If you’re here, you’re probably knee-deep in researching sales enablement platforms—or you’re tired of watching your sellers drown in outdated decks and scattered training materials. Either way, you want the real scoop on what matters in a tool like Highspot. This guide cuts through the noise so you can focus on the features that actually make life easier for sales teams, managers, and (let’s be honest) you.
Why Bother With Sales Enablement Tools at All?
Let’s face it: salespeople spend way too much time hunting for content, prepping for calls, or figuring out which pitch even exists. Sales enablement tools promise to fix that. But not all of them deliver, and even the good ones—like Highspot—aren’t magic bullets. The right features can save you hours and help teams close more deals. The wrong ones just give you more buttons to ignore.
This article breaks down what to look for when evaluating Highspot, and what’s just window dressing. If you want a straightforward checklist, not a marketing brochure, you’re in the right place.
1. Content Management That Doesn’t Suck
What to Look For
- Centralized library: Can you actually find things, or is it just a pretty dump of files?
- Good search: Fuzzy search, filters, and tags that work. If it’s easier to ask a coworker, that’s a fail.
- Content governance: Version control, permissions, and expiration dates. You want sellers to use the right assets, not whatever they downloaded 6 months ago.
- Easy upload and organization: Drag-and-drop beats “submit a ticket” every time.
What Works in Highspot
Highspot’s content library is solid. Search is fast and reliable—if you tag things well. You can set up “Spots” (folders, basically) and organize content by team, region, or whatever makes sense. Version control and permissions are straightforward, and you can expire content so old slides don’t haunt you forever.
Pro tip: Don’t underestimate the pain of poor search. Try searching for a few random things in the demo; if you can’t find them in seconds, your reps won’t either.
What’s Overhyped
- “AI-powered recommendations” are hit or miss. Sometimes they surface gems; sometimes you get random PDFs nobody wanted.
- If you need ten clicks to share a deck, something’s wrong.
2. Simple, Effective Training & Onboarding
What to Look For
- Built-in training modules: Can you assign and track onboarding without a separate LMS?
- Microlearning: Short, digestible content beats megawatt “courses” every time.
- Progress tracking: Managers need to see who’s actually engaging—and who’s just clicking “next.”
What Works in Highspot
Highspot lets you build and assign training paths, quizzes, and certifications. It’s not a full-blown LMS, but it covers most onboarding and ongoing training needs. You can track completion, see quiz scores, and nudge folks who are falling behind.
Pro tip: Rep fatigue is real. Break up long trainings and use just-in-time learning tied to actual sales scenarios.
What’s Overhyped
- Gamification. A badge here or there is fine, but don’t expect your reps to care about digital trophies for long.
- Overly complex analytics. You usually just want to know: Did people finish the training? Did it help?
3. Sales and Marketing Alignment (Without the Drama)
What to Look For
- Feedback loops: Can sellers tell marketing when content misses the mark?
- Usage analytics: Which assets are actually being used in deals?
- Easy updates: Marketing should be able to swap out old decks and instantly update everyone.
What Works in Highspot
Highspot makes it easy to see what’s being used, how often, and by whom. Sellers can give quick feedback on assets (“helpful” or “needs work”), which is a nice touch. Marketing can update or sunset content without relying on IT.
Pro tip: Set up regular reviews of the analytics—don’t just collect data for the sake of it.
What’s Overhyped
- “Collaboration spaces.” These can turn into ghost towns if nobody owns them. Real collaboration happens in meetings, not message boards.
- Fancy dashboards that nobody checks.
4. Integrations With Tools You Actually Use
What to Look For
- CRM integration: Does Highspot play nice with Salesforce, HubSpot, or whatever you use?
- Email/calendar plug-ins: Can you drop content into emails without leaving Outlook or Gmail?
- SSO and security: Easy logins, without making IT break a sweat.
What Works in Highspot
Salesforce integration is robust—you can surface recommended content based on opportunity stage, log activity, and track which assets move deals forward. Highspot also plugs into Outlook and Gmail, so sellers don’t have to jump between tabs to share pitch decks or case studies.
Pro tip: Test integrations with your actual workflows. “Works with Salesforce” can mean anything from “barely shows up” to “actually useful in context.”
What’s Overhyped
- Integrations with obscure tools you don’t use. Ignore the laundry list—focus on what your team touches every day.
- Zapier-type “connections” that require constant tinkering.
5. Analytics You’ll Actually Use
What to Look For
- Content performance: Which assets are driving engagement, and which are collecting dust?
- Buyer engagement: Can you see if prospects actually opened or interacted with what you sent?
- Rep activity: Who’s using the tool, and who’s ignoring it?
What Works in Highspot
You get decent visibility into what’s being used, shared, and opened. Highspot’s engagement tracking lets you know if a prospect spent 30 seconds or 30 minutes with your content—not perfect, but better than flying blind. Managers can spot who’s adopting the platform and who needs a nudge.
Pro tip: Don’t drown in metrics. Decide which 2–3 numbers actually matter (asset usage, engagement time, rep adoption) and track those.
What’s Overhyped
- Overly granular analytics. Do you really need to know the exact minute someone stopped reading slide 12? Probably not.
- Predictive analytics. Most “AI insights” are just guesses wrapped in pretty charts.
6. Usability: If It’s Not Easy, Nobody Will Use It
What to Look For
- Intuitive UI: Can a new hire figure it out without a manual?
- Mobile support: Sellers work from everywhere; the tool should, too.
- Speed: Nobody waits for slow-loading dashboards or search results.
What Works in Highspot
Highspot’s interface is clean and doesn’t require a PhD to use. The mobile app is decent—not amazing, but enough for quick lookups. Most tasks are a click or two away, not buried in submenus.
Pro tip: Watch real sellers use the tool. If they’re lost or frustrated, that’s your answer.
What’s Overhyped
- Customization for its own sake. You want just enough to match your workflows—not a blank slate you have to build from scratch.
- Visual flair over function. Pretty is nice, but speed and clarity matter more.
7. Implementation and Support: No Surprises Later
What to Look For
- Onboarding help: Will Highspot guide you through setup, or drop off the map after the sale?
- Ongoing support: Fast, knowledgeable answers—not canned responses.
- Community and resources: Is there a place to learn from other users’ mistakes (and wins)?
What Works in Highspot
Most customers report a pretty smooth onboarding, especially if you invest time upfront to organize content and processes. Support is generally responsive. There’s a community forum and a decent knowledge base.
Pro tip: Don’t wing rollout. Assign someone to own adoption, and budget time for cleanup of old, irrelevant content.
What’s Overhyped
- “White-glove service” that’s really just a couple of webinars.
- Endless consulting upsells. You shouldn’t need a team of consultants to make the tool work.
Features That Sound Cool, But Rarely Matter
Let’s be real—every sales enablement vendor loves to pitch a few “innovative” features that most teams don’t need or won’t use. Here’s what you can usually ignore:
- Virtual reality presentations: Fun demo. Useless in the real world.
- Overly complex content scoring: Simple feedback works just as well.
- Social selling widgets: If your reps aren’t already posting on LinkedIn, a tool won’t change that.
Bottom Line: Keep It Simple, Test Early, and Iterate
Most teams need the basics done well: content you can find, training that doesn’t waste time, and analytics that answer real questions. Highspot checks most of those boxes, but only if you set it up right and keep things tidy.
Don’t get caught up chasing every shiny feature. Focus on what helps your sellers sell and your managers coach. Get a demo, test with real users, and be ready to tweak as you go. Simple wins.