How to choose a sales enablement platform?
In today's fast-paced business environment, companies are relying more and more on sales enablement platforms to improve their sales processes, enhance their sales team's productivity, and increase their revenue. However, with so many sales enablement platforms available on the market, choosing the right one for your business can be a daunting task. In this article, we'll discuss the key factors you should consider when selecting a sales enablement platform that meets your needs.
Define your requirements
The first step in selecting a sales enablement platform is to define your requirements. What are the key features that your sales team needs? Do you need a platform that offers analytics and reporting capabilities? Do you need a platform that can integrate with your existing sales and marketing tools? By defining your requirements, you can narrow down your search and focus on the platforms that offer the features and functionality that are most important to your business.
Evaluate the platform's ease of use
A sales enablement platform that is difficult to use can cause frustration and decrease productivity among your sales team. Therefore, it's important to choose a platform that is easy to use and navigate. Look for a platform that has an intuitive user interface, clear navigation, and offers easy access to the information your sales team needs.
Consider the platform's content management capabilities
One of the primary functions of a sales enablement platform is to provide your sales team with access to relevant and up-to-date content. Therefore, it's important to choose a platform that has robust content management capabilities. Look for a platform that can store a wide variety of content types, such as videos, presentations, case studies, and product information. Additionally, make sure the platform offers content organisation and search capabilities to help your sales team find the content they need quickly and easily.
Evaluate the platform's collaboration features
Collaboration is essential for successful sales teams, and a good sales enablement platform should facilitate collaboration among team members. Look for a platform that allows team members to share content, leave comments and feedback, and collaborate on presentations and proposals. Additionally, look for a platform that offers real-time collaboration features, such as instant messaging or video conferencing.
Check the platform's mobile capabilities
In today's mobile-first world, it's essential that your sales enablement platform is accessible on mobile devices. Make sure the platform has a mobile app that is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. Additionally, check the app's features and functionality to ensure that your sales team can access and share content, collaborate with team members, and access analytics and reporting on the go.
Consider the platform's analytics and reporting capabilities
Analytics and reporting capabilities are essential for tracking the success of your sales enablement efforts. Look for a platform that offers robust analytics and reporting capabilities, such as tracking content usage, measuring engagement, and identifying top-performing content. Additionally, make sure the platform offers customisable reporting and analytics dashboards so that you can track the metrics that matter most to your business.
Evaluate the platform's integration capabilities
A sales enablement platform should integrate seamlessly with your existing sales and marketing tools, such as your CRM system and marketing automation platform. Look for a platform that offers robust integration capabilities and can integrate with the tools that are critical to your business. Additionally, make sure the platform offers an open API so that you can build custom integrations if necessary.
Running a successful Request for Proposal (RFP)
Finally, if you decide to run an RFP process to select a vendor for your sales enablement platform, it's important to establish clear evaluation criteria and a scoring system. This will help ensure that you are evaluating each vendor fairly and objectively. Additionally, make sure to involve all key stakeholders in the RFP process, including sales, marketing, and IT teams, to ensure that the chosen platform meets the needs of the entire organisation. Lastly, be sure to communicate your decision to all vendors who participated in the RFP process, providing feedback on why they were or were not selected, as this will help to build stronger relationships with vendors and ensure that they are more likely to participate in future RFPs.
In conclusion, choosing the right sales enablement platform for your business can be a challenging task, but by following these key factors, you can make an informed decision that meets your business's needs.
