In a global economy, change is constant — but few changes ripple through your best-laid go-to-market (GTM) plans quite like tariffs. For manufacturers across industries like life sciences and tech hardware, new trade restrictions and shifting duties between countries can disrupt supply chains, increase costs, and alter your competitive landscape overnight.
The companies that navigate these disruptions most effectively? They aren’t just reactive — they’re proactively planning for volatility. At Anaplan, we’ve seen how agile, connected GTM planning can help manufacturing companies turn regulatory headwinds into a competitive advantage.
Here are eight ways sales leaders are using connected GTM tools and tactics to adapt and thrive in the face of geopolitical disruption.
1. Market sizing: Reevaluate the playing field
Tariffs can rapidly alter the size, value, or attractiveness of a market. For manufacturing companies, previously cost-competitive products may become unviable in certain regions due to increased duties. On the other hand, products sourced locally or through alternative channels may gain a competitive edge.
With Anaplan, you can:
Dynamically model market size by country, product line, or tariff impact.
Reprioritize GTM investments based on shifting margins and growth potential.
Simulate multiple tariff scenarios to stress-test GTM strategy.
Example: A manufacturer of electronic components impacted by new tariffs on imports from China might reassess the European market’s growth potential, focusing on local manufacturing to reduce costs and maintain price competitiveness.
2. Account segmentation and account scoring: Prioritize strategic accounts
When tariffs hit, your ideal customer profile may need to change. Manufacturers must quickly identify which accounts are most vulnerable to increased costs and which may be in a stronger position due to their location and purchasing power.
Anaplan helps you:
Re-segment accounts based on new cost structures and tariff exposure.
Score accounts using updated criteria like local sourcing, resilience to cost changes, or urgency to shift vendors.
Adapt the strategies of the sales, marketing, partner, and channel teams to align their focus on high-priority accounts and tariffs.
Example: A semiconductor company might reprioritize accounts in regions with lower tariffs or those that have alternative suppliers already in place, ensuring they remain competitive in the market.
3. GTM capacity planning: Reallocate resources efficiently
Tariffs can shift demand from one region to another. For example, if duties make exporting from one country more expensive, demand for products in regions unaffected by tariffs may increase. If your GTM team isn’t ready to follow the demand, you risk missed revenue and rising costs.
With Anaplan, you can:
Reallocate GTM capacity and headcount across geographies or verticals.
Adjust hiring plans and ramp schedules in real-time.
Align GTM investment with where demand is actually moving.
Example: A tech hardware company may need to scale back resources in a region heavily impacted by tariffs, such as the U.S., and instead reallocate capacity to Southeast Asia, where tariffs are more favorable and demand is rising.
4. Territory planning and management: Redraw the map
When tariffs alter the economics of selling, territory boundaries should change too. Tech hardware manufacturers may see reduced profitability in certain regions, while others may become more attractive due to more favorable trade agreements or lower tariffs.
Territory planning in Anaplan empowers you to:
Redesign coverage models down to the zip code to reflect updated demand and margin potential.
Avoid gaps and overlaps by incorporating real-time market and account data.
Keep sellers focused on high-value regions — even as the ground shifts.
Example: A global manufacturer of industrial machinery may need to adjust their territories in Europe, shifting resources to the Middle East or other developing regions where local demand for technology is increasing.
5. Quota planning and management: Align Targets to reality
When tariffs impact pricing, cost structures, and customer behavior, quotas must be updated to reflect these new dynamics. For manufacturers, poorly set quotas can lead to underperformance, rep churn, or missed targets — especially if based on outdated pricing or sales forecasts.
Anaplan helps you:
Recalibrate quotas based on regional or product-specific tariff effects.
Maintain motivation and fairness by tying targets to achievable outcomes.
Model performance risk under different tariff scenarios and adjust accordingly.
Example: A global tech hardware company facing increased duties on imported components might need to adjust quotas for U.S.-based sales reps, lowering expectations for certain regions while offering bonus incentives for high-growth, low-tariff areas.
6. Sales and demand forecasting: Adjust to the new reality
Accurate sales insights become even more critical in times of disruption. As cost structures change and demand shifts, manufacturing companies need to recalibrate their sales and demand forecasts to ensure they can meet targets without over or under-committing resources.
Anaplan enables sales and demand forecasting to:
Incorporate real-time data on tariff impacts and customer behavior changes.
Model the effects of tariffs on product demand and adjust sales forecasts accordingly.
Collaborate across teams to create a more accurate, unified forecast that reflects evolving market conditions.
Example: A company that produces consumer electronics could use demand forecasting to adjust inventory levels based on higher costs due to tariffs, ensuring they avoid stockouts or overstocking, while also keeping product pricing competitive in key markets.
7. Channel incentives and promotions: Fund the strategic pivot
Tariffs don't just affect your P&L; they squeeze your partners' margins too. To keep your channel ecosystem motivated and aligned with your new GTM strategy, you need to be strategic with market development funds (MDF) and trade promotions. These funds can cushion the blow of higher costs and incentivize partners to focus on tariff-resilient products or markets.
Anaplan allows you to:
Plan, allocate, and forecast the ROI of MDF and trade promotion programs in response to tariff changes.
Direct funds to partners in high-opportunity regions while managing budgets across the channel.
Model the impact of different promotion scenarios (e.g., price discounts vs. marketing co-investment) on volume and margin.
Example: A hardware manufacturer uses MDF to help its European distributors launch a campaign for a product line unaffected by new tariffs. Simultaneously, it plans a short-term trade promotion to accelerate sales of a tariff-impacted product line to clear inventory before a necessary price increase.
8. Sales incentives: Recalibrate for performance in a volatile landscape
Tariffs fundamentally alter the demand and profitability of products and regions, which directly impacts the effectiveness and fairness of sales compensation plans. If incentives aren't adjusted, your sales force might be demotivated or inadvertently steered toward less profitable sales.
With Anaplan, you can:
Model the impact of tariff-driven price changes and margin shifts on sales compensation.
Dynamically adjust commission rates, accelerators, or bonus structures for specific products or territories.
Incentivize desired behaviors, such as focusing on high-margin products or expanding into new, tariff-favorable markets.
Example: A global tech hardware company adjusts its sales commission plan to offer a higher percentage payout on products manufactured in regions unaffected by new tariffs, encouraging reps to prioritize these more profitable sales.
Turn disruption into direction
Tariffs can feel like external shocks beyond your control — but the way your company responds is fully in your hands. With agile, connected GTM planning and revenue performance management, you can transform policy disruption into business advantage.
For manufacturing and tech hardware companies, the key to thriving is flexibility and real-time data. With Anaplan, you can:
Stay ahead of volatility with scenario-based planning.
Make faster, more confident decisions grounded in real-time data.
Keep every part of the revenue engine — from finance to field — aligned on the best path forward.
