Analysis from Gross sales Enablement PRO discovered that corporations with a consolidated tech stack see a 19 share level increased common quota attainment than groups with a number of disconnected instruments.
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 developments within the office and learn how to navigate them efficiently.
How are you going to increase rep productiveness with a unified gross sales enablement platform? Right here to debate this subject is Andrea Holzworth, the vice chairman of gross sales enablement and buyer operations at Undertaking Lead The Means. Thanks for becoming a member of us, Andrea. I’d love so that you can inform us about your self, your background, and your function.
Andrea Holzwarth: Thanks for having me immediately. I’m Andrea Holzwarth, as you talked about serving because the vice chairman of gross sales enablement and buyer operations for Undertaking Lead The Means. I’ve been with Undertaking Lead The Means for eight years now served in a wide range of roles. Totally on our gross sales crew, so I served on our college success crew, our new district engagement crew, and our strategic accounts crew. I not too long ago transitioned over to our buyer operations crew in July, and actually on this function I function the chief of our gross sales enablement, so offering our gross sales crew with all of the assets that they want, all of the skilled improvement teaching coaching they want, whereas additionally fixing a few of these operational challenges that we might have. Whether or not these are inside or exterior, simply making it simpler for our buyer to implement Undertaking Lead The Means.
SS: I really like that. Now, previous to Highspot, you have been leveraging a distinct platform for enablement, together with a separate studying administration system. Are you able to inform us about that have and in the end what led you to resolve to actually consolidate your enablement tech stack?
AH: As you talked about, we have been utilizing a wide range of assets, and as you possibly can think about with a wide range of assets, there’s actually no supply of reality of the place the precise useful resource is, or the place that studying is. And so, Highspot actually was chosen by Undertaking Lead The Means as our gross sales enablement software due to its skill to be the supply of reality but in addition its skill to combine into Salesforce. It’s an easy-to-build studying administration system for us.
A few the opposite issues that we actually appreciated about Highspot was the power to offer gross sales performs to our crew. So, the “know, say, present, and do” to actually equip our crew with the precise useful resource on the proper time to the precise viewers. After which we additionally actually appreciated the event of speak tracks and the way we are able to present crew members the chance to take heed to their friends and a few of these role-play conversations round focused matters or particular PLTW packages.
SS: I really like that. What have you ever seen because the impression of getting a unified resolution moderately than separate siloed instruments?
AH: We’ve seen fairly a little bit of impression up to now, however I’ll say that Highspot actually offered our crew a unified vocabulary and once more, that single supply of reality. And it additionally allowed our gross sales crew to be actually extra environment friendly and efficient within the subject. As an alternative of digging round looking for that one useful resource, they have been capable of finding every thing in a single spot.
And it was additionally tagged accurately. And I say “spot” a little bit little bit of pun supposed there, however it allowed them to search out every thing they wanted. I discussed this earlier, however we do prefer to say the precise useful resource, proper time for that proper viewers.
SS: I really like that. And also you guys are literally driving unbelievable adoption throughout the board, so kudos to you and the crew. I imagine you guys have a 95% pitch adoption fee and 68% play adoption. What have been your greatest practices for guaranteeing a profitable launch whenever you first rolled out Highspot?
AH: Yeah, we’re very excited and inspired about our preliminary implementation, positively some early wins for us, which has been simply phenomenal for our gross sales enablement crew, but in addition for our gross sales crew as properly. We took two approaches and I’ll say that we began growing our implementation plan far earlier than our launch date. We needed to actually take a two particular approaches. The primary method is the “do with, not do to” mentality. And the second was to go gradual to go quick later. Clearly, these sound very corny, however that’s what we saved going again to each time we have been growing our implementation plan.
We needed our crew to really feel these small victories alongside the way in which. So we began off with actually small month-to-month studying. I’ll give an instance: our launch date was really October fifth, and we shared just one expectation for the month of October for our full crew. Ship 5 pitches. That appears sort of small and a few folks received it achieved inside hours and the others took a few days or perhaps weeks. And that’s okay as a result of that’s all they should do is ship 5 pitches. We needed to carry everybody alongside us and have an effect on that early timeline.
We needed them to get comfy. The opposite piece that we did too develop a suggestions group earlier than our launch date and this has helped us to pre-identify some crew members that we thought can be early adopters. And most of them are, and in order that has helped us acquire suggestions from our, from these utilizing it. So once more, do with, not do to.
SS: I really like that motto. Alongside these strains, as you talked about, a kind of issues that you simply did to assist construct that momentum was get suggestions and create an excellent person group. Inform us extra about that. How did that assist you to drive adoption?
AH: Yeah, so we developed that tremendous person group or we name it our engagement crew suggestions group – and only for reference our gross sales crew at Undertaking Lead The Means is referenced as our engagement crew – we needed them to be those who have been driving the adoption So we didn’t need it to be one thing that was occurring.
