Revenue_Rambo

Director, Revenue Enablement

Valued Contributor

AMA w/ Revenue_Rambo: Enabling Reps by putting the EQ in their Sales Equation

My path to sales and revenue enablement is about as twisted as they come.

Like many of the other WR vets, my early years were spent in restaurants.

First real sales role was selling cars. My training consisted of watching the movie “Suckers”, and learning the features of our cars.

Ended up working with a boutique firm representing Convention & Visitor Bureaus and large venues like the Venetian and Breakers Hotels. Booked the biggest meeting in the company’s history, but didn’t love or respect the role and went back to restaurant management.

8 years would go by before I got back to sales. This time I was in tech on a rocket ship startup.

I finally learned about having and running a real sales process. Flipped to account management.

Became the top rep. Won the awards.

Got turned down for promotion. Met the best manager I’ve ever worked with who not only saw a different talent in me but supported my cross over into enablement.

Now here I am. A multiplier. Working with multiple reps, at multiple companies, impacting more revenue than I could have ever managed as an IC.

I know sales has a love/hate relationship with enablement. So go ahead and ask me anything.

🏰 War Stories

🗝 Sales Enablement

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RandyLahey

Politicker

9

Account Executive

Love this series. Revenue/Sales enablement is, I find, often overlooked in how crucial it can be.
As a quota-carrying rep, I've had both positive and negative experiences. No wonder that the negative ones led to poor performance while the positive one led to quota achievement.
In your mind, what are 3 things that enablement does poorly, and 3 things they do well? I'm excited to hear from you as I've been recently tasked with providing input to our enablement team.

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

13

Director, Revenue Enablement

We could go on this topics for hours alone.
Where I see enablement going wrong is in a few key areas:

1) Forgetting who their buyer is. Your target audience is a seller so you need to focus how anything you present will make a positive impact in their ability to close deals. If it's training just for the sake of training... send an email and be done.

2) Inability to say no. At one of my former companies I totaled up the number of departments/teams who made requests... it was over 30! Time is precious so not everyone can have what they want. Some project get put in a track, some are just me telling a requester a better way of presenting material, others are a hard pass.

3) This last one is more about how enablement is perceived more than teams themselves, but companies will cut the budget on enablement because "it doesn't directly generate revenue". Many times enablement teams can have a low efficacy simply because they are resource strapped.

Where it goes right:1) Aligning with sales leaders. Enablement can't be the good cop and the bad cop. If you're leaders support what you are doing and help carry the message forward after the training then you'll all have massive success. If not, give it a week or 2 and everything will be forgotten.

2) Getting your reps involved. I think of this in 2 ways. First, for those of us who went to college and remember falling asleep in class... don't be that coach. Enablement needs to pull in participants and not be a 60 minute lecture. Second, not everyone needs all training or coaching. If someone is already demonstrating let them opt out or better get them involved as your SME and ask them to help in the facilitation.

3) Hire enablement who have been in the field. This creates massive credibility with sales teams. How can we tell you how to do your job better if we've never done it at all.

RandyLahey

Politicker

9

Account Executive

Rambo this is amazing, I really appreciate the detailed response and couldn't agree more with your points. Thank you.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

6

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

What a great answer!

RandyLahey

Politicker

6

Account Executive

Right? I'd love to be able to bookmark posts here, this is a great framework. @Gasty

jefe

Arsonist

9

🍁

Thanks for stepping up!
I was going to ask 'what the hell do you people actually do?!', but @BTQ basically did so in a much nicer fashion.
What is the best way reps can help you help them? Essentially, I'm wondering what the best ways that the sales team can work with sales enablement to make everyone happier, better, and richer?

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

10

Director, Revenue Enablement

#1 is check their ego. The best of the best in sales are the best because they are willing to keep learning.
I was once asked if I knew the difference between an amateur and a professional. Do you know the difference?

An amateur does something until they get it right.A professional does it until they can't get it wrong.

Most reps hold the amateur mentality. They get it right move on, while they should stay on a skill longer and become a master.

jefe

Arsonist

6

🍁

Sage advice, and phenomenal analogy.

My first morning at my first big boy job in B2B, I said to myself “Jefe, you don’t know shit”

I’m usually one who prides himself on knowing a bit about most things, and a lot about a few. But I had to realize this was a whole new ball game. I did so, and killed it right away and got promoted fast.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

5

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

That is an amazing analogy.

BTQ

Politicker

8

Account Manager

Alrighty thanks Rambo for doing this. Before I ask, I checked the search bar but I got like a jargon filled answer so. What is sales enablement to you? How do you help sales teams?

