How to Become a Sales Enablement Manager [+Tools and Resources]

Embarking on a career as a sales enablement manager involves a combination of education, skills development, and practical experience.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to transition into this role, understanding the key steps and requirements is essential.

This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the path to becoming a successful sales enablement manager.

Let’s dive in!

TL;DR

• A sales enablement manager is responsible for managing and supporting the sales team so they can effectively sell your company’s products or services. This support can take on many forms.
• Here’s a typical sales enablement manager career path:
  • Sales Representative
  • Account Executive
  • Sales Enablement Specialist
  • Sales Enablement Manager
  • Director of Sales Enablement
  • Chief Revenue Officer
• To become a sales enablement manager, you need a relevant Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a similar field. However, you can still transition to this role even if you don’t have this exact educational history.
• Instead, you can become an enablement manager by gaining work experience in the field of sales or customer success within SaaS companies. Alternatively, you can also focus on pursuing opportunities that require you to design and implement training, mentor new hires, or develop sales collateral and presentations. Showing results when handling such responsibilities will help prime you for the role of sales enablement manager.
• To grow as a sales enablement manager, there are a few tools you definitely need to know of. Surprisingly, however, these tools aren’t just limited to the sales function. Instead, they cover various functions, such as project management and data analytics. Let’s dive deeper into the top 5 picks for you:
  • Simplify sales data analytics and reporting with Userpilot: An important part of sales enablement is analyzing sales data to uncover problem areas, regularly track metrics, and report using data visualizations and dashboards.
  • Stay on top of customer needs with HubSpot Service: Use the ticketing system to analyze recurring customer problems and questions to create sales enablement training and resources so the sales team can proactively address these issues.
  • Efficiently manage multiple projects with Asana: Easily coordinate all sales enablement initiatives, set deadlines, and monitor progress to ensure the execution of all enablement programs stay on track.
  • Measure sales enablement success with Custify: Use this tool to monitor customer usage, health scores, and feedback to track the effectiveness and impact of your sales enablement initiatives in helping customers.
  • Create a single source of truth with Confluence: Organize all your sales enablement resources and documentation in a single customized knowledge base.
• Looking into tools for sales enablement managers? Userpilot is an all-in-one product platform with engagement features and powerful analytics capabilities. Book a demo to see it in action!

What is a sales enablement manager?

A sales enablement manager is responsible for managing and supporting the sales team so they can effectively sell your company’s products or services. This support can take on many forms.

It includes designing sales enablement programs and training sessions to help the team improve their performance, learn the latest tools, or stay up to date on changing business trends. Additionally, the manager must also provide the sales team with the necessary learning materials and resources, demos, customer reviews, and testimonials needed to drive sales.

However, the role of a sales enablement manager isn’t just restricted to the sales function. They must also act as a liaison between sales and marketing, ensuring smooth collaboration between the two. This collaboration is necessary to guarantee that all marketing efforts are optimized for generating more leads.

Sales enablement manager’s main responsibilities

The sales enablement manager must constantly keep an eye on a diverse range of tasks. These range from analysis and research to sales training and support to overlooking marketing content.

Amidst all this, it’s hard to keep track of what the manager’s key responsibilities here, so we list them down below:

• Define and execute a comprehensive sales enablement strategy, aligned with overall business goals.
• Develop and manage all sales collateral tailored for different stages of the customer journey and various user segments.
• Design and conduct onboarding and training programs for the sales team focused on product knowledge, sales techniques and best practices, and industry trends.
• Evaluate and implement relevant tools to boost productivity and train the sales teams on the effective use of CRM systems and sales analytics tools.
• Monitor and analyze sales performance metrics to measure effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Conduct market research to inform sales strategies and enable the sales team to position the company’s products effectively.
• Work closely with marketing to create relevant content for lead generation and with product management to stay updated on product roadmaps and upcoming releases.

Sales enablement manager career path

• Sales Representative: Your role is restricted to generating and qualifying leads and joining senior members with their client calls to gain initial exposure to the sales process.
• Account Executive: Typically after 1 to 2 years as a representative, you get to manage relationships with prospects and customers, conduct sales calls and demos, and close deals.
• Sales Enablement Specialist: For this role, you need 3+ years of sales experience to transition to enablement. Here, you focus on creating and implementing strategies and enablement initiatives to support the sales team.
• Sales Enablement Manager: With 5+ years of experience, you can reach this position where your job is to oversee all possible aspects of sales enablement, from training and content development to technology implementation and strategy optimization.
• Director of Sales Enablement: For this position, you need 7+ years of experience. At this point, you look after broader responsibilities, like designing the sales strategy, managing the sales enablement team, and driving alignment between sales, marketing, and product teams.
• Chief Revenue Officer: After 15+ years, you become CRO, where you must lead the overall direction for the sales department and shape the company’s go-to-market strategy.

