Sales Enablement Manager : salary, skills and role

The Sales Enablement Manager is at the crossroads of several disciplines: sales, marketing, training, and business development. They must have a global vision of the company’s strategy to align the efforts of each team. This person is responsible for developing processes and systems that optimize the efficiency of sales teams and ensure smooth communication between departments, particularly between sales and marketing. A key aspect of their role is to identify the training and coaching needs of the sales team, allowing them to adapt to new market trends. Furthermore, it is essential that they develop a clear sales doctrine that guides the entire team toward a common goal.

Their main objective is to ensure that the sales teams have the necessary resources, training, and support to maximize productivity and achieve their sales targets. This includes aligning sales and marketing efforts, providing relevant training and coaching, implementing technological solutions, and optimizing sales processes to drive revenue growth and improve overall sales performance. The Sales Enablement Manager plays a crucial role in onboarding new recruits, ensuring a smooth transition, and making sure every team member is well-prepared to contribute effectively to the company’s success.

The role of a Sales Enablement Manager is essential in ensuring the success of a sales team. Their objective is to improve sales performance as well as the overall efficiency and motivation of the team, while simplifying the sales process. In this sense, they are responsible for driving initiatives that stimulate sales development and ensuring perfect alignment between the marketing and sales teams. This collaboration between different teams is crucial to create synergy that maximizes business results.

Their main responsibilities and tasks include:

• Developing sales strategies aligned with the company’s objectives, including analyzing market trends, identifying target customers, and devising plans to reach and engage them. This also involves setting up a sales enablement strategy that leverages innovative tools and high-quality marketing content.
• Implementing processes and tools to streamline the sales cycle and improve efficiency. This includes utilizing customer relationship management (CRM) systems and sales automation tools, as well as developing sales enablement solutions tailored to the company’s specific needs.
• Analyzing sales data, identifying bottlenecks, and streamlining operations and technologies that support the sales team. Data analysis is a key aspect of this role, as it allows for informed decision-making based on concrete and accurate information.
• Training and coaching salespeople, onboarding new hires, and providing continuous support. Coaching and professional development are at the heart of this role, and the Sales Enablement Manager must ensure that every member of the sales team is well-trained and equipped to achieve their goals.
• Working closely with marketing teams to develop sales materials, sales pitches, and marketing documents. This collaboration aims to ensure that the marketing content is perfectly aligned with market needs and brings real value to the sales process.
• Tracking and measuring sales performance using data analysis to assess strategies, initiatives, and areas for improvement, and making data-driven decisions to ensure sales success. The return on investment (ROI) of sales enablement initiatives is a crucial metric for this role.

Also known as Business Development Managers and Commercial Strategists, Sales Enablement Managers are trained to consult, collaborate, and cooperate with clients and prospects so that their sales teams have all the resources, information, marketing content, and support they need to generate sales efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity and compliance of marketing activities. The Sales Enablement Manager must ensure that every member of the sales team understands the specific needs of the clients and is able to respond quickly and effectively.

Time savings and overall productivity fall under their expertise, and as an essential member of the sales team, they must understand how to track results and adjust strategies accordingly. Essentially, the Sales Enablement Manager must have a clear vision and be able to communicate it to their team.

They must also ensure that sales enablement processes are properly implemented and that the necessary tools are available to the team. This includes applying sales enablement in a real-time context, allowing salespeople to respond quickly to customer demands and market changes. The Sales Enablement Manager must also be able to identify opportunities for improvement and development within the sales team, in collaboration with marketing management and product development teams.

Sales enablement is a multi-faceted tactical initiative and an essential process in the company, requiring both hard and soft skills to strategically aim for commercial success and adapt sales to the evolving market and buyers. Therefore, the skills a Sales Enablement Manager must possess include:

• Creating a framework and knowing how to prioritize, plan, and execute it to reduce the workload of sales and customer relationship teams. This involves using advanced project management tools and coordinating team efforts to maximize efficiency.
• Being data-driven and having a clear understanding of go-to-market movements and the role of sales enablement. The Sales Enablement Manager must be able to analyze data to identify trends and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Using sales software and technological tools such as CRM systems, sales automation software, content management platforms, and data analysis tools. These tools are essential to ensuring the rapid and efficient availability of the information needed by the sales team.
• Leveraging technology to streamline sales processes, increase productivity, and improve decision-making. The Sales Enablement Manager must be able to manage the integration of new technologies into existing sales processes, ensuring that tools are used optimally.
• Being an expert in project management. The ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and ensure their success is crucial for this role. The Sales Enablement Manager must also be able to adjust strategies based on feedback and results obtained.
• The ability to quickly learn complex technical topics is essential to keep up with constantly evolving technologies. Moreover, the Sales Enablement Manager must be able to translate this technical knowledge into concrete and applicable strategies for the sales team.

A Master’s degree (five years of higher education) and several years of experience in sales or marketing, along with courses on sales techniques, customer relationship management (CRM), and business analytics are particularly suitable for preparing for a role as a Sales Enablement Manager. Continuing education programs and certifications in enablement are also valuable assets for those seeking to excel in this field.

emlyon business school offers the MSc in Global Sales Excellence program, which trains students in international sales management in a multicultural context, to lead data-driven platforms and implement the latest online sales technologies. This program also includes modules on marketing management and revenue enablement, allowing students to develop a comprehensive understanding of how the different aspects of sales management integrate to create an effective sales strategy.

The strategic, commercial, negotiation, managerial, and operational skills they acquire at emlyon prepare them to become the sales enablement leaders of tomorrow. The program also emphasizes the development of leadership, team management, and strategic alignment skills, which are essential for succeeding as a Sales Enablement Manager.

The crucial nature of sales in every company ensures strong job stability, and the demand for sales enablement is increasing so rapidly that it has almost doubled since 2017. This trend is explained by the growing importance of the Sales Enablement Manager’s role in optimizing sales performance and aligning teams around common goals.

Gartner expects sales enablement budgets to increase by nearly 50% over the next four years. This reflects the growing importance of the role in today’s competitive environment and the need for agility in sales processes. While reported salaries depend on the source of information, geographic location, and level of experience, in 2023, Sales Enablement Managers earned between $100,000 and $110,000 per year, plus bonuses and commissions.

This position also offers the opportunity to be promoted to the role of Director of Sales Engagement, a high-level position involving the management and oversight of sales operations, designing plans to achieve objectives, developing and maintaining client relationships, and evaluating costs to set prices. Career progression in this field may also include roles such as Business Development Manager or Director of Commercial Strategy.

Established in 1872, emlyon business school is a French business school located in Lyon, affiliated with the Lyon Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The institution offers a wide range of academic programs, covering all aspects of business, management, and entrepreneurship. It also has a broad portfolio of Executive Education programs aimed at senior executives and experienced managers, enabling these professionals to develop advanced skills in enablement, management, and business strategy.

Consistently ranked among the top business schools in France, emlyon business school is among the Top 10 European business schools in the 2023 Financial Times European Business Schools ranking. This international recognition reflects the quality of education provided and the relevance of the programs offered to meet the global market's needs.

emlyon is a place of exchange, learning, and life for all those involved in the enlightened transformation of themselves and the world, aspiring to greater justice, solidarity, and sustainability. The school’s mission is to train enlightened managers, foster an entrepreneurial spirit, and promote diversity in an international environment. emlyon graduates are prepared to face future challenges and become leaders in their respective fields, including sales enablement.