle process)  

Stage 4 – Construction: Content creation and delivery
Prior to Launch  

Just as walls and rooms take shape during construction, your enablement program needs quality content. Create engaging and informative materials tailored to various stages of the learning journey. Leverage various delivery methods such as live training sessions, on-demand resources, and interactive workshops to ensure your enablement content reaches every corner of your organization. Utilizing the coaching tools associated with Seismic Learning also helps enablement teams know if the content they develop is working.  

• To do: Leverage different learning elements when building lessons to target goals. For example: Include pitch practice exercises for a new product release to evaluate a seller’s skillset and knowledge. Then, provide personalized coaching and feedback based on their performance. You can also ask sellers to receive certifications for new products to ensure expertise. 
• Pitfall to avoid: Be sure to leverage a tagging structure. This is visible for end learners so they can search for useful and relevant content. These also help admins search and audit content. Lessons shouldn’t be longer than 10-15 minutes or contain long videos. (Check out our best practice for micro learning). 
  • Try to pilot content prior to full launch.  

Stage 5 – Adding art to the walls: Technology integrations 
Prior to Launch 

Adding art to the walls involves carefully selecting and placing the right pieces for the right spaces. Similarly, you need to thoughtfully integrate the right technologies into your enablement program. Choose platforms that facilitate learning, collaboration, and analytics to ensure your team has the necessary tools to thrive. Seismic’s Professional Services can provide valuable input on integration, customization, and user training. By building this partnership, you are not only constructing an enablement program.; You’re creating an entire enablement ecosystem that promotes efficiency across the entire organization. 

Maintenance: Continuous improvement 
Post-Launch  

Just as building a house comes with its share of unexpected challenges, maintaining your enablement program requires navigating the occasional snafu. Embrace the inevitable hiccups as opportunities to learn and refine your approach. Gather feedback, analyze performance metrics, and  adjust your strategy as needed. Remember, the ability to adapt and overcome unexpected obstacles is a hallmark of a resilient enablement initiative. Keep your toolkit of solutions handy, and your enablement “house” will not only weather the storms but emerge stronger and more resilient. 

Enjoying the home you built 

Congratulations! You successfully built your enablement “house.” It is not just a structure; it’s a dynamic environment that fosters growth, learning, and success. With a solid foundation, thoughtful design, and continuous care, your program will stand strong and support your organization’s objectives for years to come.   

Post-Launch: Adoption + Scaling your Program  

• Quarterly: 
  • Collect feedback + evaluation of content  
  • Highlight positive feedback from end users – this will help with change management  
  • Revisit Milestone and benchmark measurement 
  • Revisit governance of program, platform, and content   

• 0-3 months  
  • Monitor log in data, lesson completion data, satisfaction of content consumed.  
  • Add new elements to lessons builds. 

• 3-6 months 
  • Build certifications.  
  • Enable managers to leverage insights for accountability.  

• 6-9 months 
  • Pilot for a new use case  
  • Enable managers of coaching tools  

• 9-12 months 
  • Build a skills matrix 
  • Focus on developing specific skills or competencies outlined in your program. 
  • Engage in hands-on projects, case studies, and/or practical exercises to apply your learning. 

What’s Next: Planning for Year 2!  

• Reflect on your first year’s achievements and challenges to refine your program goals and objectives for the next year. 
• Identify areas of interest for further exploration and skill development in your readiness program. 

The post Your Readiness Program: Year One and Beyond  appeared first on Seismic.

To continue with the best practices for scaling your enablement program, Dean Perry, Principal Strategic Consultant at Seismic, will share insights from an executive panel discussion with top Seismic customers who have experienced success and continued growth, and how you can too.  

Before we start, take a moment to reflect and honestly answer this question: is your company unlocking value from sales enablement or struggling to scale success? It takes a growth mindset to build a culture of excitement behind enablement efforts, and we are committed to turning that attitude into action and unlocking outcomes for your business. In a previous blog we have already reviewed how to build a roadmap strategy, now let’s discuss how to scale that plan successfully.  

Research shows the direct correlation between sales enablement and revenue.  The Aberdeen Strategy and Research Group found that companies focused on investing in a sales enablement tool achieved a 32% higher overall team sales quota, with 24% more individual sales reps achieving quota. When applied correctly, effective enablement strategy results in meaningful revenue, increased buyer and employee engagement, and enhanced buyer experience. If you don’t have a strategy to scale and optimize your efforts, you’re already falling behind your competition. 

When scaling your enablement efforts, here are some best practices to keep in mind: 

Decide how you’re going to measure the progress of your key initiatives
No matter where you are in the process of scaling your maturity, you need to understand your baseline and how to track progress. This can be done through stakeholder surveys, goal setting, and KPI evaluation.  

Define a group of stakeholders to keep informed and get sponsorship
Make sure you have a key influencer at the executive level who can sponsor and articulate the value of enablement. Also, align all stakeholders before you try to grow. This will mitigate unexpected blockers and clearly define ownership and responsibilities. For example, one customer carved out time during quarterly leadership meetings with stakeholders in sales, marketing, revenue ops, and enablement to outline their progress on initiatives and shared regular reporting and recommendations.

