If you’re running sales enablement at a mid-sized B2B company, you’re probably stuck between the chaos of ad-hoc processes and the bloat of “enterprise-ready” platforms that feel like overkill. You need reps up to speed, content in the right hands, and sales managers who don’t have to nag for updates. This guide is for folks who want real impact—not just another tool collecting dust.
Let’s cut through the buzzwords and look at how Showpad can actually make a difference, what to watch out for, and how to get started without losing your mind (or your budget).
Why Sales Enablement Tools Matter (But Only If They’re Useful)
Most mid-sized companies hit a wall: sales content is scattered, onboarding takes forever, and marketing says “just use the portal” (that no one actually uses). Sales enablement platforms promise to fix this, but a lot are built for Fortune 500s with a full-time admin. If you’re mid-market, you need:
- Faster onboarding: New reps can’t wait months to ramp up.
- Content that’s actually used: Not buried in some SharePoint graveyard.
- Visibility: You need to know what’s working across deals—without hounding reps for updates.
Showpad claims to solve these pain points. Let’s see where that’s true, where it’s “meh,” and how you can avoid common traps.
What Showpad Actually Does (And Doesn’t Do)
Showpad is pitched as a one-stop shop for sales content management, training, and buyer engagement. In reality, it’s strongest in a few areas:
The Good
- Content Management That Sales Reps Use: Showpad’s interface is actually user-friendly. Reps can find decks, PDFs, or videos by searching or browsing—no more “which folder is it in?”
- Built-In Training: You get onboarding modules, quizzes, and micro-learning. It’s not as deep as a full LMS, but it’s way better than emailing PDFs.
- Buyer Experience: You can share content with prospects via branded microsites or email, and get notified when they interact with it.
- Analytics: You see what content is used, what gets shared, and what buyers actually open. Not perfect, but beats blind guessing.
The Not-So-Good
- Integrations: There are connectors for Salesforce, Outlook, and Gmail, but don’t expect magic. The CRM integration is mostly read-only; updating records is still a chore.
- Customization: Branding is fine, but heavily customized workflows or super-niche use cases will hit limits fast.
- Price: Not cheap, especially as you add more reps. There’s value, but don’t expect a bargain-bin solution.
What to Ignore
- AI Features: Like most platforms, Showpad is hyping AI right now. In reality, most “AI” is basic content recommendations or summary tools. Useful, but not game-changing.
- Overblown Demos: The sales pitch will show a polished, fully-tagged library with perfect adoption. Real life? You’ll need to do some heavy lifting to get there.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Showpad Work For You
You don’t need a 6-month rollout. Here’s how to get up and running fast—and actually see value.
1. Get Your Content House in Order
Don’t import everything. Start with the sales assets that reps actually use.
- Audit your content: Pull usage stats if you have them. Ask reps what’s missing or outdated.
- Purge the junk: Old one-pagers, misaligned messaging, duplicate decks—delete them.
- Organize by how reps sell: Structure folders or tags around sales stages, industries, or product lines. Make it intuitive.
Pro tip: If you try to “boil the ocean” by uploading everything, no one will find anything.
2. Set Up Simple Training Paths
Use Showpad’s training modules for the basics: onboarding, product updates, or competitive positioning.
- Keep modules short: 5-10 minutes max. No one wants a 45-minute video.
- Mix formats: Slides, short videos, quick quizzes. Variety keeps attention.
- Track completion: Use analytics, but don’t over-police. Focus on outcomes, not just box-ticking.
3. Train Your Managers—Not Just Reps
Managers are the make-or-break for adoption.
- Show them analytics: Managers should know who’s using what, and who’s not.
- Coach, don’t police: Use data to help, not to punish. “I see you haven’t used the new deck—what’s missing?”
- Set the example: If managers use Showpad to prep for calls, reps will follow.
4. Launch With a Real Use Case
Skip the “big bang” launch event. Pick a sales team or region with a clear need (new product, competitive push, etc.).
- Pilot first: Roll out to a small group, get feedback, fix issues.
- Gather quick wins: Share stories where Showpad saved time or won a deal.
- Iterate: Make changes before scaling out.
5. Connect to Your CRM (But Don’t Overthink It)
Integrate with Salesforce or your CRM, but keep expectations realistic.
- Start simple: Sync content engagement data to account records. Skip fancy automations at first.
- Review permissions: Make sure reps see only what they need.
- Plan for hiccups: Expect field mismatches or sync delays. Don’t panic.
Real Talk: Adoption Tips (and Pitfalls)
What Works
- Make Showpad the default: Put links in sales playbooks, training docs, and team chat.
- Reward adoption: Shout out reps who use it well—not just the biggest sellers.
- Keep content fresh: Quarterly reviews are usually enough. Outdated decks kill trust fast.
What Doesn’t
- Mandating usage “or else”: Forced adoption backfires. Instead, show how it saves time.
- Letting it go stale: Content rot is real. Appoint a content owner (not just marketing).
- Chasing every new feature: Stick to the basics until reps are comfortable.
Showpad vs. The Alternatives
If you’re considering Showpad, you’re probably also looking at Highspot, Seismic, or maybe SharePoint with a few plugins. Here’s the honest take:
- Highspot: Strong on AI search and content governance. More complex, pricier.
- Seismic: Enterprise-heavy. Powerful, but a beast to set up.
- SharePoint/Google Drive: Cheap, but messy. Zero analytics, zero training, zero engagement tracking.
Showpad hits a sweet spot for mid-sized teams: enough features to matter, not so much that you need a dedicated admin. But if you want deep customization or lowest cost, look elsewhere.
So, Is Showpad Worth It?
If you’re a mid-sized B2B company struggling with scattered content and slow onboarding, Showpad is a legit option. It won’t solve every problem overnight, and you’ll still have to do the hard work of organizing your stuff and driving adoption. But it can absolutely help reps find what they need, get trained faster, and close deals with more confidence.
Just don’t buy the hype that it’s “plug and play.” Treat it like any other tool: start simple, measure what matters, and keep improving. No platform will fix bad content or a disengaged team. But Showpad can move the needle—if you use it right.
Keep it simple. Start small. Iterate. That’s how you make sales enablement actually work.