How to Close More Deals Using Sales Enablement Tools

Sales enablement tools are designed to provide sales teams with the resources that they need to better qualify leads and improve their close rates. But it’s not just about closing deals and increasing profits—it’s about understanding the entire sales funnel from start to finish, as well as how modern tech tools can help you in the process. 

Today’s buyers are more informed than ever. They have access to a wealth of information through the Internet and they can get their hands on just about any information they want without even having to talk to your sales team. 

Many buyers can get through as much as 50% of their journey without ever speaking to a salesperson. Some people get even further. 

But if people aren’t going to engage, how are you supposed to help them along the sales funnel? That’s where sales enablement comes into play. The tools available today make it easy for your sales team to showcase how what you sell solves problems and position your company as an authority to generate better leads and higher conversion rates. 

Aberdeen reported that 75% of sales teams that use modern sales enablement tools reported bigger growth and higher sales. How can you do that? Here’s what you need to know. 

What is sales enablement?

Of course, before you can do anything, you need to understand what sales enablement is and how tools can help. Sales enablement is about creating a strategy that gives your sales reps the tools they need to make effective engagements throughout the buyer’s journey. 

Put simply, these tools make it easier for your sales reps to do their job. Why wouldn’t you want to use as many of them as possible?

Training is everything 

If you’re going to use sales enablement tools effectively, you need to make sure that your sales team knows what they’re doing. Take the time to invest in more sales enablement training so that your team is familiar with all the tools and resources available to assist them. Today, sales reps can work smarter, not harder, thanks to the tools out there, but only if they know how. 

Take the time to train all of your employees on product knowledge and other areas of importance so that when customers come along, they’re ready to handle whatever the need may be. 

Explore your options

There are a ton of different sales enablement tools out there today. Not all of them are created equally. Consider what your goals are and which sales enablement tools can best help you achieve those goals. Make sure that you consider the cost of different tools and software, if you choose paid platforms, as well as what they’re going to help you with. 

After all, this is an investment and you want to make the right one. If you aren’t sure where to start, you can partner with a third-party team that helps with integrations and sales enablement, as well. 

Use content to your advantage

Content is a huge sales enablement tool. From your website content to blogs, whitepapers and technical documents, and even marketing emails, the words that you use make a big impact. Make sure that your content strategy includes all kinds of materials that will educate buyers, provide them with resources, and position your company as an authority within the industry. 

The most common types of content used in the sales funnel include:

• Landing pages
• Product/service fact sheets 
• eBooks
• Blog posts 
• Articles 
• Videos and presentations

Make sure that you’re putting quality ahead of quantity, too. Don’t publish content just to get it out there. Make sure that you have something of value to offer. When a customer can do their own research right on your website, that means they don’t have to go elsewhere and risk forgetting about you along the way. 

Invest in the right technology 

There are several platforms that are designed to assist with sales and selling. Salesforce is one of the biggest names in the industry right now, but they’re not the only one out there. There are tools that can help with sales, marketing, customer relationship management, communications, and so much more. You need:

• A solid CRM
• A solid sales pipeline tool 
• A scheduling tool
• A robust analytics platform 

All of these things will work together to ensure that your sales enablement efforts are unmatched because your team is equipped with the tools to get the job done. 

How to align sales and marketing with new solutions 

One of the biggest issues in sales enablement is that the marketing and sales teams aren’t aligned in the first place. That can be a challenge for any business, but it’s not that hard to fix. Today’s selection of tools and technology make it even easier for you to get your departments aligned and keep everyone on the same page. 

Along with investing in the right sales enablement tools, you will be able to close more deals when you:

• Use lead scoring and standardize it across the organization 
• Set mutual goals and definitions 
• Encourage communication and collaboration
• Get sales involved in campaigns, and vice versa
• Build a sense of connection within and among the teams
• Integrate all of your software so that it works cohesively

Partner with Smith.ai to handle all those new leads, too 

If you’re doing better at sales enablement, your leads are going to increase. That means that you’re going to need more support to manage them. While your sales team is focusing on the customers, why not partner with the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai? We can serve as your 24/7 answering service so that you never miss an opportunity, along with providing support for lead intake and appointment scheduling. 

Need help with outreach campaigns? Ask about our solutions there, too. And of course, we’ll do it all with a strategy that’s customized to suit your needs. Schedule a consultation to learn more or reach out to hello@smith.ai. 

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