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Maintaining an effective sales enablement program is a collaborative undertaking. It requires not just software, strategy, and training but also the right organizational culture. And even if you have all the right pieces, putting them all in place is a challenge all its own.
The good news is that you don’t need to attempt this on your own. There are many people who’ve walked this path before. Many people who know precisely what your organization needs in order to succeed.
And nearly all of them can be found on social media.
It’s with this in mind that we’ve decided to publish a follow-up to our 2022 piece on the best sales enablement influencers. Whether you need advice on strategy, information about industry trends, or simply a few inspiring anecdotes to get you through the week, here are some of the best sales enablement leaders online.
Petek Hawkins is arguably one of the most widely recognized women in sales enablement, having worked with numerous multi-million dollar SaaS companies over the course of her career. For the past three years, her skills and contributions have been recognized in the Sales Enablement Collective’s annual Ones to Watch report, which showcases some of the top professionals in the field. Hawkins also serves as a Chapter Lead for Women in Sales Enablement (WiSE) and a speaker for the Sales Enablement Society.
On her LinkedIn page, Hawkins regularly shares valuable insights on sales enablement for both leadership and sales teams while signal-boosting job opportunities in sales.
Follow Petek Hawkins on LinkedIn
Widely recognized as one of the earliest pioneers in sales enablement, Thatcher has been recognized multiple times for her contributions to the field. In 2019, she received a Lifetime Achievement for Sales Enablement Award, while Sales Enablement Pro named her its 2022 Enablement Mentor of the Year. Thatcher was also a founding member of the Sales Enablement Society.
On LinkedIn, Thatcher regularly shares pieces of knowledge and wisdom garnered over the course of her illustrious career alongside windows into her professional day–to-day.
Follow Sheevaun Thatcher on LinkedIn
Hannah Ajikawo is a master of both motivation and optimization. She also speaks candidly about the human side of sales enablement, something which alongside her comprehensive knowledge sets her apart from many sales training gurus. Recognized in 2021 as one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Sales, Ajikawo combines passion and expertise to discuss everything from the relationship between leaders and employees to coping with imposter syndrome as a sales professional.
Follow Hannah Ajikawo on LinkedIn
If there’s one thing that defines Aaron Evans, it’s his passion for sales — and how he’s used that passion to establish himself as one of the most widely-known sales enablement influencers in the world. As the co-founder of B2B sales performance consulting agency Flow State, Evans has leveraged his knowledge to great effect online. His LinkedIn page features discussions on everything from the history of sales methodologies to the reason larger organizations struggle so much with decision-making.
Evans also hosts the popular sales enablement podcast Selling With Flow.
Follow Aaron Evans on LinkedIn
As Gartner’s leader of revenue technology research, it’s only natural that Dan Gottlieb would have some valuable insights to share about sales enablement. Perhaps his greatest claim to fame, however, is that he manages to torpedo the notion of analyst reports as dry and cumbersome. Gottlieb is a natural storyteller, letting his charisma flow through each word and regularly explaining himself with compelling anecdotes.
On LinkedIn, he shares regular snippets from his reports, information on upcoming Gartner events, and his own personal sales enablement insights while also regularly discussing the field with his followers.
Follow Dan Gottlieb on LinkedIn
Fed up with the one-size-fits-all approach many companies take towards sales enablement, Anita Nielsen set out to found her own advisory firm in 2014. Since then, she’s established herself as a heavyweight in her field, combining creativity and innovation with a psychology-based approach to sales. Nielsen regularly works to help diverse sales enablement personnel advance their careers, and frequently appears as a guest author, conference speaker, and podcast guest.
On LinkedIn, she combines inspiration and practicality to curate a feed that’s simultaneously motivational and insightful.
Follow Anita Nielsen on LinkedIn
As a Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD), Whitney Sieck knows just about all there is to know about sales training and customer service training. She also recognizes a crucial fact that many professionals tend to forget — sales enablement is nothing without people. She reflects this mindset on her LinkedIn page, which combines industry insights and news with shout-outs to colleagues and peers in the sales enablement space.
Sieck also regularly volunteers her time to work with organizations like WiSE.
Follow Whitney Sieck on LinkedIn
Jacco van der Koioj excels at two things — recognizing sales challenges and coming up with creative, innovative solutions. Although he’s the founder of one of the most successful B2B revenue consulting and training companies in the world, van der Kooij is remarkably humble and down-to-earth. He emphasizes the importance of kindness and positivity as crucial in the sales sector, and actively encourages other sales professionals to strive for success.
On LinkedIn, van der Kooij shares his expertise, discusses industry news and trends, and regularly highlights compelling content and events in the sales enablement community.
Follow Jacco van der Kooij on LinkedIn
As expected from someone in a leadership position at a company as large as Cisco, Steffaney Zohrabyan is a sales enablement pro, combining her sales expertise with her comprehensive knowledge of digital adoption to great effect. Shortlisted in 2022 for SEC’s Biggest Contribution to the Sales Enablement Community Award, Zohrabyan continues to work tirelessly to empower her peers. She’s also the co-founder of the non-profit Heroes who Code, a non-profit that helps wounded military veterans upskill into a development career.
On LinkedIn, Zohrabyan shares weekly posts on job opportunities in the sales enablement space.
Follow Steffaney Zohrabyan on LinkedIn
Stephanie Middaugh has worked at multiple leading firms over the course of her thirteen-year career, in the process developing comprehensive knowledge of sales enablement, training, and operations. On LinkedIn, she’s most recognizable for her unique approach, which offers the perfect blend of irreverence, professionalism and expertise. She’s one of the few people capable of explaining herself through memes without coming across as cringeworthy.
Middaugh also co-founded The Enablement Squad in 2019, which today is a thriving sales enablement community with over 1400 members.
Follow Stephanie Middaugh on LinkedIn
Now that you’ve found a few mentors to look to for their knowledge and guidance, it’s time to do a bit of research on your own. We’ll assume you already understand the ins and outs of sales enablement as a whole. Instead, we’re going to focus on two of its core pillars — technologies and processes.
Our blog post The Importance of Sales Enablement Solutions in 2023 will provide you with a decent primer on why sales enablement solutions are both critical and beneficial, along with an overview of their key components. How to Build a Virtual Sales Enablement Process, meanwhile, is a step-by-step guide on adapting your sales team to a constantly-evolving digital landscape.