Sales Enablement Society - Stories From The Trenches

Amanda Whiteside is a trailblazer for Enablement at Freshworks and has made significant strides in transforming the field while championing female empowerment.  She highlights the importance of building credibility for enablement to secure organizational support and stresses the need to align initiatives with business outcomes.  Amanda also recognizes the unique challenges of global enablement, emphasizing the importance of prioritization and tailoring content to different teams.  She believes leveraging technology and AI can significantly enhance the enablement process and underscores the critical role of collaboration between marketing and enablement.  For aspiring leaders, she advises focusing on understanding stakeholder pain points to drive success.With over 15 years of experience driving transformative initiatives for Fortune 100 companies, Amanda is currently the Global Vice President of Revenue Enablement at Freshworks, the leading provider of Cloud-based Customer Engagement software. In this role, she leads high-impact teams to create customer-centric solutions that deliver measurable growth.Be sure to subscribe and follow the Revenue Enablement Society on LinkedIn for exciting announcements about what's next for the podcast!Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

How has the role of sales enablement transformed since its early days, and what does this mean for the future? Join me for my final episode of "Stories from the Trenches" as I sit down with Juliana Stancampiano, CEO of Oxygen and former board president of the Revenue Enablement Society (RES). We trace Sales/Revenue Enablement's transition from traditional sales training to the more holistic approach of modern sales enablement, emphasizing the diverse backgrounds of professionals in the field.  We dive into the critical role of organized processes, clear metrics, and continuous learning in driving sales performance and discuss the importance of educating senior executives about effective enablement and the impact of new technology on the field.  Be sure to subscribe and follow the Revenue Enablement Society on LinkedIn for exciting announcements about what's next for the podcast!As this is my final episode as producer and host, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my guests and listeners. Thank you all for being integral to this incredible journey with "Stories from the Trenches."Juliana Stancampiano is an author, entrepreneur, and leader helping businesses prepare their people for what happens next. For more than 15 years, she has helped leaders translate their company's strategy into tangible achievements for their people, creating experiences that help people succeed. As CEO of Oxygen, Juliana has developed a unique perspective around the enablement, skilling and ways of educating the workforce of today. Juliana also held the Board Presidency for the Sales Enablement Society from 2019-2022.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Have you ever wondered why some sales teams consistently hit their targets while others struggle? Keenan, CEO of A Sales Growth Company and acclaimed author behind "Gap Selling," rejoins me on the podcast to unravel the secrets of enabling high-performing sales teams with his innovative S.P.E.E.D. model. Gain insights into creating enablement impact by prioritizing actual sales performance outcomes and aligning strategies with critical business metrics sales leadership uses. Learn about integrating the three layers of training, skill development, and forecasting into your enablement framework and how to embrace the shift from traditional enablement to a results-driven approach. With the S.P.E.E.D. model, enablement teams will empower sales teams to succeed by focusing on what truly matters—the tangible impact on business metrics and organizational growth. Keenan and I unpack:The details behind the S.P.E.E.D model and why it worksThe three layers of S.P.E.E.D. that align enablement to revenue success The critical sales metrics all Enablement teams need to internalizeHow to assess the current state, identify gaps, and make improvementsKeenan is the CEO/president and chief antagonist of A Sales Growth Company. With over 20 years of sales experience, he has long influenced, learned from, and shaped the sales world. Keenan calls it as he sees it and lets nothing and no one go unnoticed. He is the celebrated author of Not Taught: What It Takes to be Successful in the 21st Century That Nobody's Teaching You and Gap Selling: Getting the Customer to Yes: How Problem-Centric Selling Increases Sales by Changing Everything You Know About Relationships, Overcoming Objections, Closing and Price.Gap Selling has been voted among the sales community as one of the best sales books ever.Father of 3 amazing girls, PSIA Certified Level 2 ski instructor (see, more coaching), and avid Boston sports fan, Keenan keeps crazy busy when he's not focused on A Sales Growth Company.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

None of us is as smart as all of us. Engaging with peer groups and industry networks can accelerate your career, enhance your skills, and provide invaluable professional development.In this episode, we explore the transformative  power of communities and personal networks with Stephanie White, Sr. Director of Revenue Enablement at Medallia. Stephanie highlights the tangible benefits she's gained from participating in various revenue enablement communities, fostering a sense of belonging and camraderie. Whether you're looking to tackle complex challenges, stay ahead of industry trends, or simply connect with like minded professionals this episode is your roadmap to leveraging and growing your professional network.Join us and hear how to unlock the potential of community-driven growth in your career!Stephanie White is the Sr. Director, Revenue Enablement at Medallia. For Stephanie, Revenue Enablement is People Enablement, driving revenue and impact strategically to scale.  With 20 years of experience in Sales, Marketing, Enablement, Operations building and scaling teams of passionate people to drive revenue is at the core of her approach.A people focused enabler by nature, Stephanie thrives on engaging, connecting and learning with others. Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

This episode features Tim Riesterer, Emblaze's Chief Research Officer, and Chris Kingman of the RES board, sharing their observations from the Emblaze conference earlier this month.Tim and Chris delve into details about insights and practical strategies shared by speakers and panels on integrating enablement . They also discuss the undeniable impact of strategic enablement, when it aligns perfectly with company revenue objectives. You'll hear their insights on:The digital transformation in SalesEnablement driven by intiativeThe role of AI in sales coachingThe critical role of customer feedbackThe evolution of sales discoveryPlease subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

