From Sales Enablement → Revenue Acceleration: Why Enablement Professionals Need to Partner with Top Account Executives

Jul 30

Submitted by Chris Bogdan in July 2024

The following approach has been foundational to my success as the #1 AE in 4 different roles, exceeding quota for 15/17 years, and selling over $50M since 2020 alone. I've documented these best practices in my sales training program, Sales Rocket Fuel, and use a similar process when working with clients' field teams for private cohort trainings (on top of my own experience & playbook).

Connect with me on LinkedIn to continue the conversation and learn more about implementing these strategies in your organization.

Go from Sales Enablement → Revenue Acceleration

One of the biggest challenges for many sales enablement professionals: showing meaningful revenue impact to the field. In the fast-paced world of sales, the role of enablement professionals is crucial.

One massive way enablement teams can truly elevate their impact is by partnering closely with their org's top Account Executives.

This partnership bridges the gap between theory and practice, leading to more effective training that drives better sales results and true revenue acceleration.

The Vacuum Effect vs. The Secret Sauce

Often, Enablement teams find themselves building materials in isolation. Despite having access to best practices and years of experience, something vital is missing. This gap can lead to training programs that, while well-intentioned, may not fully resonate with the realities of the sales teams.

The key to creating higher-impact training is in deep discovery sessions with top-performing Account Executives. The top 1-20% of your salesforce is filled with invaluable insights that can transform your enablement strategies. By getting insanely curious and diving into their processes, you can uncover the real-world tactics that drive success.

Steps to Build the Top Performers Playbook:

Interview Top Performers: Set up one-on-one sessions with your company's perennial top performers. Their time is precious, so come prepared with thoughtful questions or send them a list in advance.
Walk Through Their Sales Process: Go step-by-step through their approach. What do they do differently throughout the sales cycle?
Uncover Hidden Knowledge: Discover what these AEs learned through experience and internal knowledge transfer that wasn’t part of onboarding or other training.
Document Everything: Take meticulous notes during these sessions. These insights are gold for your enablement programs.
Update Your Materials (including a Top Performer Playbook): Compile the strategies and tactics into a comprehensive Top AE Playbook. This becomes your new north star for sales excellence.
Implement, Get Feedback and Iterate: Roll out your new materials, gather feedback, and version your materials to make them better.

Advanced Strategies

Segment by Seller Level: Provide some granular tips for SMB vs. Mid-Market vs. Enterprise / Strategic account tiers.
Layer in Industry Segmentation: Learn the goals, challenges, and language of various industry segments. Help sellers speak the language of their customers.
Capture Stories: Document customer stories from the field to build powerful social proof into your materials.
Collaborate with Marketing: Share these stories to enhance your marketing materials.

The Power of Replicating What Works

By mirroring what's working for top sellers and creating a framework to replicate their success, you're setting up your entire sales team for better results. This approach doesn't just improve individual performance; it can lift the performance of the entire sales org.

Conclusion

Remember, success is often hiding in plain sight. By forging strong relationships with your top AEs, asking the right questions, and rebuilding your playbook based on real-world success stories, you can transform your enablement program. This collaborative approach ensures that your training isn't just theoretical—it's grounded in proven strategies that drive revenue.