Identify technology that enables transformation and solves a variety of needs
Try building around a key piece of technology that is highly valued by sales and marketing teams to help anchor your efforts. Proactively review your technology stack to ensure sellers have access to the right tools. One of our panelists also recommended involving procurement earlier in the vetting process. Getting their input at this phase helps identify any similar technology under review or potential blockers to implementation before going too far. 

Plan to expand your sales enablement budget
Gartner predicts sales enablement budgets will increase 50% by 2027. Cost is a major factor in selecting and maintaining a successful sales enablement program. Continued and thoughtful investment in these systems and processes will be paramount in maintaining their effectiveness. 

Ensure dedicated support or build out a bigger team
Organizationally, it helps to have dedicated departmental resources aligned exclusively to supporting enablement. Organizing the function in this manner treats enablement as a mission-critical priority and helps customers achieve their goals. 

Here are additional best practices for teams of all sizes and varying levels of resources: 

Team of 1  

• Know your limits and set clear expectations. 
• Evaluate the end-to-end process for enablement and prioritize use cases that are most impactful for your delivery teams. 
• Look around the organization for shared resources you can leverage. 
• Define the scope of enablement and the technologies you have the capacity to own. 
• Be a Swiss army knife – with limited enablement resources comes added workload and the need to deliver for many people. Try and be flexible to change.   
• Document your capacity and build a case for expanding your team! 

Team of Few  

• Establish a clear intake request process to become more proactive to emerging needs. 
• Meet regularly with your team to delegate tasks and check progress on initiatives. 
• If you are the leader, always shine a light on the impact of enablement efforts with company leadership.  
• Track the success of business outcomes through meaningful KPIs and report regularly to leaders about why they matter.  
• Build a business case to show growth and expansion of the team designed around how you see the future, strategically – not how others tell you it should look. 

Team of Many  

• Use your size to get involved in multiple areas of the business. A large enablement team can effectively become an intersection of cross departmental transformation and a de facto center of excellence. 
• Connect your team’s work to specific revenue focused initiatives.  
• Stay organized and use a detailed project planning process to keep everyone efficient. Break tasks into clear workstreams. 
• Develop levels of specialization within your team and create subject matter experts.  
• Never lose a startup mindset. Stay open to innovative ideas on how to improve, and don’t get bogged down with antiquated processes just because “it’s the way we’ve always done things.”  

The benefits of scaling your sales enablement program are not limited to delivering more enablement. When applied correctly, scale will allow you to target more use cases to improve the effectiveness of how your company delivers products and services to market.   

As we conclude, keep in mind these words of wisdom from last year’s panel discussion: 

• Enablement is a journey, not a destination. You will need to iterate and change your plans as you grow and scale.  

• Select your business outcomes and use cases for sales enablement wisely and always cater to the seller’s experience. They will become your best advocates – or worst opponents – when it comes to adoption. 

• Be accountable to measure what matters for your business. Report on those metrics early and often, and make informed, data-driven recommendations based on those insights. 

If your organization needs recommendations on how to scale your enablement efforts, please reach out to your account team at Seismic today – our Strategic Advisory consultants can help. 

The post How to scale your enablement program  appeared first on Seismic.

Sales coaching programs typically take a customized approach, tailoring guidance around the seller’s unique strengths to help them develop and refine the skills needed to have meaningful customer interactions and achieve their quotas. Behind every sales coaching program is a sales manager, and it should come as no surprise that effective coaching requires effective managers. According to Gartner, managers who understand how to be a good coach can help individuals increase performance by as much as 8%.

Optimizing sales coaching with software

Coaching sellers poses challenges for sales managers due to the added complexity of managing remote teams. Additionally, the lack of experience and knowledge in modeling the right behaviors makes it more complicated. These obstacles are just a few reasons why most managers spend less than 5% of their time coaching sellers.

To create a scalable sales coaching program that delivers the personalized feedback that sellers require, sales managers need sales coaching software. Just as frontline teams depend on various technologies to do their jobs successfully, sales coaching software is an essential tool that makes it possible to create an online sales coaching program that enables sellers to practice, receive feedback, and track progress over time.

8 qualities every sales coaching program needs

To create the best sales coaching program for your organization, you should start by identifying your objectives and then determine the technology you need to achieve them. Below are the top eight qualities that you should look for and implement as you develop your sales coaching programs:

Customization

Customization is one of the most critical qualities of any sales coaching program. Tailor coaching sessions to address individual and team needs, considering factors like experience level, strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. This helps sellers and teams capitalize on their strengths and address problem areas faster.

Clear objectives

If you don’t measure it, you can’t track it. Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for coaching sessions provides clear direction and focus. This ensures that coaching efforts align with organizational goals and sales targets. SMART goals also hold individuals and teams accountable, making it more likely that they’ll follow through and take the steps needed to improve performance.

Continuous feedback

Sales coaching programs should offer feedback to sales reps in the moment — whether it’s positive reinforcement or constructive criticism — to help them adjust their behavior quickly. It’s important to deliver continuous feedback to promote learning and facilitate improvement.

