Selling More MSP means Talking Less

When we hear the word ‘salespeople,’ one of the first things we think of is the sales pitch. After all, that's how they are going to approach us. After all, their job is to sell. There is a lot of jargon related to this: the elevator pitch, the catchphrases, and even the voicemail script. It’s all about talk, talk, talk. But a salesperson can talk too much, so talking less can help you in selling More MSP. This is a topic that CharTec and ARRC Technology CEO Alex Rogers brings up when talking to MSPs, especially at the CharTec Academy. It's one of the biggest mistakes salespeople make in this industry. Alex talks about how getting the talking-to-listening ratio right can transform your efforts to get customers to sign on the dotted line. Let’s take a closer look at how to apply this idea for a chance of selling more MSP .

Listen more

There are lots of sales theories out there about just how much you need to listen. Some sales trainers say salespeople should talk 30 percent of the time and let the prospect talk 70 percent of the time, while others have it closer to 40/60 or even 20/80. But one thing remains crucial: the prospect should talk more than the salesperson and not the other way around. Salespeople who dominate the talking game rarely become top performers simply because they focus too much on themselves and their offering when the focus should be fully and completely on the customer’s needs. Finding pain points is what is going to make the sale. The more your customer speaks, the more relevant information you are going to obtain. Using this approach, you're more likely to learn about their goals, challenges, and operations, as well as their budget and how they make decisions. This information will put you in the ideal position to deliver unique value and through this, you are selling more MSP.

Try talking less about Technology

Speaking on “The End of The Day With Ray,” Alex shared some insight into the proven sales process he has taught to countless MSPs. CharTec runs their own MSP, ARRC Technology, and everything they teach comes from Rogers' successes and failures in developing their managed services model. He says that MSPs should approach the sales process with the idea of selling value rather than selling IT. MSPs aren't a fun product; it is a service businesses invest in because they have issues that cause problems. There is nothing glamorous about it. They do it to fill a need. Rogers believes that the focus should shift from selling IT to finding out how to get people to care about it, and that requires understanding the problems they have that IT will remedy. If you can do this, you won't even really need to sell. You'll have business conversations where people open up to you because you can solve their challenges.

Don’t be like everyone else

Ray also mentioned an exercise Alex regularly does at CharTec's Academy. He asks all the MSPs what makes them unique. The answers will invariably relate to factors like how great their customer service is, how long they've been in business, or how knowledgeable they are about their area of expertise. But Alex points out that everyone is saying those same things, and the person you’re pitching to might be meeting with you in the first place because they’re unhappy with their current IT guy – who probably said all these same things when he was doing his pitch. These factors are not what set you apart; they're what Alex calls "permission to play." It's the minimum an MSP should be able to offer to gain new business. He likens it to buying a car and having the salesperson say, "I'll throw in the tires and a key to start the car." These things are standard in every sale, and not distinguishing factors. To make matters worse, when everyone is saying the same thing, the client is forced to make a price-based decision. That brings with it its own set of problems.

When selling more MSP you should ask the right questions

No matter what it is you’re selling, you need to know how to ask the right questions and when to ask them. The idea is to get the customer talking about the problems they face that you can solve. Again, this is where listening is going to be important to the sales process. Don’t just quietly sit there while the prospect talks, running through what script you’ll recite when they come up for air. Actively listen and focus on their words. Look for pain points you can explore further with questions that dig deeper. Being a good listener can bring your MSP sales efforts to new heights. Not only will your prospects feel like they are being listened to, but you’ll gain the insight you need to present your services as the solution to their problems.

Get the right training for a chance in selling more MSP

If your MSP has trouble closing deals, we have a great solution for you! Register for one of our on-site MSP Training Academies. These events are the best opportunities for Managed Service Providers who are looking for MSP-specific training. Our sessions are on Marketing, Operations, Finance, and of course, Sales. What are you waiting for? Click here to register.