Sales organizations commonly use sales territory maps to define territories, analyze sales performance, calculate routes and perform a wide range of other tasks. This innovative software automates many repetitive tasks involved in the process, saving businesses significant time and money.
How To Create A Sales Territory Map Using 6 Different Methods
There are many different ways to create a sales territory map using aspects including population, city, zip code, income and other basic demographics. Here is a closer look at these options and how they can benefit a business by increasing sales efficiency.
1. Divide Territories By Population
While there are many ways to create a sales territory map, one of the most popular involves dividing territories by population. Most leading sales territory mapping software programs offer tools that make it easy to determine the population of particular territories. For example, a sales manager may conduct an analysis using data from the U.S. Census that shows the population of individual cities and states.
2. Arrange Territories By Customer Count
When sales managers create sales territory maps, the goal is to balance maps in a way that is fair to all team members. Arranging territories by customer count on a sales territory map can help ensure that all sales reps have the same opportunity in the field. Maps that feature territories arranged by customer count can be distributed more evenly allowing each sales rep to get the same or close to the same number of customers within their territories.
3. Separate Territories By City Or Zip Code
Separating territories by city or zip code can be more complex than other methods due to the sheer size of an area. There are also many variables that play into this type of territory division, such as the number of homes in a specific city or zip code. However, dividing territories by city or zip code can make it easier to determine which sales rep is responsible for a particular area. There is less conflict as each sales rep is given a specific city or zip code which helps to eliminate confusion. Unfortunately, the workload is not always even as some cities, and zip codes may be larger or contain more customers.
4. Split Territories By Number Of Homes Or Office Buildings
Sales territory maps may also be split based on the number of homes or office buildings in a particular area. It is the responsibility of the sales manager to ensure that each sales rep has an adequate number of doors to knock on to maintain satisfactory performance and meet quotas. Without the use of sales territory mapping software, this process of splitting territories evenly can be long and time-consuming. Sales territory mapping software makes it easy to create and assign territories to reps based on the number of houses that each team member is responsible for at one time.
5. Group Territories By Income Levels
Territories may also be divided by customer income level based on data collected through market segmentation and analysis. Sales managers may use relevant data to divide territories by high, mid-range and low earners and assign reps accordingly. Sales managers may also look at other criteria when creating sales territory maps, such as whether customers are homeowners or renters, their home market value and their credit score. All of this information can help businesses determine where a particular customer falls based on income and how likely they are to make a purchase.
6. Divide Territories By Other Demographics
Most businesses strive to optimize their sales territories but find this process can be challenging. When a company fails to optimize their sales territory, it can negatively impact sales causing some businesses to experience failed quotas, a drop in revenue, decreased motivation or unsatisfied customers. There are many ways that sales managers can optimize sales territories by dividing each territory based on demographics.
Some of the most common demographics used in sales territory mapping include geographic territories, age, income, education and nationality. Dividing territories based on demographics can save businesses time and money by pitching products and services to customers that are most likely to complete a transaction.
Speak With Our Sales Territory Mapping Experts
No two sales organizations are the same which means that businesses must rely on different methods for creating and organizing sales territories. Regardless of the product or service being sold, a sales campaign is only as effective as the sales territory map on which it is based. Sales territory mapping software makes it fast and simple to upload valuable business data and organize sales territories based on demographics of city, zip code, income, population, customer count and the number of homes and office buildings.
To learn more about the different ways to create a sales territory map or to speak with an experienced sales territory mapping expert, contact Geographic Enterprises today.