Role-playing exercises

Practice makes progress. Prepare sellers for new challenges by incorporating role-playing scenarios to simulate real-world sales situations in a risk-free environment. Sales coaching software makes it easy to deliver scenario-based training at scale, helping sales reps enhance skills, confidence, and adaptability. This tool also enables sales leaders to identify problem areas and know where to correct them.

Data-driven insights

All sales leaders need data to determine what’s working and what isn’t. Utilize sales data and analytics to identify performance trends, areas for improvement, and coaching priorities. Sales coaching software should provide easy access to dashboards and custom reporting to help leaders make data-driven decisions and track the ROI of their coaching efforts.

Skill development

The business landscape is constantly changing, making it critical for sales leaders to prioritize learning and development for their teams. Supplement coaching conversations with training to help sellers master a wide range of sales skills, including prospecting, objection handling, negotiation, closing techniques, and relationship-building.

Offering training and coaching doesn’t just contribute to better performance, it can also improve retention. Seismic’s Value of Enablement Report found that companies that provide on-the-job coaching increase seller retention by an average of 20% each year.

Peer-to-peer learning

Facilitating opportunities for sales team members to learn from each other’s successes and failures through peer-to-peer coaching or knowledge-sharing sessions is a great way to communicate best practices. Sales coaching software enables teams to scale winning strategies by easily distributing playbooks, choreography, and content across the sales organization.

Tech integrations

There are several essential technologies that sales teams rely on to perform their roles. Consider sales coaching software that integrates with your sales enablement tools, CRM systems, and other technology platforms to streamline coaching processes, track progress, and provide access to resources. Connecting with your systems of record helps maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of your sales coaching programs.

Scale your sales coaching program with Seismic

Empowering your sales reps to meet their quotas and beyond is not a one-and-done activity. It requires a commitment to sales coaching that’s ongoing and tailored to every sales rep’s specific needs. Seismic’s learning and coaching solution equips sales leaders to assess skills, deliver personalized coaching, and track development — all within the flow of work. Our coaching software enables sales teams to train their teams 62% faster and reach their goals more often. 

Are you ready to experience a modern coaching platform? Jump into this free lesson to see Seismic Learning firsthand.

The post 8 qualities of effective sales coaching programs appeared first on Seismic.

• How to identify the ideal mix of online and offline learning elements
• Strategies for creating and delivering engaging learning content
• Tips for measuring the success of your blended learning program

I’ve worked with Seismic Learning since 2014 in roles from sales development to account management, and now as a Product Manager. And, I’ve seen training and enablement drastically change over the course of the decade. Back then, nearly everyone was in an office and received their enablement through in-person, training sessions.

Fast forward to an increasingly tech-friendly, remote workforce, and to say learning styles have changed is an understatement. Now, a multi-format approach to training and enablement is critical. At last year’s Seismic Shift, we tackled this reality head on and provided new ways of thinking about learning. We wanted enablers to leave with practical and strategic tips to help them create a comprehensive plan that leads to impactful learning and enablement efforts.

Before diving in, let’s make sure we’re using a common definition for the term blended learning.

Generally speaking, blended learning is a training method that utilizes in-person (or virtual) instructor-led training, alongside self-paced e-learning. We can expand that definition even further to include other training activities, like offline tasks, practice opportunities, or role playing.

According to a 2018 report, nearly 70% of companies use some degree of blended learning in their training programs.  I can only imagine that the number of companies specifically incorporating e-learning into their training programs has skyrocketed since COVID. Suffice it to say, a blended approach to learning is now a best practice.

And while the focus of today’s post is blended learning, I suspect hybrid learning is on many of your minds as well. While blended learning focuses on using multiple training modalities, hybrid learning serves people in the office and those who work remotely.

I recently partnered with my colleague Ashton Sword to discuss the best ways to understand blended and hybrid learning, as well as best practices that any organization can immediately put into action. Ashton has been with Seismic for three years as a Senior Strategic Consultant. Before joining Seismic, she was a Seismic customer who implemented a global instance of Seismic Learning. We recap our Shift discussion below!

Evan: What does blended learning mean to you? And what does it look like at the organizations you partner with?

Ashton: Blended learning, for me, means seamlessly combining traditional classroom teaching with online resources. Partnering with companies from financial services to home builders gives me access to a wide range of blended learning styles and scenarios. From virtually learning about retirement plans, to in-person training on pouring a foundation, it helps to clearly identify what must be in-person and what can be virtual.

E: Thoughtfully building a blended learning program is more involved than just creating a path of e-learning lessons. Why is a blended learning approach worth the extra effort?

A: It’s like crafting a customized learning experience, recognizing that each person has unique preferences and learning styles. A blended approach leverages the strengths of in-person and digital methods to create a well-rounded and flexible onboarding or everboarding experience. As we transitioned back to having sellers in the field, I helped many of my customers change their lengthier lessons to bite-size trainings that are easily accessed on a mobile device.

E: How do you determine what mediums to use in your blended learning? When might you use an instructor-led event rather than a lesson, or a shadowing session vs. a practice scenario?