My guest  Sibusiso Msomi is a sales enablement pioneer in South Africa and in this episode we explore his career evolution and what he learned when making the strategic shift sales training to sales enablement:How shifting from sales training to sales enablement to provide more comprehensive solutions that integrate training, tools, and processes, enhancing overall sales effectiveness and what that looks like.How engagement with clients has evolved from focusing solely on skills to aligning sales strategies with broader business outcomes.Results,  positive outcomes and improved sales metrics since moving into sales enablement.The introduction, reception and evolution of sales enablement in Africa.This episode provides valuable insights into the strategic implementation of sales enablement and its growing impact on global and African markets.Sibusiso Msomi is a dynamic and visionary entrepreneur deeply entrenched in the field of sales and business development, recognized particularly for his contributions to the sales enablement sector. As the founder of the Sales Enablement Company, he has markedly contributed to theenhancement of sales practices in numerous organizations, ranging from fledgling startups to established, publicly-traded companies.  Sibusiso's approach  involves a holistic review of the client's sales processes, including training methodologies, content management, and technology adoption in order to tailor a comprehensive sales enablement strategy.Sibusiso is also the chapter leader of the Revenue Enablement Society in Africa. Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

In this episode, Alex Berry, co-founder of 42AI an AI-powered company that revolutionizes customer insight discovery, joins me in discussing the transformation of go-to-market strategies. We discuss why Sales Development Reps (SDRs) must break out from the current hyper-specialization to succeed in the competitive sales environment.Alex shares his insights on how diverse backgrounds can help SDRs connect with customers on a personal level. He maps out a path to gaining a wider business acumen lens, which is critical to sales success. This episode provides ideas  for enabling and developing the essential traits that can set SDRs apart from the rest.Alexander Berry is the cofounder & COO of 42ai, the AI Analyst for Revenue Operations and the teams they serve. Alex founded 42ai last year with Hugh Hopkins, with the aim of reducing the significant burden on teams like Revenue Operations by using AI to perform a growing number of analytical tasks on their behalf. He has worked in Saas & Paas businesses for more than a decade, running sales, partnerships, enablement and operations teams in EMEA and the Americas.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

How do you balance the potential of AI to impact revenue generation, sort through the hype and be strategic in your deployment of AI? Join me as I sit down with Dayna Williams, and we peel back the layers of AI's role in the future of sales and delve into the intricate dance between leveraging cutting-edge tools and staying true to the timeless principles of sound business practices. We tackle the challenges faced by sales teams and explore how they can navigate the pressures of consistent performance while adopting a disciplined approach to innovation. Dayna shares her seasoned perspective on avoiding the pitfalls of jumping onto the latest tech trends without a game plan.Some of the actionable insights she shares in this episode:What's missing from the hype and the headlines?Elements of a readiness plan or blueprintWhere and how to beginDayna Williams is the author of "The Diligence Fix" which explores what happens when we strive for revenue growth. Her ideas come from advising sales leaders in the areas of internal communication, integrated training, change methodology and making customer feedback actionable. Dayna is also an experienced content and conference producer who lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and five rescue dogs.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Get ready to accelerate your revenue enablement success with insights from Forrester VP and Principal Analyst, Peter Ostrow. Recently Peter joined me to unpack the potential of AI to transform Revenue Enablement efficiencies and results. If your Sales Enablement budget is like most the team is understaffed and underfunded while juggling competing priorities.Listen now to hear how you can use AI tools you already own to maximize their impact on every facet of your enablement programs, from RFP analysis to tailoring pitch-perfect emails.Peter Ostrow is currently VP, Principal Analyst at Forrester B2B Sales. Peter capitalizes on 20+ years of revenue growth leadership in sales enablement, sales talent management, and operational expertise. Prior to joining SiriusDecisions and Forrester, Peter was a VP/Research Group Director for the Aberdeen Group, where he founded and was Principal Analyst for the Sales Effectiveness Practice, as well as overseeing research in marketing, customer success, field service and human capital management disciplines.  Prior to his analyst work, he was a long-time B2B sales rep, manager, and enabler.Since 2020, Peter has served on the board of directors of the Sales Enablement Society, the largest and only nonprofit organization dedicated to the sales enablement profession.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

In this episode with I discuss the critical partnership between Rev Ops and Rev Enablement with Sandy Robinson,  SVP of Revenue Operations and Enablement at Patra Corporation. Sandy shares her experiences and ways to unlock  the synergies between these two teams regardless of where they report. Some of the topics we covered:How Rev Ops and Enablement ideally partnerSuccessful change managementSystems selection and deploymentMetrics and reportingSandy brings over 20 years of experience in sales, leadership, training, enablement, and revenue operations to the industry. She has a proven track record of driving revenue growth and optimizing operations through data-driven insights and innovative solutions. She has led sales teams to exceed targets, developed go-to-market strategies, and implemented scalable processes to drive growth. Sandy's mission is to enable teams through intense focus on the complete customer buying journey related to systems, tools, training, and processes. Sandy enjoys mentoring younger women, helping them to navigate their careers, and setting an example for other women in her field.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

