You and your sales team can’t be everywhere at all times. This is one of the many reasons why sales territory management is so important. Our previous article on sales territory management explains the significance of implementing this strategy.

This time around we give you 7 quick-fire tips to ensure that your sales territory management runs efficiently:

1)  Time is precious no matter what you are doing. This is why it is important to maximise the time you have by dividing areas in a way that makes sense in terms of time and cost. Think about the time it takes to drive from one area to another, the time it takes to do paperwork and the time each prospect will take to meet with. Thus, divide areas in terms of area code, industry or even product type

2)  Qualify leads before spending too much time in one area and missing out on opportunities elsewhere. Ask yourself if a lead wants what you are selling, if they will use the product or service effectively and if there is an event that is time-dependent. This way you can schedule meetings in a territory according to the time a prospect requires.

3)  Know your clients by ranking them as As, Bs or Cs. As are reliable, require little to no effort to sell to and will provide good revenue. Bs are a little more difficult and unpredictable but the generated revenue will make the effort worth it. Cs require large amounts of effort and the revenue you receive may not be worth it in the long-run.

4)  Analyse big data to expend energy in the correct territories at the correct time. You can use a sales territory mapping and analytics tool or simply do it on your own. Know when you sell certain products or services better than other times and what certain clients require or don’t require at what time. This will help you send your sales force to a territory at the time effort will be most productive.

5)  Do not focus too much energy and resources on smaller accounts with less result. Rather look at what accounts have the most potential and are most likely to generate the best future growth.

6)  Follow prospects in media to see what they are planning in the future or what they are busy with now. This will help you plan when your sales reps will visit their territory and what they require that you can provide.

7)  Review your sales territories on a regular basis to ensure that you are still on the right track in accordance with your big-picture plan. Always ensure that your overall goals will be met by doing what you are currently doing and that you are not getting sidetracked by focusing on small, insignificant details.