The Building Blocks of an Effective Sales Enablement Function

GAJAH ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 1
The Building Blocks of an
Effective Sales Enablement
Function
And a Look to the Future…
Mike Kunkle
VP, Sales Transformation Services

DXform.io
mike.kunkle@fastlaneus.com
214.494.9950
Mike Kunkle
VP, Sales Transformation Services
2
Your Presenter Mike Kunkle is a highly-respected sales transformation architect and
internationally-recognized sales training and sales enablement expert.
He’s spent 24 years as a corporate leader or consultant, helping companies drive
dramatic revenue growth through best-in-class learning strategies and his proven-
effective sales transformation methodologies. Today, Mike is the VP of Sales
Transformation Services for Digital Transformation Inc. (a division of Fast Lane
Consulting & Education Services) and founder of Transforming Sales Results, LLC.
He consults, advises, writes, speaks, leads webinars, designs sales learning systems
that get results, and guides clients through all aspects of their sales transformation.
Connect with Mike & Follow His Content
DTI Blog http://www.DXform.io/blog
Personal Blog https://www.mikekunkle.com/blog
DTI Learning Sessions http://www.dxform.io/learning-sessions
SMM Connect Webinars http://bit.ly/STSTonSMM
BrightTALK Webinars http://bit.ly/TheSalesExpertsChannel
LinkedIn Publisher http://bit.ly/MikeKunklePublisher
LinkedIn Profile http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekunkle
SlideShare http://www.slideshare.net/MikeKunkle
Twitter https://twitter.com/mike_kunkle

AGENDA
3
• What Exactly Is Sales Enablement?
• The Building Blocks of Sales
Enablement
• How to Get Started
• A Look to the Future.
Yes, I have a plan…

What Exactly Is Sales Enablement?
4

Sales Enablement (Un)Defined
5
• CSO Insights: A strategic, cross-functional discipline designed to increase sales results and
productivity by providing integrated content, training and coaching services for salespeople and
front-line sales managers along the entire customer’s buying journey, powered by technology.
• IDC: Getting the right information into the hands of the right sellers at the right time and place,
and in the right format, to move a sales opportunity forward.
• Forrester: 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.
• SiriusDecisions: Sales has the skills, knowledge, process expertise and access to assets to
maximize every buyer interaction. This outcome is executed in three primary areas sales talent
management (attract, onboard, optimize) sales asset management (aggregate, create, manage)
and sales communications management (govern, deliver, advocate).
• Gartner: The activities, systems, processes and information that support and promote
knowledge-based sales interactions with client and prospects.
• Aberdeen: A strategic alignment of resources and actions to produce effective, efficient sales
operations.
• TOPO: Sales enablement is the process of providing the sales organization with the information,
content, and tools that help sales people sell more effectively. The foundation of sales
enablement is to provide sales people with what they need to successfully engage the buyer
throughout the buying process.
Marketing
Operations
Product
Marketing
Bricks in the Wall
Lead
GenerationField
Marketing
Human
Resources
ABM
Finance
Sales
Sales
OperationsCustomer
Success
IT
Legal

Marketing
Operations
Product
Marketing
Bricks in the Wall
Lead
GenerationField
Marketing
Human
Resources
ABM
Finance
Sales
Sales
OperationsCustomer
Success
IT
Legal
• SiriusDecisions: The goal of sales enablement is to ensure sales reps have the right knowledge,
skills and process to maximize every buyer interaction.
operations.
6
Sales Enablement Society (October 26, 2017, Working Draft)
• Sales Enablement ensures buyers are engaged at the right time and place
• with the right assets
• by well-trained client-facing staff
• to provide a world-class experience along the customer’s journey.
• While utilizing the right sales and performance management technologies
• in addition to synergizing cross-organizational collaboration
• Sales Enablement optimizes the selling motion
• in order to increase pipeline, move opportunities forward and win bigger deals
more efficiently to drive profitable growth.
• http://www.sesociety.org/home