This episode I have the opportunity to sit down the new RES Executive Board President Gail Behun. She opens up and shares her thoughts and observations about:The current state of the revenue enablement professionHer 4 key revenue drivers for measuring the success of enablementObservations from the 2023 RES Experience and what's to comeHer priorities and vision for RES in 2024 and beyondGail Behun is a seasoned Sales Enablement leader, currently serving as the Director of Revenue Enablement at LivePerson, a global industry leader in AI-powered solutions. With an extensive career spanning high-growth SaaS companies, Gail has honed her expertise in sales and marketing roles, processes, methodologies, and business practices. Her approach to enablement is centered on building high-performing teams and ensuring comprehensive employee learning and development.  She thrives on connecting the dots innovatively and pioneering new initiatives in enablement, learning, sales, and operations.  Gail is not only committed to advancing her organization's goals but also to the broader enablement community's growth and success.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Have you heard of the "Tiger Seller Profile"? It's a concept and framework developed and used by Rodney Umrah during his years in sales, account management and enablement at IBM, Microsoft, NetSuite and in his current role as Head of Global Revenue, Partner and Customer Enablement.In this episode Rodney explains how to elevate your sales team's performance as we dissect the elements that transform good sellers into great ones, and how tailored enablement programs can act as a catalyst for widespread excellence. For example:Identifying the skills, tactics and techniques of a Tiger SellerWorking with HR and recruiting teams to elevate the hiring processIdentifying skills gaps and enablement priorities based on Tiger SellersAligning sales process stages to the strengths of Tiger SellersRodney Umrah has 26 years' experience working in the global technology industry (software / cloud) at IBM, Microsoft, Oracle NetSuite, Xactly and Forcepoint. He has a wealth of experience in technical, sales, revenue, partner and customer enablement leadership roles. Rodney's vision is to deliver enablement services globally that accelerate revenue growth and improve customer retention and satisfaction. Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Why do sales leaders undervalue their enablement teams? With all the conversations and opinions about how to measure and demonstrate  business impact are Enablement teams actually gaining credibility? Jerry Farr, founder of Sales Excellence Advisors, joined me recently and shared his unique insights on why sales leaders might still be undervaluing  their enablement teams and how Enablement leaders and teams can flip that perception.How do sales leaders really perceive the value of Enablement?Do Sales leaders hesitate to include the Enablement team in C-level meetings?How credible are typical attempts to measure Enablement impact?Is there a way to measure impact that actually resonates with executives.Jerry Pharr is a veteran sales enablement & operations leader at high-growth, tech companies. At varied companies like Outreach and Redis, he's architected and implemented a unique approach called Behavior-Centered Enablement, which is a systems-driven blueprint for delivering sales excellence at scale. He now coaches other enablement and operations orgs to improve sales performance by incorporating this framework. Jerry is one of the original founders of the Revenue Enablement Society, and is an advisor to multiple tech startups on their GTM and revenue operations strategies.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Ever wondered how to successfully make the shift from "doing digital" to "being digital"? In this episode Paul "Norf" Norford, VP of Global Enablement at Ivanti  enlightens us with his insights on this topic and discusses the usage of digital platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn for skill enhancement.What are the digital aspects of Enablement?Doing digital vs. being digitalUsing micro learning and JIT trainingLeading with storiesPaul ‘Norf' Norford is the VP Sales Enablement and Chief Evangelist at Ivanti. He's super-passionate about helping people, partners and customers change the way they do business.  Norf brings vast industry knowledge, influence, insight, creativity and passion to drive the introduction and adoption of new solutions and services to increase supply chain and I.T productivity and operational excellence. Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Do you ever wonder about the intriguing intersection of AI and sales enablement? Join us as we sit down with Jonathan Carford, aka Coach K, the new head of revenue enablement for an exciting startup, Symmetric. Unravel the mystery between predictive analytics and true AI as Jonathan shines a light on their key differences and how to unlock the full potential of each platform to streamline your work and increase efficiency. Strolling through the futuristic world of AI application in sales, we marvel at the brilliant revolution it brings. Imagine having an interactive AI persona to practice your sales pitch or an AI assistant that researches job histories and companies for your presentations. We delve into the role of product marketing, enablement, and revops in developing customer personas and the prospect of AI generating innovative ideas. Not to mention, the potential of AI analysing 10ks for those who are not business school graduates.Finally, we round off the conversation with Coach K's experiences with AI auto-tagging in CMS systems - a game-changer making content management a breeze. Jonathan also shares his criteria for evaluating AI platforms and shares nuggets of wisdom on trusting your instincts and embracing failure. We discuss the subtle art of LinkedIn connections, providing valuable tips to handle requests. Be sure to tune in to this enriching episode on the future of sales enablement and AI. Join us and Coach K on this journey - you won't want to miss it!Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Discover the transformative power of a life brand in this episode with Irina Soriano, Vice President of Enablement at Seismic. Join us as we explore the concept of a life brand - one that transcends self-promotion, and instead, emphasizes service to others and contributing to the community. We'll hear Irina's  insights on how this unique approach to branding can significantly alter the perception of enablement professionals and leaders. She also opens up about her personal journey in enablement and the profound impact it has made on her life.What is a "life-brand"?Using your life brand to build confidenceLeveraging your life-brand professionallySafeguarding children's life-brandIrina Soriano is the VP, Enablement at Seismic, the leader in Enablement. During her 15-year career, Irina built several global Enablement departments across EMEA, Asia-Pacific, and the US from the ground up. She leads the NYC Wise (Women in Sales Enablement) chapter, is the author of “Generation Brand”, as well as a TEDx and keynote speaker.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Who doesn't love a great success story? This year the Sales Enablement Society Experience was held in San Diego and the theme was "The Enablement Evolution". For this episode I had the opportunity to sit down with 10 different Revenue Enablement pros and listen to their stories about personal and career Evolution. They shared great ideas that were new to me and I'm sure you're going to enjoy listening to them just as much as I did!Thank you Mike Simmons, Sheryl Buscheck, Jill Guardia, Amy Levine, Chuck Marcouiller, Fiona Simpson, Michael Galvin, Michelle Dieschbourg, Sandy Robinson and Laura Meister.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Get ready to unlock the secrets of successful SDR enablement with Brett Childs.. This episode sees us peeling back the layers of the often under-appreciated role of the Sales Development Representatives (SDRs), the true warriors at the frontline of the customer journey. Brett pulls back the curtain on his proven approach to enabling SDR teams, one that prioritizes tracking every step of the sales process and honing individual skill sets. He walks us through his system that includes watching the conversion ratios and behaviors, and using this data to pinpoint the needed skills for each individual. If you've been looking for ways to level up your SDR enablement game, this episode is what you've been waiting for. Brett has been called a lot of things, farmhand, video game salesperson, insurance agent, manager... but, if he had to pick his favorites, it would be teacher and coach. Nothing brings more joy to him than helping others succeed. His wife and children are his best friends and his goal in life is to experience as much of this amazing world with them as possible. His motto for  life? "Work hard, play hard!"Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

