You have a lot of choices as an MSP in terms of priorities. You can focus on trying to be more efficient with professional services or support, reevaluate sales, add tools, standards, and the list goes on and on. But there is one thing that can really make a difference in your business in 2022.
We’ve been busy running our peer groups for the past couple of weeks. It’s been a blast, and we’ve covered a bunch of topics. During one of our sessions, someone asked me an interesting question, one I had to give some thought to before giving my answer.
The TruMethods member asked, “Gary, if you bought another MSP, what’s the first thing you would do?”
I replied simply with, “I would immediately work with vCIOs on their value messaging with customers.”
“Hey, Mr. Customer, let me tell you what’s changed in the security landscape and in the ways that you are using and depending on technology. Here’s how we’ve adapted in terms of not just tools, but more importantly, roles and process. You pay me $4,000 a month now, and that needs to be $5,200. Based on our conversation, do you care?”
I would roleplay this, go on a few meetings, and hone the conversation until the vCIO team had complete control. Once price is not an objection, everything changes. And here’s the best thing: customers don’t care what you charge them within reason either. They may tell you they do, but when you explain what you need to do, and put their monthly fee in comparison with their total monthly cost and revenue, it changes their frame of reference. That’s why we call it reframing.
Once you have success here, your conversations with prospects will also change because with customers, this conversation creates value; in the sales process, it creates separation.
If you can master this one thing, your business and your life will change.