Your First 90 Days in GTM Enablement: A Roadmap for Success

Starting a new role in GTM Enablement can be exciting, but it can also be challenging or even overwhelming. This is especially true if your company is in the early stages of building out its Enablement function. Regardless of whether you are stepping into an entirely new role or joining an established Enablement team, how Enablement professionals approach the first 90 days is critical to long-term success.

Here’s our roadmap to guide you through your first three months on the job:

1. Talk to Your Stakeholders

Start by engaging with the people your programs will serve. These are your key stakeholders, and understanding their perspectives will provide the foundation you need to be effective in your role. Speak with as many salespeople, customer success managers, sales engineers, and frontline managers as possible. Ask questions about what’s working, what’s not, and where they see room for improvement. The more curious and inquisitive you are, the better you'll understand their challenges, frustrations, and needs.

2. Listen to Customer Conversations

It’s crucial to listen in on calls between your revenue generating team members and customers or prospects. Whether you’re attending live calls or using a call coaching tool like Gong or Chorus to review them after the fact, you’ll gain valuable insights into what’s happening in real conversations. What you’ll hear is often very different from what people think is happening and these soundbites will provide you with real examples of how reps are engaging with customers. Pay attention to what’s being said, how effectively the rep is guiding the conversation, and where they may need additional support or training.

3. Learn from Top Performers

Top performers are often doing something different that makes them successful. Make it a point to interview your company's high achievers to understand what sets them apart. Are they simply working harder, or have they honed in on a process and skillset that produces optimal results? Learn what they’re doing differently and think about how you can leverage their methods to create training or processes that elevate the rest of the team.

4. Participate in Win/Loss Deal Reviews

One of the most effective ways to understand the success factors and pitfalls for typical deals at your company is through win/loss analysis. Participate in these reviews to uncover insights about what went right, timing, and strategy, as well as where opportunities were missed or how a deal was lost. These insights can help inform your enablement strategy by identifying critical gaps and/or reinforcing successful practices.

5. Align with GTM Leadership

Meeting with GTM leadership early on is essential for understanding your organization’s goals and priorities. What are the most important initiatives your leadership team is focused on? Why are these initiatives the top priority, and what are the associated risks if they’re not achieved? Understanding the “why” behind these priorities will give you a clearer vision of where your enablement efforts should be focused and how you can drive the most impact.

6. Build Relationships with SMEs and Revenue Operations

Develop strong relationships with subject matter experts (SMEs) like Product Managers and Marketing. Understand content strategies, product roadmaps, and how your team’s enablement efforts can be aligned with upcoming product releases. Collaborating with Revenue Operations/Management is also key to understanding existing processes, KPIs, and metrics. This will give you the context you need to identify areas where enablement can make the greatest impact.

7. Attend GTM Meetings

Sitting in on weekly team meetings will help you understand the team dynamics, leadership styles, and how different functions within the organization work together. Pay close attention to how decisions are made, what challenges each team faces, where friction occurs, and how differences are resolved.

8. Crowdsource Critical Content

As you gather information from various teams, begin to crowdsource a list of essential resources and talking points that reps need for success. Whether it’s case studies, call decks, FAQs, or key objections to overcome, having a central repository of sales content will be invaluable in designing effective enablement programs.

9. Draft Training and Development Plans

Once you have gathered insights from your stakeholders, top performers, and leadership, start sketching out training and development plans. Tailor these programs by role and align them with the company’s broader goals. Your goal is to create a structured path for growth that equips team members with the skills they need to succeed.

10. Present Your Findings

As your first 90 days come to a close, document everything you’ve learned and present your findings to your leadership team. Include initial recommendations based on what you’ve uncovered, and suggest areas where enablement can drive immediate impact. This demonstrates your value early on, while also setting the stage for your long-term success in the role.

Your Enablement Foundations Start Here
If you're new to GTM Enablement and looking for guidance on how to navigate your first 90 days, our book Accelerating Revenue provides a deeper dive into the core principles that drive success. Additionally, our Revenue Enablement Apprenticeship Program offers personalized coaching and support tailored to individuals just starting in this role. Whether through our book or apprenticeship program, we’re here to help you build a strong foundation for success. Reach out to learn more!

Co-authored by Amanda Leikam and Roz Greenfield, Founders of Level213