Training Overview
The Territory Management and Prospection workshop is designed to maximize customer relationships by taking personal responsibility for territory planning and activities.
Achieve optimal results from a portfolio of customers. Learn proven processes and skills to analyze, classify, and allocate appropriate time and resources to help you plan call cycles, account development and prospecting activities. Increase selling opportunities by scheduling prospecting tasks, call frequency and call objectives. In addition, gain in-depth knowledge in account management, planning, profiling, territory analysis, prospecting and influencing.
Outcomes
On completion of this training, you should be able to:
- Act with confidence as the interface between your company and your customer
- Deal with customers based on their current and potential value to your company
- Proactively arrange your time and territory to achieve optimum face-to-face selling opportunities
- Plan and implement account development activities to achieve your sales plan objectives
- Target new business from new contacts within both existing customers and new customers, to achieve new business targets
Intended Audience
This workshop is intended for territory managers, sales representatives, account managers and sales managers looking become an indispensable intermediary between your organization and your customers.
Session Information
- A 1-day workshop
- Optional follow up Coaching Session to reinforce learning
- Customised options for shorter in-house training are also available, as is Webinar training
Units
Unit 1: Analyzing the Portfolio
The problem typically faced by territory managers is the sheer number of customers that require a continuous supply of products and services (your selling activities) and regular support, planning, technical advice, etc (your account management activities). For most territory managers, a convenient method to help them is to analyze the portfolio in terms of a significant factor or criteria.
Unit 2: Categorizing Each Account
Once criteria have been set, you will be able to sort all customer accounts into categories that are identifiable and manageable as a group. By doing this, we can more effectively and efficiently manage our ‘territory’ of customers. You will categorize using international ‘best practice’ formulas and ratios, adapted to your particular company and customer requirements.
Unit 3: Time and Territory Planning
Territory management involves deciding how much of our time we should allocate to each customer. The time spent with each customer should reflect their contribution to the sales target. Too little time spent with our A (high value) customers, or too much time with B or C customers will result in poor sales results. We need to devote our time and resources to where the actual and potential business is. In this unit we also work out how many sales calls we have available, and how often each customer needs to be called on.
Unit 4: Sales Plan
Using the Time and Territory Plan prepared in Unit 3, we extend our planning into other key result areas – such as revenue, margin, product or service range and mix, channel management, new business, prospecting, market intelligence etc. Your plans, strategies and activities all contribute to the organization’s Sales Plan.
Unit 5: Account Development
One of the main responsibilities of the Territory Manager is to develop each customer account. A static portfolio will rapidly decline in value. We look at why development activities are required, and then discuss in detail a number of activities that will help you continuously develop your customer accounts.
Unit 6: Customer Profiling
Customer Account records are managed at all times by the territory manager. Whatever CRM system you use, and whether simple or complex, there is certain information that must be recorded. We look at the data and information required for successful account management.
Unit 7: Targeting New Business
This unit looks at prospecting from two sources – from new customers, and from new contacts within existing customers. You will learn how to widen your contacts within your existing customers – across more levels and more divisions. You will prepare a prospecting plan to achieve your new business targets, including time allocation for calls, meetings and research. You will learn the process for making appointments, whether the person you want to contact is ‘cold’ or ‘warm’.
Unit 8: A Review of the Selling – Buying Process
Within your account management role is the ongoing responsibility of selling products and services, and delivering your expertise and advice. The territory manager therefore needs to continuously refresh and update their professional selling skills. This ensures your planning, profiling and analysis accurately reflects the current and future needs of the customer. It also ensures all your activities supporting recommendations of solutions, submitting proposals, implementing agreements etc achieve mutual objectives, and enhance the relationship.
Additional Materials
- A comprehensive learning guide
- Lifetime support
- A free follow-up 30-minute coaching session
- Optional Enrollment in our monthly newsletter
Follow-up Coaching
There is a key difference between learning and knowing. Learning is the process of being taught the material while knowing is about internalizing and retaining it. If at any point after a session you feel the need for more support in knowing the lessons taught to you, a free 30-minute coaching session is available to you on request.