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Providing organizations with the resources to run more effective end to end sales program.

Sales Enablement

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What is Sales Enablement

What is Sales Enablement?

Learn best practices for optimizing your sales force.

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Integrating Virtual and Self-Study Elements Into Your Sales Training Mix

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Sales success starts with understanding—not selling. While many salespeople focus on pitching features or moving quickly to a proposal, those who consistently succeed are the ones who know how to uncover a prospect’s real reasons to buy.This is the heart of consultative selling: the ability to ask insightful questions, listen actively, and identify the business drivers that move a buyer to act. When done well, it transforms the sales process from a transactional exchange into a meaningful conversation rooted in value.Why Consultative Selling Drives Sales SuccessConsultative selling is more than just a sales technique—it’s a core competency that reflects how well a salesperson can create value through discovery. It requires skill in asking meaningful questions, interpreting both verbal and nonverbal signals, and guiding the conversation toward uncovering urgency, need, and impact.Strong consultative sellers don’t jump to a solution. They start by understanding the problem from the buyer’s perspective. This approach:Reduces stalled or indecisive opportunitiesHelps buyers self-identify urgencyDifferentiates sellers in competitive, commoditized marketsWhen a salesperson takes the time to understand the buyer’s world—their challenges, pressures, and desired outcomes—they’re able to position their offering in a way that resonates deeply. This not only builds trust but also increases the likelihood of progressing the deal forward.Organizations that invest in measuring and developing this skill see tangible improvements in performance. Win rates go up. Sales cycles shorten. Forecasts become more reliable because reps are working real opportunities—not hopeful guesses.Despite its importance, data shows that fewer than one in five sellers are truly proficient in consultative selling—highlighting a major area for improvement across most sales teams.Where It Fits in the Broader Skill SetConsultative selling is one of the Tactical Competencies in sales—the observable, coachable skills that help salespeople guide buyers through the sales process. These are the “doing” skills: what a rep says and does in the field to build credibility, diagnose problems, and move deals forward.While many sales training programs attempt to develop consultative behaviors, they often lack a baseline. Without clear measurements, it’s difficult to know who’s already strong, who’s improving, and who’s struggling. And without measurement, managers are left to rely on anecdotal evidence or personality cues rather than data.A rep who’s confident and articulate might seem consultative—but are they truly uncovering the prospect’s underlying business drivers? Are they asking follow-up questions that dig deeper, or are they just moving from script to script?How Do You Know if Your Team Has This Skill?Without structured evaluation, consultative selling often gets misdiagnosed. A rep might appear personable or polished in meetings, but that doesn’t mean they’re uncovering the real issues behind a buying decision.Years of sales performance data show a consistent pattern: top performers routinely uncover deeper buying motives earlier in the process. They’re more likely to ask questions that challenge assumptions, reveal hidden pain points, and reframe the buyer’s perspective. These aren't “soft skills”—they’re measurable behaviors that correlate strongly with win rates, sales velocity, and deal size.The most effective sales teams don’t rely on gut instinct to gauge whether someone is consultative. They use data to understand which reps are driving meaningful conversations—and which ones are simply checking boxes in discovery.Strengthen This Skill, Strengthen Your PipelineDeveloping strong consultative selling skills isn't just about teaching reps to “ask better questions.” It’s about helping them become true advisors—professionals who drive buyer clarity and create momentum.This often requires ongoing coaching, real-time feedback, and an objective view of each rep’s strengths and weaknesses. Sales managers who can identify consultative gaps early are better equipped to coach them and better positioned to build a pipeline full of high-quality, qualified opportunities.To see how consultative selling fits into the larger framework of sales excellence, explore the full set of 21 Core Sales Competencies. It’s a valuable resource for any organization looking to elevate performance through measurable skill development, and a proven foundation for building a high-performing, consultative sales force.

Uncovering a Prospect’s Reasons to Buy

Modern sales training has a gap. Not a knowledge gap, but a performance one.Salespeople today aren’t just pitching products. They’re navigating complex conversations, adapting in real time, and building trust with increasingly discerning buyers. And while most training programs focus on delivering information, knowing what to say isn’t the same as knowing how to say it—or when, or why.That kind of readiness only comes from active practice. That’s where role play comes in.Research Shows Role Play Is EffectiveRole play is one of the most effective ways to prepare reps for high-stakes conversations. It gives them space to try, miss, adjust, and improve, but without risking deals. Reps can test out messaging, practice objection handling, and sharpen their instincts in a low-pressure environment.The data backs it up. Retention from active practice like role play averages around 75 percent, compared to just 5 percent for lecture-style learning. Sellers who regularly role play have been shown to close more deals—research shows by as much as 20 to 45 percent.The impact is quantifiable. Organizations implementing structured role play programs report ramp time reductions of two to four weeks. For a team of 25 new reps, each generating $40,000 monthly when fully productive, accelerating readiness by just three weeks translates to $750,000 in additional revenue—before accounting for improved win rates and retention.Despite all this clear data, many sales enablement programs treat it as an optional add-on. Why?The Challenge in Scaling Role PlayScaling role play isn’t easy. Coordinating live sessions across time zones takes time. Informal practice often lacks structure or useful feedback. Plus, many frontline managers aren’t trained as effective coaches. Without a way to track participation or outcomes, it’s hard to prove impact—or even know what’s working.So, despite being one of the most effective training strategies, role play often goes underused, replaced by easier but less effective alternatives.How to Incorporate Role Play Into Your Sales Enablement TrainingThe teams getting the most from role play are building it into their overall training flow. Some are using simulations for solo practice. Others are embedding structured peer exercises into onboarding and coaching. The common thread is consistency—making role play part of the culture, not just a one-off activity.This approach doesn’t just improve rep performance—it also gives managers and enablement leaders better insight into skills, progress, and where to focus coaching efforts.Tips for Getting StartedIf you’re looking to implement or improve role play, start simple. Here are a few tips to keep it effective and repeatable:Make it specific. Each role play should have a defined scenario, goal, and skill focus, like objection handling or pricing conversations.Keep it short. A 5- to 10-minute exchange is often enough to surface skill gaps and generate useful feedback.Pair strategically. Match newer reps with more experienced ones to build confidence and enable peer coaching.Provide a feedback framework. Teach reps how to give constructive, focused feedback to their peers. Use prompts like: What worked well? Where did they lose momentum? What would you try instead?Debrief as a group. Encourage reps to share what they learned to the wider group after the session. This helps reinforce takeaways and normalize growth through practice.Use AI tools to extend learning. Let reps practice with AI-powered simulations before and after live role play. It helps them warm up, get unstuck on common challenges, and reinforce learning through repetition.Track outcomes. Build in ways to measure participation, improvement, and skill adoption over time. This helps refine training and connects the dots between practice and pipeline impact.Involve managers early. Equip frontline managers with role play guides or rubrics so they can reinforce the same standards in coaching conversations. Their participation sends a clear message: this isn’t extra work—it’s core to performance.Build it into the rhythm. Tie role play to weekly team meetings or coaching sessions. When it becomes a habit—not an event—reps show up better prepared and more willing to improve.The more consistent the effort, the more measurable the return. Reps don’t need dozens of sessions they need regular opportunities to apply what they’re learning and reflect on what’s working.For more strategies about implementing role play that drives real outcomes, download the full guide here. 

Why Role Play Delivers 75% Retention (Vs. 5% From Lectures) 

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