Sales Enablement That Actually Gets Used: Practical Strategies
Most sales enablement content goes unused. Here's how to create enablement that your team actually uses.
Why Sales Enablement Fails
1. Too Complex
Enablement that's hard to find or use gets ignored.
2. Not Relevant
Generic content doesn't address specific sales challenges.
3. Poor Timing
Content delivered at the wrong time isn't useful.
4. No Training
Throwing content at reps without training doesn't work.
How to Create Enablement That Gets Used
1. Make It Easy to Find
- Centralized location (CRM, intranet, shared drive)
- Clear naming conventions
- Searchable tags and categories
- Quick access from sales tools
2. Make It Actionable
- Specific scripts and templates
- Real-world examples
- Step-by-step guides
- Quick reference cards
3. Make It Relevant
- Industry-specific content
- Role-specific resources
- Stage-specific tools
- Objection-handling guides
4. Train and Reinforce
- Initial training sessions
- Regular refreshers
- Coaching on usage
- Success stories and examples
5. Measure Usage
- Track what's accessed
- Get feedback from reps
- Iterate based on usage data
- Remove unused content
Best Practices
- Start with rep input on what they need
- Keep content concise and scannable
- Update regularly based on feedback
- Make it part of daily workflow
- Celebrate usage and success
Conclusion
Effective sales enablement is easy to find, relevant, actionable, and well-trained. Focus on what reps actually need, not what you think they should have.
