Before embarking into the MSP world, or transitioning from Break/Fix to a full-fledged MSP…do your research. Since you are an entrepreneur that means we can dive straight into the deep MSP waters.
First, you need to determine if your area has demand…this is easy to determine if you know a Pay Per Click (PPC) or Search Engine Optimization (SEO) expert. This individual will have intimate knowledge of how the Google tool works. These Google tools can determine how many times someone searches for “Managed IT Services, IT Support, IT Services, Help Desk Support”, etc. etc. this service is free. If a firm wants to charge you, contact me. I’ll find someone who will do the leg work at no cost.
If you’re a firm that is starting from square one with zero clients, you need to take a different approach. You need to reach out to people that trust you. TRUST is huge in the IT world. Companies will rely on you to develop their technology road map, recommend the cloud or upgrade hardware. Don’t forget about backup, security, network, cloud configurations, and having the ability to resolve problems quickly.
Your contacts will know your skillset because you have built credibility with them. You need to contact them on LinkedIn, inform them that you have started your own MSP, and are available to meet with them to discuss their IT requirements.
Let’s move on to a potential scenario…XYZ Biotech firm calls you tomorrow, they need IT Support.
You schedule a meeting with the CEO. You drive to their office. You do your pitch, you answer all their questions with exceptional credibility…they now have images of you walking on water, you are the answer to their prayers. Then, the hammer drops.
The CEO responds with, this sounds great Mr. MSP Salesman, we just need one referral. Who can we speak to that will give you a glowing reference? Unfortunately, you don’t have any references yet.
This is the main reason you need to approach colleagues that have worked with you in the past. Build a small clientele, you don’t need dozens of firms but focus on a vertical where you excel and know forwards and backward. Once you build a small list of glowing references, you can approach prospective clients.
How will you approach them? There are many options and I will touch on each one in a future post.
Good luck and reach out if you have any questions. I am at [email protected].