From the operations crew, you will need to do that. It’s actually like I’m doing with them and we needed them to be leaders inside their teams, so we requested for a few commitments straight away from these crew members and people commitments have been one: commit for a complete group, a complete 12 months to be in that group, and to not prioritize conferences. We all know that there’s numerous conferences, numerous conflicts, however to prioritize attendance.
And the second was actually laid out fairly clearly was we wish to present Brene Brown’s “clear is sort” suggestions, that means we didn’t need it to only say, “Hey, that is nice.” “No, it’s all going properly.” What wasn’t going properly, how may we be taught that? Earlier than we took that studying to our full gross sales crew, we are able to work out a few of these kinks. After which the opposite factor that we’ve actually seen success with is that this group has continued to offer that suggestions alongside the way in which, however they’ve additionally taken their learnings and expertise and shared it with their house groups.
And that wasn’t a requirement and one thing we even mentioned it’s simply they have been recognized by their leaders as being tremendous customers And so it was a pleasant approach for them to have a few of that peer-to-peer studying Versus you realize, the shopper operations crew coming in and sharing so we host these month-to-month learnings as a full crew After which our tremendous person group goes and shares of their particular person groups, which in addition they sort of share a few of their suggestions or tips learn how to do one thing a little bit sooner or a workaround which is simply enjoyable to see as properly.
SS: I actually love that method. I hope a few of our different clients can make the most of that and implement that inside their very own organizations. Now, rolling out a brand new software and driving adoption can even require some habits change. What are a few of your greatest practices for motivating that habits change?
AH: Everyone knows change is difficult. It doesn’t matter what change you’re going by, your private, skilled, change goes to be exhausting. Everybody has a sure threshold of change that they’ll take earlier than it turns into uncomfortable. We actually needed to sit down there and determine and convey everybody alongside us in that change, so we needed them perhaps to really feel pushed a bit exterior consolation zone, however by no means to go previous that threshold. We needed them to really feel profitable. I believe that’s one greatest observe. Not going once more too quick, sustaining a few of that gradual momentum. So that you’re bringing everybody with you.
The factor that we’ve beloved to see over the past couple of months, their implementation is now we have some that aren’t essentially the tremendous customers, however but they nonetheless need extra. They wish to continue learning extra. They need some extra nuggets the place now we have one other group who’s simply sort of staying alongside proper alongside our studying. So it’s been a very nice factor there. One other greatest observe I discussed earlier, however once more, it’s. Do with, not do to – so how can we carry everybody with us on this studying? How can we make everybody really feel part of our implementation? It’s not one thing that they must do, it’s one thing they’re attending to do.
The opposite factor that we actually did at first was share the top outcome. Highspot was a change and our crew could be very mission-driven at Undertaking Lead The Means, so we needed to showcase to them how using Highspot was going to really feel higher to our clients. One in all PLTW’s core values is buyer centricity. Our clients are on the middle of all that we do. And we really imagine that Highspot as a useful resource makes a extra buyer, seamless buyer expertise. And so we shared that with our crew and showcased that to the crew in order that they knew that, “hey, I’m not solely doing this as a result of we’re altering over to this, however it’s additionally higher for my clients that I’m serving.”
Lastly, I’d say information helps. So we’re now in a position to showcase to our groups how efficient their outreach is. In some methods earlier than, lets say if somebody was opening an e mail, however now we are able to present in the event that they’ve opened it, how lengthy they considered it, did they share it. And we have been simply considerably at midnight earlier than. Empowering our crew with information, simply serving to them to wish to personal a few of their very own studying and Highspot, too.
SS: I believe that’s unbelievable. And also you guys even have a really distinctive and specialised gross sales crew at Undertaking Lead The Means. Numerous them really come from a instructing background moderately than a conventional gross sales background, which is wonderful.
What are among the distinctive concerns you’ve gotten for driving habits change amongst a barely lower than conventional gross sales crew, and the way does Highspot assist?
AH: At Undertaking Lead The Means, we see a powerful worth of crew members who’ve that have from our buyer base inside our PLTW community. Lots of our crew members do come from our community previous to becoming a member of us. I’m going to return to what I discussed earlier, however Highspot offered us with that frequent vocabulary. It additionally gave us consistency throughout the board, and we may share that there was one thing that if a faculty was contacting us in California and even in Florida, they have been having that very same buyer expertise due to Highspot, we have been in a position to showcase that consistency.
It’s additionally offered a straightforward button for our account homeowners and so they don’t must seek for issues. They don’t must perhaps assume that somebody wants one thing or, you realize, attempt to put themselves in these, the sneakers of that buyer. We actually have achieved that legwork for them by placing issues specifically spots and showcasing or tying them to the right alternative stage. We’ve made the straightforward button, so there’s not a variety of different further considering. They’ll simply construct the connection, which is what our accountants are so good at; constructing relationships with our college districts.
