Tools and providers
Part of Budgeting for sales enablement tools: a UK buyer's guide
Sales enablement software and UK procurement data
An overview of sales enablement software, six named tools and practical cautions for using UK public procurement data in sales content.
What to take away
- This article names six sales enablement software tools. Five are Highspot, Seismic, Showpad, Gong and Outreach. SalesLoft is the sixth.
- It also explains how to borrow UK procurement data from Contracts Finder, Find a Tender Service, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI.
- The tools and supplier guide sets out the wider market context.
- Use public sources as evidence, not as a ranking. Check licence terms before you reuse data.
- Procurement rules differ across the UK. Data rules can differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Six sales enablement tools
Check public information before you buy. These are product summaries, not a like-for-like price comparison: public price information is incomplete, so confirm current pricing and scope with suppliers. None are recommendations.
Highspot
Highspot is a sales enablement platform for content, training, coaching and analytics. It suits medium to large sales teams. It does not publish list pricing, so expect a custom quote. It integrates with Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics.
Seismic
Seismic provides sales enablement and enablement cloud tools, including content, learning and analytics. It often suits larger enterprises with complex compliance needs. Pricing is quote based. It acquired Lessonly, so learning features may suit onboarding.
Showpad
Showpad covers sales content, coaching and readiness. It suits field and inside sales teams that need mobile access. Pricing is generally custom, with tiered plans. Its public material highlights CRM integrations and content controls.
Gong records and analyses sales calls, emails and meetings. It suits teams that want conversation data for coaching and forecasting. It offers a free trial and paid plans, but list pricing is not always public. Because calls can capture personal data, handle recordings in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018: tell participants about recording and establish an appropriate lawful basis.
Outreach
Outreach is a sales engagement platform for sequences, calls, email and forecasting. It suits teams with high volume prospecting. It publishes some plan details and offers annual billing. Expect per seat pricing, with feature limits by tier.
SalesLoft
SalesLoft supports sales cadences, email, calls and analytics. It suits teams that want a structured engagement workflow. Pricing is quote based. Check CRM and communication integrations before a trial.
How to borrow procurement data
Public procurement data can show what buyers purchase, which suppliers win and when contracts end. Borrow that evidence for your sales enablement content. Start with the UK Government's National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) and its supporting guidance on strategy and planning.
Borrow procurement data safely
- Start with public procurement policy guidance
- Use Contracts Finder for lower value notices
- Use Find a Tender for above threshold
- Check devolved market licence terms
- Verify renewal dates before relying
- Record source, date and what it proves
Use Contracts Finder for notices and awards published there, and Find a Tender Service to search notices under the applicable publication rules. There is no single UK-wide threshold: check Crown Commercial Service's current procurement threshold guidance for the contract type and regime. Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI cover devolved markets. Procurement Act 2023 governs most covered procurements in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland has distinct rules under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Where a record is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0, follow its terms; verify the licence on each portal before reuse.
Tussell and Spend Network aggregate public contract data for a fee. Check whether their data includes renewal dates before you rely on it.
Do not scrape personal data or ignore licence terms. Record the source, date and what it proves.
Analyst relations material as a source
Analyst firms publish material for vendors who want to be positioned well. Buyers can still use it, because it shows how vendors are assessed.
Forrester's analyst relations council page describes how vendors engage with its research process. Read it to understand why some vendors appear in reports and others do not.
That context stops you treating a report placement as a verdict. A strong analyst relations programme does not make a vendor a better fit for a ten-person sales team in Manchester.
Vendor pages and your own notes
Vendor pages are the quickest way to learn what a supplier claims its product does. LinkedIn is one of the larger providers here, and its sales solutions pages describe the workflows it supports for sales teams.
Compare that language against your own criteria. A product page tells you what a vendor wants you to know. It rarely tells you how the tool behaves after three months of use.
A vendor page can prove the product exists and that the supplier still invests in it. It cannot prove fit. Your own implementation notes and your team's feedback do that, which is why the sales enablement tool implementation guide for England is a better second read than a second vendor page.
Build a source log, not a ranking
Keep a log with one row per source and one column for what it proves. Vendor pages go in as claims. Policy pages go in as rules. Procurement data goes in as evidence. Analyst relations pages go in as market context.
Score vendors against your criteria rather than against each other's marketing. A tool that fits your process beats a tool that tops someone else's list.
Common questions
Which sales enablement tool is best for 2027?
No single tool is best. Highspot, Seismic and Showpad suit content. Gong, Outreach and SalesLoft suit engagement.
Can I reuse UK procurement data?
Often yes, if you follow the licence. Contracts Finder and Find a Tender Service are public. Check devolved portals and aggregators for terms.
Should I trust vendor feature lists?
Treat them as claims to verify. Ask for written answers on the two or three features your team depends on most.
