The fierce competition in the managed services industry prompts MSPs to create an efficient funnel. One task you cannot skimp on is to close a first appointment. How do you build rapport with prospects and lead them toward the next step of your sales process? What can you do or say to keep them interested?

Presenting yourself the right way to close a first appointment

Sometimes, how you present your MSP to a potential client can make a huge difference. You’re lucky if they pick up your call rather than sending it straight to voicemail. Either way, your choice of words will matter once you attempt to book that initial appointment.

It’s easy to go the typical route and mention every detail of your offering in one go. However, that is also a surefire way of losing their curiosity and the opportunity to close that first appointment. How can you convince them to stay and learn more about your MSP?

For example, you need to make a follow-up call to a participant in your workshop or event. Your goal is to motivate them to decide to hire your team. Convince them you’re the best company for the job. Therefore, you need to give them a glimpse of the value you can offer their business.

How do you proceed with your conversation script? Give your prospect a look at what services you can provide without going into a full-blown report. If you offer additional resources, tell them how they can benefit from sparing a few minutes to hear you out.

Transitioning to diagnostic questions

Before scheduling and closing that first appointment, make sure that the qualified prospect fits the description of an ideal client. Do they have the right company size? What makes up their core applications besides Microsoft? What other concerns do they have other than cybersecurity?

Notice how these questions focus on expounding on the dialogue and pinpointing the specific role your MSP can take on for their company. From there, you can provide different solutions, crafting them to motivate prospects to engage with you further.

For instance, you offer a cybersecurity assessment after finding out that it’s their biggest concern. You can give them a choice between a premium option and a baseline assessment that costs them time. Regardless of the choice, the goal is to set the first appointment. Now that they know you can provide valuable solutions, they are more likely to move on to the next step of your funnel.

Getting to close the first appointment

Can you now visualize the magic that happens between discovery and the first appointment? There’s more to learn, so read the second part of this blog. Let CharTec help you ace this task for your MSP!

Acing Your MSP’s First Appointment and Moving Forward

Isn’t it exciting to successfully close on a first appointment with a qualified prospect? It is a stepping stone to bringing in new clients for your business. It’s a hard-earned achievement, for sure! The initial appointment does not mean that you’ll be signing a contract by the end of the day.

Chances are, you’re not the first MSP company they inquired about. They’ve heard it and seen it all—so what can you do to create a unique experience?

Do your research on how to close a first appointment!

Do you want to make a lasting impression? Come prepared to close that first appointment. You can do a little research to get a better understanding of their company. Find out about their team and mission, the potential issues of their niche, and what core applications they use. You can use the information to ask relevant questions and offer the best solutions that work for them.

Perform an audit!

Many times, companies run into problems because they never audit their existing systems. You can use it to find key aspects of their business that you can fix or improve. Once you create a report, you can give them a better reason to hire your MSP.

Present the deal to the decision-maker

When heading to closing that first appointment, you must present your deal to the authority. A prospect’s time is valuable, but so is yours, too. Some MSPs lose a lot of time and effort trying to close a deal with a non-decision maker. This blunder may cause them to miss that window of opportunity altogether. Don’t be afraid to reschedule to ensure the right people attend that first appointment.

 Create irresistible value

When you go to that appointment, is your goal to get paid? The discovery process aims to help you create a robust sales presentation. Your paycheck is the prospective client’s time and attention. Remember, the closing scenario you want is to get hired as their managed service provider for the foreseeable future.

Become a top MSP

The first appointment is the door to a long-lasting collaboration between your MSP and a new client. Therefore, you should carefully map out winning strategies that suit your brand. CharTec can help you learn how to build a top-notch MSP through the training programs we offer. Register for our Academy and Sales Training Labs today to kick-start your company’s growth!