Ultimate Guide to Sales Enablement vs Product Marketing

What is sales enablement vs product marketing?

Sales enablement and product marketing are two closely related functions within a company that both contribute to driving sales, but they focus on different aspects:

Product Marketing

• Focus: Creating awareness, understanding, and demand for a product or service in the target market.
• Responsibilities:
  • Conducting market research to understand customer needs and competitor offerings.
  • Developing product positioning and messaging that emphasizes the product’s value proposition.
  • Creating sales collateral like presentations, brochures, and one-pagers.
  • Launching new products and managing the product lifecycle.

Sales Enablement

• Focus: Equipping the sales team with the tools, training, and resources they need to effectively sell the product.
• Responsibilities:
  • Developing sales training programs on product features, benefits, and competitive differentiation.
  • Creating sales collateral tailored for specific customer segments and sales stages.
  • Onboarding new salespeople and providing ongoing coaching.
  • Implementing sales technologies and tools like CRMs and sales playbooks.

The Key Difference:

• Product marketing focuses on the “what” and “why” of a product, ensuring the market understands its value.
• Sales enablement focuses on the “how”, empowering the sales team to effectively communicate that value and close deals.

They Work Together:

• Product marketing provides the foundation for sales enablement efforts by defining the product message and positioning.
• Sales enablement takes that information and translates it into actionable tools and training for the sales team.

Think of it this way: Product marketing creates the recipe for sales success, and sales enablement equips the kitchen with the ingredients and cooking tools to execute it.

For sales enablement and product marketing, their importance manifests in different ways:

Sales Enablement:

• Boosts Sales Productivity: By streamlining processes and providing the right tools, reps spend less time on administrative tasks and more time closing deals.
• Improves Customer Engagement: Equipped with in-depth knowledge and effective communication methods, reps can build stronger relationships with customers and personalize their approach.
• Increases Win Rates: Effective training and coaching enhance sales skills, leading to more persuasive arguments and ultimately, more closed deals.
• Reduces Time to Proficiency: Onboarding new hires and ongoing coaching minimize the learning curve, getting reps up to speed faster.
• Improves Sales Team Morale: Having the necessary resources and support keeps reps motivated and confident.

Product Marketing:

• Generates Leads and Demand: By creating targeted campaigns and messaging that resonates with the target audience, product marketing attracts potential customers who are a good fit.
• Positions the Product for Success: Clear and compelling messaging ensures the market understands the product’s value proposition and competitive advantages.
• Provides Sales with Credibility: Strong product marketing materials and knowledge empower reps to present the product with authority and answer customer questions effectively.
• Aligns Sales and Marketing: A shared understanding of the product and its target market fosters smoother collaboration between teams.
• Drives Repeat Business and Customer Loyalty: Effective product marketing fosters long-term relationships with customers by emphasizing the product’s ongoing value.

Importance Summary:

• Sales enablement focuses on empowering the sales team to excel, directly impacting the number of deals closed.
• Product marketing focuses on creating the right market conditions for sales success, generating leads and positioning the product for wins.

They are like two sides of the same coin. Sales enablement equips the salespeople, and product marketing creates the environment where they can thrive.

What are strategies of sales enablement vs product marketing?

Here’s a breakdown of sales enablement vs. product marketing strategies:

Sales Enablement Strategies:

• Focus on process and rep development:
  • Develop a structured sales methodology (e.g., Challenger Sale) and create training programs to equip reps with the necessary skills.
  • Implement a Sales Playbook that outlines the ideal sales process for different customer segments and scenarios.
  • Utilize coaching and mentoring programs to provide ongoing support and development for sales reps.
• Content creation and delivery:
  • Design engaging and accessible sales collateral like presentations, one-pagers, and battle cards.
  • Build a centralized knowledge base or CRM for easy access to sales resources.
  • Leverage technology like Sales Content Management (SCM) platforms to automate content delivery and track rep engagement.
• Metrics and Measurement:
  • Track key performance indicators (KPIs) like win rates, sales cycle length, and quota attainment to measure the effectiveness of enablement efforts.
  • Analyze feedback from sales reps to identify areas for improvement in training and resources.
  • Continuously adapt and refine strategies based on data and feedback.

Product Marketing Strategies:

• Market research and competitive analysis:
  • Conduct thorough market research to understand customer needs, pain points, and buying behavior.
  • Analyze competitor offerings and identify unique selling propositions (USPs) for your product.
• Product messaging and positioning:
  • Develop clear and concise product messaging that resonates with your target audience.
  • Define the product’s positioning in the market and how it differentiates itself from competitors.
• Content marketing and go-to-market strategy:
  • Create compelling content (e.g., blog posts, white papers, webinars) that educates potential customers about the product and its benefits.
  • Develop a strategic go-to-market plan that outlines how you will reach your target audience and generate leads.
• Brand awareness and thought leadership:
  • Implement marketing campaigns to build brand awareness and establish your company as a thought leader in the industry.
  • Participate in industry events and conferences to showcase your product and expertise.

Key Differences in Strategies:

• Sales enablement focuses on internal processes and developing sales reps, while product marketing focuses on external market perception and attracting customers.
• Sales enablement strategies aim to improve sales efficiency and win rates, while product marketing strategies aim to generate leads and position the product in the market.
• Both strategies involve content creation, but sales enablement focuses on sales-specific content, and product marketing focuses on market-oriented content.

