Advanced basics: The role of message strategy in sales enablement

Marketing is always evolving. New tools, tech, and insights lead to fast changes over a short time. On one hand, it can be exciting. On the other, daunting. Because changes don’t excuse you from the constant: the expectation of results. So each new challenge can feel like a race you haven’t trained for.

And if you’re responsible for sales enablement, the race can feel like a marathon. One that you’re running in flip-flops… on a gravel road… without water.

So how can you lean into the twists and turns of marketing and still make sure you’re helping the sales team be effective?

Collective success starts with getting everyone on board. Which means everyone has to get the right message. And it all starts with implementing the right message strategy.

Everything sends a message. And every message needs a strategy.

You’re working hard to build the best sales enablement program possible. You’ve got the data. You’ve got the process. And you’ve got plenty of options for tools. The tried and true (playbooks, slide decks, leave-behinds). And as we mentioned, the promising and new (VR, TikTok, AI). But after all that prep and production, there’s a moment of truth when a sales rep comes in contact with your message. In that moment, what does it say? How does it make them feel? And what does it make them want to do?

Getting that message right can mean the difference between your sales team adopting your materials or not. No plan or program stands a chance if it’s not adopted.

Why is sales enablement so difficult to adopt?

Sales enablement programs face their share of obstacles. But here are the biggies:

• • People naturally resist change. They’re comfortable in their existing routines.
  • Actual selling is always priority. Learning new stuff feels like corrupted sales time.
  • Reps don’t see how a new way is worthwhile. Especially if they’ve already had success doing things their way.
  • It’s hard to make so many different materials consistent and cohesive. When they’re not, they feel complicated and poorly thought out. This creates distrust.

How can message strategy help sales enablement?

You might consider messaging to be a basic thing, but you can benefit from an advanced understanding of it. Namely, the principles of message strategy. These are the four things that make a message work. Here’s how you can apply them to your sales enablement program to achieve adoption.

1. Make it customer-centric

Customer-centric means it’s about the customer. Recall from our previous post that your sales team is your internal customer. So make your materials about them. Ask them what they need. And speak directly to those needs by making the individual rep the subject of your sentences. This helps you overcome their mental obstacles.

2. Make it clear

Clear means it’s simple and specific. A message that’s clear saves reps time and mental bandwidth. Use simple language, numbers, examples, and visuals. Make the message easy to understand.

3. Make it compelling

Compelling means it stops and moves. You’ve got to arrest your reps’ attention first, then inspire them to action. Do this with an emotional hook. And by explaining why your program is better for the sales rep, better for the customer, and better for the business. It’s hard to argue with a win-win-win. This creates motivation.

4. Make it controlled

Controlled means it’s consistent and compliant. A consistent message is a message prospects can trust. A consistent effort is essential to success. So use a consistent style your sales team can easily recognize. Regularly update materials with the latest information and best practices. And send out regular reminders with fresh ideas for applications and opportunities.

Message matters most, and it’s not even close.

No matter how much your tools, techniques, and technology change, the right message is your starting place and your GPS. If you can’t get your sales team behind it, nothing else matters.

Ready to stop running in place? Learn more about how message strategy gets you on the road to adoption. Visit our Message Strategy page to get started.

Related:
4 reasons marketing gets ignored by sales
Growth is not an option unless you have adoption