Marketing
Operations
Product
Marketing
Bricks in the Wall
Lead
GenerationField
Marketing
Human
Resources
ABM
Finance
Sales
Sales
OperationsCustomer
Success
IT
Legal
• SiriusDecisions: The goal of sales enablement is to ensure sales reps have the right knowledge,
skills and process to maximize every buyer interaction.
operations.
7
Sales Enablement Community of ATD
The Association for Talent Development defines Sales Enablement as:
The mechanism responsible for collaborating across functions to promote sales success
through:
• talent selection
• talent development
• tool & process improvement
• coaching
• incentive & compensation design
Note: In addition to collaboration, which is key in sales enablement, there are three other foundational competency clusters
from ATD’s World-Class Sales Competency Model that make up the base for all roles within the sales ecosystem (including
sales enablement): solution, insight, and effectiveness.
https://www.td.org/Communities-of-Practice/Sales-Enablement

Sales Enablement: Challenges, Outcomes, Solutions
Common Sales Enablement
Challenges & Desired Outcomes
8
+ Change Management
Crowdsourced from top SE leaders

Sales Enablement Today (General Market)
The Focus
• Marketing
- Sales messaging and buyer engagement content
• Sales Asset Management
- Finding the right content at the right time for the right buyer
• Training & Talent Acquisition Support
- Sales competencies; sales onboarding, ongoing development, internal sales support content
• Sales Process & Sales Methodology
- Implementation and support
• Technology & Tools
- Supporting Sales in being more efficient or effective
• Support Services
• Sales Communication Management
• Sales Manager Enablement (inconsistent but growing).
9
SiriusDecisions 2017 Sales Enablement Study

The Building Blocks of
Sales Enablement
10

Sales Enablement Building Blocks
11
1. Analytics
2. Buyer Acumen
3. Sales Process
4. Buyer Engagement Content
5. Sales Methodology
6. Sales Tools/Technology
7. Sales Training
8. Sales Support Content
9. Sales Manager Enablement
10. Pull It Together (Systems Thinking)

12
Analytics
Benchmark your sales metrics: including conversion ratios, deal size,
cross-sell, ramp-up times for onboarding, pipeline velocity, content
sharing, KPIs – whatever is important for your business. Track results
pre-/post-training. Also track your sales onboarding and learning
metrics. Analyze everything.

13
Buyer
Acumen
Identify your buyer personas: what problems are they trying to
solve, what outcomes are they trying to achieve, what are the metrics
that matter to each?
Document your buyer’s journey, including buying process exit
criteria (aka decision process and decision criteria).

14
Sales Process
Align your sales process to the buyer’s journey. Document tasks and
exit criteria for buyers and sellers.

15
Buyer
Engagement
Content
Align your marketing content (and lead-gen campaigns), and sales
content/collateral to identify the problems, and address the buying
process exit criteria.

16
Sales
Methodology
Select appropriate sales methodologies for prospecting,
opportunity management, and strategic account
management/development. Develop sales competencies by role from
a top-producer analysis whenever possible, or proven best practices.
Customize.

17
Sales Training
Build sales onboarding/training that supports the above. Develop
ongoing training based on sales competency gaps and new offerings.
Train managers (first) then reps. Establish a system: Train, Sustain
Knowledge, Develop Skills, Transfer Skills, and Coach to Mastery.

18
Sales Support
Content
Develop sales support, job aids, checklists, training reminders,
calculators and other tools, to support process/methodology.

19
Sales Tools &
Technology
Select and implement sales technology to support your sales force,
create efficiency, and increase time spent selling.

20
Sales
Manager
Enablement
Select an appropriate sales coaching model. Train managers on
coaching. Foster a coaching culture.
Determine your management operating rhythm / management
disciplines you want to instill. Train managers on that.

21
Pull It All
Together
Implement a Sales Support System supported by a Sales Learning
System, to perpetuate the previous building blocks.