A: The decision to train in person or virtually depends on factors like the nature of the content, learner preferences, logistical considerations, and the desired level of interaction. We can help customers evaluate content complexity, learner needs, and practicality to determine the most effective and efficient training format. I like to start with a survey to gauge how effective training has been for learners before we make changes. Meeting users where they are is key!

E: The key to blended learning is the inclusion of multiple learning mediums. How do you measure the success of each of those mediums, as well as the success of the learning program overall?

A: With virtual training, I believe it is a bit simpler. You have learner engagement and satisfaction that can be easily measured within the platform, as well as coaching areas such as practice or, my favorite, skills. This allows you to see how learners are performing with content and how they are applying it. Building your training based on desired outcomes or goals allows you to select the most meaningful metrics. For example, if one of my customers is trying to increase win rates, I recommend analyzing contributing factors like product knowledge, communication style, confidence, time management, etc. Those are areas where enablement can build lessons and opportunities for practice.

E: Instructor-led training and e-learning modules are regarded as the two primary building blocks of a blended learning experience, but what are some lesser-known components?

A: Definitely mentorship and peer-to-peer learning. Peer-to-peer learning offers several benefits, including increased engagement, diverse perspectives, and collaborative skill development. Learners often find the informal exchange of knowledge with peers to be more relatable, leading to enhanced understanding and retention. We’ve implemented wins of the week or challenges of the week with many of my customers, helping their colleagues highlight areas of growth and opportunities.

E: How do you see some of today’s emerging technology, like AR/VR or generative AI, playing a role in blended learning?

A: AI will be a massive efficiency gain for enablement teams and go to market teams. The ability to easily create content, smart search capabilities, and AI empowered coaching will all play a role.

E: With so many companies moving to a remote-first workforce, it can be a challenge to make employees feel connected to their colleagues and the organization. A customer’s approach to training offers an opportunity to highlight what makes the organization unique. In this flex-first world, how have you used blended learning and structured your training to reinforce what makes a company special?

A: While great e-learning lessons are fun and engaging and can reinforce your brand, a training program that only utilizes e-learning can feel distant and impersonal. This can be balanced by including instructor-led training events or peer-to-peer training opportunities that give employees a chance to interact with other their teammates and experience the unique culture of your company. Including offline tasks provides another opportunity for employees to understand what makes your company special – whether it’s an in-person coffee with a colleague in the same city, or an in-home scavenger hunt as part of an onboarding program.

E: Lastly, how would you advise our readers to evaluate their learning programs considering the discussion we’ve had on blended learning?

A: We’ve included a handout that can walk customers through the questions they should ask as they evaluate their learning program and understand blended learning styles. Also, partner with your Seismic Learning team for ongoing support, strategy and best practices!

Want a copy of the handout? Reach out to your account manager or schedule a call with one of our sales team members!

The post Driving effective enablement through blended learning appeared first on Seismic.

Daniel Pink, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of To Sell is Human, sums up the “art” part well: “The ability to move others to exchange what they have for what we offer is the art of the pitch.” It takes significant training and coaching to perfect a sales pitch and refine any seller’s soft skills.

As for the “science,” sellers need the right content, skills, insights, and analytics to connect with prospects and prove their product or service’s value. Without a doubt, one of the most vital pieces of sales content they need in their toolkit is an excellent sales pitch deck. 

A sales pitch deck is a visual representation of the value your organization provides. It’s an indispensable piece of sales collateral that anchors millions of virtual and in-person pitches each year. 

Most decks combine data, storytelling, and emotional engagement to create a compelling narrative — a narrative that convinces buyers to move forward in the sales cycle and eventually make a purchase.

So, what do the most successful sellers include in their pitch decks? In this post, we’ll share five key components of a winning, revenue-driving sales pitch deck. 

What should a sales pitch deck include?

Most markets are saturated with good options for buyers to choose from, so your pitch deck has to stand out and answer this question: Why should people buy your product or service instead of someone else’s?

An impactful sales pitch deck includes: 

1. Your solution to a burdensome problem
2. The standout features of your product or service 
3. Proof that your product is better than your competitors
4. Real stories from happy customers
5. Pricing information

We’ll dig into each of these five things shortly, but remember that the overarching goal of your deck is to combine visuals and concise text in a way that communicates your value proposition loud and clear. 

But here’s the kicker: No two customers are the same, and neither are the best sales decks.

Source: Zendesk, 2023

That’s why personalization is the backbone of any great pitch deck for sales. (Hint: Tools like Seismic’s pitch deck generator make it simple for sellers to customize every pitch deck to their prospect’s interests, industry, and potential use cases in seconds).

With personalization in mind, let’s dive into the five elements your sales deck design should address to make the best impression.

1. Challenges and pain points

A great place to start is with the specific challenges and pain points your prospect is experiencing. Every impactful sales deck outline shows a clear understanding of the prospect’s pain, right from the get-go.  

This shows the prospect you’ve done your homework and have a deep understanding of their world. This slide (or a couple of slides) should always be personalized based on any initial conversations or past interactions you’ve had with a prospect before the call.

2. Your solution and value proposition

This part of the deck is where you demonstrate how you’re the pain relief they’ve been looking for. Share what your product or service can do and how it’s going to make a difference. 

