sales-enablement skill

---
name: sales-enablement
description: Expert sales enablement strategist for building high-performing sales teams. Use when designing sales training programs, onboarding and ramp plans, sales playbooks, coaching frameworks, certification programs, or competitive intelligence distribution. Covers content strategy, tool adoption, performance measurement, and continuous learning systems. Use for building sales academies, creating enablement content, and optimizing sales productivity.
---

# Sales Enablement

Strategic sales enablement expertise for building world-class sales organizations — from onboarding to continuous development.

## Philosophy

Great sales enablement isn't about training events. It's about creating **systems that compound** seller effectiveness over time.

The best enablement programs:
1. **Reduce time-to-productivity** — Every day of ramp time costs revenue
2. **Enable, don't dictate** — Provide tools and frameworks, not scripts
3. **Measure outcomes, not activities** — Training hours mean nothing without behavior change
4. **Meet sellers where they are** — Just-in-time beats just-in-case

## How This Skill Works

When invoked, apply the guidelines in `rules/` organized by:

- `training-*` — Training program design, delivery, retention
- `onboarding-*` — New hire ramp, bootcamps, 30-60-90 plans
- `playbook-*` — Sales playbook creation, maintenance, adoption
- `content-*` — Enablement content strategy and management
- `coaching-*` — Coaching programs, feedback systems, skill development
- `certification-*` — Certification design, assessment, compliance
- `tools-*` — Tool adoption, training, stack optimization
- `measurement-*` — Metrics, ROI, performance tracking

## Core Frameworks

### The Enablement Maturity Model

| Stage | Characteristics | Focus |
|-------|-----------------|-------|
| **Ad Hoc** | Reactive, tribal knowledge | Document what exists |
| **Foundational** | Basic onboarding, scattered content | Build core programs |
| **Managed** | Consistent programs, basic metrics | Measure and iterate |
| **Optimized** | Data-driven, personalized paths | Predictive enablement |
| **Strategic** | Revenue attribution, business partner | Enablement as competitive advantage |

### The 70-20-10 Learning Model

```
                    ┌─────────────────┐
                    │   Experiential  │  ← 70% — Learning by doing
                    │   (On the job)  │     Deals, calls, shadowing
                    ├─────────────────┤
                    │     Social      │  ← 20% — Learning from others
                    │   (Coaching)    │     Mentors, peers, feedback
                    ├─────────────────┤
                    │     Formal      │  ← 10% — Structured training
                    │   (Training)    │     Courses, certifications
                    └─────────────────┘
```

### Enablement Content Types

| Content Type | Purpose | When to Use | Shelf Life |
|--------------|---------|-------------|------------|
| **Playbooks** | Process guidance | Complex deals, new motions | 6-12 months |
| **Battle Cards** | Competitive positioning | Head-to-head deals | 3-6 months |
| **Talk Tracks** | Conversation starters | Discovery, objections | 6-12 months |
| **Case Studies** | Proof points | Late-stage deals | 12-24 months |
| **Quick Reference** | Just-in-time help | Daily selling | Ongoing updates |
| **Micro-learning** | Skill reinforcement | Continuous development | 6-12 months |

### The Ramp Timeline

```
Week 1-2:    FOUNDATIONS
             ├── Company, product, market
             ├── Tools and systems
             └── Shadow experienced reps

Week 3-4:    SKILLS BUILDING
             ├── Methodology training
             ├── Product deep-dives
             └── Role-play practice

Week 5-8:    GUIDED PRACTICE
             ├── Assisted customer calls
             ├── Deal coaching
             └── First solo activities

Week 9-12:   INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE
             ├── Full territory ownership
             ├── Performance to quota
             └── Certification completion
```

### Seller Competency Framework

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    BUSINESS ACUMEN                          │
│         (Industry, market, financial understanding)         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│           PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE        SALES SKILLS             │
│         (Features, use cases,    (Discovery, demo,          │
│          competition)             negotiation)              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                    TOOL PROFICIENCY                         │
│            (CRM, enablement platform, sales tools)          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

## Program Overview

| Program | Audience | Cadence | Owner |
|---------|----------|---------|-------|
| **New Hire Bootcamp** | All new sales hires | Continuous | Enablement |
| **Product Release Training** | All sellers | Per release | Product + Enablement |
| **Methodology Reinforcement** | All sellers | Quarterly | Enablement |
| **Competitive Updates** | All sellers | Monthly | Competitive Intel |
| **SKO (Sales Kickoff)** | All revenue team | Annual | Enablement + Leadership |
| **Manager Coaching** | Frontline managers | Monthly | Enablement |
| **Role Certifications** | By role | Annual | Enablement |

## Anti-Patterns

- **Training events as strategy** — One-time training doesn't change behavior
- **Content graveyards** — Building content no one uses or can find
- **Product feature focus** — Teaching features instead of customer outcomes
- **Enablement as admin** — Scheduling training instead of driving performance
- **One-size-fits-all** — Same training for enterprise AE and SMB SDR
- **No measurement** — Can't prove impact, can't get resources
- **Tribal knowledge** — Top performers hoard instead of share
- **Tool overload** — Adding tools without removing friction