How to become a sales enablement manager?

To become a sales enablement manager, you need a relevant Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a similar field. However, you can still transition to this role even if you don’t have this exact educational history.

Instead, you can become an enablement manager by gaining work experience in the field of sales or customer success within SaaS companies. Alternatively, you can also focus on pursuing opportunities that require you to design and implement training, mentor new hires, or develop sales collateral and presentations. Showing results when handling such responsibilities will help prime you for the role of sales enablement manager.

To further cement your resume as a sales enablement manager, you can continue learning about subjects like instructional design or adult learning theories. These will come in handy when you need to administer training and create proposals. There are also certain certifications you could consider, such as Hubspot’s Sales Enablement Training or a similar one by the Sales Enablement Society (SES).

Lastly, to become a sales enablement manager, you must be comfortable with data analytics tools. This includes knowledge of CRM and content management systems, along with the ability to analyze and visualize data to uncover valuable insights.

What skills should a sales enablement manager have?

Given the variety of responsibilities a sales enablement manager has, it comes as no surprise that the role calls for a diverse skill set as well. Here are the key skills that every successful enablement manager must have:

• Product knowledge and technical expertise: To aid the sales team, the managers themselves must first have a deep understanding of the product, its features, benefits, and use cases.
• Analytics skills: Proficiency in analyzing sales data and metrics is imperative to identify trends, gaps, and improvement areas, coupled with the ability to use these data-driven insights to refine enablement initiatives.
• Communication and collaboration: To smoothly collaborate with other teams and stakeholders, the manager requires excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey information and incorporate feedback.
• Project management: Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, along with strong organizational skills to coordinate various tasks, resources, and stakeholders involved in enablement programs.
• Training and development: Skilled in creating engaging and informative training materials and delivering effective training programs tailored to the needs of the sales team.

Best certifications for sales enablement manager

Here are several certification options gaining traction, along with insights from hiring platforms regarding relevant skills for a sales enablement manager:

Sales Enablement Certifications:

• Sales Enablement Professional (SEP) Certification (Sales Enablement Society): This certification, offered by a well-regarded industry association, validates your understanding of core sales enablement frameworks and best practices.
• Corporate Learning Professional (CLP) Certification (Association for Talent Development (ATD)): This broader certification focuses on the learning and development aspects of sales enablement. While not sales-specific, it highlights the importance of learning and development expertise for sales enablement managers.

Sales & Marketing Certifications (Valuable for Sales Enablement):

• Certified Sales Leadership (CSL) Certification (Sales Leadership Society): Sales enablement managers often coach and lead sales teams. This certification equips you with the skills to develop and motivate salespeople.
• Professional Certified Marketing Manager (PCMM) Certification (American Marketing Association (AMA)): Understanding marketing strategies is crucial for sales enablement. This certification strengthens your knowledge of marketing concepts and their alignment with sales efforts.

General Business Certifications (Valuable for Sales Enablement):

• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification (Project Management Institute (PMI)): Sales enablement often involves managing projects like content creation or training rollouts. This certification demonstrates your proficiency in project management methodologies.
• Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) Certification (International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA)): Sales enablement managers often analyze sales processes and identify areas for improvement. This certification helps validate your business analysis skills.

Best resources for sales enablement managers

To further help you in your journey towards becoming the best sales enablement manager there is, here’s a list of all the useful resources you could ever need. This list has something for everyone, from the top podcasts and webinars to the best-rated books and blogs. So let’s dive right in!

Best books for sales enablement managers

• “The Sales Enablement Playbook” by Cory Bray and Hilmon Sorey: Learn practical strategies and frameworks for introducing and building sales enablement within your company.
• “Sales Enablement: A Master Framework to Engage, Equip, and Empower a World-Class Sales Force” by Byron Matthews and Tamara Schenk: Enter the world of “smarter selling” by reading about proven sales enablement best practices related to training, content, and coaching.
• “The Qualified Sales Leader: Proven Lessons from a Five Time CRO” by John McMahon: A sales veteran offers actionable tactics and advice on how to design and lead sales teams within the SaaS industry.
• “Selling to the C-Suite” by Nicholas A.C. Read and Stephen J. Bistritz: Discover the ropes of sales enablement, but this time with techniques specifically for engaging and selling to enterprise-level SaaS sales.
• “Cracking the Sales Management Code” by Jason Jordan and Michelle Vazzana: Develop an understanding of basic sales metrics and the how-to of designing effective sales strategies.

All these books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major book retailers.

