When
you are assigned a brand new sales territory, the temptation is to scurry
around like mad trying to prospect for new opportunities. But this sales territory management strategy will only hurt you in the short-term if you don’t
exercise some discipline along the way. What you really need to do to succeed
in a new territory is plan for the long-term.
Here
are some tips:
- Prioritize your time. Prospect, yes, in order to keep your pipeline filled but do it within a specific time slot every day. Some say 80% of a salesperson’s time should be spent this way.
- Divide in order to conquer. Find a way to segment your territory, perhaps by geography into four parts. This way you can focus on one segment each day and then use the fifth day to focus on unexpected opportunities and follow-up.
- Maintain and update your database. Without an accurate and current database, your contacts will be lost. You will be developing many in a short amount of time. Be sure you keep track of them.
