In the world of MSPs, best practices and the importance of service team processes are often in the spotlight, but let’s not forget that a sales team also plays a critical role in shaping the company’s growth.
At BrightGauge, we urge our MSP customers to first set the right standard for their sales team. That means encouraging your sales team to commit to strategies that promote long-term growth over short-term sales, by shifting their sales mindset toward lead nurturing.
While it may sound like a huge undertaking, the secret is to have a sales processes that promotes these strategies. Let’s take a look at 5 of the sales best practices that we promote here at BrightGauge:
One of the biggest mistakes that MSP sales teams make is focusing too much on closing the sale. That’s right. Sales are great, but building a mutually beneficial business relationship with prospects will yield better results in the end. According to a study by Marketing Donut, 20% of all clients will take 12 months or more to close the deal. Companies focused on short-term sales miss those opportunities. To foster long-term relationships, there are a few things that MSP owners should instruct their sales reps to focus on. First, focus on providing value. Whether they buy your services or not, a constant stream of value from your business helps to shape their impression.
Face-to-face interaction is also important. In a world where B2B businesses connect online from across the globe, you’ll have to make face-time a priority. Emails are effective, but can only go so far. In long-distance business relationships, a video chat through Skype can go a long ways toward building a connection.
Encourage your sales reps to engage in “servant sales” strategies. These strategies place priority on building trust and adding value, rather than focusing on making the sale. According to a Forrester Research report, companies that nurture leads make more 50% sales, while spending 33% less than companies that do not. Encourage your sales team to pursue relationships that may not pay off immediately, but show future promise.
Developing a positive relationship with a client requires that you not apply too much pressure. Pressuring the prospect to commit too quickly can ruin relationships and sour their opinion of your brand. Avoid this by encouraging sales reps to allow the prospect to dictate the timeline for the sale. This helps them feel at ease by putting them in the driver’s seat.
Once you have a timeline for the ideal sale established, continue delivering value. Instruct your sales reps to regularly send relevant content. A DemandGen Report study found that 95.2% of B2B buyers preferred providers that used content to help them navigate the buying process.
Just because an MSP commits to a longer sales approach, doesn’t mean that it needs to be without a process. Having a defined process creates repetition, allowing your sales reps to improve their pitch with each new prospect. For long-term sales engagements, a 5-7 step system can be immensely helpful to your sales teams. Of course, every engagement with a prospect is different. There must be wiggle room, but having that outline handy helps keep your team focused.
Here’s an example of a system similar to the one we use here at BrightGauge, but customized for use by MSPs:
A sales rep’s main goal should be to provide and convey value in all stages of the sales process. Taking the time to find relevant, valuable content helps to build a connection over time. Make that value clear to the prospect. When you send them content or speak about strategies on the phone, don’t be afraid to spell out exactly how it will help them. Connect the value you deliver to real business cases that the prospect understands.
The most important component of any engagement with a new prospect is ensuring that your services can solve their problem. An Impact Communications study found that 70% of B2B buyers make purchases to solve specific problems. A client that signs up for a service that they don’t truly need won’t be a client for long. In some ways, the relationship isn’t different than the one between a doctor and patient. A doctor wouldn’t prescribe headache medicine for a runny nose. If they did, they wouldn’t be that patient’s doctor for long. MSPs need to identify the best fit for their service to deliver exceptional value to clients.
Evaluating their needs and ensuring that your services solve their problems will take time. Often, it isn't possible without accepting a longer sales process. Allowing your sales reps to take a long-term approach is empowering for both parties and will result in more meaningful business relationships.
Interested in learning more about long-term sales processes that lead to high-value clients? Check out our Director of Sales, Larry Garcia, on Episode 2 of The BrightGauge Podcast, talking about The BrightGauge Sales Process.