Best webinars for sales enablement managers

• Userpilot’s Go-to-Market Strategy Guide for B2B SaaS Companies: Provides in-depth market analysis and customer insights, helping sales enablement managers tailor their strategies and content to address specific customer needs. Available at Userpilot webinars.
• Sales Enablement PRO Webinars: These webinars cover a wide array of sales enablement topics and feature industry experts who share best practices, use cases, and strategies to boost sales effectiveness. Available at Sales Enablement PRO webinars.
• HubSpot Sales Enablement Webinars: Discover a whole series of webinars discussing sales enablement techniques, tools, and methodologies tried and tested to optimize sales processes. Available at HubSpot webinars.
• “The Future of Sales Enablement: Strategies for 2024 and Beyond” by Forrester: Discusses emerging trends in sales enablement for SaaS, featuring expert insights from analysts. Available at Forrester webinars.
• “Customer-Centric Selling: Aligning SaaS Sales with Customer Success” by Gainsight: Learn how enablement managers can align sales collateral and initiatives with customer success principles to enhance retention. Available at Gainsight webinars.

Best blogs for sales enablement managers

• Userpilot blog: Find a variety of articles related to analytics, customer feedback utilization, and product adoption strategies, necessary for providing more effective support to your sales team.
• Sales Enablement PRO blog: Discover articles, thought leadership pieces, and best practices on all topics related to sales enablement.
• Seismic blog: Read in-depth articles, technology guides, and case studies needed to successfully implement sales enablement across your organization.
• MindTickle blog: Provides insights into sales readiness, training, and enablement, with practical tips for improving sales team productivity.
• Predictable Revenue blog: Learn from the founder of “Cold Calling 2.0” about how to experiment, iterate, and grow systematically with your sales team.

Best podcasts for sales enablement managers

• “Sales Enablement Podcast” with Andy Paul: Discover over 750+ episodes with the world’s most profitable leaders and industry experts as they divulge secrets and methodologies behind improving sales performance. Available on the Revenue.io website.
• “Inside Sales Enablement” with Scott Santucci and Brian Lambert: Hear enablement professionals discuss real-life scenarios, the insights they gained, and the enablement strategies they implemented to drive sales productivity. Available on the Orchestrate Sales website.
• “The Sales Hacker Podcast” with Sam Jacobs: Learn from expert CROs about cutting-edge sales strategies and tips, tailored for sales enablement professionals. Available on the GTMnow website.
• “The B2B Sales Show” with Thibaut Souyris: This podcast discusses everything sales-related within the B2B SaaS realm, including topics such as sales enablement and strategy. Available on Apple podcast.

Best tools for sales enablement managers

To grow as a sales enablement manager, there are a few tools you definitely need to know of. Surprisingly, however, these tools aren’t just limited to the sales function. Instead, they cover various functions, such as project management and data analytics. Let’s dive deeper into the top 5 picks for you:

• Simplify sales data analytics and reporting with Userpilot: An important part of sales enablement is analyzing sales data to uncover problem areas, regularly track metrics, and report using data visualizations and dashboards.
• Stay on top of customer needs with HubSpot Service: Use the ticketing system to analyze recurring customer problems and questions to create sales enablement training and resources so the sales team can proactively address these issues.
• Efficiently manage multiple projects with Asana: Easily coordinate all sales enablement initiatives, set deadlines, and monitor progress to ensure the execution of all enablement programs stay on track.
• Measure sales enablement success with Custify: Use this tool to monitor customer usage, health scores, and feedback to track the effectiveness and impact of your sales enablement initiatives in helping customers.
• Create a single source of truth with Confluence: Organize all your sales enablement resources and documentation in a single customized knowledge base.

Sales enablement manager FAQs

• What is the main difference between sales operations manager and sales enablement manager? The sales operations manager is responsible for leading the day-to-day of the sales team, defining sales processes, and making sure that the team is on track to meet goals. In contrast, sales enablement managers focus on empowering the sales team with the help they need to achieve those targets.
• Is sales enablement a stable career? No matter the company, sales is always a safe career path. Considering the close role sales enablement plays in boosting and optimizing sales, it is a given that this role will offer a stable career path as well. In fact, the role is now in high demand in certain industries, since companies are realizing that sales and sales enablement require two distinct skill sets and expertise.
• Who does a sales enablement manager report to? Typically, sales enablement managers either report to sales or marketing heads. However, companies have now started establishing separate sales enablement teams as well, with their own directors to report to.
• What are the goals of sales enablement? The goal of sales enablement is to drive sales revenue and to do so by helping the sales team close deals and win over customers seamlessly.

Conclusion

Becoming a successful sales enablement manager requires dedication, continuous learning, and a proactive approach to developing relevant skills.

By following the outlined steps and leveraging the resources available, you can effectively navigate your career path and achieve your professional goals.

We hope this guide has provided you with valuable insights and practical advice to help you on your journey to becoming a proficient and impactful sales enablement manager!

Looking into tools for sales enablement managers? Userpilot is an all-in-one product platform with engagement features and powerful analytics capabilities. Book a demo to see it in action!