Making a Big Impact Fast: Strategies for Delivering Quick Wins

You want to make a fast impact when stepping into a new Sales Enablement role. Everyone has that shiny 90-day plan, but let’s be real: parts of it will be thrown out by day two. Things shift, new priorities pop up, and unexpected challenges arise. But that doesn’t mean you can’t deliver quick wins! It's all about pacing yourself and focusing on what matters most. You want to get out ahead, but just like in a long race, sprinting at the start can leave you winded later.

1. Focus on What’s Most Important to the Organization (Hint: It’s Revenue)

It’s easy to get bogged down by the details when you’re new, but your primary focus should always be revenue. You may not know every nuance of the product or industry right away, but you can still make an immediate impact by coaching on sales skills, helping with email outreach, and identifying quick fixes in the sales process.

If you’ve walked into an organization starved for coaching or training, you can make an instant difference. Start by meeting with reps, conducting focus groups, and discovering what they feel is missing. These quick actions will get you moving in the right direction, like those first few miles of a marathon, where you settle into a pace you know will get you to the finish.

2. Talk Less, Listen More

Many people make the biggest mistake when they start by assuming they know what’s needed. Take a step back and listen to the sales team and managers first. What are their pain points? What tools are they struggling with? Don’t start creating a ton of content or pushing out training until you understand what’s actually needed. Listening helps you pace your initiatives correctly. You can’t sprint when you don’t even know where the track is.

3. Prioritize Non-Negotiables in Your 90-Day Plan

Even though your 90-day plan will inevitably evolve, there should be a few non-negotiable key items. These core priorities drive the most value and should stay at the top of your list no matter what. It could be things like launching sales coaching programs, organizing live training sessions, or establishing essential playbooks for the team.

These non-negotiables are your anchor points, helping you through the chaos. Even if new priorities emerge and shift things around, you keep coming back to these.

4. Use Gong, Zoom, Chorus, etc. for Call Calibration Sessions

Don’t wait to get deep into the product before making an impact—use tools like Gong or Chorus (or whatever your org uses) to start delivering quick wins. These tools allow you to pull sales calls, listen in, and run calibration sessions with the sales team.

Have them review both top-performing and struggling reps’ calls, facilitating peer feedback. This way, you’re driving improvement without needing to know every detail about the product right away. And, since the sales team often has built-in subject matter experts, you can rely on them to help with the technical coaching while you focus on the process.

5. Start a Training Calendar from Day One

If you want to make an impact fast, you need a plan and, more importantly, a calendar. Start booking training events from day one. This will keep you on schedule, help you meet deadlines, and ensure you’re consistently delivering value. Deadlines create accountability, both for yourself and the team.

Much like setting your pace in a marathon, having a training calendar keeps you focused and prevents you from burning out by doing too much, too soon. It’s your roadmap for the long haul.

6. Set Up Metrics Dashboards (Because If It Can’t Be Measured, It Can’t Be Moved)

As I’ve said before: "If it can’t be measured, it can’t be moved." From the moment you start, set up metrics dashboards that allow you to track your impact. Whether it’s training completion rates, post-training revenue growth, or improvements in quota attainment, data will help you prove the value of your efforts quickly.

Work with sales operations to establish these dashboards early on. This is your way to track progress and course-correct as needed. Plus, it gives you the data to show leadership that you're delivering on your goals—mile by mile.

Final Thought

Making a big impact fast doesn’t mean you need to sprint out of the gate. It’s about prioritizing the right actions, pacing yourself, and being smart with your time. Focus on the things that matter most, like coaching reps and driving revenue, while setting a foundation for long-term success. Remember, a marathon is won by consistency, not by how fast you run the first mile.

Key Takeaways:

1. Prioritize Revenue-Driving Actions: Even if you’re new, you can still coach reps on day one and make an immediate impact on sales.
2. Set Non-Negotiables in Your 90-Day Plan: Focus on key priorities that won’t change, even as new tasks pop up.
3. Use Gong/Chorus for Call Calibration: These tools help you coach the team early, even if you’re not yet a product expert.
4. Start a Training Calendar from Day One: Scheduling your training sessions from day one keeps you accountable and builds momentum.
5. Set Up Metrics Dashboards: Track your progress and use data to guide your decisions and demonstrate your impact.

Now, tell me! What are your go-to strategies for making a quick impact when starting a new role? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments!

Ryan Kolofsky