Don’t be afraid to dive into the details of your solution. Highlight, at the highest level, the value you provide by showcasing a benefit or two that demonstrate your competitive edge. Charts, graphs, and data points are powerful elements that bring your value prop to life in this section.

This is the moment in your sales pitch deck that needs a compelling narrative. In other words, there is a better time to list off features.

3. Product features and capabilities

Once you have a solid narrative, transition to the highlight reel of your business. A great sales pitch deck outline includes slides showing key features and personalized product screenshots and GIFs.

The goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of what you offer, complete with technical specifications prospects will care about, like integrations, and any unique capabilities your product offers that your competitors may not.

A word of advice for this section: Your prospects will either tune in to what you’re saying in this section or tune you out if what you’re saying doesn’t apply to them. Know who you’re talking to. If it’s a champion who’ll be an end user or, perhaps, an Ops person who’ll be responsible for implementation, share the technical details you feel are relevant. But if it’s a C-suite decision maker, they want value and proof of ROI — not a list of features.

4. Industry-specific customer testimonials

“When people are uncertain, they are more likely to use others’ actions to decide on proper behavior for themselves.” 

Robert Cialdini, the author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion said this, and it couldn’t be more true.

Social proof is everything. Seeing how others in the same space solve problems with your product is often just the push prospects need to affirm their decision. Be sure your sales pitch deck includes real customer feedback, complete with the exact wins they enjoyed because of your solution. Short quotes, headshots, and stats often work well on these kinds of slides.

Again, personalization is so important here. Work to find a story or two that will resonate most with your prospect. 

5. Pricing and packages

As you approach the end of a pitch, it’s time to talk numbers. The best thing you can do in these concluding slides is be transparent about your pricing model.

Outline the cost structure and all available packages or options. Cover all pricing tiers, any discounts or incentives, and what’s in it for the customer. Your prospects should leave this meeting with a clear understanding of how you can help them, and what it looks like to partner with you. 

One last bit of advice: A sales pitch should never feel like a monologue. Engaged prospects will have questions along the way, so be sure your deck isn’t so inflexible or that you don’t have time to listen to the prospect and address their questions and concerns.

Personalize every single pitch deck with Seismic

A one-size-fits-all approach to sales pitching simply doesn’t cut it anymore. 

To create the best sales deck and pitch experience for sellers and prospects alike, consider Seismic’s suite of revenue enablement tools, including Guided Assembly and Seismic for PowerPoint. These two tools enable thousands of global sellers to create personalized, informative B2B sale pitch decks that incorporate all five elements above and resonate deeply with prospects.

Personalized selling at scale is possible with Seismic.Think you’re ready to see Seismic’s pitch deck personalization in action? We’d be thrilled to show you our platform.

The post 5 components of a revenue-driving sales pitch deck appeared first on Seismic.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. There are scrappy, “we’ll-figure-it-out” sellers and leaders around the globe navigating today’s challenges excellently. Most of them are leaning on sales enablement tools to adapt their messaging, strategy, and workflows to the needs of their target market.

In fact, 92% of global revenue leaders who plan to increase or retain their sales enablement tech agree that it’s integral to weathering difficult economic times.

Whether you’re part of a more mature sales organization with sales enablement software in place, or your company hasn’t gotten there yet, we invite you to read on. We’ll review data from the 2023 Value of Enablement Report that proves why it’s the prime time to invest in better sales enablement to boost buyer engagement. 

But first, a quick note: It’s easy for companies to say things like “Now more than ever is the time for [OUR PRODUCT].” These statements always feel biased and sales-y. Our goal here is just to publicize what our data says about the impact of using a top sales enablement software.

The people have spoken: Sales enablement is worth it

Here at Seismic, we, of course, believe that sales enablement software is a competitive differentiator. But this is also supported by the enablers and sellers who use the technology day in and day out.

As mentioned above, we published a report earlier this year where we surveyed and then studied more than 1,200 full-time sales, enablement, and customer success professionals. These people work in managerial and leadership roles throughout the United States and Europe. 

75% of them — whether they have a sales enablement solution in place or not — say that implementing new enablement tools is a priority for their company in 2024. Here are the four main reasons why.

1. Sellers are facing a tough crowd, day in and day out

Closing deals is not what it once was. By the time a prospective client is on a first call with an AE at a tech company or a private banker in the financial services space, they’ve already done their homework. They’re largely informed about what you do, and they expect you to know what they need. 

Prospects expect a personalized sales experience because that’s what your best competitors offer. But this takes so much time.

On top of this, new companies and products are entering the market regularly and clients’ priorities and behavior are constantly evolving. Sales enablement software empowers leaders to better equip their salespeople with the skills, content, insights, and tools they need to engage with clients and close deals.

In fact, 97% of survey respondents who use sales enablement software say it gives them quick access to content, information, and/or coaching, so they can consistently speak to clients from a more informed standpoint.

2. Sellers expect top-of-the-line tech

If you want to attract or retain top sales talent, an intuitive, modern tech stack is non-negotiable. Period. 

Sellers who have experience working at companies with robust customer relationship management (CRM) platform integrations, data analytics tools, and sales automation tech expect sales enablement tech. They want to:

• Be in the know about new processes and market trends
• Streamline tedious tasks so they can focus on client relationships
• Go to a single place to go for all of their learning and content.

