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How to Use Sales Enablement to Win More Deals (Without Sounding Like a Robot)

  • Writer: Alec Trachtenberg
    Alec Trachtenberg
  • Mar 21
  • 2 min read
sales enablement for startups

Most early-stage startups treat sales enablement like a “nice to have.” But if you’re trying to win deals in a crowded market, it’s not optional — it’s your edge.


The good news? You don’t need a 50-page sales playbook and a $10k HubSpot consultant to get started. You just need the right tools in place, and they need to actually sound human.


Here’s a simple breakdown of what to focus on (and what most startups get wrong):


1. Ditch the Generic Email Templates


Let’s be honest — 90% of outbound emails sound like they were written by ChatGPT with no personality. If you're using the same recycled cold email that worked for a different company two years ago, you're burning leads.


Start by mapping 2–3 key personas (e.g., Head of Marketing, CTO, Ops Lead). Then write email sequences that speak to their day-to-day reality, not your product features.


Tip: Open with something specific to their role, use short sentences, and write like a human — not a brochure.


2. Case Studies That Actually Matter

“Client saw a 250% ROI in 3 months” is nice... but what did you do?

Your prospects want to see stories, not just stats. Create 1-pagers that show:

  • The problem

  • What you implemented

  • The result (quantitative + qualitative)

  • A quick quote from the client

Bonus points if it reads like a conversation and not a corporate press release.


3. A Pitch Deck That Doesn’t Suck


If your sales deck still leads with “Our Mission” and a team photo, it’s time to upgrade.

A solid pitch deck should flow like this:

  1. The pain – what they’re struggling with

  2. The impact – why that pain is costing them

  3. The fix – how you solve it (quick and visual)

  4. The proof – logos, results, case studies

  5. The call to action – what you want them to do next

Keep it to 8–10 slides. Visual. Conversational. No info-dumps.


4. ICP Personas Are More Than Job Titles

Saying “we target marketing teams” isn’t enough. You need to know:

  • What success looks like for them

  • What they’re measured on

  • What keeps them up at night

  • What tools they’re already using

Then reverse-engineer your messaging to hit those pressure points. This is how you make cold outreach feel warm.


5. Organize It All in One Place

Sales enablement is only useful if your team can actually find it.

Build a lightweight Notion (or Google Drive) hub with folders for:

  • Email templates (by persona)

  • Case studies (by industry or use case)

  • Decks (editable and PDF)

  • ICP docs and battle cards

Your goal is to give founders or AEs everything they need to run fast, without thinking.


Final Thoughts: Sales Enablement Is Just Storytelling

At the end of the day, enablement is about making it easier for people to tell the right story, to the right person, at the right time.

Do that well, and you'll win more deals — without sounding like a pitch robot.


👉 Need help building your outbound sales toolkit?



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