SS: I really like that. Coaching packages play a extremely huge function in with the ability to drive habits change. One in all your key initiatives for the 12 months forward is to construct out strong onboarding and coaching packages. How are you designing these packages and leveraging Highspot to assist ship them?
AH: We imagine that onboarding for a brand new crew member is likely one of the most vital occasions whenever you’re bringing on a brand new crew member throughout their tenure. We wish each crew member to get that greatest elementary begin. We wish them to be foundationally sound but in addition see the buy-in and perceive the place we’re going as a company, and we imagine we had a reasonably sturdy onboarding expertise earlier than. However, a variety of our onboarding was constructed in-house, and it was a variety of conferences with different people, and we try to take down the quantity of conferences that we might have, and we’re making an attempt to outline, but in addition resolve what’s one of the simplest ways for a few of that studying.
Highspot’s studying administration has helped us try this as a result of we are able to construct programs. We are able to additionally examine for understanding alongside the way in which. It’s not going to exchange each assembly. We imagine, once more, these first 4 weeks are actually essential. We wish that new crew member to really feel interplay, to really feel a relationship constructing with Undertaking Lead The Means. However a few of these issues are very operational or very administrative. How can we take a few of these and put them into Highspot that they’ll do on their very own time? As an alternative of getting to schedule some conferences, we’re nonetheless dipping our toe into what that appears like. We’re excited to transition a few of that studying into Highspot
SS: I really like that. What are among the early wins that you simply’ve began to see because you launched Highspot and the way are you measuring success?
AH: That’s an awesome query. There’s numerous methods. I believe I used to be speaking to somebody the opposite day – Highspot provides you a variety of information and there’s a lot of it to take a look at, you don’t must determine which information that you simply’re taking a look at.
One in all our early wins: I discussed our October studying, so our November studying was that every one of our lead outreach would transfer over to Highspot and would use pitch templates. Once more, create consistency for us. We had by no means had a constant lead outreach expertise earlier than. We moved all of that to Highspot, and the largest win that we acquired from our gross sales crew was that we may present to them by the top of the month that we had a 71% open fee for all of our sales-qualified lead outreach. We may by no means share that information with them earlier than as a result of we didn’t have it and it wasn’t constant once more a faculty in California might have been getting a distinct e mail than a faculty in Connecticut. We needed them to have that and seeing that information helped them get once more further adoption and buy-in. That was one of many huge issues.
Then, I’ll simply say, we preserve listening to anecdotal suggestions too, from totally different crew members alongside the way in which. My favourite is when crew members will attain out to me by way of groups and simply share their experiences. The opposite day, one in all our high performers messaged me and mentioned, “Oh my gosh, Highspot, such a recreation changer for my lead work. I used to be in a position to get by 30 leads in 20 minutes.” And it was like, “Wow, that’s superior.” That’s extra time for them to be out within the subject, for them to be supporting clients as an alternative of, you realize, simply sending an e mail sort of factor. So numerous alternative ways to see success, however that’s actually the place we’re beginning with.
SS: I really like these. These are some nice early wins, Andrea. It’s the brand new 12 months. So, my final query for you: how do you propose to proceed to optimize your enablement technique with Highspot within the 12 months forward?
AH: Yeah, we did develop a year-long implementation plan. I sort of talked about this earlier, however we needed our crew to really feel assured, to really feel comfy with Highspot this 12 months.
Our full first 12 months of implementation was simply what we thought success can be if we have been adopting, comfy, and assured. So what we’ve achieved is beginning in October of this 12 months, we recognized one month-to-month studying every month, after which we construct upon that every month as properly.
And in order that’s our plan, to proceed constructing on. We put a few of these larger nuggets, the thrilling issues, a little bit bit later within the 12 months as a result of we needed the crew to be operationally sound with Highspot. However for instance, our digital rooms are going to be developing quickly. That’s the place we’ll be sharing with the crew.
Additionally, extra gross sales performs will probably be concerned with the crew. And so we’ve shared that calendar with the total crew. We wish to be clear on this. We do have an asterisk, “topic to vary”. Issues might change alongside the way in which, however now we have shared with them what that studying goes to be, and likewise what that expectation of what to do with that studying.
So, we’re all in with it, we’re going to maintain rolling, and we’re excited to see how far our crew goes. We have already got some crew members who we haven’t shared a digital room with simply but, however they’ve achieved it on their very own as a result of they’ve achieved some self-learning and we’re enthusiastic about that. They’ve been in there.
They’re those early adopting. So we see some early success and we’re excited to see the remainder of the 12 months with it.
SS: I really like that, I’m too. I’m excited to see the way you guys succeed within the 12 months forward. Properly, Andrea, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us. I actually admire it.
AH: Thanks for having me.
SS: To our viewers, thanks 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.