I recently sat down with the 4 newest members of the Sales Enablement Society Board of Directors to talk about the evolution of Sales Enablement and the Sales Enablement Society itself. Del Nakhi, Gail Behun, Mary Beth Hanifer, and Chris Kingman share their experiences, passions, and talk about the SES initiatives they're each leading. You'll hear Del talk about engaging members with compelling content while Gail is on a mission to strengthen our community. Mary Beth is leveraging her extensive experience in sales and enablement serving as our secretary, and Chris is working on a thrilling project with Johns Hopkins that you won't want to miss hearing about!Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

In this engaging session with Jenn Glabicky, she shares her innovative approach to collateral organization with an emphasis on the importance of sales and marketing teams working together to enhance the buyer experience.Together we unpacked:How collateral is viewed from both Marketing and Enablement perspectivesCreating a plan for organizing and reviewing collateralEnsuring cross-functional alignment during collateral auditsWhere collateral should live in an organizationJenn Glabicky's background in corporate sales and leadership expands over several industries including healthcare, sports, and finance. She has a proven record of success implementing enablement, marketing and leadership strategies to bolster top-line revenue. She is passionate about helping her colleagues & clients learn the sales and leadership strategies they need to succeed no matter what this marketplace does.When Jenn isn't geeking out about enablement, marketing and company strategy, she enjoys putting her emergency medical technician license to good use by volunteering at large scale events such as hurricane disaster relief and the Boston Marathon. Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

On this episode my guest is Meagan Davis, the Director of Sales Enablement at Hunters. Please join us as she shares her experiences and perspectives on not just enablement for sales teams, but for also marketing, customer success, and sales engineering teams. She also introduces customer certification into the mix - a bridge that fosters empathy and shared experiences between the Go-to-Market teams, prospects and customers. Meagan underlines the significance of unearthing business outcomes, objectives, and the art of effectively passing sales notes to the customer success team. Meagan is a lifelong learner, a believer in the potential of PEOPLE, a marathoner – and a little known fact is that she was raised in Montana! She has hands-on experience: selling the business case for, building, leading, and optimizing Sales Enablement programs. She recently wrote and published, “How to Start a Sales Enablement Program,” a book for practitioners that codifies lessons learned through experience, and from the many exemplary leaders and mentors that she has had the privilege to work with.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Navigating sales enablement can be a labyrinth, but not when you have a strategic vision and the right metrics to guide you.  In Episode 57 we dive into a discussion about what separates operational vs. strategic Enablement and how to develop a data driven strategy that has measurable impact. Learn how to:Differentiate between operational and strategic EnablementUse metrics to understand what can be measured, influenced and controlledAlign your tech stack to support data driven strategic EnablementUse language to change the perceptions of EnablementBegin the transition from operational to strategic EnablementKieran Smith manages EMEA and APAC GTM Enablement & Productivity for Staffbase. As a skilled Enablement leader with over a decade of experience in sales leadership his focus is on designing and implementing sales enablement programs that increase team productivity and revenue growth. Kieran has a proven track record in developing sales strategies that are aligned with business goals and revenue outcomes. He has developed expertise in sales leadership and coaching coupled with a deep understanding of sales operations, sales methodologies, and sales technology.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Get ready to secure your seat at the table where business decisions are made as we unravel the important role of stakeholder management in sales enablement. We're joined by the always insightful Felix Kruger, a name synonymous with sales enablement, founder of FFWD, and the voice behind the popular podcast, State of Sales Enablement. We talked about:The importance of stakeholder management in EnablementEffective strategies for building strong relationships - even difficult onesHow to demonstrate value and impact to stakeholders to secure buy-in The importance of effective strategic communicationHow to avoid the most common pitfalls in stakeholder managementFelix has been a seller, sales enabler, and independent Sales Enablement consultant in organizations ranging from early-stage startups to billion-dollar enterprises.He is now the Chief Enablement Officer of consulting firm FFWD.Felix supports enablers around the world in adopting best practices with his podcast, The State of Sales Enablement, webinars, newsletters, and conference speaker assignments.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Are you navigating the complex landscape of tech-driven sales enablement? Join me as I chat with Priya Sachdev, founder of Sprouting Shoots, who sheds light on this often overwhelming topic and how to avoid the pitfalls of "shiny object syndrome." Learn from Priya's expertise on striking the perfect balance between technology adoption and practical application, as well as understanding the driving force behind the advancements in sales management technology.  During our conversation Priya shared her insights on:Why Sellers often hate technologyWhy the return on time invested can be very lowOvercoming adoption challenges such as underutilization and churnWhy the concept of a "best system" is a mythUsing technology to reduce sales frictionPriya's “ikigai” (purpose) is elevating the strategic importance of sales. For almost 3 decades she has partnered with business leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs in the B2B space to drive effective sales strategy through customer engagement. She's worked with more than 250 midsize to large organizations, and managed teams from 5 to 1500.  Her key projects have been in the industrial, BFSI, tech services, SaaS, professional services, FMCG, automotive, healthcare, and medical equipment industries. Priya was listed as one of the “25 most influential women in India” by CEO Magazine in 2017 and “The 10 Successful Women to Watch For in 2018” by Insights Success. Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

