A conversation with Sam Lau, Senior Director of Go-To-Market Enablement at Anomali
Listen here: Spotify | Apple | CaptivateFM
In this podcast episode, I have an awesome conversation with my buddy Sam Lau, Senior Director of Go-To-Market Enablement at Anomali. We talk about the interplay between revenue operations (RevOps) and enablement, strategies for building scalable enablement programs, and insights into aligning technical and business wins in sales processes. Key themes include balancing generic and tailored coaching, creating scalable training frameworks, and leveraging data to identify and address sales bottlenecks. Lau emphasizes the importance of collaboration between operations and enablement to drive success across go-to-market teams.
Key Takeaways
Partnership Between RevOps and Enablement:
Effective collaboration between RevOps and enablement is critical to identifying and addressing sales challenges.
Data insights from RevOps guide enablement to target specific issues, such as bottlenecks in sales stages or underperformance by specific reps.
Scalable Enablement Programs:
Build foundational training (e.g., “101” level) that applies universally across roles (SDRs, AEs, CSMs, etc.).
Develop modular training that scales with the organization, transitioning from role-overlapping concepts (e.g., pipeline generation) to role-specific expertise (e.g., negotiation or technical demos).
Emphasize micro-training and e-learning formats for accessibility and on-demand learning.
Balancing Generic and Specific Training:
Assess team composition (tenured vs. new reps) and focus on fundamentals for new teams.
Address gaps through targeted coaching and iterative program improvements for experienced teams.
Technical and Business Wins in Sales:
Differentiate between technical wins (proving technical feasibility and superiority) and business wins (demonstrating ROI and business value).
Align sales methodologies and opportunity tracking (e.g., contact roles, technical and commercial champions) to ensure both types of wins are achieved.
Leveraging Leading and Lagging Indicators:
Lagging indicators (e.g., quota attainment) measure long-term success but require complementary leading indicators (e.g., stage-to-stage conversion rates, close rates) for quicker feedback.
Tie enablement initiatives to measurable improvements in these indicators to demonstrate impact.
Championing Cross-Departmental Collaboration:
Success in enablement often requires input from subject matter experts (e.g., product teams).
Build internal champions within other departments to foster collaboration and secure resources.
Notable Quotes
“If you want go-to-market enablement to succeed, there must be a tight partnership with operations.” — Sam Lau
“The best enablement programs scale like a university curriculum: foundational training for all, followed by role-specific modules and advanced expertise.” — Sam Lau
“A tech win validates feasibility, but a business win secures the ROI narrative. You need both to close deals.” — Sam Lau
“Enablement’s impact is best shown through leading indicators like improved conversion rates or fewer bottlenecks.” — Sam Lau
“Success requires making champions in every department you rely on, not just among your audience.” — Sam Lau
Action Steps for RevOps and Enablement Professionals
Strengthen Partnerships: Build close collaboration between RevOps and enablement teams to unify data insights with training programs.
Create Modular Training Frameworks: Develop foundational, scalable training that adapts to role-specific needs and organizational growth.
Focus on Metrics: Track leading indicators to adjust strategies quickly and tie efforts to measurable outcomes.
Foster Internal Collaboration: Engage cross-departmental champions to ensure smooth enablement and operational alignment.
Align Sales Processes: Ensure opportunity management frameworks track technical and business wins effectively.
For more insights or to connect with Sam Lau, visit LinkedIn or learn about Anomali at anomali.com.