Successful high performing sales teams do not just cast willy-nilly into the sea of customers and hope for a bite. They have a proven sales process to follow and an organized way to define and mine sales territories. If you want your sales reps to feel that they have a fair opportunity to work with qualified target clients, you need to follow the tenets of the best sales territory management training as you define the “sea” into which they will cast their nets.
Before you assign sales territories, be sure you:
- Define and understand your target market. Maintain a master list of the data that reps will need to prioritize and contact potential customers that fit your target client criteria.
- Rate client and prioritize client opportunities. Assign a “1” or “2” or “3” to companies on your master list according to their potential.
- Clearly define the sales territories, whether by geography, product, size or buying power.
- Involve your sales reps. Give your sales team a chance to weigh in on the assignments. They’ll share their knowledge and contacts and be more invested in the process and outcome.
- Make as few changes as possible. Nothing destroys sales team morale faster than shifting sales territories frequently and undermining the relationships that have been built between rep and customer.
