In accordance with the State of Gross sales Enablement Report 2024, 31% of organizations are getting ready to launch a brand new services or products as a key go-to-market initiative. So, how are you going to put together your sellers to be prepared for a profitable services or products launch that drives enterprise outcomes? 
Riley Rogers: Hello, and welcome to the Win Win podcast. I’m your host, Riley Rogers. Be part of us as we dive into altering developments within the office and find out how to navigate them efficiently.

Right here to debate this matter is Kate Stringfield, senior supervisor of income enablement at Dialpad. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of us, Kate. Earlier than we get began, I’d like to study just a little bit extra about your self, your position, and your background.

Kate Stringfield: Yeah, so I’m Kate Stringfield, as you referred to as out. Was in gross sales previous to being in enablement, and I used to be in gross sales for about seven years, each in hospitality in addition to SaaS. After which I made the soar into enablement round six years in the past, and now I’m over at Dialpad.

RR: Wonderful. Thanks for sharing that. I really feel prefer it’s at all times so useful to get perception from individuals who make that transition and have expertise on each side of the enjoying area.
We’re so excited to have you ever on the podcast for that cause. You could have such in depth expertise as each a gross sales and gross sales enablement chief. So are you able to perhaps stroll us by means of your journey into enablement, the way you made that shift, after which perhaps just a little bit about how that gross sales background helps affect your enablement technique?

KS: Yeah, so I used to be in inns, like I discussed, for a lot of years, and I discovered my ardour serving to different individuals as they began out of their new roles and getting them on top of things. And so after I made the transfer into SaaS, I realized about this cool position referred to as enablement, and I used to be like, oh my gosh, I gotta—I gotta study extra and get into that.
So since serving to others achieve success was a—or nonetheless is—a ardour of mine, I made that soar. And as soon as I landed in an enablement place, I used to be like, man, I discovered my place.
So I spent a lot of years doing enablement for the sellers that I used to be as soon as a vendor for—like, I used to be doing that position. After which I did one other two and a half years in enablement at an enablement firm, the place I centered on role-specific enablement, in addition to launching a gross sales methodology, three gross sales movement modifications, and varied different initiatives that I supported alongside the way in which.
After which I moved over into Dialpad, the place I’m now main a group of six extremely gifted, gifted income enablers throughout gross sales, success, and associate enablement.

RR: Fantastic. Thanks for strolling us by means of that. It looks like it’s been fairly the journey to get the place you’re as we speak. I’m curious then—we’ve talked about the way it informs your technique—however perhaps how does it inform motion?
So I sort of need to shift gears just a little bit and perhaps speak about a latest initiative that I do know Dialpad has been operating, which is that you just rolled out a brand new SKU after an acquisition, and product launch has turn into a precedence for you this 12 months. So are you able to perhaps speak to us just a little bit about that initiative?

KS: Yeah, completely. So ensuring that our product is on top of things and forward of the market is crucial. And so, gosh, round eight months in the past, again in October, we acquired a WFM firm—so workforce administration—which is a part of an answer of ours that we didn’t at present have. So we acquired an organization with a purpose to supply that as a complementary answer with what we already had.
This was a very new product line, and we had to determine, okay, how may we allow our reps to have the ability to go forward and promote this? And it’s a barely completely different promoting movement, so we needed to speak by means of what’s it, why does it matter, in addition to how do they then place the worth of it. And so in true SaaS trend, we have been additionally, along with launching this new SKU, we additionally had different product enhancements that we have been sharing alongside the identical time, in addition to a rebranding and new advertising and marketing technique and a brand new pitch deck.
So there was so much happening. So we needed to make it possible for we additionally landed this and landed it effectively. And so we did some pre-launch consciousness the place we geared up our sellers with content material within the type of kits in addition to micro-learnings and giving them the inspiration to get them prepared for that launch second so they might begin having introductory conversations with clients.
So how do you first scope that? Then we did our launch second and made our just-in-time far more sturdy and turned them into true gross sales performs the place they realized find out how to actually place this product in the precise method and alongside the entire gross sales course of. And with that, we additionally did further studying moments, reminiscent of full-blown e-learnings and certifications for find out how to promote this.
Then we actually wished to deal with reinforcement that caught, and so we checked out, okay, how can we get our managers talking about this product in group conferences? What sort of actions may we give to managers to run in group conferences, reminiscent of trainings in a field? And the way can we proceed to evolve the dialog and get our reps studying extra?
And so we centered on PEC speak in addition to extra thorough, in-depth enablement from a product standpoint, after which that later alongside the road gross sales movement and find out how to promote that. And total, we noticed round $500,000 of closed-won gross sales initially, and we constructed round $3 million in pipeline. And thru that, we additionally checked out information with the package and with the play that—, the package that shifted into the play—and lots of our reps have been utilizing it. There was excessive adoption of it. They have been going again to it a number of occasions and spending about 4 minutes consuming the content material.
And so we have been in a position to monitor, alright, they did the enablement, they have been utilizing the content material and sharing it with clients, after which that translated to these closed-won numbers and that pipeline construct that I mentioned.

