Territory Planning - A Catalyst Sale Approach

This week on the Catalyst Sale Podcast we discuss the components that makeup the territory plan, including starting from ground zero, and defining your area of focus. Traditionally this starts as a whiteboard exercise for us. We start with a blank whiteboard and go through yes/no questions to refine our focus. Given that this is a whiteboard exercise, a visual follows.

In previous episodes, we have discussed the Account Plan and the Call Plan. The territory plan establishes the guardrails that the Account Plan, and subsequent call plans fit within. The call plan is the day to day detail. The three of these should tell the story of how you accomplished your objectives. The Territory Plan is a preview of what's to come.

Questions Addressed

How do you start building out a territory plan?
Where does Account Planning fit into this process?
How much time does this take?
What if territory planning is not something that is required in my current role?
What are some common mistakes that organizations make when it comes to territory planning?

Key Takeaways

Don't boil the ocean.
Compartmentalize and execute - shrink the territory down to something that is manageable.
Know your numbers, plan based on the numbers.
Allocate ~one hour per week to adapt - Observe, Orient, Decide & Act (OODA Loop)
The territory plan helps to identify the spectrum that you plan to work within, or guideposts, for the year
Even if territory planning is not a requirement of your role, you may benefit from creating your own.
Use the territory planning process as an opportunity to identify new business opportunities & growth.
Run your territory as if it were your own franchise.
A territory plan should be a living, breathing, document - it is not a one and done proposition.
Feed your territory plans with new insight, new information.
The plan will and should evolve.

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Catalyst Sale

In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do.

Sales is a Thinking Process.

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