This article comes from Lara Shackelford’s insightful talk at our Las Vegas 2024 Sales Enablement Summit. Check out her full presentation and our wealth of OnDemand resources.

Have you ever wondered how much smoother your day-to-day would be if AI could handle the repetitive tasks, leaving you to focus on the work that truly moves the needle? For those of us in sales enablement, it’s a game-changing thought. 

I’ve spent years managing complex marketing and sales enablement roles at companies like Intel, Microsoft, and Oracle, where the challenge often came down to bridging the gap between what marketing teams created and what sales teams actually needed. 

Imagine trying to oversee hundreds of pieces of content for a single product launch—and realizing later that only a fraction of it is even used. That experience taught me a powerful lesson: efficiency matters, and if I had the AI tools we do today, things would’ve been very different. 

AI isn’t just another tech buzzword—it’s a practical solution that can transform customer experiences and sales enablement by streamlining tasks, personalizing interactions, and freeing us up to tackle strategic challenges. 

So in this article, I’ll share my insights on what it takes to create a successful AI-driven strategy, from assessing readiness to identifying real-world use cases, and how we can work toward a future where AI enhances every aspect of customer engagement. 

Let’s dive in!

My path to embracing AI in revenue enablement

When I first took on a sales enablement role at a major tech company, I was handed a massive workload—about 350 pieces of content to support an upcoming product launch. Now, I love a good content strategy, but 350 pieces? That’s overkill, and there was no AI to help streamline it back then.

What struck me in that role was how much could have been simplified with the right tools. If I had access to AI back then, I would’ve created a digital twin of the team member who was organizing everything. This virtual assistant could’ve taken over routine processes, freeing me to focus on more impactful, creative tasks. 

It’s moments like these that drive my passion for AI, and today, I’m pursuing a master’s degree in AI at Oxford University to deepen my understanding of the technology.

Through this journey, I’ve realized that embracing AI isn’t just about having the tools —it’s about developing a framework for your team and organization to be truly “AI-ready.”

AI and Sales: A winning combination
Access your Sales Enablement Forecast Report 2022, ungated, here.
Sales Enablement CollectiveSales Enablement Collective

The 6 C’s of AI readiness

When talking to sales enablement professionals and organizational leaders about adopting AI, I like to frame it with what I call the “6 C’s of AI readiness.” Here’s how I break it down:

  1. Culture: Does the company have a culture that’s open to learning and innovation?
  2. Capability: Do we have the right skills and technology to implement AI effectively?
  3. Commitment: Is leadership committed to investing in AI and making it a priority?
  4. Compliance: Are we prepared to meet data privacy and ethical AI standards?
  5. Collaboration: Are departments aligned and ready to work together to drive AI initiatives?
  6. Continuity: Do we have processes in place to sustain AI projects over time?

Assessing AI readiness across these six areas provides a roadmap for growth. I often begin by sitting down with department heads and executives to gauge where they believe they stand in each area. This exercise can be surprisingly eye-opening. 

In a recent project, I spoke with an executive team where some members believed they were well-prepared for AI, while newer team members felt they were just getting started. This helped identify areas for growth and alignment, a critical step before diving into AI initiatives.

Applying AI to your enablement strategy, with Jonathan Kvarfordt [Video]
Jonathan Kvarfordt joins us on the podcast to discuss all things AI and enablement!
Sales Enablement CollectiveDaniel O’Dowd