In this episode discover the power of nurturing the whole person. Learn why motivation is the cornerstone of effective coaching and how each individual's desired work experience fuels it. We also cover the importance of equality in the workplace, especially concerning gender and motherhood. Listen in as we explore how embracing the whole person, understanding motivation, and striving for equality can unleash human potential and create a more fulfilling work experience for all.Phil Putnam is a listener, executive operator and enablement leader.  In his current role as VP of Sales Enablement at Notified, his days are spent leading and optimizing the skill base and employee experience of Notified's global Sales team.  Having come into Sales Enablement after nearly 20 years in customer-facing post-sale roles  at organizations including Apple, Adobe and Sprinklr, his approach to sales skills and education is 1000% influenced by the realities of what happens after the signature, and taking ownership of how the sales experience sets a customer up for long-term success and ongoing renewal.     When he's not lost down a PowerPoint formatting and animations rabbit hole, which he absolutely loves to be, he can most likely be found at home in New York City with his partner, watching shameless amounts of TV and annoying his dog with an overwhelming amount of cuddles.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Have you ever doubted your abilities and felt like a fraud, despite being very competent? Have you tried to help a friend dealing with feelings of inadequacy? If so you've likely experienced Imposter Syndrome which causes people to feel anxious and inadequate and affects their mental well-being. Learning to overcome it is a critical skill for sustained mental health.For this special Mental Health Month episode professional Imposter Syndrome Coach Alli Rizacos joins us to share insights into Imposter Syndrome and techniques that anyone can use to help conquer it. Listen in and learn about:

How do you enable sales teams to turn average demos into compelling stories that capture their prospects' attention and keep them engaged?  Can demo effectiveness be measured? If so, how should Enablement teams track and improve their demo enablement? In this episode, Brian Geery shares his proven strategy and techniques for enabling sales pros to give demos that highlight solutions to prospects' business challenges and helps them create a vision for how to solve those challenges. Listen in to learn:7 steps to create a persuasive and compelling demoWhat KPIs to use to measure demo effectivenessHow to give your demo enablement  a makeoverDemo scripts - yes or no?Specific steps for getting startedBrian Geery is a Managing Partner at SalesNv and author of How to Demonstrate Software So People Buy It. His firm transforms software demos, so they win more deals. They give your demo a makeover. Sales leaders at high growth SaaS companies use Brian's guidance to increase demo win rates, reduce new hire demo ramp time, and enable everyone to demonstrate like a top performer.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

True revenue enablement is a strategic approach that aligns sales, marketing, customer success, and product teams to improve customer experiences, drive revenue growth, and increase profitability. In this episode Matt Cohen, Sr. Sales Enablement Manager at Dotmatics and I discuss the foundational elements of creating strategic enablement that he's used successfully. Listen and catch valuable insights into:Determining  if an organization is ready for strategic EnablementDefining Enablement as a critical first stepSelecting a sales methodologyCreating Enablement aligned to your buyers' experienceMatt Cohen has been in go-to-market roles for the past 7 years since earning his MBA, building enablement for sales tech leaders like Seismic and Clari through hyper-growth. Throughout his career, he has leveraged his ability to strategically align resources in a way that fosters adaptability and scale. That passion for alignment is why his career is in Enablement, which he views to be the proactive identification of gaps in the buyer journey and shaping priorities to fill them through the optimization of people, process, and technology in service of revenue. Matt co-founded the San Diego Chapter of the Sales Enablement Society, served on the Board of the Boston Chapter and is currently working on starting a new chapter in Nashville. He regularly contributes thought leadership in the form of articles, podcasts, and webinars, and was recognized this year as a 2023 Enablement Leader Making It Happen by SalesHood.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