22
Pull It Together
(Systems Thinking)
• Implement an Sales Support System, supported by an Sales Learning System, to perpetuate the above.Analytics
Benchmark your sales metrics: including conversion ratios, deal size, cross-sell, ramp-up times for onboarding, pipeline velocity,
content sharing, KPIs – whatever is important for your business. Track results pre-/post-training. Also track your sales onboarding
and learning metrics. Analyze everything.
Buyer Acumen
Identify your buyer personas: what problems are they trying to solve, what outcomes are they trying to achieve, what are the
metrics that matter to each?
Document your buyer’s journey, including buying process exit criteria (aka decision process and decision criteria).
Sales Process Align your sales process to the buyer’s journey. Document tasks and exit criteria for buyers and sellers.
Buyer Engagement
Content
Align your marketing content (and lead-gen campaigns), and sales content/collateral to identify the problems, and address the
buying process exit criteria.
Sales Methodology
Select appropriate sales methodologies for prospecting, opportunity management, and strategic account
management/development. Develop sales competencies by role from a top-producer analysis whenever possible, or
proven best practices. Customize.
Sales Training
Build sales onboarding/training that supports the above. Develop ongoing training based on sales competency gaps and new
offerings. Train managers (first) then reps. Establish a system: Train, Sustain Knowledge, Develop Skills, Transfer Skills, and Coach to
Mastery.
Sales Support Content Develop sales support, job aids, checklists, training reminders, calculators and other tools, to support process/methodology.
Sales Tools/Technology Select and implement sales technology to support your sales force, create efficiency, and increase time spent selling.
Sales Manager
Enablement
Select an appropriate sales coaching model. Train managers on coaching. Foster a coaching culture.
Determine your management operating rhythm / management disciplines you want to instill. Train managers on that.
Pull It Together Implement a Sales Support System supported by a Sales Learning System, to perpetuate the above.

Sales Readiness in 2 Systems: Support and Learning
23

5 Stages of Sales Mastery & Behavior Change
Stage 1:
Knowledge
Acquisition
Acquire the knowledge
behind the skill with
examples and
assessments/tests to
validate learning.
eLearning, Classroom
Instruction (FTF or
Virtual), Assessments
Stage 2:
Knowledge
Sustainment
Sustain the knowledge;
reverse the “forgetting
curve.”
Q&A, Check-Ins,
Assessments, Learning
Reinforcement Systems
Stage 3:
Skill
Development
Develop and practice
skills. Convert
knowledge into
behavior.
Flipped Classrooms,
Role Playing, Live
Simulations, Virtual
Coaching Tools
Stage 4:
Skill
Transfer
Apply the newly-
acquired and practiced
skills in the workplace.
Mentoring and
Preparation to Use
Skills, Forms/Job
Aids/Performance
Support
Stage 5:
Skill
Mastery
Guide and coach reps
to skill mastery and
performance outcomes,
over time.
Sales Analytics, Field
Training and Coaching,
Coaching Forms and
Tools
Learn something new.
Don’t forget. Just
because they learned
something new,
doesn’t mean they’ll
retain it.
Just because they
know and remember,
doesn’t mean they can
do it.
Just because they can
do it, doesn’t mean
they will. (Skill/Will
Matrix)
Just because they
tried it, doesn’t mean
they did it well or will
continue to do it.
STAGE
WHAT
HOW
WHY
24
Recorded webinar on the 5 Stages: http://bit.ly/STSTonSMM-11142017

Consider Sales Enablement Support Services (SLA)
What SE Support Services do you want to
provide?
• Buyer- and customer-facing presentations
(creation / customization)
• Account or contact research / prospecting
preparation
• Developing custom nurturing sequences
• Preparation services for meetings
• RFP support
• Deal Desk support
• Coaching services.
SE Support
Services
25

How to Get Started
Hey Martha,
how do I get to
Carnegie Hall?
That depends,
Bob. Where are
you now?
27

Develop a Charter
Why Why are you adding a (or evolving your) Sales Enablement function?
Who • What will you be doing (or adding/evolving to)?
• How will you define Sales Enablement? (Analysts, SES, ATD, MK, some combo?)
What • Who is going to do it?
• Where/to whom will this function report?
• Who else will you collaborate with?
How How will this work be done and to what level?
Developing your charter is about getting clarity and setting expectations.
28