RR: That feels like such a considerate strategy and likewise like various work. I’m positive that was fairly tough to execute, however I like that you just’re already seeing the outcomes that you just’re on the lookout for. I’d prefer to perhaps dig just a little bit extra into sort of the preliminary idea phases the place you’re staring down the barrel of this initiative.
What sort of challenges do you see reps tending to face on the subject of issues like product launch, and what have been your finest practices for overcoming them as you have been executing over the subsequent few months?

KS: Yeah, data overload is an enormous one. And it’s one which—, I discussed we did this together with different product enhancements and a advertising and marketing branding shift in our messaging, in addition to a pitch deck launch.
So , moreover that, reps are at all times being overloaded with data, and in order that’s at all times one thing you need to deal with as a problem. Additionally, when reps are studying about find out how to promote a brand new product, it’s one thing that’s exterior of their present data and ability set lots of the time or, , is simply stretching them differently.
And so you need to determine find out how to use the inspiration that they already had and construct upon that. After which generally there’s further complexities as effectively. And so after I take into consideration these challenges and find out how to resolve for them, I take into consideration, , ensuring that you just’re taking a crawl-walk-run strategy with these product launch moments and constructing upon what they already should get them into that run state, however not anticipating them to run proper out of the gate—which lots of occasions is an expectation that occurs.
So ensuring that we’re setting them up for fulfillment in studying and constructing upon that studying, after which additionally creating assets that basically meet them the place they’re of their tenure and their journey, and with the ability to translate advanced data into easy data that they’ll digest, eat, put into observe, after which go and evangelize.
After which additionally weaving in gross sales material specialists that basically know find out how to promote your present product and what speaking to your clients is like at present, and utilizing them as material specialists to actually inform that gross sales movement of that product launch.

RR: Nice. I feel these are all great methods. And I do know sort of a typical one on the subject of product launch that you just want to bear in mind is simply how essential cross-functional alignment is for the success of a launch. So are you able to speak to me just a little bit about the way you create and perhaps keep alignment as you’re constructing and executing your launch enablement technique?

KS: Yeah, it’s so crucial. And communication typically in all relationships is so vital. And so that is one that basically is the make-or-break fail level in lots of firms. And so having common touchpoints with material specialists throughout varied groups reminiscent of—, as I referred to as out, gross sales and success—but additionally product advertising and marketing and different advertising and marketing groups. Operations is one other actually key one.
There are such a lot of completely different groups, and in the event you’re fortunate, you’ll have a enterprise transformation group or a challenge administration group that’s there to foster all of these cross-functional relationships and create that alignment.
We work actually carefully with our product managers and our product groups. We meet with them often inside our enablement position. In actual fact, we now have anyone in enablement at Dialpad that’s centered on our product and pricing technique, and so he has these deep relationships with these completely different groups and completely different people throughout the enterprise.
Moreover, we now have a product launch playbook that we now have socialized with these cross-functional companions so that they know what that playbook appears to be like like, the way it can act modularly, and the place they play within the technique of the playbook—or the place they match into the method, so to talk.
And so that basically helps us create that alignment and communicate the identical language. Lastly, we deal with retrospectives—so ensuring that we’re studying from every product launch or product launch to the subsequent, and by performing retrospectives and having that dialogue over, hey, what labored very well, what perhaps didn’t work as effectively, and what can we make higher the subsequent time?

