Tier 1 is too big
If Tier 1 has more accounts than you can research in a quarter, it is a wish list. Cut it until the work fits.
Free sales template
Territory plan template
Territory planning means deciding which accounts each seller owns, which of those get the most attention and how the territory will reach its number. This template walks through the definition, account tiers, coverage model, quarterly goals and weekly activity, so every rep knows where to spend the next 90 days.
What it is and when to use it
A territory plan is one seller's or one team's plan for a defined set of accounts. The territory can be a geography (NSW and ACT), a segment (companies with 200 to 1,000 staff), a vertical (logistics and 3PL), a named account list, or a mix. What matters is that every account has exactly one owner and every owner can see the whole list.
Good territory planning is mostly about choosing what not to do. A rep with 1,200 accounts cannot work all of them properly in a quarter. Tiering forces the decision: perhaps 40 Tier 1 accounts get researched, multi-threaded outreach, 200 Tier 2 accounts get a standard cadence, and the rest get light-touch email until a trigger moves them up.
In Australia, territory design also has to deal with distance and time zones. Perth is two hours behind Sydney, three during daylight saving, and Brisbane does not observe daylight saving. Calling a Perth finance director at 9am Sydney time reaches nobody. If you sell into New Zealand or Singapore, set calling blocks in the prospect's local time.
Who uses it
Account executives
Build it at the start of each quarter to decide where to spend selling time and what pipeline the territory has to produce.
Sales managers
Use it to split accounts fairly, check that every territory can carry its quota and settle ownership disputes before they start.
SDRs
Use the tiering and coverage sections to know which accounts get personalised research and which get the standard cadence.
The territory plan template
Every section and column, with what to write in each. Use the fill-in version below to type straight into it and copy, print or download the result.
1. Territory definition
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Territory owner | The AE accountable for the number, plus the SDR or SDR partner supporting them. |
| Boundaries | Geography, segment, vertical or named list. Be specific enough that two reps could never both claim the same account. |
| Exclusions and rules | Existing customers owned by account management, partner-sourced accounts, government, or companies under a group parent owned elsewhere. |
| Territory quota for the period | Revenue or new logos for the quarter or year, from the quota setting template. |
| Time zones covered | For example AEST and AWST. Note daylight saving differences. |
2. Account tiers
Score each account on fit and timing. Keep Tier 1 small enough to work properly.
| Tier | Criteria | Number of accounts | Coverage model | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Best fit plus a live trigger, or strategic logos | Usually 20 to 50 per AE | Researched, multi-threaded, calls, email and LinkedIn, account plan for the top ten | AE with SDR support |
| Tier 2 | Good fit, no current trigger | A few hundred | Standard multi-channel cadence, reviewed quarterly | SDR |
| Tier 3 | Partial fit or small | The remainder | Light-touch email and content, promoted on trigger | Marketing or SDR |
3. Priority account list
Your top Tier 1 accounts this quarter. Add rows as needed.
| Account | Why now | Known contacts | Current status | Next action and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account 1 | Trigger or reason, with the source | Names and roles | Not contacted, in cadence, meeting booked, opportunity | What happens next, who does it, by when |
| Account 2 | Trigger or reason, with the source | Names and roles | Status | Next action and date |
| Account 3 | Trigger or reason, with the source | Names and roles | Status | Next action and date |
4. Quarterly goals
| Measure | Target this quarter | Current | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified meetings held | Number | Number | Difference |
| Opportunities created | Number | Number | Difference |
| Pipeline created | Dollar value | Dollar value | Difference |
| Closed won revenue | Dollar value | Dollar value | Difference |
| Tier 1 accounts engaged | Number with a two-way conversation | Number | Difference |
5. Weekly activity plan
Block time in the prospect's local time. The strongest calling windows in Nousu's data are 10am to 11am and 2pm to 3pm.