Develop a Charter: What and How
Based on staffing, budget, and resources:
• Which of the 10 Building Blocks will your SE
team support?
• What level of SE Support Services do you want
to/can you provide?
- Account research support
- Customized presentation support
- Custom nurturing sequence support
- Meeting prep
- Coaching services
- RFP support
- Deal desk.
1. Analytics
2. Buyer Acumen
3. Sales Process
4. Buyer Engagement Content
5. Sales Methodology
6. Sales Tools/Technology
7. Sales Training
8. Sales Support Content
9. Sales Manager Enablement
10. Pull It Together (Systems Thinking)
The 10 SE Building Blocks
SE Support
Services
29

Assess Against Your Charter
Gap
AnalysisCurrent
State
Desired
Future
State
Point A Point B
Impact
Analysis
30

Use the Frameworks as your Diagnostic Tool
31
SE Support
Services

Prepare and Execute with Continuous Improvement
• Laser focus on sales productivity
Plan
Adjust
Measure
Execute
Evaluate
1
2
3
5
4
32

33
• Directionless (no charter)
• Order-taking
• Knee-jerk reactions
• No collaboration
• Lack of root-cause analysis
• Poor solution design (ex: training solution for a non-training
problem)
• Task-oriented, project/initiative-oriented approach
• Not tied or only loosely-tied to sales productivity outcomes
• Lack of change management
• No measurement
• Lack of evaluation.
What To Avoid in Your Sales Enablement Function

Sales Performance Ecosystem
35
Sales Effectiveness
 Sales Process
 Sales Methodology
 Demand Generation
 Opportunity Management
 Strategic Account Management
Sales Performance Management
 Quota Setting
 Sales Force Sizing
 Sales Force Structure
 Territory Optimization
 Sales Compensation
 Forecast Management
 Channel Management
Marketing Alignment
 Products | Pricing
 SEO/SEM
 Campaigns | Promotions
 Marketing Automation
 Social Media
 Content Marketing
Sales Operations
 CRM
 Sales Analytics/Reporting
 CPQ
 Legal Review/Contracting
 Resource Allocation
 Deal Analysis
 Win/Loss Analysis
Sales Talent Management
 Selection
 Onboarding
 Product Training
 Sales Training
 Sales Coaching
 Sales Readiness
 Business and Financial Acumen
 Professional Development
Sales Enablement
 Buyer Personas
 Buyer Journey Alignment
 Sales Messaging
 Sales Content
 Sales Support
 Sales Enablement Tools

36
Sales Effectiveness
 Sales Process
 Sales Methodology
 Opportunity Management
 Strategic Account Management
Sales Performance Management
 Quota Setting
 Sales Force Sizing
 Sales Force Structure
 Territory Optimization
 Sales Compensation
 Forecast Management
 Channel Management
Marketing Alignment
 Products | Pricing
 SEO/SEM
 Campaigns | Promotions
 Marketing Automation
 Social Media
 Content Marketing
Sales Operations
 CRM
 Sales Analytics/Reporting
 CPQ
 Legal Review/Contracting
 Resource Allocation
 Deal Analysis
 Win/Loss Analysis
Sales Talent Management
 Selection
 Onboarding
 Product Training
 Sales Training
 Sales Coaching
 Sales Readiness
 Business and Financial Acumen
 Professional Development
Sales Enablement
 Buyer Personas
 Buyer Journey Alignment
 Sales Messaging
 Sales Content
 Sales Support
 Sales Enablement Tools

The Wider World of Business Performance Improvement
Performance Consulting is a process in which a client
and consultant partner to accomplish the strategic
outcome of optimizing workplace performance in support
of business goals.
~ Jim and Dana Robinson
Human Performance Technology (HPT) is:
• a systematic approach to improving
productivity and competence, uses a set of
methods and procedures -- and a strategy
for solving problems -- for realizing
opportunities related to the performance of
people.
• a process of selection, analysis, design,
development, implementation, and
evaluation of programs to most cost-
effectively influence human behavior and
accomplishment.
• a systematic combination of three
fundamental processes: performance
analysis, cause analysis, and intervention
selection, and can be applied to individuals,
small groups, and large organizations.
~ International Society of Performance Improvement
Organization Development (OD) is the practice of
developing organization capability through alignment of
strategy, structure, management processes, people, and
rewards and metrics.
~ Organization Development Network
Six Sigma is a defined and disciplined business
methodology to increase customer satisfaction and
profitability by streamlining operations, improving quality
and eliminating defects in every organization-wide
process.
~ Six Sigma Institute
Organization Effectiveness (OE)
Lean Sigma
Total Quality Management (TQM)
Industrial & Organizational Psychology (IOP)
Organizational Behavior (OB)
37

Marketing
Operations
Product
Marketing
Bricks in the Wall
Lead
GenerationField
Marketing
Human
Resources
ABM
Finance
Sales
Sales
OperationsCustomer
Success
IT
Legal
Sales Enablement Defined
38
operations.