RR: I like these methods. I feel the Product Launch Playbook is such a intelligent thought to sort of get all people on board and aligned with what you’re anticipated to perform. I additionally love the concept of coming again and reviewing. Typically the enterprise runs so quick that you just really feel like you possibly can’t, however that second is simply as important—virtually—as that subsequent product launch. So I like to listen to that.
Pondering then of the way you’re launching, I’d additionally prefer to know just a little bit about when you’ve established alignment, the way you’re then growing that launch technique to start out operating with. May you speak me by means of the parts of your launch technique after which perhaps the way you’re partnering with an enablement platform to assist and scale it?

KS: Yeah, in order that product launch playbook is vital. And ensuring that it’s modular and nimble to work with varied varieties or sizes and styles through which merchandise or, , product launch moments occur.
Highspot is really the house—or I suppose any platform that folks would possibly use—to host just-in-time assets. For us, it’s Highspot, and it really is the house and the place we count on reps to go to first. And so if we give it some thought in that method, we have to construct round that idea.
So having that host pre-launch and post-launch and launch supplies, having it give tips on find out how to execute—whether or not it’s, , as an SDR, BDR, ADR, selecting up the telephone, what to say, how sellers ought to be promoting the product, how our Buyer Success Managers ought to be reviewing adoption for the product—all must reside there.
We additionally deal with asynchronous studying, so ensuring that we’re not pulling reps out of prime-time promoting and giving them area and time to study on their very own, but additionally checking their data by means of data checks and certifications. After which all of this new data taking place throughout a product launch must, ultimately, form, or kind, be folded into onboarding.
So fascinated about how that comes again into onboarding in order that reps who begin tomorrow can profit from that data and be capable to hit the bottom operating.

RR: Yeah, there are lots of completely different lenses to take a look at it and areas through which it must be embedded, so that every one is smart. On the be aware of enablement platforms, I do know that Dialpad had beforehand partnered with one other enablement answer, so are you able to perhaps share why Highspot was the higher match to your group in addition to the way it helps your enablement technique as we speak?

KS: Yeah, Highspot is integral.
It’s integral in that it’s the place our reps begin their day and the place they finish their day. It hosts all of our content material, each internal-facing and external-facing. So Highspot is a sport changer for us as a result of inside my group it’s straightforward for us to handle from an admin perspective and to observe governance throughout the assorted groups which are content material creators or host content material and handle it there.
Our reps are aware of utilizing it. That’s one other factor—, having an answer like Highspot is one thing that reps come to count on these days, and they also’re aware of it, they know find out how to use it, and we’re always fascinated about how they work together with it and the way we are able to prepare them to work together with it higher.
Our Highspot group—so the group that helps us at Highspot—is a differentiator. So that’s our CSM and our AM. So Jess, Emily, our Technical Account Supervisor Brian, and Matt Hunin, our Options Engineer, all assist us be capable to study the newest and biggest, make the most of what we have already got, and maximize our price.
After which probably take a look at different issues that may assist us as we total, as an organization, shift to extra of a just-in-time technique. So shifting away from reside periods that persons are going to overlook most of what you mentioned, shifting away from, , lengthy e-learnings, and extra of, okay, I’m in—, I’ve to organize for this name in quarter-hour—the place am I going to seek out that data?
Surfacing it up in Highspot and making it straightforward to seek out has turn into a sport changer in serving to them—assembly them the place they’re at and giving them the data they have to be profitable.
After which we are able to use information from Highspot and correlate that to main indicators on whether or not reps are doing the sort of behaviors we need to see and the way that ties to enterprise outcomes. And are the reps truly closing offers or defending income consequently?