Case in point: Based on our data, a seller who’s working without enablement tech spends an average of 10 hours per week tracking down, comparing, or revisiting content to send to clients. And 74% are currently considering leaving their company due to a lack of tools to support their success.

3. Sellers will stay (or go) where they can grow

This goes hand in hand with the top-of-the-line tech reason above. 59% of our respondents went so far to say that they won’t work for a company without enablement tools. Good enablement software and programs make sellers better in their current roles. But great ones make them better sellers, leaders, teammates, and client advocates for their entire careers.

Continuous learning is a major priority for today’s sellers. With a sales enablement solution, you can easily disseminate relevant industry trends and product knowledge, yes — but also selling techniques, certifications, mock practice scenarios, and more to make your sales team more skilled for even future roles they’ll take.

Here’s the best part: When organizations prioritize ongoing training and development for sales representatives with enablement, sellers want to stay. Nearly 80% of the respondents we surveyed believe that their company’s enablement tools will help them retain and attract more employees in 2024. And 100% of those with plans to decrease enablement efforts are concerned that it will lead to lower employee retention.

4. Sellers want to work for agile, adaptable employers

Last, but not least, the best sales enablement tools equip sellers with everything they need to operate with agility, even in times of economic uncertainty. 

Compare these results from the report:

Organizations, especially hybrid or remote ones, without an enablement tool can’t pivot quite as quickly if they notice a new sales tactic that’s closing deals 20% better. They can’t prevent sellers from finding, let alone sending dated content. They can’t create a highly-personalized slide deck in less than five minutes.

Sellers want to work for organizations that are built with resilience in mind and who have the tech and infrastructure in place to handle the ever-evolving landscape they’re working in.

The bottom line about top-notch enablement

It pays big dividends to prioritize sales enablement. The report reveals that an investment in sales enablement grows revenue, retains and attracts great sellers, and gives clients an experience that’s on par (or better than) their expectations. 

If you’d like to learn how you can go to market quickly and smoothly, download our eBook, Kick Go-to-Market Chaos to the Curb.

The post Why sales enablement is worth prioritizing in 2024 and beyond appeared first on Seismic.

Sellers, you know the feeling, too: Your marketing team creates new versions of your go-to-market collateral and you don’t know where to find it. And if you do, you don’t have time to personalize it or demonstrate that it helps move the needle with your clients.

Enablement practitioners, you are the solution to this content chaos. With an excellent sales enablement content strategy, your sellers shouldn’t waste time searching for content.

A 2023 study we commissioned revealed this: 97% of people who said that sales enablement software gives them quick access to content also said that such quick access lets them communicate with their clients from a more informed standpoint. As an enablement professional, it’s your job to make it easier for your client-facing teammates to grow revenue. Reducing content chaos plays a big part in that.

Picture your content chaos, solved

At this point, we’ve established that sales enablement is an efficient, scalable way to control content chaos. Now let’s dig deeper. 

Here are just four (of many) reasons why including a sales content management system keeps your content organized, accessible, and up-to-date. 

1. Sellers find what they need faster

Right now, sellers without sales enablement tech spend an average of 10 hours per week tracking down, comparing, or revisiting content to send to their clients. There’s a better way with content management software. See what we mean by checking out this video.

The best sales enablement practitioners leverage sales content management tech that gives sellers:

• AI-powered search capabilities
• In-context content recommendations (right in their inboxes and CRM instances)
• Custom fields to personalize and send always-compliant content 

One quick note here: Watch for sales enablement content management software that lets admins create content libraries for various profiles and personas, complete with tagging functionality and easy version control. This helps sellers find, customize, and send content at lightning speed. After all, your sellers didn’t join your organization to chase their tails for content; they want to sell. 

The ability to find content quickly and efficiently is actually a recruiting point. The 2023 Value of Enablement Report revealed that 91% of respondents who don’t use sales enablement tools to organize their content have noticed a dip in morale because sellers have to focus on non-revenue generating activities at work, which negatively affects their income. In short, give your sellers fast access to the content they need and you’ll attract and keep top talent.

2. Sellers rest easy because their content tells a cohesive story

With a sales enablement platform, content isn’t being created in ad-hoc, one-off ways. Everything internal (think playbooks and process documentation) and external (think client presentations, case studies, product one-pagers) can be well-planned out and cohesive.

Sales enablement software empowers admins to control who can create or modify content. This allows practitioners to partner with their product marketing teammates to equip sellers only with the most up-to-date messaging. This aligns sales and marketing departments — which historically has been no small feat — and, more importantly, it makes it so your content resonates with clients. They should find the same information on your website as they do in sales conversations and the follow-up content from your sales reps.

3. Sellers personalize content without going off-script

An all-too-common content chaos struggle is rogue content; sometimes sellers create their own materials. Occasionally, these ad-hoc slide decks and PDFs are good, but more often than not, they’re off-brand, noncompliant, and untracked, so no one knows how they perform.