According to Forrester, direct managers have the most impact and influence on sales reps' success and organizations must make their enablement of sales managers as comprehensive as that of rep-level contributors. Forrester has also found that B2B sales leaders often make flawed assumptions about the ease with which new sales managers can transition from previous roles. In our 50th episode Terry Bird, VP of Enablement at Vonage, and I explore ways in which sales enablement organizations can support revenue team managers in various stages of their career. Join the conversation as we discuss:How much more complex the role of sales leader has becomeGartner's analysis of top performing sales managersThe constant Internal vs. External struggleHow the Voyage team is supporting leaders and enabling them for successTerry is based in the UK and has a long history in technical sales and sales roles prior to moving into the Sales Enablement space around 15 years ago.In 2008 Terry joined IBM and worked in a number of roles helping to drive enablement transformation, before ultimately landing as Director, Sales Enablement for IBM Global Sales, overseeing enablement programs and tools for a population of over 20,000 sellers and business partners. Terry joined Vonage in 2021 where he took up the mission of helping to establish a company-wide sales enablement function.Terry loves the challenge of architecting cultural change alongside helping go to market teams deliver success. Away from his day job he has been a DJ for over 25 years, playing all over the world alongside legends of the house and techno scene.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Revenue enablement teams aren't the same as HR - they don't exist to deliver corporate and regulatory training. Revenue enablement teams exist solely to optimize the performance of all customer facing teams and have a positive impact on revenue.To fulfill that mission it's critical for revenue enablement teams to create and execute strategies and programs that correlate and align with the financial objectives of their executive team so in this episode Kunal Pandya and I discuss:Strategic vs. operational enablementThe impact of current economic conditions on enablement teamsMitigating the risk of being labeled a cost center3 key changes you can implement to become more strategicKunal Pandya has over 20 years experience, with various tech and high-growth SaaS companies such as SuccessFactors, SAP, Taulia, HighRadius and UserZoom, leading global revenue enablement teams. He is passionate about building and executing data-led enablement strategies to drive significant and transformative growth and impact.  He can be heard at various events, webinars and podcasts, highlighting the importance of strategic enablement functions in order to deliver revenue impact.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Most business leaders would agree with former Home Depot and Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli that "people, unless coached, never reach their maximum potential," yet many teams and organizations lack a strong coaching culture. According to Devon Anthony,  Director of Sales Enablement and Learning at Morningstar, Enablement teams can really impact revenue teams' success and create a multiplier effect by building and nurturing a strong coaching culture. Listen in while she shares:The differences between coaching and managingCommon misperceptions that devalue coachingHow Enablement teams can grow the value of coachingCoaching "landmines" to watch forDevon Anthony has a passion for developing sales and coaching others. She's spent her entire career in financial services and has been with Morningstar since 2019. As Director of the Sales Enablement and Learning Team, her primary focus is developing curriculum at scale while prioritizing for impact.Devon volunteers her time as a coach and member of the board of directors for Near West Little League and as a Client Advocate for Administer Justice, a legal aid ministry. Devon enjoys concerts, yoga, and exploring all the cultures of Chicago with her husband Rob and dog Tonka Truck.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Enablement - what's in it for your sellers? No, seriously. Can you measure and quantify the benefits or impact of your Enablement programs and activities? If not, how do you know whether you're meeting the needs of the Sales, SDR, or CSM teams your team supports? For Sunil Chhabra, Vice President, Global Enablement at Conga, having these critical benchmarks and measurements in place is non-negotiable. In this episode, he talks about:Providing guard railsIdentifying the right metrics and KPIsShort-term vs. long-term KPIsGenerating buy-in from Sales leadersSunil Chhabra is the Vice President of Global Enablement at Conga. He's transitioned from Engineering to Sales (and Sales Engineering) Enablement during his career with companies like Cisco, Oracle, and Salesforce while leading teams in Product Management and Marketing for close to 20 years along the way. Sunil's interests lie in bridging technology products to customer needs and pain points - and, therefore, his passion for the Enablement function. He enjoys setting up systems that help sellers become more effective - faster—and demonstrating the measurable impact that the Enablement function can have on an organization's sales. Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Harvard Business Review reported that Emotional Intelligence accounts for nearly 90% of what sets high performers apart from peers with similar technical skills and knowledge (HBR, 4/3/19). Is EQ just as critical for success in sales? Matt Cameron, CEO of SaaSy Sales Leadership says "Yes"! In this episode he shares what he's learned about applying EQ in sales and sales coaching and the framework he's developed to support it:How to think about Emotional Intelligence in the context of salesMapping EQ to methodologiesAssessing EQ for targeted coachingHow to integrate Emotional Intelligence into an enablement programMatt Cameron is the CEO of  SaaSy Sales Leadership, the creators of the world's first EQ-based go-to-market leadership development programs.  A regular speaker and columnist on the topic of SaaS sales leadership, Matt started his career in traditional IT with roles at HP, EDS (HP Enterprise) and Wang. Having started with Salesforce in 2005 he is approaching 2 decades in venture-backed SaaS companies in RVP and VP roles. A New Zealander by birth, he currently lives in Las Vegas which has cut down on SKO travel by 50%.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

In a 2018 survey of more than 3,000 employees from various firms and industries, less than a quarter said they regularly felt curious at work. According to Macy Tanking curiosity plays a critical role in successful revenue enablement teams. In this episode she shares the key elements of creating a culture of curiosity she's learned and applied in her career:Obstacles to being curious and how to avoid themEgo vs. EmpathyHow to listen to understand; not to respondConducting effective discovery with stakeholdersMacy has over two decades of experience coaching leaders and teams within sales teams at fortune 100 companies. She is an innovative and consultative leader, having coached executives and organizations at Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, Nordstrom and Southwest Airlines. Currently she is the Head of Sales Enablement for VidMob, the world's leading digital advertising platform for intelligent creative.  She founded GRIT, a community for connection and compassion for girls ages 6-22 (girlswithgrit.me).  Macy lives with her six year old son, Zavier in Kansas City, MO. Her life-long goal of attending every MLB park will be realized this next summer (2023).Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

When John Lennon sang "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" to his son Sean he captured what so many in the revenue enablement and tech communities are feeling right now. While working through challenges and setbacks it's critical to maintain your long term vision and perspective while continuing to bring your "A" game but it can also be very difficult. Jeff Hatchell, from American Express has worked through his share of career setbacks and disappointments. In this episode we discuss his experiences and a framework he developed to keep his vision for himself and continue to succeed despite challenging times in his life. For example:Ensuring your last success doesn't limit your future success.The importance of perceiving the best in every situation.Learning how to expect to receive good things.Not making long term decisions based on temporary situations.Jeff Hatchell is Vice President, U.S. Field Sales Enablement and Global Leadership at American Express. Jeff is also an executive coach and motivational speaker and built a reputation as an inspirational executive with a track record of creating winning strategies that leverage the strength of teams to exceed corporate objectives.Please subscibe on Apple, Spotify or Google.

Forrester calls First Line Sales Managers the "secret agents" of change and Revenue Enablement teams are often on the leading edge of change alongside them. In over a decade of experience as an enablement pro, Del Nakhi of MariaDB, has learned how to create and optimize those relationships for success. Listen in as she talks about:Why the change management relationship with Revenue Leaders is so critical.Where the Revenue Enablement role ends and the Sales Leadership role begins.How Revenue Enablement can set leaders up for success.Where to start in creating this critical partnership.Del Nakhi is the founding member and global head of revenue and customer enablement at MariaDB Corporation. She has a passion for managing strategic changes to multiply the impact of her team and partnering with revenue leaders to turn strategy into a reality. As a business partner and certified change management practitioner, she's helped executives evaluate and address corporate challenges and objectives at both large public companies and smaller startups, for more than a decade. By working with and through leaders and enabling them to effectively coach their teams, Del is not only able to scale her team's efforts, but also collaboratively achieve sustained change and business impact.

