SALES STRATEGIES
How to Break Through Prospect
Resistance and Win More MSP Sales with the Wedge Technique
Prospects resist change — even when they ’ re unhappy with their current MSP . Learn how to use the “ wedge ” technique to plant seeds of doubt , uncover hidden pain points , and position your MSP as the obvious choice — all without bad-mouthing the competition .
Sitima Fowler Expert in Residence Sales & Sales Management , TMT Sitima Fowler turned her small MSP from zero growth and profits to a multimillion-dollar MSP generating over a million in net profit . She then merged with a group of other MSPs to form Iconic IT , where she headed marketing and sales , growing to over $ 25 million before it was sold to Integris . Today , she teaches MSPs how to close big , profitable managed services agreements with ease .
Ray Green , Expert In Residence Sales & Sales Management , TMT Ray Green has been an operator for investment groups , including CEO of a PE-backed company and other contract C-level roles . He was also managing director of small and midsize business at the U . S . Chamber of Commerce . Ray has helped some of the world ' s most successful business coaches execute world-class sales and marketing strategies . He has also coached dozens of solopreneurs on productizing and packaging their services to win better clients at higher rates .
People naturally hate change . If you ’ re pursuing a prospect who already has a regular IT provider , they will often be reluctant to make a change , even if they ’ re unhappy . Prospects would much rather tolerate problems from “ the devil they know ” than take a chance with “ the devil they don ’ t know .”
That ’ s why it ’ s critical to drive a “ wedge ” between the prospect and their current provider . Once you gain their trust as an expert and sow doubt about their existing MSP , your sale is one step closer to success .
Employing the wedge technique , if needed , occurs during the discovery meeting , which is Step 2 of the 5-Step Process to Closing an MSP Sale . In this article , Sitima Fowler and Ray Green , MSP sales experts who teach this process , explain how and why to use the wedge technique , which they adapted from the book The Wedge by Randy Schwantz .
In case you missed it , check out the previous installment , “ No Pain , No Gain : Finding Your Prospect ’ s Pain Is Critical to Making the Sale ,” in the December / January 2025 edition of MSP Success .
Driving a Wedge [ Question ] Between Your Prospect and Their IT
Usually if a prospect has an IT provider , the reason they ’ re meeting with you is to negotiate a better price or quality of service with their current MSP . But you don ’ t have to sit back and let yourself be used or hope that your sales pitch will be convincing enough to bring the prospect aboard .
Instead , ask wedge questions that can cause prospects to doubt their current provider — and turn to you instead .
She Said : Most people are so comfortable that , even if they don ’ t love the service , they ’ d rather stick with what they ’ ve got than make a change .
The purpose of the wedge is to further develop the prospect ’ s dissatisfaction with their current provider and help them see areas where they ’ re being underserved . But don ’ t bad-mouth competitors ! Instead , it ’ s more powerful to ask questions that allow the prospect to come to that realization themselves .
He Said : You ’ re trying to uncover unresolved problems . The prospect might be operating under the
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