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

11

Director, Revenue Enablement

The actual definition is providing sales team with the resources they need to close more deals. I believe while this is true many only focus on the information and not on behavior.
It's like giving you a hammer but not explaining how AND when to use it.
I believe part of enablement is getting the the right information at the right time (even if that's just pointing you to the online resource for you to use when you need it). My bigger focus is on influencing seller behaviors. Where are your deals breaking down? Discover negotiation stage? discovery stage?
What's more important is working with you on how to think about and approach your deals.

BTQ

Politicker

3

Account Manager

So when you say resources, are you helping them by mentoring them? Or is it giving them software tools to help their job? Or perhaps a combination of both/dependent on the deal

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

10

Director, Revenue Enablement

My biggest contribution is mentoring. However, I have to also look at the overall program and understand how to help you best do your job.
Sometimes that is a tool. Take for example Quip. You can plug all your deal information into a spreadsheet and it will write it directly into SalesForce. Having that tool alone won't lead to better outcomes.
But if I focus with you on how the ask better questions, build more value, differentiate and such that results in a lot more information that you need to transcribe. Show me that you are doing the job, and I'll invest in better tools to make in more efficient. Otherwise I'm just enabling you to put garbage in the system faster.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

7

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

The enablement people I know work for a single company, so I'm curious about your role of working with multiple reps at multiple companies, and how you manage that.
(edit for clarity)

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

9

Director, Revenue Enablement

So a clarifying point. I work for 1 company, but my little side hustle is working with some companies in an advisory role, and also coaching a number of reps 1:1.
For the reps I work with we do a 30-45 min call every 1-2 weeks. The time commitment isn't huge, and we sometimes do it outside of normal business hours.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

5

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Thanks, I was wondering about the balance - which you have explained.
BTW- all great answers here. I'm getting a lot of insight into what makes great enablement. You're framing it beautifully.

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

6

Director, Revenue Enablement

Thanks. Some days it feels more like this....

Sunbunny31

Politicker

4

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I just bet it does.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

4

🦊

I've enjoyed this back and forth. Accept my upvotes 🦊

6

Retired Sales Professional

Rambo who was that best manager you speak about, what was it that he saw and how did he influence you?

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

7

Director, Revenue Enablement

Ironically this manager and I were originally vying for the same job. He was a former employee who was coming back. After he got the job over me instead of being mad about it I came to realize we had a similar vision, so instead of pushing away I leaned in and we worked together.
After some time, I still wanted a promotion and moved on to another company. Fast forward 6 months he reached out and asked if I might be interested in coming back to the team. Would be the same role, but he needed help. Had a bunch of junior reps and wanted to come in and not only sell, but also work with them on developing better day-to-day habits. We ended up being the only team where all reps were over 100%.
This was by no means because of my work alone. He had a keen ability to get the best out of everyone. Giving us all side project to help us learn and grow. I was however a catalyst in getting people to think differently and in a lot of ways simpler.
Internally we had a Director of Sales Training role open up. I wasn't even aware of it, but my manager found it and tole me I'd be perfect for the role. What's special was that I was the top producer, and even though my leaving would hurt his top line, he wasn't worried about it. Was more focused on helping me unlock my potential.

1

Retired Sales Professional

👍👍

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

6

Sales Rep

What is the biggest misconception of your role to the other sales teams?

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

9

Director, Revenue Enablement

Different sales teams need to focus on different skills. What I do with the SMB team likely won't be applicable to Enterprise reps, and vice versa.
So just because I rolled a program with one team doesn't mean it will translate to all of the others.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

3

Sales Rep

Really good to know!

oldcloser

Arsonist

6

💀

Finally got a minute to query... But first, I've got to throw some praise your way as you're always a reliable source for killer process insight and some seriously potent snark. Always enjoy your feedback.
So many questions I could ask, but I'll start with the mechanical:
If you were building a remote team from scratch, with a B2MicroSMB/D2C inbound motion, that has a 2-step process, disco then pitch, which tools would you absolutely call required for keeping the entire effort together with an eye toward scalability?

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

7

Director, Revenue Enablement

There are only 2 tools you should build on in this case.
1) CRM - Doesn't matter if it's HubSpot, SF, or other. Get a CRM and capture all your information in a single place. To make identify friction points and make adjustment you need data.
2) Gong or similar - This is the ultimate coaching tool. (Anybody who uses it as a weapon should be drawn and quartered). How I use it depends on the circumstances, but for early stage reps we can listen to a call together. I'll have them explain what they may have heard. Then I'll share what I heard and may have interpreted differently. For more senior reps I recommend they leverage it for note taking and cutting down on the telephone games. Send your engineer the exact request from a prospect and not your own mangled paraphrasing.