RR: Properly, that’s all nice to listen to, and I at all times love to listen to a extremely optimistic expertise. I’m so glad that your account group is there to assist you thru all of it.
We’ve got heard by means of the grapevine, truly, that you just’re doing a little actually superior work with the platform, and one space the place you’ve seen lots of success is definitely by means of Digital Rooms—with over 342 Digital Rooms created in Highspot, in addition to a 9% enhance in exterior engagement, which is great simply to name that out.
So what are a few of your finest practices for driving that adoption?

KS: Yeah, yeah. We moved to Digital Rooms simply final 12 months, in the event you can imagine it, from pitch templates. And one of many issues we did first off was—there was a Highspot College course round Digital Rooms that we took, and we additionally used supplies that we have been capable of finding from Highspot so we may turn into proficient ourselves because the those that have been enabling the reps.
We then constructed a devoted Digital Room package to assist reps get aware of the why and the how of Digital Rooms and supplied them with walkthroughs. After which we hosted periods, we did asynchronous studying, we do one-on-one assist for our reps on why it’s vital, find out how to construct, find out how to discover engagement and analytics.
And we often additionally work with reps to get suggestions—so determine what’s working, how will we construct templates that make it very easy for them so as to add in what they need to add in, what data do they at all times add in so we are able to simply add it into the template for them.
One other factor that we thought of was—we use Consensus for demo movies, and so integrating Consensus into there, and the way will we make that straightforward?
We’ve got additionally thought of Digital Rooms not only for gross sales. We’ve thought of it for our gross sales improvement reps and what are their use circumstances, and constructed templates for them, and executed particular coaching for them, and gotten suggestions from them.
We’ve additionally thought in regards to the post-sales journey so much. So how will we get our consumer gross sales reps utilizing it to place cross-sell and upsell? After which buyer success—the place will we feed in content material for QBRs or different conversations that they’re having with clients and integrating of their suggestions to make their templates higher?
So we’re at all times fascinated about find out how to get our reps an increasing number of proficient and making that a focus month over month. And we’re actually excited for a few of the enhancements coming to Digital Rooms that we’re going to capitalize on shifting ahead and ensuring our reps know find out how to use it.

RR: Yeah. I like that you just led with educating your self first, as a result of how are you going to allow on one thing that you just haven’t been in these weeds with as effectively?
Properly, that’s one of many largest belongings you may give your reps—is to construct with them in thoughts. You understand their work, you possibly can construct one thing for them, after which truly they’ll use it. It sounds easy, but it surely’s actually exhausting to do.
So I’d love to listen to just a little little bit of a shift in focus, however I’m curious in the event you may stroll me by means of the way you measure the affect of—and perhaps then start to optimize—a few of your enablement efforts?

