In line with CMSWire, 79% of executives say that an excellent digital buyer expertise is extraordinarily or crucial for his or her enterprise. So, how are you going to prioritize an excellent buyer expertise via enablement efforts?

Shawnna Sumaoang: Hello and welcome to the Win Win Podcast. I’m your host, Shawnna Sumaoang. Be part of us as we dive into altering traits within the office and find out how to navigate them efficiently. Right here to debate this subject is Dannielle Hokanson, director of enterprise growth and gross sales enablement at OneCause Thanks for becoming a member of, Dannielle! I’d love so that you can inform us about your self, your background, and your position. 

Dannielle Hokanson: Nice. Thanks a lot for having me. I’m excited to be right here. I’m a Minnesota native based mostly out of the Twin Cities and an enormous Vikings fan. I’ve been with OneCause for 10 years right here, in order that’s actually thrilling. 

OneCause gives on-line and occasion fundraising options for nonprofits. All of our prospects are nonprofits, and that’s actually an enormous piece of my purpose for why I work right here and why I do what I do. I actually get pleasure from feeling linked to all the influence that our prospects have in our communities. I feel that’s been felt particularly in the previous few years. That’s actually loads about my why. 

In my position, I began in a vendor’s seat. I used to be a vendor right here as a person contributor for 5 years moved right into a gross sales supervisor position after which moved into constructing our gross sales enablement perform and technique. That’s slightly bit about me.

SS: We’re excited you’re right here, Dannielle. Congratulations on 10 years. I do know that you simply really constructed OneCause’s enablement self-discipline from the bottom up. Are you able to share a few of your finest practices for constructing an efficient enablement technique from scratch?

DH: Sure, it may be extraordinarily overwhelming to determine the place to begin. I’ve talked to quite a lot of different people who find themselves in the identical boat and I feel that’s actually the toughest half as a result of there are such a lot of issues that gross sales enablement does. Simply determining the place the perfect place to start will be onerous. 

In the end we have now been engaged on a really mature product, and so we had common releases and common coaching, and it simply was not as sophisticated. We’ve been constructing our new product, and so having to maneuver right into a a lot totally different tempo was one thing that we simply needed to modify and construct an enablement technique round. 

Once I began, I actually simply tried to categorize it into buckets. The content material bucket, the method bucket, the tech bucket, after which the gross sales readiness bucket, and actually audit the place we have been at in any of these buckets. What are we doing nicely, what’s working, after which the place are our principal gaps and challenges determining find out how to prioritize inside every of these buckets, and what’s going to have the largest influence on the group? There is perhaps some small wins in these buckets that we will get out instantly, rapidly, after which there have been some larger long-term issues that we wished to concentrate on to get the group enabled and profitable and having the instruments that they want that have been slightly bit long run, just like the implementation of Highspot.

I feel all the pieces I do facilities round prioritizing what’s going to make the largest influence as a result of there’s all the time extra work than there are hours within the day. That’s actually how I made a decision to deal with it. We simply took it one factor at a time. 

SS: Acquired it. I couldn’t agree extra. You talked about that there’s been type of a shift to this notion of steady deployment type of again nature of what you are promoting now. I do know that you simply guys work in a very fast-paced surroundings. What are among the distinctive challenges that this presents for you and the groups that you simply help?

DH: That’s an excellent query. We’ve moved from having a number of common releases to our product group is simply unbelievable, and superb, and they’re placing out quite a lot of new merchandise and quite a lot of new options each single week. We’re actually tasked with maintaining with that stage of innovation. Once more, it’s actually determining what’s pressing, what’s vital, and what’s not vital as a result of I would solely have a few weeks in between after I know one thing’s coming and it’s out. 

As an alternative of simply extra of a scheduled kind of data, we have now to be very nimble and the group has to even be very nimble. Actually simply determining how a lot consideration a sure function or a sure replace wants, after which determining which of the parts we’re going to have to make use of to get that info out. Folks can actually solely retain a lot info, particularly when it’s coming continually. 

