Just-in-Time Enablement: Delivering Sales Content When It Matters Most

B2B sales are knowledge-intensive. Each stage of the sales process needs a tailored approach to navigate the complex B2B buying behavior and progress deals.

And that’s where relevant content becomes crucial.

But what’s more crucial is finding such contextual content at the right time for smarter selling. 

This article discusses just-in-time enablement with up-to-date, contextual sales content so your sales reps are always primed with the best timely resources. 

What is just-in-time enablement?

Just-in-time enablement with sales content aims to meet the sales rep where they are in their current sales workflows by providing precise sales content. 

Sales content can be case studies, competitor analysis, pricing sheets, testimonials, playbooks, or templates. 

The ultimate goal is to give them the most relevant, contextual, and up-to-date resources, data, and tools at several critical stages, such as objection handling, pricing negotiations, competitor analysis, etc.

As a result, teams notice faster sales cycles and understand what resonates with the buyers’ needs and interests, thus increasing the overall chance of winning deals. 

Key features of just-in-time enablement 

Here are the four key features that make up just-in-time (JIT) enablement:

1. Contextual delivery

Tailored sales content is delivered based on the current stage of the sales process or the specific interactions between sales reps and prospects.

For example, a sales rep in the negotiation phase can access resources to curate a proposal or fill in an RFP rapidly and shorten the time to guide prospects to the successive stage of the sales process. 

2. Relevance 

JIT enablement avoids information overload and aims to boost sales productivity by providing only the most relevant and personalized content. Each sales rep does not have to toggle between different data sources verifying information.

3. Accessibility 

Content is made easily accessible through digital platforms that sales reps are familiar with and able to retrieve information quickly. For example, collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams.

4. Timeliness

The best way to shorten a complex buying process is by minimizing delays in response times and providing prospects with an exceptional buying experience. This is possible with just-time-enablement which delivers the right content at the perfect timing. 

How is just-in-time enablement different from traditional sales enablement?

Here’s how the modern approach to knowledge and resource sharing for sales differs from traditional sales enablement:

‍

What is the importance of just-in-time enablement? 

A majority of sales reps say they’re unable to find the right content to send their prospects. 

And if you’re no stranger to the B2B buying behavior, you’d be aware of how most leads back out of the sales process if it’s too long.  

Some critical moments in the sales process where JIT enablement with timely sales content can make a huge difference:

• Objection handling
• Customer meetings and presentations
• Deal negotiations
• Pricing discussions
• Sales playbook creation
• Buyer engagement
• Closing deals
• And more!

To further understand the importance of “just-in-time” enablement with content, let’s discuss some consequences of delivering sales content too early or late.

Sales content delivered early on in the sales process can lead to:

• Clueless sales reps handling prospects in the awareness stage unsure of how to put the provided information into better use
• Sales rep’s failure to address prospect challenges and instead jumping to explain technical specifications, pricing details, or more advanced product functionalities
• A weak negotiation process
• Lack of relevant content that does not align with the buyer’s current stage in the sales process

Similarly, delayed sales content delivery can lead to:

• Sales reps missing handling objections due to a lack of contextual content at hand
• Delayed lead response times as sales reps take longer to address their queries 
• Prolonged sales cycles

In B2B, faster response times correlate to higher conversion rates. With JIT enablement, you can improve sales effectiveness by accessing the right information at the right time so leads experience a smoother buying process.

How to implement just-in-time enablement - a step-by-step guide

Here’s the exact roadmap you can use to make JIT enablement with sales content work:

1. Analyze your current sales process and content needs

Start by breaking down your current sales processes and evaluating them to find the key moments where sales reps may need more support. 

For example, discovery call scripts to guide prospects during the discovery phase or a sales playbook to understand sales call best practices.

Next, conduct a content audit to visualize the types of content currently available to support sales reps and how often they are being used. You can tag content to the appropriate sales process stage where it can be useful. Also, gather direct feedback from sales reps to pinpoint content gaps.

2. Define just-in-time enablement goals and objectives 

Clarify your JIT enablement goals. It could be improving sales rep productivity, reducing cycle length, increasing conversion rates, or streamlining buyer experience.

Setting such measurable goals will help you build clearer benchmarks toward successful sales enablement. 

3. Create a detailed map of the buyer’s journey 

Map out a typical buyer’s journey and identify stages where specific content could make the most impact. For example, prospects considering multiple market options may find case studies, customer testimonials, and product comparisons useful.

Tag such content to the relevant buyer journey stage to better align with sales rep needs. This way, you offer them access to more organized content at the perfect time.

4. Choose the right tools and technology 

Identify a sales enablement platform or CRM that could act as a content repository and make it easy for sales reps to access content on-demand and support JIT enablement. 

Further, consider using AI or Machine Learning-powered tools that recommend content based on the context of each sales conversation. For example, Docket AI is a virtual sales assistant that provides on-the-spot insights and sales rep resources by learning from hundreds of your data sources. 

5. Build contextual and personalized content

A lack of personalized content is a top pain point for almost 39% of B2B buyers.

Ask sellers what type of content they may need and what they feel is missing for smoother sales processes. Work with the sales and marketing teams to develop content that aligns with specific buyer personas, objections, and sales stages.

For example, objection-handling guides, sales playbooks, nurturing sequences, video testimonials, case studies, and more. 

6. Integrate content into your sales workflows

Ensure there’s seamless access to content without disrupting the sales process by embedding your JIT enablement tools within the sales workflow. 

For example, enablement tools like Seismic or Highspot help deliver personalized content and offer content recommendations based on sales interactions. Integrating these tools with advanced Generative AI solutions like Docket boosts just-in-time content access and deliveries for quicker sales cycles. 

7. Set up real-time analytics and conduct feedback loops

Implement analytics to track the performance of your JIT enablement strategy and measure metrics like content engagement, sales cycle length, and conversion rates.

The only way to develop content in line with the team’s needs is to get feedback. Set up a continuous feedback loop with sellers to continually refine content and its delivery based on their suggestions. 

8. Regularly update and optimize content

Sales content is prone to changes, thanks to evolving buyer needs and technological advancements. Ensure your content remains relevant and up-to-date with regular reviews. 

Use insights from your real-time analytics and feedback loops set up in the previous step to optimize content delivery, and make adjustments to content format, timing, or personalization. 

9. Develop structured and ongoing training and support for sales teams

Sales teams must be informed about new content, tools, and best practices. Foster a continuous learning culture to help sales reps see how contextual content can benefit their day-to-day sales activities. 

Digital sales assistants like Docket AI offer real-time support to sales reps via instant answers to questions through an easy-to-use, chat-based interface. 

Wrapping up

With changing buyer behaviors and ever-competitive and uncertain market conditions, sellers need contextual content delivered at the right moment to make each sales conversation worth it.

Just-in-time enablement via relevant sales content is a must-have for any business aiming to navigate the complex B2B buying process smoothly. 

Docket AI enables sales reps with the right information at the right time anywhere in their workflows and helps close more deals.

Book a demo today!