Sellers have no bad intentions in customizing content for their clients. In fact, a desire to personalize content is a sure sign of a great salesperson. But savvy enablement practitioners will give sellers a way to easily personalize their content to make it industry-specific, use-case-specific, and even client-specific.

Earlier this year, we surveyed more than 1,200 full-time sales, enablement, and customer success professionals. 63% of them said that the content they use at work right now is not personalizable enough for their customers. You can solve this with technology that prioritizes sales enablement and marketing content personalization, making it easy for sellers to update fields and send all of their content from one platform. 

This is critical in solving content chaos. Case in point: Companies that prioritize personalization experience a 57% increase in buyer engagement.

4. Most importantly, sellers deliver a “wow” buyer experience

Fact: It’s nearly impossible to deliver exceptional buyer experiences at scale without well-enabled sellers who have powerful content management tools at their fingertips. 

Clients don’t really care if you have an organized content repository; they care that you’re sending them relevant content when they really need it. So, find a sales enablement platform that offers AI-guided sales content recommendations. The best tech should be able to suggest high-performing content across different deal stages based on what’s converted clients in the past. This doesn’t take the humanity out of selling — just the gut feelings and guesswork.

It’s possible and worth it to solve content chaos

From the largest enterprises to the smallest businesses, it’s possible to solve content chaos with a sales enablement platform that’ll scale as you grow. As you consider whether or not better sales content management is something you need, consider these stats:

• 95% of buying decisions are made with the help of sales content
• 82% of buyers view at least five pieces of content before purchasing
• 95% of sales reps say they don’t have access to high-value, shareable content
• 65% of content that’s created by marketing goes unused without enablement 

The numbers speak for themselves. Sellers need a better way to distribute great content. The solution is sales enablement. 

Think it’s time to level up your content organization, distribution, and analysis? Check out some G2 reviews, watch a few led-by-you demo videos, or reach out to the Seismic team today for a glimpse of how we help 2,200+ companies put their best foot forward with better content.

The post How sales enablement solves content chaos appeared first on Seismic.

As we prepared for Shift 2023, we saw automation, personalization, and compliant customization as critical areas where our customers would find significant value and opportunity. Indeed, their future success relied heavily on these three key initiatives. As we navigate the first quarter of the new year, there’s a stronger emphasis on content automation, seamless personalization, and scalable customization, laying the groundwork for growth and transformation for our customers. 

If you’re considering any of these initiatives, check out some of the following questions our Professional Services experts often encounter. If you answer yes to any of them, it’s time to focus on these areas:  

• How can we allocate more time for our sellers to directly engage with clients? 
• How can we ensure our content is personalized and relevant to each recipient? 
• How can we leverage data effectively to enhance the experience for our stakeholders and customers? 

Looking ahead, financial services firms face the challenge of supporting more funds and products, requiring proactive communication and adaptation to evolving regulations. Meanwhile, customers in other sectors grapple with increasingly intricate processes and the integration of multiple systems to maximize the performance of their marketing technology stack.  

Seismic can help you scale to meet today’s challenges and evolve alongside you to optimize for tomorrow. From content creation to distribution, we collaborate with customers on how to leverage Seismic to enhance their production workflows, reduce time to market, and maintain compliance. 

Bringing together personalization and automation 

In line with my colleague Corey’s approach in the first blog post of this series, let’s ensure we’re all on the same page with these definitions: 

Content personalization enables sellers to tailor content for individual client interactions. 

Content automation streamlines manual workflows by integrating data, text, and other components into marketing assets. 

The magic happens when personalization and automation converge. For instance, marketing teams can utilize LiveDocs to automatically incorporate data required for 80% of a fact sheet’s output, leaving only the remaining 20% to be manually updated with fund commentary, bios, and disclosures. This process is prone to errors and inefficiencies, especially when compliance reviews and approvals are handled via email, documents, or spreadsheets (which might be shared locally or in disparate locations). 

At Seismic, we understand that time is money, and accuracy and compliance are paramount. Our technical experts and architects develop solutions with efficiency and measurable value at the forefront. What excites me the most, having been in the industry for 10 years, is witnessing customers immediately reap the benefits of these innovations. 

Increased productivity with Fund Report Orchestrator 

For example, our Fund Report Orchestrator (FRO) solution assisted EFG Asset Management (EFGAM) in streamlining their monthly commentary for their top 15 funds and quarterly commentary for remaining funds. This operational workflow involves fund managers inputting data into FRO, which is then reviewed by the marketing team before submission for compliance approval—all within a centralized platform. Additionally, the API integration with EFGAM’s website automates the publication of commentaries, eliminating manual intervention and ensuring a seamless process. Implementing FRO reduced their production and approval timeline from 15 down to 5 days, sparking a boost in overall productivity within the first month.  

The Seismic Professional Services team is here to help reimagine content production and automation by enhancing workflows within a centralized location. We assist in setting up content, data, and necessary processes to execute best-in-class enablement, from commentaries to case studies. Our flexible engagements include ongoing hands-on support, customized training for self-managed teams, strategic guidance, change management best practices, and more—all aligned to help deliver on the value of content automation, powered by the Seismic Enablement Cloud. 