Gartner says the foundation of a sales enablement strategy is to provide sales teams with what they need to successfully engage the buyer throughout the buying process.  How are you and your revenue enablement team ensuring sellers can easily find relevant customer facing assets? What about product info, research and competitive intelligence they will consume internally? In this episode Lisa Capra from Instructure shares some of the best practices she's developed over two decades including:Scoping and defining a knowledge management strategy.Who are the stakeholders outside of revenue enablement?How to build workflow processes with all stakeholders.Best practices for governance and scaling.Lisa Capra is the  Revenue Knowledge Strategy Manager on Instructure's global revenue enablement team, She brings over two decades of experience in instructional design, online learning, and content strategy. Through cross functional coordination with Instructure‘s internal stakeholders, Lisa has designed, developed, and created  governance for a 700+ page revenue enablement knowledge base to support Instructure's global sales, services, and customer experience teams.

Is it possible to enable sales reps to hit quota more consistently while keeping them happy? How does a sales enablement team measure "happiness"? Can revenue enablement teams create a voice for sales teams that gives them input into corporate level decisions?According to Sarah Fricke of RingCentral the answer to all of the above is yes! Listen in as she shares:How they developed a sales happiness surveyHow it differs from engagement surveys from HR teamsExamples of how the results of the happiness surveys were shared with other teams to help break down barriers and improve communicationSarah's life motto is "Make my life a story worth telling!"  She faces all life adventures with this  audacious spirit and loves helping team members, clients, colleagues and partners succeed. At RingCentral Sarah advises senior commercial sales leaders on the strategic direction for sales to drive business results. This work includes implementing go-to-market strategy and facilitating cross functional alignment. Before RingCentral, Sarah ran enablement for the large enterprise team at Gartner and built sales teams for TrackMaven and Atlantic Media.

Who doesn't love a great success story? This year the Sales Enablement Society Experience was held in Atlanta and the theme was "Take The Leap". For this episode I had the opportunity to sit down with 11 different Revenue Enablement pros from as far away as Singapore and listen to their stories about a time in their careers when they took a big leap; why they did and the outcomes. These are inspirational stories. They shared great ideas that were new to me and I'm sure you're going to enjoy listening to them just as much as I did!Thank you Jesse Potter, Zeenath Kuraisha, Russ Clark, Rebekah Ash, Jay Allen, Patricia Guobadia-Nicholson M.Ed., Bob Britton, Cassie Watkins, Mary Baez, Jessica Hendricks, and Chuck Marcouiller for sharing your stories. 

What are the areas of professional development that Sales Engineers are interested in but that many Sales Enablement teams miss? How can Revenue Enablement teams generate excitement and boost morale within Sales Engineering teams? What do  customers say they want Sales Engineers enabled to  do well?John Care, Author and Managing Director of Mastering Technical Sales shares his insights with me in this 2 part series. In Part 2 we focus on discovering and developing professional development pathways for SEs that focus on the experiences and skills they're most interested in developing. Since 35% of SEs say they'd like to go into leadership we also cover how to help them prepare for that career goal.During his career, John built world-class sales engineering organizations at Oracle, Sybase, Business Objects, Nortel, CA Technologies, and HP. His responsibilities have varied from an individual level up to a VP of Presales running teams of over 200 people. He also has diverse experiences as both a quota-carrying salesperson and a senior IT executive/ CIO listening to salespeople and presales engineers trying to sell him their “solutions.”

How do Sales Engineers learn differently? Is their attitude towards training different? What are the onboarding needs of an experienced vs. a novice SE?  When should the handoff from the Enablement team to the SE leaders occur? What are the 3 critical legs of onboarding SEs?John Care, Author and Managing Director of Mastering Technical Sales shares his insights with me in this 2 part series. In Part 1 we focus on defining and understanding the Enablement needs of SEs and how to design an effective onboarding experience for them.During his career, John built world-class sales engineering organizations at Oracle, Sybase, Business Objects, Nortel, CA Technologies, and HP. His responsibilities have varied from an individual level up to a VP of Presales running teams of over 200 people. He also has diverse experiences as both a quota-carrying salesperson and a senior IT executive/ CIO listening to salespeople and presales engineers trying to sell him their “solutions.”

How do you set the correct enablement priorities when you need to make a decision but don't have a lot of information? What is the only wrong decision you can make in any situation? Is following your gut a sound strategy? How can you apply buyer types to internal selling and negotiation?  This episode features Arup Chakravarti, Director of Sales Excellence at Equifax UK and we discuss his unique insights on identifying, selling and negotiating enablement priorities and projects.

What do buyers actually need sellers for? What are the "3 Cs" of empathy in selling? How do sellers enable buyers to build internal consensus? If a seller is empathetic do they risk losing control of the opportunity progression and velocity? How does an enablement team use selling with empathy to help sellers to not be "product pushers who reek of commission breath"?In this episode Chuck Marcouiller, VP of Revenue Enablement at  Freightwave joins me to answer these questions and much more by sharing the insights he's gained over a career as a seller, a sales leader, and  revenue enablement leader.

As Revenue Enablement professionals our mission is to enable others with the skills, knowledge, and experiences to grow and improve. With everything we focus on have you ever evaluated how well you and your team are teaching the actual skill of learning? Keenan believes that learning is a skill not a default mechanism. In his years of working with sales teams he's observed that not enough time is spent teaching the skill of deliberate learning. In this episode he breaks it down for us.Keenan is A Sales Growth Co's CEO/President and Chief Antagonist. He's been selling something to someone for his entire life. He's been teaching and coaching almost as long. With over 20 years of sales experience, which he'll tell you he doesn't give a shit about, Keenan has been influencing, learning from and shaping the world of sales for a long time. Finder of the elephant in the room. Keenan calls it as he sees it and lets nothing or no one go unnoticed.Father of 3 amazing girls, PSIA Certified Level 2 ski instructor (see more coaching) and avid Boston sports fan, Keenan keeps crazy busy when he's not focused on A Sales Growth. 