We’re actually specializing in quite a lot of repetition and specializing in quite a lot of other ways they might see hear or entry the data. We’re simply making an attempt to have a very broad technique, however once more, that simply takes time. We now have to steadiness, not getting them what they want with out overwhelming them, so that’s the key. 

SS: Completely. How has Highspot helped you overcome a few of these challenges and what position has it actually performed in type of the evolution of your enablement technique? 

DH: Highspot has been instrumental in our enablement evolution, I’d say. One factor is. it’s a long-term technique. We actually baby-stepped into it one little factor at a time. Simply beginning with the content material administration, simply beginning with having the data as a result of there’s a lot info coming to them. We’ve been working since our implementation final yr to essentially have it’s the go-to place for info.

I feel all of us begin in SharePoint and you actually need to know what you’re searching for with the intention to discover it. Having Highspot and shifting all of our content material there, whether or not it’s content material for the client expertise or our inside content material has been actually vital to having the reps really feel empowered with this fast-paced surroundings that we have now. We actually simply began with one factor at a time. Content material administration, templates for pitches and getting that purchaser expertise, then including some performs, then layering one other group. 

We’ve tried to be actually considerate, to not do all the pieces without delay, and actually get good at one piece at a time and get the group actually snug at utilizing one piece at a time as a result of then they prefer it, it’s serving to them, after which they’re extra apt to embrace the extra options and performance that we roll out. It was actually one factor at a time, however we would have liked to have a greater means for them to seek out what they wanted, once they wanted it, and get it out to the fitting consumers primarily.

SS: I do know initially you guys applied Highspot to help your gross sales groups and I need to get to the opposite groups in a second as nicely. To your gross sales group, are you able to inform us slightly bit extra concerning the impetus for investing in an enablement platform to your sellers? 

DH: Once we initially began simply our general enablement technique and these buckets, an enormous hole for us was in that content material bucket. I feel for everybody who doesn’t have a content material administration resolution, we in all probability are all beginning in SharePoint, and once more, you actually need to know what you’re searching for. It’s not an excellent navigation resolution. It was actually onerous for individuals to know what even existed. 

What reps have been doing is that they’re making an attempt to make it work for themselves they usually could have curated their very own little bucket of favorites, however then we type of lose management over what’s probably the most present. Are they utilizing the present content material? Do they know what good content material that they is perhaps lacking? They only didn’t have a technique to actually successfully perceive what was out there to them. That was a really large hole and the place we wished to begin on type of our Highspot journey was our principal focus was the content material administration piece. 

I’d say the toughest half concerning the implementation had nothing to do with Highspot. It was about considering long run, how will we need to set up this info for our group after which how will we need to develop with this software? We actually simply began with our new enterprise group, however after I applied the software, I actually deliberate the spots and the group in order that we might simply add in different groups as we grew. That’s the place we began. It was the largest want we had, and it was one of many issues that was capable of make the largest influence on our enablement technique. 

SS: Completely. As you alluded to earlier, you additionally just lately expanded your use of Highspot to help your Buyer Success group. Are you able to inform us slightly bit about your choice to convey the CS group into Highspot and why was that an vital transfer for what you are promoting?

DH: Our CS group had the identical challenges that our pre-sales new enterprise group had the place our advertising and marketing group is superb. We now have a lot nice content material, nice thought management, and nice details about how we’ve launched a brand new platform within the final couple of years. We had quite a lot of training to do with our present buyer base to assist them perceive the brand new providing out there to them and that could be a large carry to get to that place and transition all of those prospects to serving to them simply know what’s now out there to them. 

For that CS group doing that manually, looking for that content material, making an attempt to place collectively what is absolutely the fitting factor to do, that was very time-consuming. We actually must help that CS group to enhance our buyer journey. We’d already type of invested within the purchaser journey, however now we would have liked to spend money on our buyer journey and have the ability to get them the assets they wanted rapidly, and simply, and for us to have the ability to package deal that up for them.

They don’t need to spend so much of time, they can say, oh, I do know this buyer. I do know they should get educated and that is all bundled up for me and out there to ship out. There’s simply quite a lot of info that we need to get to prospects and it was simply troublesome to do. We have been getting in additional of a guide house. This was a means to assist them actually stage up the client expertise. 

