The problem with geographic sales territories

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May 9, 2012 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF Share | Sign up | Archive | Advertise The Leaderboard  Leaders should be lifelong learners Would-be leaders and established bosses alike should make a point of getting to know every aspect of their company and industry, writes Dana Theus. Only by mastering your field can you learn to think strategically about the big picture, Theus explains. "Invest in getting smart and then speak up with relevant insights and suggestions when meeting with your superiors, clients and team. Don't just know it; speak it," she writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (5/7)       The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN Spending power for your business. Premium benefits for you. Access a portfolio of 30+ premium benefits, including: • Membership Rewards® points that pay for flights, hotels, and more • 24/7, 1-on-1 Concierge for help with your life and your Business • Complimentary Airport Club Access Business Platinum Card APPLY NOW Sales Strategies    Make sure not to overlook your best salespeople If some of your sales representatives continually deliver stellar results, it's easy to become accustomed to their performance, writes Sean McPheat of MTD Sales Training. But it's important to remember that delivering these results requires a great deal of effort on their part, and you should continue to recognize their achievements, he writes. MTDSalesTraining.com (5/7)       The problem with geographic sales territories Creating territories that are based on geography is problematic because it means that customers won't necessarily be matched with the salespeople who can best address their needs, writes S. Anthony Iannarino. In light of this issue, segmentation may be a more effective approach, he writes. TheSalesBlog.com (5/5)       Evaluating the performance of your sales team Whether an organization is able to meet its sales goals depends on factors such as its ability to find top talent and the current state of its sales force, CEOs say. You can determine whether your current sales representatives are getting the job done by benchmarking their performance, and this article provides a tool for doing that. Sales Benchmark Index/Sales Force Effectiveness Blog (5/6)       On the Internet, page-loading delays can stop customers from buying. Download our free report 3 Proven Ways to Boost Transactions with Web Acceleration and learn how Limelight Network's front-end acceleration technology can improve Time to Actions. Daily Data Points  Report: Increasing retail turnover raises hopes Employee turnover at 54 major U.S. retail chains including OfficeMax, Petco and Limited Brands increased to 18% last month, up from 10% last October, according to Hay Group. Economists say turnover is a sign that workers are feeling confident enough in the economy to make a move. The U.S. retail industry employs about 14.5 million people, according to National Retail Federation data. Bloomberg Businessweek/The Associated Press (5/7)       Other News How mobile devices are affecting in-store shopping Street Fight (5/8)       Shopper marketers favor the traditional digital solutions MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (5/8)       Demand for gas drops as prices fall Reuters (5/8)       On the Road    Right city, wrong state: Flight foul-ups are less likely, but still happen Philadelphia, Pa., or Philadelphia, Miss.? Bloomington, Ill., or Bloomington, Ind.? "Even the most veteran of business travelers can inadvertently end up on the wrong flight -- and in the wrong city. It's embarrassing, and even worse, it can foul up business meetings and potentially cost a company money," Charisse Jones writes. USA TODAY (5/7)       Where Government Actions Meet Business Decisions. Understand the impact of legislative, regulatory and spending actions on your business with an online tool featuring customized government-related data, news and analysis. Visit bgov.com/SeeTheImpact for more information. App Update  Apps that can be used for video chats People who have Google+ accounts can use the service's Hangouts feature to create video chats. Other options for setting up video chats include Skype, AIM Video Chat and ooVoo. TechRepublic (5/8)       Featured Content    The Best States (and Cities) for Setting Up Shop Courtney Rubin Sexiest Social Network: Your E-Mail Inbox Chris Brogan How to Stay in Business and Out of Divorce Court Katie Morell Easy Ways to Fit Social Media Into Your Business Scott Gerber 5 Lessons Your Mother Taught You About Business Barry Moltz Making Small Talk  Canada launches digital currency The Royal Canadian Mint has launched a digital currency that it says could prove "better than cash." MintChip is underpinned by the Canadian dollar and can be used for online transactions or transferred between mobile devices to make real-world payments. Wired.com/Threat Level blog (5/7)       Position Title Company Name Location Vice President of Sales-Airlines Travelliance Minnetonka, MN Director of Sales- Logistics ChemLogix Greater Philadelphia Area , PA Senior Director of Business Development & Conventions ASCP Alexandria, VA Click here to view more job listings. 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