Account-based marketing is becoming more common in business each day, and it is easy to see the benefits of this marketing strategy. More and more companies are beginning to see how the combination of ABM and sales enablement is making marketing and sales more effective, but many are uncertain of the benefits and if the step is worth the effort.
Every benefit comes down to this one fact: sales enablement tears down the wall between two powerful and important departments. Aligning marketing and sales is creating a mighty force. For example, metal and fire are both strong substances when they are separate. However, when metal is placed into a fire, the two substances are formed into something even better. Both sales and marketing are powerful departments but combining the two are releasing a dynamic duo.
Top Reasons for Using Sales Enablement in Account Based Marketing
Read on to learn five specific reasons sales enablement is used in account-based marketing.
Increases Personalization
When marketing and sales share information and client data, it empowers the sales department greater insight into the clients and decision-makers that they are working to sell to. Without that additional information, salespeople are only stating facts that they have learned about the product they are trying to sell. However, when those additional insights are in their hands, they can speak to clients as individuals.
For instance, there are many men who work out, but they are all very different. If your company sells vitamins that are geared towards these men, the salesperson needs to target those differences. The guy who wakes up at 4 a.m. every day to run will have different needs than the one who goes to the gym in the evenings. The man who stays in shape to prevent heart disease that runs in his family will need to be approached differently than the guy who competes as a bodybuilder. When the salesperson knows the motivation and habits that each of these men has, he can personalize every part of the sales journey.
Content Creation Process is More Effective
Sales and marketing departments have pieces of the puzzle, so to speak. When the sales department is given important information and the marketing department gains insights into different customers from the salespeople, the result is relevant and effective content with less time and effort. Spending less time creating the content gives you more time to get that content in front of key decision-makers.
Salespeople Can Tailor Their Strategy for Each Account
When you walk into certain mattress stores, the salespeople will approach you and ask questions about your life, your sleep, and how you feel when waking up in the morning. Due to the sales enablement process, the marketing department has shared data on studies, what each sleep issue is caused by, and even the words to use during the process.
This information enables the salesperson to take you to the right type of mattress and then tell you how it will solve your individual sleep-related problems. This strategy is successful because the salesperson does not have a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, they tailor their sales process around you as an individual, not every other customer.
Customers listen as the salesperson targets their pain points and often believe the salesperson when they say a certain mattress will fix them. When salespeople have the information they need about clients, they can strategically design a sales process for each account that includes their needs, desires, pain points, and more.
Gain Better Insights
There are times when a salesperson learns pertinent information about clients that other departments do not know. Salespeople are the front line, so they are exposed to the actual, in-person characteristics, needs, and personalities of clients. The insights they gain can make a huge difference in a company’s success, but it is no good if they have no way to share it with the appropriate people. Aligning marketing and sales is a way of opening communication between the two departments so they can share insights and reform strategies as needed.
Increased Revenue
When the marketing department creates more relevant content that the salespeople can use in their sales strategies, clients are hearing about products and services that will fulfill their individual needs. This will lead to increased sales. With sales and marketing working together, a lot of time, effort, and work hours are cut out, leading to a higher ROI than when they work separately.
Adding sales enablement to your account-based marketing can make a huge difference in your customer relationships, your teams’ efficiency, and your sales. As it will be a new experience for the different departments, it will be imperative to train them on sales enablement best practices, such as how to use the information they will have access to. Talk with your fellow team leaders about making this change in strategy, then work together to train your departments for a higher success rate.