SS: I really like that. Now you talked slightly bit about among the similarities, like needing to ensure that they’ve type of one supply of reality for all the important thing content material that they should ship, whether or not it’s pre-sales to the client or post-sales to the client. Because you leverage Highspot to help each pre and post-sales, what are among the similarities, but additionally variations in how you utilize Highspot to help every of these two groups?

DH: I’d say the implementation, having each groups has performed a number of issues for us. One factor is that it has helped us perceive precisely what content material we want and have simpler communication with our advertising and marketing group. What we discovered is quite a lot of what new enterprise wants can also be similar to what Buyer Success wants. We simply have higher visibility into that after which we have now higher visibility to construct that communication plan that’s comparable, however totally different.

We undoubtedly have leveraged very closely templates. We now have a really excessive quantity enterprise, and in order that has been actually useful in serving to adoption and serving to the group know what they should ship and when. We now have very comparable, I’d say, content material methods and enablement and all of that for the 2 groups. What we’re , which I haven’t fairly applied but, is how we will switch among the communication onto the subsequent contact.

We’re type of wanting and interested by ways in which we will proceed to really stage up that transition from a purchaser to a buyer, and that handoff, via Highspot. We’re undoubtedly persevering with to look in ways in which we will broaden and proceed to enhance, however shifting each groups to, that is your hub, that is your info. Getting everyone rather more on the identical web page from messaging to content material, all of these issues, has been actually instrumental in serving to us make this transition. 

SS: Yeah, I really like listening to that. You touched on it briefly, however one space the place you guys have seen quite a lot of momentum is by participating your consumers and prospects via Highspot. You guys have, I imagine a 98 % pitch adoption charge inside your group. What are your finest practices for leveraging Highspot to interact your consumers on the pre and post-sales aspect of issues? 

DH: Properly, I knew if we have been making this funding for our management group, with the ability to present adoption was actually vital. If we’re going to make the funding, we need to know that the group has actually embraced it and that it’s efficient in its use case that we’re asking for that funding. Basically, as soon as we did the implementation, I continually seemed on the metrics, and the analytics have been superior. One of many issues we identical to to have a look at past simply the precise pitch and its effectiveness is simply the adoption from the reps. What are they sending? How typically are they sending? What’s their type of success? 

We might have a look at their pitch depend. One of many issues I actually like to have a look at is the proportion of their pitches which are considered as a result of any person might be sending only a ton of content material and no person’s it. We actually checked out our metrics and have been capable of type of discover some success metrics or ranges that we thought-about success metrics. Then we talked to these reps to determine what they have been doing that was totally different. How can we stage up the remainder of the group to satisfy your success stage? We actually helped them. They led some trainings they usually have been actually nice champions to encourage different individuals to tackle a few of their finest practices.

We have been then capable of construct on these finest practices after we onboard new reps, in addition to after we onboarded our CS group as a result of we have been capable of be taught from what is absolutely working. It was quite a lot of, truthfully, small issues that made a huge impact. A number of our group likes to make use of the Outlook plugin. They create their hyperlinks to the highest. Simply all these very minor particulars, however they actually do create quite a lot of success. 

SS: I really like that. I typically assume that that’s my favourite, like, the unstated influence of Highspot is that means to scale what beauty like throughout your group in a extra environment friendly and efficient means to assist drive up productiveness. Along with clearly superb pitch adoption, I imagine you guys have superb recurring utilization throughout the board. I feel you guys are at 94 % recurring utilization of the platform. What are a few of your finest practices for driving that adoption throughout your customer-facing groups? 

DH: As I mentioned, adoption, we have been very targeted on it. We actually wished to ensure we had quite a lot of success and everyone was embracing the software. I feel, for us, our success actually got here from our preliminary rollout and what our aims have been. We actually wished to have the groups, primary, perceive why it mattered. Why would you like this software? Why does this software matter to you? How is that this software going to make you extra profitable? They should perceive why they need to use it versus us telling them to make use of it.

