A sales playbook is a dynamic (vs. static) document (digital or print) which contains sales enablement content (i.e., scripts, processes, case studies) and is regularly revised and/or referenced by sales, management and marketing.
What content goes into a sales playbook?
A sales enablement tool, the sales playbook contains a company’s measurable, standardized (documented, uniform, etc.) and repeatable best practices (i.e., methods, techniques) and is used both in training and in the field to enable sales practitioners to sell more effectively.
More than just a collection of proven methods and techniques, a sales playbook often includes: common selling situations and scenarios, target prospects, value propositions, answers to frequently asked questions, competitive analysis and whatever additional knowledge, information and actionable advice that enables sales effectiveness.
How do companies benefit from having a sales playbook?
Two key benefits for companies building and working from a sales playbook immediately come to mind. First, in the context of training and education an often-cited benefit of reducing to writing the most successful ways to sell a company’s offering (products, services, experiences, and/or ideas) is reduced ramp-up time with new sales recruits. Second, having this information at their fingertips for quick reference enables consistency and helps keep sales practitioners on track with the company’s best practices.
