Sales intelligence and sales enablement are sometimes used interchangeably, but they represent distinct yet complementary components of the sales process. Sales intelligence focuses on delivering actionable insights, while sales enablement emphasizes providing the tools, training, and resources that help teams convert leads into successful deals.
A useful analogy is to think of a professional sports team. Sales intelligence is like the data about athletes, their opponents, weather and field conditions, and even fan demographics—historical information that shapes the team’s strategies. Sales enablement, on the other hand, is akin to the coaching staff, training facilities, equipment, and the owners’ investments in team development. Modern sports teams, including many collegiate programs, now integrate sophisticated technologies to blend intelligence with enablement seamlessly.
In the fast-paced, data-driven world of commercial real estate, the success of sales development representatives (SDRs) depends on the effective combination of both sales intelligence and sales enablement.
What Is Sales Intelligence?
Sales intelligence involves gathering and analyzing data to help sales teams work more efficiently and effectively. It streamlines the sales cycle by enabling sales development representatives (SDRs) to connect data with prospects, prioritize leads, and make informed decisions about their outreach strategies.
Examples of sales intelligence include:
- Customer relationship management (CRM) platforms
- Competitor intelligence and analysis
- Market and industry research
- Sales forecasting
- Lead scoring systems
- Demographic data
What Is Sales Enablement?
Sales enablement focuses on equipping sales teams with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to succeed. This includes comprehensive training on the company’s products, services, competitors, and overall industry insights to help sales professionals perform at their best.
Examples of sales enablement include:
- Coaching and training programs
- Product/service cheat sheets
- Email templates for prospecting
- White papers and case studies
- Sales playbooks
- Customer testimonials
- Buyer personas
Combining Sales Intelligence and Sales Enablement in a Single CRE Platform
In commercial real estate (CRE), platforms like Biscred bridge the gap between sales intelligence and enablement. CRE is a data-intensive industry where success relies on identifying and reaching decision-makers among businesses, developers, and investors.
A robust sales prospecting tool integrates sales intelligence with enablement, reducing the time spent sifting through vast datasets. Traditionally, CRE business development teams rely on multiple data sources to locate decision-makers, manually verifying the information through social media, company websites, directories, and public records. This process is time-consuming and costly.
The solution lies in using a single platform that eliminates manual processes and consolidates data sources. Many sales intelligence and enablement tools lack integration, often providing contact details without the broader business or industry insights. To thrive in CRE, SDRs need access to accurate, comprehensive data at both the individual and industry levels—delivering actionable insights that drive results.
