In accordance with CMSWire, 79% of executives say that an incredible digital buyer expertise is extraordinarily or crucial for his or her enterprise. So, how are you going to prioritize an incredible buyer expertise by 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 how you can 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 function.
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 a giant Vikings fan. I’ve been with OneCause for 10 years right here, in order that’s actually thrilling.
OneCause affords on-line and occasion fundraising options for nonprofits. All of our prospects are nonprofits, and that’s actually a giant piece of my cause for why I work right here and why I do what I do. I actually take pleasure in feeling related to all the impression that our prospects have in our communities. I believe that’s been felt particularly in the previous few years. That’s actually lots about my why.
In my function, 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 function after which moved into constructing our gross sales enablement perform and technique. That’s just a little bit about me.
SS: We’re excited you’re right here, Dannielle. Congratulations on 10 years. I do know that you simply truly 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 start out. I’ve talked to loads of different people who find themselves in the identical boat and I believe 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 most effective place to start may be laborious.
Finally we’ve been engaged on a really mature product, and so we had common releases and common coaching, and it simply was not as difficult. We’ve been constructing our new product, and so having to maneuver right into a a lot completely 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 effectively, what’s working, after which the place are our essential gaps and challenges determining how you can prioritize inside every of these buckets, and what’s going to have the most important impression on the crew? 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 deal with to get the crew enabled and profitable and having the instruments that they want that have been just a little bit long run, just like the implementation of Highspot.
I believe all the pieces I do facilities round prioritizing what’s going to make the most important impression 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 sort out it. We simply took it one factor at a time.
SS: Received it. I couldn’t agree extra. You talked about that there’s been form of a shift to this notion of steady deployment form of again nature of your enterprise now. I do know that you simply guys work in a very fast-paced surroundings. What are a number of the distinctive challenges that this presents for you and the groups that you simply help?
DH: That’s a great query. We’ve moved from having a number of common releases to our product crew is simply unimaginable, and superb, and they’re placing out loads of new merchandise and loads of new options each single week. We’re actually tasked with maintaining with that degree of innovation. Once more, it’s actually determining what’s pressing, what’s necessary, and what’s not necessary as a result of I’d 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 sort of data, we’ve to be very nimble and the crew has to even be very nimble. Actually simply determining how a lot consideration a sure characteristic 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 consistently.
We’re actually specializing in loads of repetition and specializing in loads of alternative ways they could see hear or entry the data. We’re simply attempting to have a very broad technique, however once more, that simply takes time. We’ve 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 function has it actually performed in form 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 12 months to essentially have it’s the go-to place for info.
I believe all of us begin in SharePoint and you actually need to know what you’re on the lookout for with a purpose to discover it. Having Highspot and shifting all of our content material there, whether or not it’s content material for the customer expertise or our inner content material has been actually necessary to having the reps really feel empowered with this fast-paced surroundings that we’ve. 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 crew.
We’ve tried to be actually considerate, to not do all the pieces directly, and actually get good at one piece at a time and get the crew actually comfy 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 manner for them to seek out what they wanted, after they wanted it, and get it out to the best consumers primarily.
SS: I do know initially you guys applied Highspot to help your gross sales groups and I wish to get to the opposite groups in a second as effectively. On your gross sales crew, are you able to inform us just a little bit extra in regards to the impetus for investing in an enablement platform in your sellers?
DH: Once we initially began taking a look at simply our total enablement technique and taking a look at these buckets, an enormous hole for us was in that content material bucket. I believe 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 on the lookout for. It’s not an incredible navigation resolution. It was actually laborious for individuals to know what even existed.
What reps have been doing is that they’re attempting to make it work for themselves they usually could have curated their very own little bucket of favorites, however then we form of lose management over what’s essentially the most present. Are they utilizing the present content material? Do they know what good content material that they is perhaps lacking? They simply didn’t have a technique to actually successfully perceive what was accessible to them. That was a really big hole and the place we wished to start out on form of our Highspot journey was our essential focus was the content material administration piece.
I’d say the toughest half in regards to the implementation had nothing to do with Highspot. It was about pondering long run, how will we wish to arrange this info for our crew after which how will we wish to develop with this instrument? We actually simply began with our new enterprise crew, however after I applied the instrument, 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 most important want we had, and it was one of many issues that was capable of make the most important impression on our enablement technique.
SS: Completely. As you alluded to earlier, you additionally not too long ago expanded your use of Highspot to help your Buyer Success crew. Are you able to inform us just a little bit about your determination to deliver the CS crew into Highspot and why was that an necessary transfer for your enterprise?
DH: Our CS crew had the identical challenges that our pre-sales new enterprise crew had the place our advertising and marketing crew is superb. We’ve 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 loads of schooling to do with our present buyer base to assist them perceive the brand new providing accessible to them and that could be a big carry to get to that place and transition all of those prospects to serving to them simply know what’s now accessible to them.
For that CS crew doing that manually, looking for that content material, attempting to place collectively what is absolutely the best factor to do, that was very time-consuming. We actually must help that CS crew to enhance our buyer journey. We’d already form of invested within the purchaser journey, however now we would have liked to spend money on our buyer journey and be capable 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 accessible to ship out. There’s simply loads of info that we wish to get to prospects and it was simply tough to do. We have been getting in additional of a guide area. This was a manner to assist them actually degree up the client expertise.
SS: I really like that. Now you talked just a little bit about a number of the similarities, like needing to ensure that they’ve form of one supply of fact for all the important thing content material that they should ship, whether or not it’s pre-sales to the customer or post-sales to the client. Because you leverage Highspot to help each pre and post-sales, what are a number of the similarities, but additionally variations in how you employ Highspot to help every of these two groups?