| Block | When | Accounts | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research | Day and time | Tier 1 accounts due this week | Triggers, contacts, first line for each |
| Calling block one | Day and local time | Tier 1 and Tier 2 in cadence | Calls, voicemails, notes |
| Calling block two | Day and local time | Tier 1 and Tier 2 in cadence | Calls, voicemails, notes |
| Pipeline review | Day and time | Open opportunities | Next steps, stage updates |
6. Partners, risks and review
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Partners and referral sources in the territory | Resellers, consultants, accountants, industry bodies or existing customers who can introduce you. |
| Risks | Thin data in a region, a competitor with a strong local presence, a key account in a long procurement cycle. |
| Review date | When you and your manager will review the plan. At least once a quarter. |
Fill it in online
Type into the template, or load the worked example and edit it. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere: it stays in this browser tab until you copy, download or print it.
Empty fields copy as {{placeholders}} so you can see what is left to fill in.
Formulas
Simple checks that tell you whether the territory can carry its number.
| Metric | Formula | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage per rep | Tier 1 accounts / AEs | If one AE has 150 Tier 1 accounts, they are not Tier 1. |
| Territory pipeline needed | Territory quota x pipeline coverage ratio | Set the ratio from your win rate. At a 25% win rate, about 4 times. |
| Meetings needed from the territory | Opportunities needed / meeting to opportunity rate | Nousu's published figure is 50% of phone-sourced meetings becoming opportunities. |
| Penetration | Accounts with a two-way conversation / accounts in tier | Track it for Tier 1 each quarter. |
Worked example
An Australian B2B company using outsourced SDRs. The company is described, not named, and the figures are illustrative.
Worked example: an industrial IoT company covering NSW and WA
A Sydney company sells sensors and monitoring software to manufacturers and food processors. One AE covers NSW, ACT and WA, supported by an outsourced SDR team. The territory quota for Q2 is $600,000 in new annual contract value.
Accounts, triggers and numbers are illustrative.
1. Territory definition
- Territory owner
- AE for NSW, ACT and WA, with two outsourced SDRs
- Boundaries
- Manufacturers and food processors with 50 to 1,000 staff, headquarters or main plant in NSW, ACT or WA.
- Exclusions and rules
- Existing customers (account management), accounts sourced through the two reseller partners, any company whose parent is in the national accounts list.
- Territory quota for the period
- $600,000 new annual contract value in Q2
- Time zones covered
- AEST or AEDT for NSW and ACT, AWST for WA, two or three hours behind
2. Account tiers
| Tier | Criteria | Number of accounts | Coverage model | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Multi-site plant with a recent expansion, safety incident or new operations leader | 35 | Researched calls and emails, LinkedIn, account plans for the top ten | AE and SDR |
| Tier 2 | Single plant, good fit, no trigger | 310 | Eight-touch cadence over about 24 days | SDRs |
| Tier 3 | Under 50 staff or outside core verticals | 900 | Quarterly email, promoted on trigger | Marketing |
3. Priority account list
| Account | Why now | Known contacts | Current status | Next action and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Sydney food processor | Announced a second plant in March | Operations director, maintenance manager | In cadence, two connects | SDR to call operations director Tuesday 10am |
| Perth packaging manufacturer | New head of operations started in February | Head of operations | Meeting booked | AE first meeting Thursday 11am AWST |
| Newcastle metal fabricator | Safety incident reported to the regulator | General manager, safety manager | Not contacted | AE to research and write a first line by Friday |
4. Quarterly goals
| Measure | Target this quarter | Current | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified meetings held | 36 | 22 | 14 |
| Opportunities created | 18 | 10 | 8 |
| Pipeline created | $2,400,000 | $1,350,000 | $1,050,000 |
| Closed won revenue | $600,000 | $240,000 | $360,000 |
| Tier 1 accounts engaged | 25 of 35 | 14 | 11 |
5. Weekly activity plan
| Block | When | Accounts | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research | Monday 8am to 10am AEST | Ten Tier 1 accounts | Triggers and first lines for the week |
| Calling block one | Tuesday to Thursday 10am to 11am local time | NSW and ACT, then WA at 12pm AEST | Calls and voicemails |
| Calling block two | Tuesday to Thursday 2pm to 3pm local time | NSW and ACT, then WA at 4pm AEST | Calls and follow-up emails |
| Pipeline review | Friday 1pm | All open opportunities | Next steps and stage hygiene |
6. Partners, risks and review
- Partners and referral sources in the territory
- Two industrial automation integrators in Western Sydney and Perth, the state manufacturing association.
