Tired of sales reps tripping over each other—or worse, ignoring half your market? Assigning sales territories can make or break your team's productivity. This guide is for sales managers, ops folks, and anyone using Rb2b who wants a territory plan that actually works, not just looks tidy on a spreadsheet.
Let's get into the nuts and bolts: how to use Rb2b to split up your accounts, avoid the classic screwups, and keep your team focused.
Step 1: Define What a “Territory” Means for You
Before you start clicking around in Rb2b, get clear on what your territories should be. Every business is a little different. Don’t just copy the default settings. Ask yourself:
- Are you splitting by geography (states, regions, zip codes)?
- By industry or vertical?
- By company size, revenue, or potential?
- Or are you going for a mix—like “East Coast SaaS companies over $10M”?
What works: - Start simple. Geography is easiest to manage if your market is spread out. - If your ICP (ideal customer profile) is more about industry than location, consider verticals. - Don’t overcomplicate it with five-layer combos unless you really need to.
What doesn’t: - Assigning reps to the same accounts “just in case”—confusion guaranteed. - Letting reps cherry-pick—territories should be fair, not a free-for-all.
Pro tip: Write your territory rules down before you touch the software. It avoids arguments later.
Step 2: Audit Your Data in Rb2b
Garbage in, garbage out. If your account data isn’t clean, your territories will be a mess. In Rb2b:
- Run a report on your accounts and contacts.
- Check for missing fields (like state, industry, or revenue).
- Fix duplicates. If a company’s in there twice, you’ll have disputes.
Quick fixes: - Use Rb2b’s built-in deduplication tool if you have a lot of overlap. - Fill in missing data—don’t assign “unknown” to anyone. That’s just punting the problem down the road.
Don’t waste time on: - Perfection. Get most of it right; you can always tune later.
Step 3: Choose Your Assignment Method
Rb2b gives you a few ways to assign territories. Each has pros and cons.
Option 1: Rule-Based Assignment
You set up rules (e.g., “All accounts in California go to Sam”). Rb2b will auto-assign new leads that match.
- Works for: Big teams, clear-cut regions.
- What’s good: Once the rules are in, it runs itself.
- What’s bad: If your data’s messy or rules are too broad, things fall through the cracks.
Option 2: Manual Assignment
You drag and drop accounts to reps. Some people love the control; others just see more busywork.
- Works for: Small teams, high-value accounts.
- What’s good: You pick who gets what, no surprises.
- What’s bad: Can get tedious fast, especially if you’re scaling.
Option 3: Round Robin
Rb2b can evenly split incoming leads among reps.
- Works for: Inbound teams, high volume, no real “territories.”
- What’s good: Fair and fast.
- What’s bad: Not great if reps need to build deep expertise in a region or industry.
Real talk: Don’t get distracted by the fanciest option—pick what your team can actually maintain.
Step 4: Set Up Territories in Rb2b
Here’s the walkthrough for setting up territories. (This is the part where most folks overcomplicate things. Don’t.)
- Go to the Territories section in Rb2b’s admin panel.
- Create a new territory. Give it a name that makes sense—“Northeast SMB” beats “Region 1.”
- Define your rules. Use the filters:
- Geography (state, country)
- Industry (SIC code, vertical, etc.)
- Company size (employee count, revenue)
- Assign reps. Pick your owner(s) for each territory.
- Save and review. Rb2b usually shows you which accounts are included. Double-check for orphans or overlaps.
- Set assignment rules for new leads. Make sure new accounts are routed automatically.
Pitfalls to dodge: - Overlapping rules (one account assigned to two reps—hello, fistfights). - Territories with nobody assigned. - Forgetting to update rules when someone leaves or changes roles.
Pro tip: Start with broad territories. You can always split them later; merging is more painful.
Step 5: Communicate the Plan—Clearly
The best territory plan falls apart if nobody understands it. Once you’ve set things up:
- Share a territory map or list. Visuals help; nobody reads 50-row spreadsheets.
- Explain the “why” behind your choices. People accept tough calls if they know it’s not random.
- Document how disputes get resolved. (Hint: “First to log the call” is a recipe for drama.)
What to ignore: - Overly detailed playbooks nobody will use. One page beats a PDF nobody opens.
Step 6: Monitor and Adjust
Your first draft is just that—a draft. Territories go stale fast. Here’s how to keep things running:
- Set a review schedule: Once a quarter is plenty for most teams.
- Watch for red flags:
- Some reps drowning, others coasting.
- Missed targets in specific territories.
- Lots of “unassigned” accounts popping up.
- Gather feedback: Ask your reps what’s working and what’s not.
In Rb2b: - Use the territory reports. If you see big imbalances, tweak the rules. - Adjust assignments as people join, leave, or get promoted.
Don’t: - Change things every week. Give reps time to settle in and build relationships.
Step 7: Avoid the Most Common Mistakes
Let’s be honest—most territory plans fail for the same reasons. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Overly complicated rules. If you need an advanced degree to understand the assignment logic, simplify.
- Ignoring rep feedback. Your team knows the ground truth better than your dashboard.
- Letting the loudest rep win. Fairness beats politics.
- Never changing the plan. Markets and teams shift—so should your territories.
- Trying to please everyone. You won’t. Focus on what’s best for the business.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Territory planning in Rb2b isn’t rocket science, but it does need your attention. Start with clear, simple rules. Clean up your data. Pick the assignment method that fits your team size and needs. Don’t try to solve every edge case on day one. Communicate the plan, keep an eye on how it’s working, and tweak as you grow. The best territory plan is the one your team actually uses—and trusts.
Now get back to selling.