How Verisk Increased Buyer Engagement by 21%

Lacking Insight Into the Buyer Journey

In sales, timing is everything. The right piece of content and the right message at the right time can be the difference between an opportunity progressing to the next deal stage or stalling out entirely. But knowing exactly when — and how — to strike is next to impossible without the right degree of insight. “The number one challenge sellers face is understanding where they are in the deal cycle,” began Scott McNabb, chief sales officer at Verisk. “They won’t know the right material to provide to the right buyer that might resonate with them at the proper deal stage.” Understanding that reps struggled to meet prospects where they were, the enablement team at Verisk jumped into action. “We needed the analytical information to make better decisions about what’s working in the deal cycle,” explained McNabb. “Why are things not progressing? Where are things stalling?”

The answers to these questions could only be found in the data. Without an enablement platform, however, the team lacked the analytics to decode what content resonated with which buyers and at which deal stage. To gain insight into the minds of its buyers — and supply itself with a competitive advantage — Verisk decided to invest in enablement. “An enablement platform is a game-changer,” enthused McNabb. “You’re competing in a world where many don’t have one, and therefore, their sellers are flying blind.” With cutting-edge analytics and buyer engagement capabilities, Verisk’s sellers would have everything they needed to rigorously pursue opportunities across industries and deal stages. To ensure sellers knew how to strike when the iron was hot, Verisk chose Highspot. 

Executing With Data-Informed Certainty

As Verisk rolled out Highspot, leaders across the organization came together to support the process — early buy-in that was key to bringing the platform to life. “Enablement shouldn’t come exclusively from the enablement department,” explained McNabb. “Enablement is also a sales leader’s function.” Cross-functional support from both sales and enablement leaders resulted in high adoption and ensured that Highspot became a true single source of truth for teams across the go-to-market organization. “We use Highspot for sales, CSMs, solutions consultants, and our marketing team,” added McNabb. 

As reps navigated the new platform, they soon realized how simple it was to surface and share content. The single source of truth improved content viewing behaviors, and content usability soon increased by 12%. Gradually, reps began integrating new features into their workflows, particularly those that simplified buyer engagement efforts. For instance, the vast majority — 81% — have adopted Highspot’s external sharing capabilities and use them to connect the right buyers with the right content, at the right time.

Every Digital Room and external share reps send returns essential data. “The enablement tool shows where the customer is so sellers can make better decisions about where they are in their journey, down to the point of what material resonates,” shared McNabb. Using Highspot’s Scorecards and Salesforce integration, the team can decode engagement patterns and viewing habits to understand where a buyer is on their journey. Using that data, they can then identify best-practice content that progresses different buyer types to the next deal stage. “Now I have analytical knowledge on why the deals are stalling at each stage,” continued McNabb. “The data helps us understand where we are stalling and what’s causing a velocity change.” Verisk’s enablement team reimagined how reps go to market: Now, they act with data-informed certainty and can more effectively propel buyers through the sales process.

Boosting Buyer Engagement at Every Stage of the Journey

With real-time engagement data at their disposal, Verisk’s reps are taking informed action to strategically target buyers’ proven interests. As time goes on, the value of those insights only compounds to paint a picture of high-performing content for every deal stage and buyer type. “We can see what’s working and what’s not at each stage of the buyer journey,” enthused McNabb. With Highspot’s analytics supplying essential insights, Verisk’s reps are reaching buyers more effectively, with buyer engagement increasing by 21% since implementing the platform. 

Reps aren’t just going through the motions — they’re taking strategic action to maximize the value of every email sent or piece of content shared. With data at the helm, they’re executing with new velocity and driving impact on the metrics that matter most. “I certainly want reps making the dials and I want them making the connections, but what I care most about is that those interactions with the buyers are turning into a valuable velocity change in the deal cycle,” concluded McNabb. Highspot has changed the game for Verisk: Now, its reps engage buyers with insight-informed precision and progress opportunities at a faster pace than ever before.