How easy do you find it to generate leads?
I've worked with MSPs for some time now, and I know that for many, generating leads and getting appointments is the hardest thing to do.
I'm not an MSP myself. I'm not a tech, I've never owned an MSP. And I believe that gives me an advantage, because it means I'm not caught up in things like which PSA you should use 🙄 🤣 I just focus on helping MSPs with their marketing, mostly through my core service, the MSP Marketing Edge (which makes your marketing easy).
What I've noticed over the years, is that most MSPs have the same four core fundamental marketing and sales problems.
Problem 1: Decision makers don't know what they don't know
They are unconsciously incompetent about technology.
Have you ever asked an ordinary person to explain the cloud in a short sentence? Or asked them to describe what happens during a ransomware attack?
They simply don't know. And that leads directly onto problem number two...
Problem 2: They are making buying decisions with their hearts not their brains
Because they don't understand technology, they cannot tell at a cognitive level if the MSPs they are considering are any good or not at what they do.
Their brain doesn't have the required information and experience to reach that conclusion.
So instead they pick an MSP with their heart; with their feelings.
Put it another way, they're picking you (or not) based on whether they like you.
I know... all those years of hard work, the qualifications, the accreditations... it kind of counts for nothing.
80% of the buying decision is made by their heart, and then they just send it up to the brain for a rubber stamp to approve it.
That must be very frustrating for you, but that's the way these people are making decisions. It's why having marketing that emotionally engages them is so important (pity that most MSPs' marketing is cold and technical).
This is also the reason why you have problem number three...
Problem 3: Inertia loyalty rules
Inertia loyalty is where it seems easier to stay where you are, compared with moving to something new.
Maybe you've had the situation where you've met with a prospect and they're really unhappy with their incumbent.
The package of what you're offering is right, the price is right, and it looks like you're going to win them.
And then at the last minute, they sign another 12 months with their incumbent (the one they really don't like much) and your mind explodes 🤯
Why did they do that? Because it seemed easier to stay with the devil they knew.
Side note: Never give up on those people as they WILL be switching down the line. Just not today.
One of the things that feeds inertia loyalty is that they don't really know you; therefore they don't yet trust and like you. We've got a plan to overcome that, which I'll tell you about in a second. After we've looked at the fourth problem...
Problem 4: People only buy when they're ready to buy
Getting your timing right is HARD. You've got to market to them on the exact day they are ready to buy.
Because you are not as top-of-mind with your prospects as you think you are.
They don't know your brand name. They don't know your logo. They may not even know your name.
Put it this way... many of your clients don't know what your company is called! Some of them do, but most of them don't.
You can test this. Answer the helpdesk phone a few times and after opening their ticket, ask them "just out of interest, what's the name of our company?" Many of them won't know.
So if your clients and their staff don't know where your company's called, then the prospects certainly aren't going to remember.
This is why we have to keep doing marketing all the time.
Marketing is a process, not an event. You have to keep doing it every single day, every single day of the week, forever. And I know that might be a slightly depressing thought for you, but the MSPs who win are doing marketing all the time.
Good news: Here is a simple, but very powerful, three-step marketing strategy which will solve all of these problems
You build multiple audiences of people who are going to listen to you. Then you build a relationship with those multiple audiences. And then you commercialise those audiences. You turn them into leads, and the leads into prospects.
Want to hear about this strategy in full and how hundreds of MSPs are implementing it using the MSP Marketing Edge?
I have a free and on-demand webinar to show you everything. You can access it here.
