Winning across channels: How Sage increased buyer engagement by 18%

When selling over 160 products to buyers around the world, even the best strategies can get lost in the noise. When Sage noticed inconsistencies in how its direct and channel sales teams went to market, it knew it was time to act. A gap had formed between strategy and execution. With a unified platform and a consistent blueprint for go-to-market execution, it resolved this gap and built back stronger, helping partners and direct reps sell smarter, faster, and more consistently. 

Seeking a global blueprint for direct and partner execution

Sage’s direct and channel sales teams sell more than 160 products worldwide. With that scale comes complexity. “Think about how much information is out there for internal sellers and channel teams,” began Becky Payne, vice president of sales and success digital enablement at Sage. “We needed to create smart ways to get the right information into their hands quickly.”

The organization had a winning portfolio and a strong strategy to match. But when it came time to bring it to life, neither direct nor channel reps were fully ready to execute. “ We had the most brilliant pieces of technology and strategies out there,” explained Payne. “But didn’t have a great way of connecting those to the workforce and driving the outcomes the business needed.”

It soon became clear that the issue was consistent execution. While Sage’s teams had information at their fingertips, they didn’t understand how to use or act on it. Across direct and channel teams, every rep went to market differently. “Our direct reps and channel partners experience information overload,” added Payne. “The challenge isn’t access. It’s precision and the ability to act. They’re out there engaging with customers, but we didn’t have a global blueprint.”

Sage needed a blueprint—a standardized go-to-market approach. If it could align its channels to a universal standard of high-quality execution, its teams could reach buyers more effectively and drive better results. To bring this vision to life, Sage turned to Highspot.

Driving consistent execution across sales channels

Sage set out to replace information overload with clarity. By creating a standardized blueprint for execution, its direct and channel teams would know how to act and where to turn in every scenario. “When you take a consistent blueprint and go-to-market motion and add the best platform you can, we can go to market in a way we never had before,” enthused Payne.

Using Highspot, Sage did exactly that. By creating a well-structured environment, it brought clarity to once-confusing workflows. Suddenly, direct and channel reps could easily surface the right content and guidance for the moment at hand. Its teams took note: Engagement with enablement increased by 10% and Sales Play adoption improved by 23%. As adoption grew, performance followed. “When we enable in a cohesive, consistent, and aligned way, we’ll see incremental value driven through our partners and back into Sage,” shared Payne.

With a blueprint in place, Sage leveraged Highspot’s analytics to strengthen its partnerships with its channels. “The platform brings visibility into our Sales Plays and content, which we’ve never had before,” added Payne. “We can see which partners—and who within those partners—are engaging with us. That data allows us to provide reporting to senior leaders and frontline sellers, so they’re going into weekly partner meetings with a clear strategy.” With Highspot, Sage created a blueprint for success and, with it, has created newfound consistency across its global sales channels.

Empowering global channels to win more

Today, Sage has a framework that connects global strategy to daily execution. “Highspot offers a way for us to bring our global blueprint to life in day-to-day execution,” shared Payne. As channel partners and direct reps hit the field with newfound clarity and consistency, it’s seeing the impact reflected back: Buyer engagement has increased by 18%—proving that Sage’s sales teams are taking the actions that lead to revenue.

With Highspot, Sage aligned its channels to a single standard for execution. Now, direct reps and channel partners build stronger relationships, uncover more opportunities, and take the actions that move deals forward. It all comes down to the right blueprint and the right partner to drive it. “Highspot is one of the most dynamic, adaptable platforms I’ve seen,” enthused Payne. “Everything is on the table, and it feels like a true, open partnership.”