Before anyone comes over the top asks about Outreach, Seismic, Quip, etc. there is a reason I don't include them as essential. I believe a rep should be able to run a cadence on their own. It requires time management, planning, and diligence. Having a tool like Outreach doesn't fix gaps in those requirements. In fact it just speeds up the dumpster fire.
Things like Quip are useless if your team doesn't bother to log info in CRM, but if they are doing their job and logging that info, it then makes sense to invest in areas to make the process easier & faster.

-- Side note, Thank for the praise. It means a lot coming from you.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

3

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Damn, this is some solid feedback on the question. I was wondering the same thing. Thank you both

Sunbunny31

Politicker

4

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

"Send your engineer the exact request from a prospect and not your own mangled paraphrasing."
...you've seen my notes.

oldcloser

Arsonist

4

💀

Thanks Rambo- Your conviction totally brings this home. Bought one already. The other next.

GDO

Politicker

5

BDM

How would you tackle going from IC to enablement? any tips? It's something I'd see myself doing in a few years time

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

8

Director, Revenue Enablement

Focus on coaching new team members. If you don't have new team members then work on coaching up your SDR.
Just remember its more about helping them learn how to think versus memorizing everything in the world.
This is the same advice I'd give anyone looking to move from IC to first sales manager role as well.

GDO

Politicker

3

BDM

Thanks! I indeed train all new hires in our region :)

HVACexpert

Politicker

5

sales engineer

So you work for a sales enablement firm? Is there a certain type of product, deal size, sales team you specialize in working with?

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

8

Director, Revenue Enablement

No not at all. I'm employed directly by a company to build, scale, and maintain the enablement programs.
Honestly I find it interesting that when companies look for enablement leaders they put industry experience at the top of their list. While it is important, it also tells me that they are more focused on the information and messaging, and not so much on the skills of their sales teams.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

4

Sales Rep

How did you get into sales enablement advisory? How do you tell your current fte company about it so its not a conflict of interest

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

6

Director, Revenue Enablement

Largely through networking in 2 ways.
1) Former colleagues who move on from our old companies and have stayed connected so that we can bounce ideas off of each other. These relationships are very much 2 way where they ask for advice of me and I will ask for advice or insights from them.
2) I'm part of a few organizations including Sales Enablement Collective and Sales Enablement Society. Involvement in these groups has lead to speaking engagements, and the occasional one off project.
My current company knows about my involvement in the organizations and support it because it creates social engagement and visibility for all of us. In terms of managing conflicts of interest I typically operate on my own ethics and only do side work that has nothing to do with my own company. Helps that I have unlimited PTO as well, so if I need to carve out a day I have the ability to do so paid (or even unpaid).

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

3

Sales Rep

Very nice! Unlimited PTO being used to in that way is super creative

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

4

Director, Revenue Enablement

Definitely a fine line to walk, but nice to have the perk.

QWhiz

Big Shot

4

Founding AE / ex-SDR

1) All sales enablement leaders I've worked with so far either haven't sold a thing ever, or in a long long while. Is this the case everywhere and you're the needle in a haystack? Or have I just been unlucky to not work with a good sales enablement leader yet?
2) Is your full-time employer ok with you handling part-time gigs on the side? (do they even know?)
3) Are multiple gigs really worth the hype? Are you excelling at each one of them?

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

4

Director, Revenue Enablement

1) @Pachacuti and I traded barbs on this a few months ago. Unfortunately this is the case far more often than it should be. If you want to size up someone in enablement really quick look for 2 things... Have the sold before (at least a 2-3 years)? Do they have a specific sales methodology they align to? If they answer to either or both is no, RUN.

2) My employer is ok with how I handle my extracurricular activities. That being said, I put my big boy job first. Those project are the priority, and any side work I make sure isn't conflicting with my primary income source. All of this gets put on the back burner for family though.

3) Personally I think the hustle culture is bullshit. I've been fortunate enough in my life to never have to work more than 1 job. That being said, I don't consider what I'm doing right now more than 1 job which is why I say I have projects. The majority of my projects right now I'm doing at no cost. Why you ask? My motivation is more focused on expanding my professional network. I'm a big believer in "The Go-Giver" by Bob Burg where the primary premise is that if you give without expectation of return you'll be rewarded.

Pachacuti

Politicker

4

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

hard to respect someone who hasn't walked in your shoes. Can't teach Selling unless you have sold before (and I don't mean selling someone on hiring you)

Diablo

Politicker

3

Sr. AE

I don’t have any questions as the one I wanted to ask already appeared but lot of takeaways from your comments. Thanks for sharing!

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