If I had a nickel for every managed services sales discussion I’ve heard over 20 years… You know how the phrase goes. The point is we have been talking about how to sell managed services for a long time, and very few MSPs do it well.
But, does anyone do sales well? I mean, is running an effective sales program so commonplace that everyone in every industry has figure out how to do it, except for managed services? I don’t think so.
For as long as I can remember MSP business owners and executives have been trying to figure out how to effectively market and sell their managed services. While there are plenty of opinions on how to do this, I think the issue of how to sell effectively is widespread. Here are some random thoughts on managed services sales techniques and solutions.
There are a lot of bad salespeople
I am contacted on a daily basis by terrible sales representatives. Salespeople contact me by email and phone, and it is unfortunate how ill-prepared these individuals are when it comes to interacting with people.
A lot of the sales contacts I receive are from the “IT channel.” These are sales reps wanting me to buy something I don’t need, didn’t ask for, and don’t have time to explain why I don’t need or want it at that moment. Resistance from a “lead” is normal and to be expected. How you respond to resistance is what measures amateurs from professional and/or effective salespeople.
Most of the salespeople contacting me are ill prepared to discuss a) the product they are selling, and b) do not possess the skills required to speak calmly, comfortably, and persuasively with people. This is one of the most critical skills necessary for someone to be successful in life, much less in a sales position.
Managed Services Sales Starts with Knowledge
I’ve met a lot of salespeople who exude so much confidence you wonder where they store their ego. Confidence is essential in sales, but it isn’t the goal. Confidence comes as a by product of knowing what you are talking about and being passionate about that topic. Often, comfort is confused with confidence. Being comfortable with a topic breeds the confidence which ultimately accompanies people once they master a subject.
Comfort and confidence are traits often seen in business owners, first out of necessity, and then out of natural ability. In many small MSP businesses, it is the business owner who is often responsible for both revenue and customer relationships. As the organization grows, the owner cannot easily scale their efforts without bringing on new team members to assist in the sales process. Bringing on new sales team members is where we see a lot of breakdowns.
Sales Professionals vs Subject Matter Experts
I have long believed that it isn’t sales professionals MSPs need, but subject matter experts. Being an expert in a particular topic is difficult. Learning how to speak comfortably with someone on an issue you already know well, that is a much easier task.
Hiring sales pros to turn your managed services revenues into overdrive is often not a realistic idea. I know MSPs who have spent a lot of money on sales professionals only to find out the reward wasn’t worth the expense.
Great Sales Starts with Great Content
I look at businesses today who have effective sales programs, and they all have good content. Scratch that; they have great content! Content is what captures our attention and gets us to that next level of sending an email or making a call. Once you have the content, lead generation should come much more natural.
I don’t have all the answers, but I have a good handle on what works and what doesn’t in managed services. We do have a managed services sales problem, and it needs to be figured out. But, we are not alone in this problem as it exists in many other professions.