We began with the early reps that piloted and actually acquired used to Highspot they usually have been large champions. They have been a very huge piece of the rollout too. A few of them had decrease tech aptitude they usually have been like, it’s simple. I find it irresistible. Persons are responding. They have been actually capable of promote it from their very own seat to say, that is working, you guys are additionally going to find it irresistible. I feel that was actually vital, simply how we rolled that out. 

The second piece was we weren’t making an attempt to do all the pieces without delay. We actually simply began one factor at a time. Right here’s your content material. Right here’s how you discover it. Right here’s the place it’s. We began with templates, simply actually creating, right here’s the templates it’s good to get began. We didn’t attempt to get them into customization but. We actually simply acquired them good at one little factor at a time so it felt simple for them, they actually embraced it, they usually actually cherished it.

The opposite, I feel, huge piece to the success is that our gross sales managers and our gross sales management are large advocates. I feel with out their advocacy, it could be much more troublesome to get to that adoption stage. They actually embraced it, they have been advocating for it, they have been speaking about it they usually left quite a lot of house for his or her groups to speak about it and share successes and wins, after which additionally to carry refs accountable for his or her adoption.

They have been wanting, if there was anyone who possibly wanted further assist, wanted further coaching, or had not reached an excellent adoption stage. I feel the partnership with the gross sales management was actually instrumental. I feel, truthfully, in any enablement effort, you actually need their buy-in and their partnership. Similar to I mentioned, we’re actually making an attempt to construct Highspot into our hub. We would like individuals to not should look in 5 totally different locations for info as a lot as we will. We need to transfer that info into one place. The power to essentially have all of the various kinds of info, whether or not that’s in a play, whether or not that’s simply in a spot, it’s inside, it’s exterior, it’s data. 

We’re wanting ahead to hopefully implementing the Coaching and Teaching software. That’s type of our subsequent piece to the long-term technique. I’d say these are actually the three issues. We have been very aware of the rollout. We made positive we had champions. We made positive we had inside help, and actually simply continued to attempt to drive all of their exercise to at least one place.

SS: I really like that. You’re doing all the fitting issues there for positive. Wonderful adoption. Final query for you, you have been acknowledged on Highspot’s record of girls making an influence in enablement earlier this yr, which is one among my favourite methods to acknowledge our main prospects. What are among the ways in which you’ve been capable of drive enterprise influence via enablement at OneCause and the way has Highspot helped?

DH: One in all our huge challenges has been the transition from a platform that has been improbable, and well-loved, to a brand new platform that’s rising and shifting so extremely quick. I feel with out having a very clear, devoted enablement technique, we’d not have been capable of make as a lot of a transition as we have now or get as many individuals enthusiastic about our new platform, and knowledgeable on our new platform. We actually needed to transition our whole group on all new demos, and speak tracks. All of the issues that they wanted to be taught, the whole group needed to be taught at one time. It was actually like a full group onboarding of a product. I actually don’t assume I might have performed it with out Highspot in any respect, truthfully.

I feel it’s our group’s favourite tech software. We now have individuals discuss it on group calls on a regular basis about how a lot they find it irresistible, the brand new content material they discovered, and the content material they discovered that helped them shut a deal or perceive one thing. It could have been actually troublesome for us to have made this a lot progress with no software like Highspot as a result of it simply has been so embraced by the group. It’s been really easy for me to make use of, really easy for me to implement the issues that I wanted to try this I wanted to speak, and actually get buy-in from the group on. 

I’m an enormous advocate. I find it irresistible a lot. It’s been a game-changer for us. Our group would all in all probability let you know it’s their favourite tech software. It’s simply been an enormous sport changer in our whole enablement technique. Having the instruments to implement what we have to get performed has been actually key. 

SS: Danielle, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us at this time. I actually recognize it. 

DH: Thanks for having me. 

SS: To our viewers, thanks for listening to this episode of the Win Win podcast. You should definitely tune in subsequent time for extra insights on how one can maximize enablement success with Highspot.