This is just the beginning—customers who embrace automation, personalization, and customization now will be well-prepared for forthcoming innovations. Get the most out of Seismic today—we’re here to help you get started. 

The post How to automate and personalize your content in 2024  appeared first on Seismic.

From how to get better sleep to how to be more productive at work, the advice feels endless. 

However, in the sea of suggestions we’ve seen, one bit of advice stands out — 2024 is the year to develop a world-class sales enablement framework. After all, according to The 2023 Value of Enablement Report, 81% of revenue professionals say that having quick access to information and/or content helps them prepare for client meetings and presentations and succeed in their roles. This “quick access” simply doesn’t happen without the proper systems in place. 

That’s why a solid sales enablement framework lies at the heart of an excellent sales enablement strategy. It serves as the blueprint that defines how you’ll empower your sales team with the resources, tools, and knowledge they need to succeed.

The goal of establishing a framework is to enhance the productivity and performance of your sales force.

There are four stages to follow when building a sales enablement framework:

1. Plan
2. Enable
3. Engage
4. Improve

In this blog, we dive into how you can build a framework that lasts and scales as your team evolves. 

Stage 1: Plan your sales enablement framework  

Imagine your sales enablement strategy as your house — the framework is the foundation. 

Here’s what’s involved:

1. Define your goals and objectives: First, ensure your sales enablement framework supports your business and sales enablement goals. 

2. Assess the current state of your revenue teams: Next, take a look at your current team. What are their strengths and weaknesses? What knowledge gaps need attention? Do they have the right tools and resources? Gather feedback from the team (and maybe even a few trusted customers) on the current sales process. 

3. Design your framework: Make sure all of your GTM counterparts understand (and are bought into) your sales methodology. This is a great time to determine the essential collateral and training your team needs. In addition to the collateral, it’s important to understand if you’ve got the right sales enablement platform in place. 

4. Build a measurement plan: You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Develop KPIs and processes to measure within your sales engagement plan. 

With goals set and a comprehensive framework established, you’re ready to move to the next stage: enabling your team.

Stage 2: Enable and equip your sales team for success 

With a solid foundation in place, it’s time to add the finishing touches to make it shine. 

Here’s what’s involved: 

Content delivery

Sales collateral like pitch decks, videos, case studies, and whitepapers are only useful if they can be found, right?

HubSpot shared that their reps were spending five hours per week, and sometimes more, just searching for resources and content to do their job. Be sure you’re supplying reps with updated content that’s tailored to resonate with specific customer segments and buying journeys. 

Learning and coaching

It’s vital that your team knows how to apply their skills and knowledge in real-world scenarios. Our recommendation? Invest in coaching software and sales enablement tools to give them safe environments to practice in.

If you implement bite-sized coaching and informal training programs, you’ll soon notice all of the benefits below.

Steady feedback loops

This is an important piece of your sales enablement plan. It’s up to you as an enablement professional to foster and facilitate a culture of open communication. 

So, gather feedback directly from the people you’re enabling and make adjustments accordingly. This “Enable” phase requires continuous monitoring but, by providing your team with the support and resources they need, you can ensure your sales enablement framework is driving results. 

They’ve got the resources they need, and you’re ready to move to the next stage.

Stage 3: Engage and put your sales team into action 

Your metaphorical house has a rock-solid foundation and good craftsmanship; now it’s time for the grand reveal. 

Here’s what’s involved: 

The implementation of new content and skills

This is where you see your hard work come to fruition. During the “Engage” phase, your team applies the knowledge and skills they’ve learned to their sales interactions, tailoring their approach to meet specific needs and situations. 

Bonus points if reps start using data to drive their decisions throughout the sales process or leaning on a tool like Seismic for a hand with AI-guided selling. 

Excellent measurement

Top enablement leaders look at KPIs like win rates, sales cycle length, and customer satisfaction to gauge their framework’s effectiveness. During this stage, even though things are up and running, don’t forget to routinely gather feedback from your reps to find out what’s working and what’s not. Use this feedback to refine your framework and content. 

Extra motivation and engagement

If your revenue-generating teammates are adopting your framework, collateral, and training, recognize them for it and reward the wins. Keep morale high by driving enthusiasm and momentum for the framework with ongoing learning and development across your team, too.

After all of this, you’re ready to move to the final stage, and the process continues. 

Stage 4: Enhance and fine-tune your sales enablement framework  

At this stage, you’re living in your dream house, and all of your hard work has paid off. 

But it doesn’t stop here. This is, and will continue to be, an ongoing process. Every good sales enablement specialist and leader needs to:

• Continuously look at how sellers performed
• Audit content and identify opportunities for improvement

The sales enablement process starts again, so your team can plan, enable, and engage all over again.

New Year, new sales enablement framework

The start of a new year is the perfect time to reset. 

While we can’t provide you with the magic tip for better sleep, we can help you achieve results like a 39% increase in average deal size and a 54% increase in quota attainment.

These results, as seen by Aerogen’s success with Seismic, showcase the power of a well-crafted sales enablement framework.

Think it’s time to chat with someone from Seismic? Request a demo to connect with our team and learn more about our platform, or lead the demo yourself. 

The post How to build a world-class sales enablement framework appeared first on Seismic.