Marketing
Operations
Product
Marketing
Bricks in the Wall
Lead
GenerationField
Marketing
Human
Resources
ABM
Finance
Sales
Sales
OperationsCustomer
Success
IT
Legal
Sales Enablement Defined
operations.
My Definition:
HOW: The use of diagnostic and problem-solving methods, sales and marketing
strategy, cross-functional alignment, and solutions that include systems, process,
methodology, training, technology, and analytics…
WHAT: …to effectively hire, prepare, develop, and support sales talent (sellers, managers, and
leaders)…
WHY: …to uncover and solve buyers’ challenges, enable buyers’ opportunities, and deliver
desired outcomes for clients, better than their competition, to continuously improve all
aspects of sales performance and profitably grow the business.
39

Sales Enablement Meets Performance Consulting
40
10 Building Blocks

Sales Enablement Meets Performance Consulting
41
The Method
• Diagnostics / Gap Analysis
• Root-Cause Analysis
• Problem-Solving / Solution Design
• Solution Development
• Solution Implementation with
Change Management
• Measure / Evaluate / Adjust
https://www.ispi.org/ISPI/ISPI/About_ISPI/PI__HPT__Model.aspx

Diagnostics, Problem-Solving, Design & Systems Thinking
Adapted from Ferdinand F. Fournies © Mager Consortium
Mager’s Performance Analysis Flow Diagram
Link to expand
42

Creating Performance Systems
Sales Selection Sales Support Sales Learning Sales Management
Note: see Appendix for additional reading
43

Appendix
The Building Blocks of an Effective Sales Enablement Function
And a Look to the Future…

Additional Resources for Sales Enablement
• Sales Enablement Society: https://www.sesociety.org/home
• ATD Sales Enablement Community: https://www.td.org/topics/sales-enablement
• Community for Sales Enablement Professionals: http://www.salesenablement.com/
• Demand Metric Resources: https://www.demandmetric.com/premium-content/Sales%20Enablement
• CSO Insights: https://www.csoinsights.com
• IDC: https://www.idc.com/prodserv/custom_solutions/pages/plan/sales-sd.jsp
• SiriusDecisions: https://www.siriusdecisions.com/
• Topo: http://topohq.com/
• CEB: https://www.cebglobal.com/
• Aberdeen: http://www.aberdeen.com/
• Aragon: https://aragonresearch.com/cso/
• Forrester: https://www.forrester.com/search?tmtxt=%22sales+enablement%22
45

Reading on the Four Sales Systems
A Systems Approach to Sales Transformation
• Part 1, Four Systems Overview: http://bit.ly/4SalesSystems-Overview
• Part 2, Sales Selection System: http://bit.ly/4SalesSystems-Selection
• Part 3, Sales Support System: http://bit.ly/4SalesSystems-SalesSupport
• Part 4, Sales Learning System: http://bit.ly/4SalesSystems-SalesLearning
• Part 5, Sales Management System: http://bit.ly/4SalesSystems-SalesManagement
• SlideShare Presentation: http://bit.ly/SystemsApproachST-Docebo2017
46
Sales Selection Sales Support Sales Learning Sales Management

Complimentary White Paper
Realizing the Growth Potential of the Internet of Things:
The Convergence of Market Opportunity, Design Thinking, Technical
Enablement and Sales Enablement
http://bit.ly/DTI-IoTPotential

GAJAH ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 48
1800 Perimeter Park Morrisville, NC
www.DXform.io
info@dxform.io
1.855.778.7246
THANK YOU!

The Building Blocks of an Effective Sales Enablement Function

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