Reflecting on my 25+ years leading revenue organizations, one thing has remained constant: the pressure to deliver consistent, predictable growth. Yet for much of that time, the concept of ‘enablement’ has occupied a curious place in the business lexicon, important, certainly, but often misunderstood.
Enablement was a well-intentioned category, championed by many leaders, myself included. We believed in it. We assumed our teams did too. But when the inevitable budget prioritization battles arose, enablement often found itself relegated, a worthy cause, overshadowed by seemingly more urgent demands to build pipeline and close more deals.
Why this persistent lag? My observation, as someone who’s navigated the complexities of go-to-market for a considerable time, is that enablement has often been perceived, and perhaps even practiced, as a tactical or reactive function. It was about equipping our teams with knowledge, ensuring consistency, and bolstering credibility. Important, yes, but arguably achievable through less integrated and data-driven means.
Herein lies the fundamental misunderstanding.
The modern evolution of enablement transcends the tactical, becoming a strategic imperative and a key differentiator between teams driving predictable growth and those falling behind. It has matured into a powerful platform capable of driving tangible engagement at the very heart of our business, the people interaction, both internal and external. Crucially, it now offers something previously elusive: measurable impact on go-to-market strategy and performance.
This shift from anecdotal assessment to data-driven insight is transformative. We are no longer relying on educated guesses to optimize outcomes. Instead, we have access to comprehensive platforms, leveraging both structured and unstructured data, to provide clear direction for the entire go-to-market engine. Measurement of the right things, at last, enables us to predict GTM success and avoid failure, and that’s what closes the gap between high-performing teams and those still relying on intuition. According to Gartner, organizations that prioritize revenue enablement are 80% more likely to exceed their revenue growth targets. That’s not a marginal gain, it’s a strategic differentiator.
And let’s address the elephant in the digital room: Artificial Intelligence.
While many organizations are on their AI journey, few have truly operationalized their potential in a meaningful way. Integrating AI into a purpose-built data structure yields near-instantaneous value. We can now deliver real-time learning and coaching at an opportunity level, suggest optimal next steps, provide immediate answers, and engage customers in previously unimaginable ways. Every interaction becomes a carefully crafted experience, informed by collective wisdom and the pursuit of the best possible outcome.
So, is traditional enablement obsolete? YES. Of course, elements remain, but they are layers beneath the strategic level of business outcomes, and that is truly what enablement is about. And while the terminology may evolve, the core requirements for any high-performing revenue organization remain unchanged:
- Consistent and predictable revenue growth.
- Accelerated ramp times for go-to-market teams.
- Seamless integration across marketing, sales, and customer success.
- Improved gross and net revenue retention.
- Optimized customer journey.
- Maximized return on all go-to-market investments.
Perhaps it’s time to reconsider the very definition of enablement, or even the term itself. For Highspot, and I suspect for many forward-thinking organizations, we are operating a business outcome platform, where enablement is a critical and integrated component of a far more comprehensive solution.