- Risks
- WA contact data is thinner, so the SDRs verify numbers before the cadence starts. A large competitor has a Perth sales team.
- Review date
- First Monday of each month with the head of sales
What to notice
- The two WA calling blocks run two hours later on the Sydney clock, so the SDRs reach Perth plants in the same local windows.
- Only 35 accounts are Tier 1. That is enough to research properly every week.
- The goals table showed a $1.05 million pipeline gap at mid-quarter, which is what triggered the extra calling block.
How to use it, step by step
- Draw the boundary. Write the rule that decides who owns an account, then test it against twenty real accounts. If two people could claim one, tighten the rule.
- Export and clean the account list. Pull every account inside the boundary from your CRM and data provider. Remove duplicates, existing customers and excluded accounts.
- Tier the accounts. Score fit and timing. Put only the best fit plus a live trigger in Tier 1, and cap it at a number you can research every quarter.
- Pick the priority accounts. List the top Tier 1 accounts with a reason to call now and a dated next action.
- Set quarterly goals from the quota. Work back from the territory quota to pipeline, opportunities and meetings, and write the current position next to each.
- Block the week. Put research, calling and pipeline review in the calendar in the prospect's local time.
- Review monthly. Move accounts between tiers as triggers appear, and check the gap column with your manager.
Common mistakes
Fuzzy ownership
Disputes over who owns an account waste weeks. Write the rule and the exceptions down before the quarter starts.
Calling on the Sydney clock
Perth, Brisbane in summer, Auckland and Singapore are all on different time. Plan calling blocks in local time.
Tiering once a year
Triggers change weekly. Review tiers at least monthly so new leaders, funding and expansions move accounts up.
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Want the meetings, not just the template?
Nousu Collective runs phone-first outbound for B2B companies selling into Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with Australian callers in-house in Sydney. Our outsourced SDR service builds the list, runs the calling, email and LinkedIn cadence and books qualified meetings into your calendar. If you only need calls made, see cold calling or appointment setting.
In our data from 218,000+ dials into Australian businesses, Australian callers booked 1.3 meetings per 100 dials, against 0.3 for offshore teams. Pricing is starting at $7,000 a month.
FAQ
Territory plan template questions
Straight answers from the team that runs outbound for Australian B2B companies.
Still have questions?
Book a 30-minute callTerritory planning is deciding which accounts each seller owns, how those accounts are prioritised and what activity will turn them into the territory's number. It covers the boundary, account tiers, coverage model, goals and a weekly rhythm.
Balance territories on opportunity, not account count. Compare the number of good-fit accounts, likely deal sizes and existing pipeline in each, then adjust boundaries or quotas so each rep has a realistic route to their number.
As many as the owner can research and work properly in a quarter. For one AE with SDR support that is often 20 to 50. If it is more, the extra accounts belong in Tier 2.
Usually SDRs are aligned to one or two AEs and share their territory, so meetings go to the right owner. In larger teams SDRs may cover a segment across several AEs. Either way, the routing rule should be written down.
Perth is two hours behind Sydney, three during daylight saving, and Brisbane does not observe daylight saving. Plan calling blocks in the prospect's local time, and do the same for New Zealand and Singapore.
Rebuild it each quarter and review it monthly. Move accounts between tiers whenever a trigger appears or a deal closes.
Need a team to run the plan?
Book a 30-minute call. We will map your market and buyers and show you what a phone-first campaign would book.
Starting at $7,000 a month. Exact fee quoted after a 30-minute call.