Not all sellers are the same, so why do most enablement programmes treat them like they are?
When it comes to sales enablement, one size definitely does not fit all. Sales organisations today operate in increasingly complex markets, with evolving buyer expectations and heightened competitive pressure. In this environment, high-performing sales teams cannot be developed through generic, off-the-shelf training. Despite this, many organisations still implement standardised enablement programmes for all sales staff, regardless of their experience.
This approach not only undermines capability development but also risks disengagement and inconsistent performance across the teams. New hires and experienced sales professionals operate at fundamentally different stages, and their development pathways should reflect this.
This blog delves into why the one size approach is suboptimal and the importance of differentiated enablement programmes to elevate team performance at every level.
Sales enablement has evolved rapidly, but many companies still run a “blanket” approach. Everyone attends the same training session, completes the same e-learning modules, and receives the same sales playbook.
The result?
When enablement content fails to meet individuals at their level of capability, organisations could see slower ramp times and inconsistent sales behaviours. High-performing sales cultures require development that is aligned with experience and capability.
Modern sales enablement isn’t about ticking boxes, it’s about driving behaviour change and outcomes. This only happens when training meets people where they are.
Key considerations:
By tailoring the enablement journey to these realities, you can accelerate onboarding, sharpen experienced hires, and raise the performance ceiling across the team.
New sales hires often bring enthusiasm and potential, but they do require structured and deliberate enablement to transition this energy into productive and confident contributors. At these early stages, their training should focus on the following:
Prospecting frameworks, qualification methodologies, opportunity progression and disciplined management. Establishing these foundations early ensures consistent future performance.
A new hire needs to understand not only what they are selling but why it matters to the prospect. Building credibility early is essential for effective customer engagement.
Many early-career hires may be new to corporate environments. They need guided support to develop communication confidence, resilience, objection handling and the ability to navigate customer interactions.
Repetition and reflection are critical to building strong habits. Early-career sellers benefit from consistent coaching that reinforce learning and build long-term capability.
For this group, enablement should accelerate time-to-competency and embed the behaviours required for a successful sales career.
The goal for new hires is confidence and competence, fast. Your enablement focus should be to remove uncertainty, simplify information and get them “into the field” quickly, with enough structure to feel supported.
Key components:
Outcome: A new hire who feels guided and capable of engaging in meaningful buyer conversations within weeks, not months.
For seasoned sales professionals, foundational training can often feel redundant. Their enablement and development should focus on refinement and optimising their performance. Effective enablement for experienced hires could include:
Techniques that influence late-stage deal outcomes and increase conversion predictability.
Skills related to value articulation, upselling, cross-selling and expanding relationships with key accounts.
Senior sellers must remain upskilled in a landscape shaped by digital buying journeys, complex stakeholder groups and heightened expectations.
Experienced professionals often seek avenues for career progression and value recognition. Involving them in mentorship and team development strengthens the entire sales organisation.
For more senior sales hires, enablement should enhance expertise and drive measurable improvements in deal quality, account growth, and career progression into management roles if desired.
The goal for experienced sellers isn’t onboarding, it’s development. They already know how to sell, the challenge is adapting to new markets, tools and buyer expectations. Your enablement strategy here should be about refinement and re-engagement.
Key components:
Outcome: Sellers stay engaged and challenged, while contributing their experience back into the organisation, multiplying their impact beyond individual performance.
The most effective organisations don’t separate onboarding from development, they connect them, creating a continuous enablement journey. Every seller’s journey is ongoing, with training that evolves as their role, experience, and market change.
How to bridge the gap:
Furza’s approach often involves mapping these enablement “journeys” across the employee lifecycle including onboarding, performance ramp-up, ‘mastery’, leadership etc. This ensures every seller always knows what comes next for their growth.
When you personalise enablement, the results compound:
Furza goes beyond generic enablement and offers differentiated support designed to meet both new and experienced salespeople where they are. With a fully bespoke approach, Furza integrates talent acquisition, tailored training and strategic development so that new hires ramp faster and senior sellers keep advancing their capabilities.
We ensure our training is aligned with real business goals and individuals progress, driving measurable improvements in revenue, team effectiveness and overall go-to-market performance.
Interested in speaking to one of sales enablement experts or hearing more about our training approach? Get in touch today.