KS: Yeah, I take into consideration measuring affect of enablement in 3 ways. So you could have the primary prong, which is your enablement effort typically. So how do you measure enablement by means of, like, what actions are you doing?
So that is—, if you concentrate on the Kirkpatrick mannequin—that is Degree 1 and Degree 2: Was your coaching efficient? Had been you in a position to certify, , X variety of reps? That type of factor. These are examples of that.
Then I take into consideration the second prong, which is main indicators. And that is about habits. Are the reps in a position to take what they’ve realized and apply it to their day by day workflow?
Possibly it appears to be like like constructing pipeline, perhaps it appears to be like like having sure conversations with clients or sending data to clients. You understand, it could possibly be varied issues which are that sort of Degree 3 of Kirkpatrick.
After which the third prong is at Degree 4—so fascinated about these enterprise outcomes which are the objectives of why you’re doing this entire enablement strategy to start with. What sort of income are you making an attempt to affect? Are you making an attempt to affect conversion charges, , common deal dimension? Are you making an attempt to extend income? Are you making an attempt to guard income—so scale back churn and downsell?
These are all issues that, , are on my thoughts. After which the correlation between the three—the correlation between the enablement efforts, the habits change that you just’re seeing by means of main indicators, and the enterprise outcomes.
And so on the subject of then, okay, we’ve launched one thing, we’ve measured it, and now we’re making an attempt to optimize it—it’s then , alright, what are the completely different checkpoints alongside the way in which through which we are able to say, did we do our job? Or do we have to return and do extra?
And so perhaps it appears to be like like, hey, are they really reviewing the play or the kits? Are they sending the content material to clients? If not, why? We will ask these questions, as a result of we are able to see the info on whether or not or not they’re doing it. Are they saying it in buyer conversations? That appears like using a conversational intelligence instrument to see in the event that they’re truly utilizing it in these conversations.
We will begin to dig into all of the completely different items and determine the place we have to refine our enablement strategy to fill that hole.
And so we are able to make the most of Highspot to try this, our information in Salesforce to try this, conversational intelligence information. There are a lot of other ways, however simply having that information to dig into it, after which asking inquiries to reps is so vital.

RR: Thanks a lot for that basically considerate step-by-step walkthrough. I feel that’s actually actionable, and I feel our listeners will take so much away from it. I do know that measurement is at all times going to sort of be tough for enablement groups, so I like simply listening to how people have developed actual actionable methods for making it occur.
However with reference to measurement, I’d like to know—since implementing Highspot, what enterprise outcomes have you ever achieved? Any wins that you might share or simply something that you just’re pleased with that you just’ve achieved over at Dialpad?

KS: Yeah, I’m pleased with a lot. Our group has executed an exceptional job, and as you referred to as out—, the successes with Digital Rooms and that new product that we launched, that new SKU—these are actually big.
Moreover, we now have utilized Highspot to understand over $16 million of influenced income in simply 2024 alone inside our income group. That’s such a testomony to how a lot our reps have Highspot built-in into their day-to-day life, after which how they use that data to talk to clients, how they use their messaging, after which how that habits ends in these closed-won alternatives.
Moreover, associate is such an enormous focus of Dialpad—so our partnerships with our resellers, our partnership with our channel—and we now have seen a excessive enhance: 23% of our associate materials getting used and being seen after which being leveraged, which can be one thing I’m very pleased with.
After which the challenge that I’m at present engaged on that I’m pleased with—however, , time will inform on outcomes—is I’m engaged on a strong governance technique so we are able to actually take Highspot to the subsequent degree and make our cross-functional companions extra of the companions in how the content material will get delivered to our reps.
And so I’m actually wanting ahead to rolling out our extra sturdy governance technique this 12 months.

RR: We’ll keep tuned on the way it goes. I imply, these are already unimaginable outcomes, so thanks a lot for sharing.
Only one final query for you earlier than we shut out—would love so that you can share perhaps what the most important items of recommendation you’d give different enablement leaders to assist them drive a profitable product launch.

KS: I feel the modular Product Launch Playbook has been big—so having a laid-out plan for the way you’d run a product launch from begin to end in enablement and ensuring that it matches all sizes, shapes, and formations of what a product launch would possibly appear to be.
After which the opposite piece of recommendation I’d give is having common communication and good working relationships throughout a number of cross-functional companions in order that siloed work turns into much less of a factor you need to battle. As a result of that simply signifies that, , working collectively, all of us carry one another up.
And in order that’s one thing that then trickles right down to our reps, however then additionally trickles out to our clients and makes them extra prepared to purchase from us. So I feel cross-functional relationships are simply so key—and so carry on engaged on these relationships.

RR: These are each incredible items of recommendation, so thanks for taking the time to come back share these insights with us. I feel I communicate for myself and our listeners after I say that I realized lots of helpful data and was taking notes for positive.
To our viewers, thanks a lot for listening to this episode of the Win-Win podcast. Remember to tune in subsequent time for extra insights on how one can maximize enablement success with Highspot.