8 Steps to Improving Your Sales Territory Management

by | Mar 23, 2016 | Sales Strategy, Sales Tips, Territory Management

We all enjoy a good road trip. However, the way of the road trip has changed significantly. In the past, a map planned your route. Today, GPS and smartphones make your trip more efficient, helping you avoid traffic and other problems that could sidetrack your progress. These advances make it easier to get where you’re going.

The same applies to improving sales territory management.  Large volumes of uncustomized calls to prospects is ineffective and a thing of the past. If you want to get where you are going with GPS-like precision, you need to take the time to plan and use updated sales tactics. The best sales teams know this and work strategically to implement targeted, buyer-centric territory management plans.

Like planning a road trip, your sales team must take the time to plan your territory management before hitting the road.

1 – Target Your Territory

Determine who you want to target and in what order. Look at your leads, prospects, and opportunities, to determine high-value accounts. Select accounts that are not only “big fish,” but attainable. Next, do your research. Look for change initiatives within the organizations you want to target.  If they align with your offering, make sure you prioritize them accordingly.

2 – Find and Reach Influencers

Next, make sure you understand who you need to reach and what makes them tick. Chances are, there is more than one person you should be touching at any given organization.   Who is most likely to benefit from what you are selling (by department/ by title)? Who is the decision maker, the influencer, the champion?  Take the time to document this information in the form of buyer personas. The more you know about your prospects’ priority initiatives, trigger events, and pain points, the more effectively you will be able to communicate with them—by phone – or by email.

3 – Construct Targeted Messaging

Use the information you gathered to construct buyer-centric messaging that speaks not just to the company, but to the individual contact’s needs. Construct short, personalized email messages and phone scripts. Tailored messaging elicits higher open and call back rates, helping you get to your destination faster.

4 – Stay Persistent

You don’t want to waste time with your sales process. The contacts you identify for each account will lead you to the best sales route. Keep in mind contact rates vary by industry, roles, buyer, and company. However, bet on between 10 and 15 attempts before getting in touch. The best approach is a multi-touch strategy that reaches each contact within a business at once. Eventually, you’ll uncover the best one or two contacts and work with them to move your sale forward.

5 – Assign Roles

Especially on long trips, you need a role for each traveler. Whether it is navigator, night driver, or another specified role, each person has a part to play. The same is true for sales. Execute your messaging via multiple reps, each with an assigned contact in the targeted business. Pay attention to times when a contact should be passed off, or if you need to reroute your strategy. It’s important to get to know your sales team’s strengths, experience, and level of comfort to assign roles correctly.

6 – Schedule and Execute Your Strategy

Once you have a territory management strategy, use it. Schedule all meetings and calls. At NuGrowth, our sales team uses a proven seven touch process that follows strict timing. This makes you more efficient – you know roughly what to expect each day.

7 – Document Progress

At the end of a trip, you’re eager to share the photos and memories of your adventures. Make the same true for your territory management. Take notes on all your interactions – you never know what will lead to closing a deal or adding services to a current client. Continue your research, setting up Google Alerts for the prospect you’re tracking to gain insights into changes or initiatives that may open a window. Watch your website to see which account members are visiting your page and how often. Store everything in your CRM as a centralized database.

8 – Make it Better Next Time

This is the theme of all sales best practices. There is always room to improve, especially since sales climates change frequently. Reflect on successes and disappointments. Can you divide your territory differently? Will a rep reassignment make a difference? Coaching and mentorship are key here. The continual feedback both offer guarantee you’ll get a little better with each gain or loss.

If your sales territory management feels nothing like a great adventure, it may be time to reevaluate your processes. Consider a partner like NuGrowth Solutions to get your sales team back on the road. At NuGrowth, we utilize a results-driven TAPS territory selling approach proven to cut sales time in half. To find out more, contact us at 800.966.3051.

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Author: Kyle Tillar

Kyle Tillar works to ensure that clients’ target goals are reached and that the inside sales team is meeting objectives. Kyle is able to leverage his sales expertise and extensive training to help inside sales executives advance their career development and achieve client commitments.

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