DIGGING DEEP
Sometimes, prospects can be tight-lipped. Here’ s how to handle your lead saying,“ We’ re fine.”
She Said: If your lead isn’ t super talkative, you can use strategic follow-up questions paired with the“ wedge technique” to uncover details about their process, without badmouthing anyone. For example, if they didn’ t mention security, ask,“ How confident do you feel about your overall IT security?”
Your wedge question would be,“ When your current IT company meets with you to review your security policies and make recommendations, is there any part of the process you would like to see changed?” Don’ t start using wedge questions until you practice and get good at them, but when done effectively, you can create doubt and uncertainty with their current provider by painting a picture of what their IT should look like.( We’ ll cover how to craft wedge questions in the next issue!)
He Said: There may be some latent pain that the prospect is not even aware of. Asking these questions could help your prospect realize there is a problem.
Sitima Fowler Expert in Residence Sales & Sales Management, TMT Sitima Fowler turned her small MSP from zero growth and profits to a multimilliondollar 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 TMT members how to close big, profitable managed services agreements with ease.
This is much more powerful than telling a prospect what they need to do. When you sell through questions, you help them come to conclusions on their own. Prospects will always believe themselves more than they’ ll believe you.
AVOID SUDDEN DEATH
Finally, avoid this critical error that can kill the sales process in an instant— selling too soon.
He Said: Don’ t start pitching your services too early. If a prospect says their slow response time is a problem, ask them to tell you why. Unpack the pain associated with the problem, such as lost sales or team frustration.
She Said: Exactly! You want all that frustration to come out. Then, when you ask the prospect what the solution is, they might say,“ That’ s why we’ re talking to you, we need to make a change.” When you get the prospect to say it, it becomes reality.
BE A PROBLEM-SOLVER
Creating an emotional attachment elevates you as a high-end consultant who’ s there to solve a big problem, not sell something. You’ ll not only differentiate your MSP this way, you’ ll also win more business.
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.
MSPSUCCESS. COM | 23