5 Critical Elements For The Better Territory Reviews

Do you manage sales professionals or manage managers of sales professionals? In my opinion, there is nothing better than completing sales reviews of your team(s) during the end of year or right when the new year starts. I really enjoy this time of year and always invest in the opportunity to have sales professionals explore their business with a thorough walk through. The output of this process is to have each professional make a presentation on the current state of their business and to focus our efforts on the client. For the Sales Professionals is helps build account management skills, renewal sales, consultative selling, managing sales cycles, maintaining client relationships.

So here is what I ask to be included in their presentation yet do not insist on format, delivery or style. The presentation must include the following assessments. The goal of these areas is to put the customer in the center of the conversation and to ensure the team knows what is important. The client and sales Pro, in equal measure!!

Performance: How is their territory (or account base) performing versus goals and what is trending over the last 4 quarters? Including their forward looking pipeline management and updated report forecast. This is designed to help, so be sure to primarily encourage as we need to remember only ~60% of Sales Pro actually make their annual quota. Be kind and encouraging this exercise will be a difference maker for the team and help everyone over achieve.

• Real world experiences: Does the Pro have a plan to achieve success and can they articulate it? Critical to know where they are and where they want to go. This also gets you a view of their quota and will it be met next quarter and year!

Leading/Top clients: How are the top clients in territory performing over the last year? What is happening in their business and not just the revenue generated for the company. This is to define what clients are growing and to be a part of helping them grow. A key question is why they are having success not just that they are having success but why.

• Real world experiences: Everyone must build and develop relationships with customers. Maintaining existing relationships is the building block for future success, so this helps identify who you need to invest in and cultivate stronger relationships.

Opportunity Scorecard: evaluates lead quality based on solution match and winnability. The goal is to put the customer at center with a candid assessment of each opportunity (minimums thresholds may need to be applied). There are numerous scorecards available and we each have our favorites. The best scorecards are focused on client collaboration and include documented feedback.

• Real world experiences: True evaluation produces better results when objectively measured. Specifically, client feedback on our solution differences, their defined decision making process including timelines plus there must be an internal client coach helping us through the process. The scorecard must have direct engagement with and from the client and without it being focused on the customer, is this a viable opportunity to be worked and can it be closed?

· PPP: Include the current Plans, Progress and Problems reporting for last cycle to ensure the Pro’s is investing in the 3 to 5 most important activities and spends 80% of their time in the activities that will make them successful.

• Real world experiences: Including the PPP is critical for the team to know their reporting is being used and aligns to their performance. This allows me to read the recurring reporting for alignment and execution with their territory plan.

Income Planner: What is the Pro’s desired income for the year and how are they going to achieve that income? This is really only for those in leveraged role or that variable element to their compensation plan. The best Pro’s know what they want to earn, how they are going to get there while gaining insight into their

• Real world experiences: There is a natural outcome from this as well, as we work together to help them achieve their earning objectives. Another benefit is the Pro now have a compelling vision of their future. They also know that I am committed to helping them achieve their goals and their future earnings potential. This is inspired leadership and builds team loyalty.

The results of putting the customer at the center of all decision making directly impacts sales performance. Here are the facts; based on 2020 Sales performance study:

• 18.1% higher quota attainment

• 12.6% win rates

• 23.8 lower voluntary attrition rates.

Let’s talk about how using Account Reviews can absolutely help your organization achieve consistent quota attainment and superior results.