1. Sales Territory Management
Introduction
To be effective the outside sales staff needs to be well organized and focused in
their daily activities. The way they direct their efforts every day needs to be an
expression of the overall marketing plan and the sales and marketing strategy of
the company. To ensure that this is the case, the sales manager works with each
person in the sales force to help him or her to direct and target his or her efforts.
How to use this information
Examine the assigned sales territories in your company. Identify which
territories are the most successful. Ask yourself:
Û Why these territories are more successful?
Û Does the salesperson managing the territory focus and target their
sales activity towards key groups of customers?Compare the ideas presented in Sales Staff Management to how to manage the
sales territories now.
If you are not presently using some of these ideas and methods, we
encourage you to try implementing them.
You may find that the sales territories that are performing well are doing so
because the salespersons managing these territories are using some of these
ideas and methods.Begin this process by examining the company's marketing plan.
The sales manager provides the salesperson with leadership.
Provide market research materials derived from the company's business
plan
Assist the salesperson, where necessary, to relate this market research to the
salesperson's territory
Give direction to the salesperson on prioritizing and directing her or his
field activities