Remember: These strategies work best when implemented collaboratively. Sales enablement can leverage product marketing’s insights on customer needs and market trends to create targeted training and content. Similarly, product marketing can benefit from sales enablement’s feedback on customer interactions to refine its messaging and positioning.

What are examples of sales enablement vs product marketing?

Here are some real-world examples to illustrate the difference between sales enablement and product marketing in action:

Sales Enablement:

• Company: Zoom
• Scenario: Zoom saw a surge in demand for its video conferencing platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many new users were unfamiliar with its features.
• Sales Enablement Strategy: Zoom’s sales enablement team created a comprehensive onboarding program for new users. This program included:
  • Interactive tutorials: These tutorials guided users through the platform’s core functionalities, like scheduling meetings, screen sharing, and virtual backgrounds.
  • Quick reference guides: These guides provided users with easy-to-access information on frequently used features.
  • Sales training on advanced features: The sales team received training on Zoom’s advanced features, allowing them to effectively showcase its full potential to customers with more complex needs.

Outcome: This sales enablement strategy helped Zoom’s sales team quickly onboard new users and convert them into paying customers.

Product Marketing:

• Company: Adobe Creative Cloud
• Scenario: Adobe wanted to increase awareness and adoption of its Creative Cloud suite among freelance graphic designers.
• Product Marketing Strategy: Adobe’s product marketing team developed a multi-channel campaign targeting freelance designers:
  • Blog posts: They created blog posts highlighting how Creative Cloud could streamline designers’ workflows and enhance their creativity.
  • Social media campaigns: They ran targeted social media campaigns showcasing inspirational projects created with Creative Cloud.
  • Free trials and webinars: They offered free trials and hosted webinars on how to use specific Creative Cloud applications.

Outcome: This product marketing campaign successfully generated leads and increased awareness of Creative Cloud among freelance graphic designers.

Key Differences in the Examples:

• Focus: Zoom’s sales enablement program focused on equipping its sales team with tools to educate new users (“how” to use the product). Adobe’s product marketing campaign focused on attracting potential customers and showcasing the value proposition of Creative Cloud (“why” someone should use it).
• Target Audience: Zoom’s sales enablement program targeted existing users who needed guidance. Adobe’s product marketing campaign targeted a specific market segment (freelance designers) who were not yet users.
• Outcome: Zoom’s program aimed to improve user experience and drive adoption. Adobe’s campaign aimed to generate leads and brand awareness.

Remember: These are just a couple of examples, but they showcase how sales enablement and product marketing work together to achieve a common goal – driving sales success.

How does sales enablement work together with product marketing?

Sales enablement and product marketing are like two sides of the same coin in the world of sales. They work together in a symbiotic relationship to ensure a smooth sales process and ultimately, drive revenue. Here’s how they collaborate for success:

Collaboration Stages:

1. Planning and Strategy:

• Shared Goals: Both teams set common goals, like increasing win rates or shortening sales cycles.
• Customer Understanding: Sales enablement shares insights from customer interactions with product marketing to refine messaging and identify pain points.
• Content Development: Product marketing provides in-depth product information and key messaging for sales enablement to create training materials and sales collateral.

2. Content Creation and Delivery:

• Consistent Messaging: All content, from brochures to presentations, uses the same language, positioning, and value propositions defined by product marketing.
• Tailored Content: Sales enablement tailors content to specific customer segments and sales stages based on product marketing insights.
• Accessibility: Sales enablement makes sure all content is readily accessible to reps through a centralized platform or CRM.

3. Sales Training and Coaching:

• Product Knowledge: Product marketing equips sales enablement with in-depth product knowledge for effective rep training.
• Competitive Differentiation: Product marketing insights on competitor offerings empower sales enablement to train reps on effectively positioning the product’s advantages.
• Selling Skills Development: Sales enablement leverages product marketing content to develop sales skills like objection handling and communication.

4. Performance Measurement and Improvement:

• Shared Metrics: Both teams track metrics relevant to their goals (win rates, lead generation) and collaborate on interpreting the data.
• Content Optimization: Based on sales data and rep feedback, both teams refine training materials and content for better results.
• Continuous Learning: Regular communication ensures both teams stay updated on market trends and customer needs, adapting their strategies accordingly.

Benefits of Collaboration:

• Stronger Sales Arguments: Reps equipped with clear product knowledge and compelling messaging can effectively present the product’s value to customers.
• Improved Sales Efficiency: Streamlined processes, readily available resources, and targeted training empower reps to close deals faster.
• Enhanced Customer Experience: Reps who understand the product’s nuances can effectively address customer needs and build strong relationships.
• Overall Revenue Growth: Collaboration between sales enablement and product marketing ultimately translates to a more effective sales force and increased revenue.

Here are some additional tips for successful collaboration:

• Open Communication: Regular communication between teams fosters a shared understanding of goals and challenges.
• Content Alignment: Ensure all content is aligned with the overall product messaging and positioning.
• Data-Driven Approach: Use data and feedback to measure the effectiveness of sales enablement programs and product marketing initiatives.
• Mutual Respect: Both teams play a crucial role in driving sales success, so respecting each other’s expertise is essential.

By working together seamlessly, sales enablement and product marketing create a winning formula for sales success!