The blueprint for building an enablement team from scratch
Starting enablement initiatives in a growing company can feel like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the manual (or worse, with one in another language). But with a clear plan, you’ll soon have a team that’s driving real business impact. Let’s break it down step by step.
1. Know what problem you’re solving
Before thinking of assembling a team, take a step back and ask, “What’s broken?”
Is it inconsistent messaging across different reps?
A painful and long onboarding process leading to extended ramp time?
Lack of alignment between sales and CS?
Identify the pain points that are slowing down your business. These will shape your enablement priorities and help you gain leadership buy-in.
2. Secure leadership support (your best allies)
Let’s face it—enablement doesn’t run on enthusiasm alone. It needs leadership backing to succeed.
Align on priorities: Be clear on the pain points you’re solving.
Define your action plan: Show how enablement will address these issues and outline the timeline to achieve business impact, like reducing ramp time, improving productivity, and driving revenue.
Focus on ROI: Bring data to the table. For example, companies with enablement often report 10-20% faster quota attainment.
Commit to quick wins: Solve one visible issue—like building a sales playbook or shortening onboarding time—within your first 90 days.
This approach will help you secure the resources and headcount needed to achieve your goals.
3. Build smart, not big
You don’t need a huge team to make a big impact. Start with strategic hires:
Enablement Generalist: A jack-of-all-trades who can handle training, content creation, and tools.
Content Strategist: If consistent messaging or finding the right materials is a challenge, this is your person.
A common misconception is that every enablement team needs a dedicated Sales Coach. I challenge that. Whether or not you need one depends on the bandwidth of your front-line managers, who often have more expertise and authority in coaching than external hires.
4. Collaborate across teams
Enablement thrives on alignment. Remember, you’re not building a silo—you’re building bridges.
Work with Sales Managers: They’re your frontline allies. Partner with them to integrate enablement into daily workflows.
Loop in other revenue teams: Collaborate on content strategy, collaboration guidelines, and ROI calculators to ensure sales reps have what they need, when they need it.
5. Build the right toolkit
Enablement is about efficiency, so start with tools that amplify your efforts:
Sales Playbook: A centralized resource covering processes, messaging, and tools. Think of it as your team’s ultimate cheat sheet.
Onboarding Framework: A structured 30-60-90 day plan for new hires to ramp up faster.
Enablement Platform: Once you’ve nailed the basics, invest in tools like learning management systems (LMS) and content management systems (CMS). Focus on creating foundational content first, before diving into additional tools.
6. Measure, iterate, and celebrate
Set Metrics Early: Track key metrics like time-to-first-sale, content usage rates, and quota attainment.
Ask for Feedback: Sales reps and managers will let you know—sometimes loudly—if something isn’t working.
Celebrate Success: When onboarding time drops by 20% or a playbook improves win rates, shout it from the rooftops!
Final thoughts
This blueprint is your starting point. In upcoming chapters of Scaling Smarter, we’ll explore how to extend this foundation into key areas like sales enablement, partner strategies, and the role of AI.
As we say in France, “Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid”—little by little, the bird builds its nest. Your enablement team is no different. Start small, stay focused, and watch it grow.