DH: I’d say the implementation, having each groups has achieved a number of issues for us. One factor is that it has helped us perceive precisely what content material we want and have more practical communication with our advertising and marketing crew. What we discovered is loads of what new enterprise wants can be similar to what Buyer Success wants. We simply have higher visibility into that after which we’ve higher visibility to construct that communication plan that’s comparable, however completely different.
We undoubtedly have leveraged very closely templates. We’ve a really excessive quantity enterprise, and in order that has been actually useful in serving to adoption and serving to the crew know what they should ship and when. We’ve very comparable, I’d say, content material methods and enablement and all of that for the 2 groups. What we’re taking a look at, which I haven’t fairly applied but, is how we will switch a number of the communication onto the following contact.
We’re form of wanting and fascinated by ways in which we will proceed to truly degree up that transition from a purchaser to a buyer, and that handoff, by Highspot. We’re undoubtedly persevering with to look in ways in which we will develop and proceed to enhance, however shifting each groups to, that is your hub, that is your info. Getting everyone far 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 loads of momentum is by partaking your consumers and prospects by Highspot. You guys have, I imagine a 98 p.c pitch adoption fee inside your group. What are your finest practices for leveraging Highspot to have interaction your consumers on the pre and post-sales facet of issues?
DH: Properly, I knew if we have been making this funding for our management crew, with the ability to present adoption was actually necessary. If we’re going to make the funding, we wish to know that the crew 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 consistently appeared on the metrics, and the analytics have been superior. One of many issues we similar to to take 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 form of success?
We might have a look at their pitch depend. One of many issues I actually like to take a look at is the share of their pitches which can be considered as a result of anyone might be sending only a ton of content material and no person’s taking a look at it. We actually checked out our metrics and have been capable of form of discover some success metrics or ranges that we thought of success metrics. Then we talked to these reps to determine what they have been doing that was completely different. How can we degree up the remainder of the crew to fulfill your success degree? 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 once we onboard new reps, in addition to once we onboarded our CS crew as a result of we have been capable of be taught from what is absolutely working. It was loads of, actually, small issues that made a big effect. A whole lot of our crew likes to make use of the Outlook plugin. They convey their hyperlinks to the highest. Simply all these very minor particulars, however they actually do create loads of success.
SS: I really like that. I typically suppose that that’s my favourite, like, the unstated impression of Highspot is that capacity to scale what beauty like throughout your crew in a extra environment friendly and efficient manner to assist drive up productiveness. Along with clearly superb pitch adoption, I imagine you guys have superb recurring utilization throughout the board. I believe you guys are at 94 p.c 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 centered on it. We actually wished to ensure we had loads of success and everyone was embracing the instrument. I believe, for us, our success actually got here from our preliminary rollout and what our targets have been. We actually wished to have the groups, primary, perceive why it mattered. Why would you like this instrument? Why does this instrument matter to you? How is that this instrument going to make you extra profitable? They should perceive why they wish to use it versus us telling them to make use of it.
We began with the early reps that piloted and actually received used to Highspot they usually have been big champions. They have been a very large 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. Individuals 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 believe that was actually necessary, simply how we rolled that out.
The second piece was we weren’t attempting to do all the pieces directly. 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 is advisable get began. We didn’t attempt to get them into customization but. We actually simply received them good at one little factor at a time so it felt simple for them, they actually embraced it, they usually actually beloved it.
The opposite, I believe, large piece to the success is that our gross sales managers and our gross sales management are big advocates. I believe with out their advocacy, it will be much more tough to get to that adoption degree. They actually embraced it, they have been advocating for it, they have been speaking about it they usually left loads of area 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 perhaps wanted further assist, wanted further coaching, or had not reached a great adoption degree. I believe the partnership with the gross sales management was actually instrumental. I believe, actually, in any enablement effort, you actually need their buy-in and their partnership. Identical to I mentioned, we’re actually attempting to construct Highspot into our hub. We would like individuals to not need to look in 5 completely different locations for info as a lot as we will. We wish to transfer that info into one place. The flexibility 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 inner, it’s exterior, it’s data.
We’re wanting ahead to hopefully implementing the Coaching and Teaching instrument. That’s form 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 certain we had champions. We made certain we had inner help, and actually simply continued to attempt to drive all of their exercise to 1 place.
SS: I really like that. You’re doing all the best issues there for certain. Wonderful adoption. Final query for you, you have been acknowledged on Highspot’s checklist of girls making an impression in enablement earlier this 12 months, which is one in all my favourite methods to acknowledge our main prospects. What are a number of the ways in which you’ve been capable of drive enterprise impression by enablement at OneCause and the way has Highspot helped?
DH: One in all our large 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 believe with out having a very clear, devoted enablement technique, we might not have been capable of make as a lot of a transition as we’ve or get as many individuals enthusiastic about our new platform, and knowledgeable on our new platform. We actually needed to transition our total crew on all new demos, and discuss tracks. All of the issues that they wanted to be taught, the complete crew needed to be taught at one time. It was actually like a full crew onboarding of a product. I actually don’t suppose I might have achieved it with out Highspot in any respect, actually.
I believe it’s our crew’s favourite tech instrument. We’ve individuals discuss it on crew 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 tough for us to have made this a lot progress and not using a instrument like Highspot as a result of it simply has been so embraced by the crew. It’s been really easy for me to make use of, really easy for me to implement the issues that I wanted to do this I wanted to speak, and actually get buy-in from the crew on.
I’m an enormous advocate. I find it irresistible a lot. It’s been a game-changer for us. Our crew would all in all probability inform you it’s their favourite tech instrument. It’s simply been an enormous recreation changer in our total enablement technique. Having the instruments to implement what we have to get achieved has been actually key.
SS: Danielle, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us at the moment. 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.
