Mapping Success: The Power of Territory Planning in MedTech SaleS

An inside look at what great territory planning really involves—featuring insights from John O’Hare, a highly accomplished and experienced National Sales & Marketing Manager at one of the world’s leading Medtech companies.

Transcript

[00:00:00] 

Justin: Good afternoon, John. Hope you're well. 

John: Justin afternoon. Great to be with you. 

Justin: Thank you very much for joining me on this quarter's innov8Search podcast, where we're going to be learning all about yourself and the importance of territory planning for your territory managers.

So look what I thought is to start with if you could just talk a little bit about yourself to our listeners and viewers and give them a bit of an overview of you and your career, if that's okay. 

John: Yeah, certainly Justin. So, being with STRyker for 16 years now, I had a background in science, but really enjoyed the commercial aspects.

I've been fortunate enough to be over a broad range of teams started as a Territory Manager in Trauma and as a Regional Manager at Trauma building a small team of four or five 10 or 12 lucky enough to have opportunities into state as well in Western Australia, where I managed a Western Australian and South Australian businesses and those significant businesses at times had up to 20 people under myself and the [00:01:00] team and then most recently had the opportunity to lead the upper extremity team where we've got different lives but we've got a team of nearly 40 people, so in the upper extremity portfolio. So lots of different things, lots of different experiences, had a lot of fun. So look forward to chatting about it. 

Justin: Awesome. Yeah. Fantastic. Well, thanks for that John. And obviously I've had the pleasure of working directly with you from a recruitment perspective.

And it is always a good laugh and always you know a good sign. Just getting into a few things if it's okay, John. So, going into your career you've obviously had a really expansive career in people management and one that's been incredibly successful.

How important would you say is a good solid territory plan for the territory managers that have reported into you in the past? 

John: Yeah, look I think Territory Planning for all your Territory Managers for me is absolutely critical. you know, there's different ways to do it and you've got different approaches.

But I think it can have an individual touch but I think [00:02:00] regardless it's got to have some really key elements to it. And for me, it provides structure. It provides focus. It provides the Territory Manager with that strategic direction. So, it allows you to plan for those short wins. gains and long term success. So, for me critical and the successful territory managers do it really really well. 

Justin: How does it enable a really successful territory manager to exceed their annual budget if they have a really great territory plan? 

John: Well, I think there's two parts to it developing a great plan but all those things we spoke about was your structure, your focus, direction, a plan it allows them to break down what their budget is but I think it's the execution of that is the key part. So, it gives them clear bite sized chunks on what to do, where to go, where to focus where the resourcing is, and then it allows them to tick off their execution piece as well which is just as important. So, as I said all long term successful territory manager of stryker have had a really strong plan.

Justin: And I think that kind of leads very well into sort of a [00:03:00] next question, John. So without going into specific names here. When have you seen it executed really well?

John: I've got a couple of examples and these teams would be 10 plus years and in our business we do have a short term targets. We have to hear your numbers year on year but with that we have new registrars and consultants coming into the business every year. And that's a five year process. So, the guys who can focus on the now and then focus on the future in line with the plan are the ones that can then bring those new guys through with Stryker and not a competitor and it allows them to add to their budget year on year, outside the day to day grind of the selling but it also gives them that long term input of sales but it takes a bit of planning to execute. 

Justin: Go into that in a little bit more detail in John. So explain to us and to be listened to the viewers run me through the breakdown of a territory plan. Not [00:04:00] what makes a great territory plan. How, would someone put one together? 

John: I think what makes a great plan is a number of things. So for me, it's data and historical driven. it's actionable and I think it's measurable. It really ensures that they focus on the right accounts the right way at the right time. when I think of it I've just jotted some notes here what I think what a great plan was and I think it starts with that overview and really understanding.

The territory and the customer segments we talk a lot about with stryker a lot about retain, grow and convert segments. So it's really understanding your key targets how you're going to approach them, what you need to do and what they're going to bring to you to your business. that includes marketing sites it includes current performance of the Territory and the customers.

I think the segmentation is really important because it allows you to focus in the right areas where you're going to get the best return on your time and return on your investment. and it allows you to map out your key stakeholders who your targets are. who your [00:05:00] people influence, who your people of decision are going to be.

So heads of unit influence, gatekeepers, you know there's a whole range with or without title. So I think that's really critical. I think justin having really clear goals and targets so our territory manager will get a target at the sales target at the start of every year but I think that for them then to go down and break that down into a number of joints or a number of units and then how they're going to do that and break it down granularly is really important.

 and you see the guys with the strong pipelines you're only going to get maybe 30 percent of your targets to do something. So that pipeline is really really critical. And the guys who developed that pipeline are the ones who will hit regularly. I think then if you know, Next part of that really is looking at your competitor as well identify the competitors, what their strategies, look at their strengths, weaknesses, define how we stand out, what value, I think value proposition is really important.

