Research by CSO Insights found there is a direct correlation between the quality of the messages salespeople use in their selling process and their ability to close business. Bridging this gap is paramount to delivering a consistent and compelling customer journey.

With as much as 60 to 80 percent of the buying process occurring before a prospective customer speaks with a sales representative, consistent messaging in the online-to-offline transition — i.e., when marketing passes the baton to sales — is critical. In fact, according to ES Research Group, one of the biggest problems companies face in the sales process is that the majority of salespeople are left to develop their own messaging. CSO Insights reports that salespeople spend as much as 50 percent of their time developing sales messages, sales tools and completing other non-selling related activities.

Ensuring messaging consistency along the customer journey — from marketing to sales — deepens trust and strengthens engagement. To accomplish this, sales enablement programs should be designed to weave strategic corporate messages into the sales process and situational selling conversations, arming salespeople with the tools they need to create messaging continuity throughout the customer experience.

The following five elements are critical to developing a successful sales enablement program:

  1. A Corporate Messaging Platform that includes core messages that are used as building blocks for consistent customer conversations
  2. A sales behavioral analysis process that is designed to provide complete line-of-sight into your sales process, surfacing the most effective tactics used to engage your key customers
  3. Customer conversation maps that link specific messages and sales tools to persona profiles for individuals involved in the buying process, enabling sales reps to deliver the most compelling messages along with sales tools that meet the needs of recurring selling situations
  4. Sales tools that foster maximum customer engagement and ensure messaging continuity throughout the sales experience
  5. Training programs that empower the sales team to utilize the right messaging and tools at the right time, so they create the most compelling customer conversations

To ignite sales results and accelerate business growth, companies must ensure the corporate message remains consistent at every stage of the customer journey. Sales enablement programs that connect the customer experience can make the difference between just good or great sales performance.

Learn how your sales messaging can convert more customers and connect the customer experience at this month’s Marketing-Driven Customer Experience Executive Luncheon.