eFolder General_7 Steps to Consider When Defining Your Sales Process

MSP Sales Strategies, Part 2: 7 Steps to Consider When Defining Your Sales Process

MSP Sales Strategies, Part 2

Introduction Selling managed services can often be a difficult process. For one, there is the hurdle of explaining your solutions in a digestible way so your prospects can understand how your services will benefit their businesses. Terms such as network systems or business continuity are not second nature to most clients and may be met with a blank stare. This is your chance to be the expert and break these terms down in a manner that is easily comprehensible and will show that you can fully support your clients’ business needs.

The managed services business is very similar to the preventative medicine business in the sense

that both provide proactive care so that you do not have to resort to reactive care. When explaining to prospective clients how your MSP can help protect their corporate data and provide a high level of business continuity, this is often a great metaphor to use. If your clients have a clear and concise understanding of how you can help them achieve their business goals, then there is a high possibility that you can close the sale.

Here are 7 creative strategies to define your sales process and clearly articulate your business value.


1 It’s extremely important to identify what qualities you are looking for in a client. This will help you qualify and narrow down your list of prospects to those who will be a good fit for your MSP. You can consider factors such as business size, annual revenue, number of employees, and location. It’s also important to figure out if a client had a recent leadership change and if they currently have any IT staff. All of these factors will help you determine which prospects are worth your time and energy.

Qualify

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2 The key to selling your services is finding great people to sell to. Look around your personal and professional networks such as friends, mutual friends, professional clubs or associations, your children’s sports teams or even your local place of worship. These contacts are key to making connections, spreading the word about your services, and finding prospective clients.

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Utilize your “in-network”


3 The next key step is to meet for an in-person appointment. Schedule a time where you can meet with the CEO, COO, or another important decision maker to have a conversation around their business strategy and the services that they are looking to offer. It’s a good idea to avoid speaking with the IT Services Manager, as oftentimes you could eventually end up replacing their job. Keep in mind that these meetings should be no longer than 30 minutes, so that you do not take up too much of their time.

Schedule an appointment

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4 The in-person appointment is when you can start the conversation about the prospective client’s business strategy. Find out what their business goals are and if they are experiencing any pain points. Explain best practices and proactive measures that they should be taking, but aren’t currently. Discuss the risks of downtime and how much money and time downtime could potentially cost their business. Share how you differentiate yourself from other MSPs in the area and how you can, and will, provide them the best possible experience.

Determine the current health state

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5 In order to ensure your potential partnership is beneficial and you can live up to your SLA, you need to assess the state of their current health. Go in and use a software tool, such as RapidFire Tools, to see how their existing networks are run and if there are any security threats or vulnerabilities. Think of this like conducting a physical exam or doing some lab work. You need to determine the diagnoses of the illness before you prescribe medication, or you may be at risk for malpractice. It’s an important step for determining how your managed services can best help out their company.

Conduct lab work

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6 The plan back to health is where talking prices and costs comes into play, and this can sometimes be a tricky conversation. It helps to explain that the services your team provides are equivalent to the role a physician plays in prescribing preventive medicine; your services are designed to keep their business up and running and their employees as productive as possible. Your team will keep everything healthy so that a trip to the emergency room surgeon is never needed and their business will suffer from no unpredictable downtime.

Prescribe and diagnose

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7 After you conduct your initial conversations and provide the network assessments, you should continue to follow up with your prospect. It takes an average of 3 to 6 conversations to close a sale and it can often end up being a 4 to 8-week process. It helps to use a CRM such as HubSpot, Capsule or even ConnectWise to keep track of prospects, monitor the number of touches and track average sale sizes. This is important to managing your sales process and forecasting your pipeline accurately.

Checkups

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ConclusionIt’s best to remember that your goal as an MSP is to prevent illnesses rather than encourage trips to the emergency room. If you explain that concept thoroughly to prospects and position yourself as the best in your industry, they will have a clear and concise picture of how they can benefit from your services. This process shows you can be successful in sales while minimizing rejections by selling the best solutions for your clients. Happy selling!

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eFolder General_7 Steps to Consider When Defining Your Sales Process

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