The Sales and Revenue Enablement profession continues to thrive and grow overall but we've all seen enablement individuals and teams negatively impacted by the recent economic challenges. The sad reality is that even high performing enablement professionals can find their careers taking an unexpected detour. In this episode Dave Lichtman of Enablematch will offer insights in proactively managing your career to avoid redundancy but also what to do if it happens despite your best efforts.Dave Lichtman is the founder and CEO of Enablematch, a recruitment firm specializing in Sales Enablement. Enablematch has the largest bench of enablement professionals and helps companies solve the challenge of finding and hiring proven sales enablement talent. Additionally, Dave has become a sought-after speaker and coaches on topics surrounding sales enablement careers. 

Join  Sales Enablement Society President Mo Schlick and I as we discuss the state of Sales Enablement, what she's learned from her experiences,  and how she thinks about the future of our industry and the SES organization.Mo brings a unique diversity of experience to the SES Presidency, drawing from an extensive background in global sales enablement along with early non-profit work outside of B2B sales.  In 2010, as a senior instructional designer at ADP, she was recruited internally to join its first specialized sales enablement organization.  Since then, Mo has held leadership positions in sales enablement, sales learning, sales operations, and product marketing, working for companies like One Call Care Management, YP,  Bloomberg, and most recently, FIS leading global Sales Leadership Training. 

Sales enablement for B2C vs. for B2B - is there a difference? If so, what are the unique challenges and needs the Sales Enablement teams that support them need to address? In this episode Kevin Jones from Filevine shares the insights he's gained over 6 years of enabling large B2C teams. You'll hear about:H2H (human 2 human) sellingOnboarding for a product driven companyTraining in a decentralized businessKeeping up with fast changing consumer demandsMeasuring performance in a B2C environmentKevin Jones is an experienced sales enablement leader with a diverse background across industries and countries. His passion is helping salespeople discover a passion for selling. He loves spending time with reps to help unlock their full potential. He believes that all sales are innately #h2h, or human-2-human, before they are b2b or b2c. This perspective has given him enablement methodologies that work in a wide variety of organizations at all stages of growth.Kevin is currently the Sales Enablement Manager at Filevine. Before Filevine, he led sales enablement programs at Vivint. Kevin received his MBA from the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. 

Are you and your team taking a truly customer-centric approach when developing your revenue enablement strategy and programs? How well are you using the concept of force multiplying to scale your impact? In Part 2 of my conversation with Kristen McCrae McMullan we discussed her ideas, experiences, and how she's learned to be effective in these areas:Taking a customer-centric approach with Innovative examplesUsing customer-centric micro KPIs to align prioritiesHow to apply force multiplication for scalingEffectively communicating with Sales leadersWorking with internal blockersKristen is currently a Global Sales Enablement Leader at Amazon Web Services [AWS], leading a team of sales enablement and readiness professionals to support the ProServe sales teams. With 11 years of sales and enablement experience, Kristen is passionate about being a woman in tech leadership and serves on the global Board of Directors for WiSE. Kristen received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Emory University, and continuing education certificates from The University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard Business School. For speaking or article requests, please reach out to Kristen on LinkedIn.

How are you measuring the revenue impact of your Enablement initiatives? How quickly are you accelerating the time to revenue impact? What about identifying when a change in the approach is needed? Kristen McCrae McMullan of Amazon Web Services has tackled these challenges successfully and come up with innovative solutions that she shared with me in this 2 part series. In Part 1 you'll gain insights into:How to successfully transition from being reactive to strategicQuantifying your impact in a credible wayIdentifying and isolating the right micro KPIs to correlate activity to revenueUsing a change management strategy that meets leaders where they areLearning from neutral and negative changeKristen is currently a Global Sales Enablement Leader at Amazon Web Services [AWS], leading a team of sales enablement and readiness professionals to support the ProServe sales teams. With 11 years of sales and enablement experience, Kristen is passionate about being a woman in tech leadership and serves on the global Board of Directors for WiSE. Kristen received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Emory University, and continuing education certificates from The University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard Business School. For speaking or article requests, please reach out to Kristen on LinkedIn.

As companies grow and mature, they typically diversify their product offerings either organically or through acquisitions. Once this happens the need for the sales organization to quickly and successfully transition from selling a single solution to a platform sales approach becomes critical. In this episode, ZoomInfo Technologies SVP of Enterprise Sales and Account Mgt., James Roth, and I discuss the best practices organizations follow when leading this evolution. We discuss in detail: The importance of effective training and coachingUnderstand who, what, when, and how to coachTips on  how to overcome barriersWho coaches the coach? Don't forget you are dealing with humansJames Roth is an Inspirational, results-focused executive sales leader with demonstrated success building teams and growing revenue in complex and competitive environments. He is currently the SVP of Enterprise Sales and Account Mgt at ZoomInfo. Prior to that as VP of Sales James helped steer Vonage's transformation from a consumer, residential VOIP business to a leader in the enterprise communications platform space. He has a history of success in transforming sales organizations through a consistent approach to strategic solution selling disciplines.

Where does executive coaching fit into your Revenue Enablement strategy? What about executive coaching for the Revenue Enablement team members?  Britta Lorenz joins me for this episode to share how Revenue Enablement teams can support people in gaining the clarity needed to guide them towards their goals. Hint: the key is mixing coaching and compassion by focusing on the 3 P's – People, Purpose, and Performance. Specifically, we'll cover:Understand Difference Training, Coaching, (Mentoring)Know The Importance of CoachingUnderstand Who, What, When, and How to coachTips for the coaching process and how to overcome barriersWho coaches the coach? (SE Leaders)In the end, no matter how much data we have available at our fingertips, don't forget you are dealing with humansBritta Lorenz is an international speaker, businesswoman, certified executive self-leadership coach, and a mother of two. She is a partner at PDAgroup and is the founder of the DACH Chapter of Women in Sales Enablement. She is a Board Member of Trust Enablement--- with more than a decade of experience in international B2B Complex Solution Selling.