So what we're going to bring so I think that's, an important part of that plan. Yep. Then the last [00:06:00] couple Justin, I think is really aligning your plan. So you've got your regional area but really aligning it with your sales and marketing strategy. So, working with your marketing team. To align with what the goals of the business are. Where the resourcing is, what campaigns, what you have available to you, what events you have available to you. So that's all really part of a strong plan as well. And then of course the execution, so define what you want to do, track it with metrics, have regular monthly updates to see where you're at, you know, be flexible enough to change it if something's not working. and have plan B's as well. So I think, in summary very data driven using real market insights not just assumptions focus so prioritizing the value prioritizing opportunities, ability to be agile, and align with the company goals and if your plan has all of that or elements of that I think you're on the right track.

Justin: I think it's safe to say John, that 

John: I spoke a lot there. Sorry about [00:07:00] that. 

Justin: Yeah, that's a good mate. I think it's safe to say mate, that the very best territory managers don't just wing it right? It's something that is planned out and something that is focused on to make sure that you go and hit that number.

John: Yes and you know we don't want this to scare people but and we have as I said, the spectrum we've got people who have Excel spreadsheets until you can't read anymore and then we'll have others who have it written down in a writing pad but I think as long as they can articulate it share it with the group, share it with their teammates, that's the really important part.

Justin: Is this something that you feel is learnt, John? Is it something that you can be passed down from Regional Manager to Territory Manager or Senior Territory Manager to Associate Territory Manager or is there an innate ability initially to be able to think about this from a strategic point of view?

John: Well, I think it has to be a learnt behaviour but there is an innate I think the very best have it comes naturally and they understand what triggers they're looking for and what they need to do quite [00:08:00] naturally. but interesting some do it naturally but don't document or record it naturally.

And some will take time, will need training, coaching, but will be fantastic at documenting and tracking and implementing it. So I think, it's something you can absolutely learn and implement and it looks like any skill justin . The more you do it the better you get at it and then the greater feedback you get from it because you're doing it the more you want to do it and it's a perpetual motion from there because it does bring a lot of success.

Justin: Yeah, fantastic. And really understanding your business john and knowing really what happens and how that translates into success within Stryker. Do you see real similarities when you're interviewing? So when you're hiring and interviewing a potential new territory manager to come and join your team?

How do you expect them to articulate that during an interview process? 

John: Yeah, sure. And that's a good point, just because everyone's got the opportunity to go into a business [00:09:00] plan or that desk depending on the current role. not many have maybe had the expectation that's what you do either.

 but what we do like to hear so during the interview we do like to hear about, you know, how they plan their day. We do like to hear what structures they work towards. We often ask them about a big win or a big opportunity or a failure and that's more around understanding what their approach was and how they combated or how they planned for it or how they reacted after the event.

So, I think regardless of your experience whether you've been in sales for a long time or you're new to it you can still work to a process depending on your situation. And that might be again that sales process that business planning process understand needs, have a clear target, have clear set goals, understand your landscape, you know, implement the plan, use your resources around you.

It's important  it's not, and you can, even when people haven't had the experience you can hear it in their responses that's their thought process. 

Justin: And [00:10:00] is that what's more important to you that thought process that strategy behind that you can hear rather than them maybe hitting target for five years running?

John: Yeah, a combination of both are obviously. Yeah, it's very important but the how is more important for us because again we've got people who've executed their plans but for some other reason they don't hit but the process is right. So, we'd love to hear yeah, I think we'd love to hear about how people go about it.

 The thought process around how to get to the point they got to and whether they hit the target or not hit their target what were their learnings what would they do next time? what would they do differently? That's, I think really critical. But again, it's, you know, what was the process to get them to that point?

Justin: Yeah. And final question I would have for you John in this segment. So when you're interviewing a territory manager, and they are talking about their territory plan and how they've devised that how important is it for you to hear the sales [00:11:00] numbers alongside that plan? 

John: I think. Really critical for a salesperson

I think the first red flag is in a salesperson CV that doesn't have a number in it. Like I think true salespeople really people driven by numbers and achievement will have their achievements in there whether it be a percentage to target or the territory number or growth number.

So. When articulating the plan if you are interviewing I'd have detail on your territory size know your growth requirement know what you did is it in sales dollars is it in units what's a unit worth understand the mechanics behind how you went, how you got to that goal, because I'm Jeff Bezos.

You know, that's demonstrating that you've got a really great understanding of your current business or your current role. and it shows us that you're really driven by numbers and that you've got a real handle on what you're doing. So I think examples about achieving numbers and hitting numbers are great but if they're backed by Data, real life growth [00:12:00] numbers, we'll deliberately ask questions around the territory and the performance and you know, straight away if someone actually knows their business versus someone who's a bit iffy.

but again, JUSTIN not everyone has the same numbers we have. So, it's not a one size fits all but I'd take the time to understand your business when presenting. 

Justin: yEAH Fantastic. Look, some excellent advice there, John, and thanks so much for taking the time to go through.

That's going to be invaluable for some of our listeners and watchers. And so thank you once again for your time, John. 

John: No, I appreciate it Justin. Thanks for having us.