Empowering your sales team with the right resources, tools, training, and information is key to successfully closing the deal. By implementing sales enablement strategies, you are arming them ahead of time; they will not only be knowledgeable but well-equipped when it comes to understanding their product offerings as well as its advantages for buyers before pitching.  

Organizations see a significant impact on sales as a result of sales enablement; 76% of organizations see an increase in sales between 6% to 20%. (Source: G2) 

Organizations can expect to experience a boost in sales when they invest in and formalize enablement. With the right resources and formalized approaches for your team, you could see an increase in efficiency as well as ROI from a higher knowledge base of selling principles to ensure positive outcomes. Prepare sellers through training and coaching to approach buyers in a way that inspires confidence. 

Best-in-class sales enablement focuses on a broad range of performance drivers. We’ve gathered 9 of the latest sales enablement statistics sourced from recent Emissary Buyer Snapshot surveys of 2,500 executive-level buyers to consider in 2023: 

78% of buyers say winning solutions were not superior to competitors. It was the intangibles (insights, cultural alignment) that ultimately drove the decision to buy.  (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

Buyers revealed that superior solutions alone weren’t enough to make the sale. Instead, it was important intangible factors such as gaining valuable insights and strong cultural alignment between companies that tipped the scales in favor of purchase decisions. This provides an important opening for salespeople through tailoring their messaging and pitches to the buyer and their business goals.

B2B buyers have higher expectations for vendors. But, 70% say sellers aren’t providing deeper relationships. (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

There’s a lot of expectations and hard work that goes behind true supplier-enterprise partnerships. Before you send off that email offering up your willingness to partner, be prepared and equipped to deliver on what that promise actually means. 

The risks and investments you put forth from Day 1 through to customer success post-sale will continue to be worth it if you treat your customers as true partners throughout the entirety of your relationship with them.  

59% of exec tech buyers spend less time with salespeople than they used to. (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

In today’s competitive landscape, technology buyers are doing their research in advance and have many providers to choose from. As a result, it is essential for your sales team to prepare concise presentations that make an impact in minimal time – with more than half of tech purchasers spending less than before on conversations with sellers. An effective pitch can be the difference between closing a deal or losing out on valuable opportunities! 

79% of tech purchases are made by cross-functional buying committees. (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

As customers become more informed and make decisions are increasingly made by cross-disciplinary teams, sales professionals must be prepared to meet their complex needs. A successful approach requires anticipating customer pain points across multiple perspectives and tying solutions back to over-arching business goals for maximum impact. 

Only 1/3 of tech projects start in corporate IT alone. Don’t underestimate the influence of the business. (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

Don’t limit your sales efforts to corporate IT only. Almost two-thirds of technology project initiatives start outside the traditional boundaries. Other lines of business and regional/subsidiary divisions should be sought for potential influencers, stakeholders, and prospects – an invaluable source to help shape a successful endeavor and move farther up the decision-making chain. 

The average tech purchase includes 5-8 decision-makers over 7 months. (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

Making a tech purchase can involve up to 8 stakeholders and take several months to complete. That’s why it’s so important for sellers to prepare themselves for extended conversations with decision-makers and influencers along the way. Involve and tailor your pitch to multiple stakeholders early in the process. Successful negotiations require persistence, which is ultimately what will lead you toward an ideal acquisition! 

73% of purchases > $250,000 involve procurement. (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

Understanding how procurement works is key to forming a successful business relationship. Showing that you appreciate the complexities of this team can create not only a better rapport moving forward, but might also open up opportunities for collaboration in the long run – even if they don’t choose your product right away. 

30% of large purchases ($ > 1.5MM) were out of budget cycle. Business needs trump planning windows. (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

Don’t let budget planning windows limit your sales opportunities! Businesses are proving that there’s always room for large purchases outside of established cycles, demonstrating the importance of being prepared to seize year-round opportunities.  

The wave of digital transformation continues. 76% of tech buyers are increasing their budgets. (Source: Emissary Buyer Snapshot) 

The power of digital transformation continues to be seen across all industry sectors. As the estimated 76% growth in tech buyers’ budgets suggests, decisions-makers now view the successful adoption and utilization of technological solutions as essential for their businesses moving forward – an insight that extends far beyond traditional early adopters such as Tech and Financial Services firms. 

By keeping these sales enablement statistics in mind for 2023, you will be doing everything you can to stay ahead of the competitive tech sales market. Although each sale has its variations, there is plenty of opportunity for the salesperson to fundamentally impact the outcome of the deal. 

About Emissary 

Tap into Emissary’s extensive human intelligence and gain the insider knowledge you need to establish more successful relationships with key accounts. Our groundbreaking network provides valuable insight on people, culture, challenges faced by customers – so your sales cycles are shortened, deals closed faster and long-term partnerships developed easily. Make a lasting impression in today’s competitive market! 

Contact us to learn how we can optimize your sales team.