Category: Better Business

Eliminating IT services competition through differentiation

Eliminating IT services competition through differentiation

How many times have you lost an opportunity to a competitor? It’s happened to me countless times over the years, and it never feels good. It’s even worse when I’ve invested hours—sometimes way too many—into crafting the perfect proposal, sometimes...

/ November 5, 2018
Public speaking and selling basics for MSPs

Public speaking and selling basics for MSPs

Selling from the stage is one of the most potent revenue generation strategies that your MSP can embrace. Because many MSPs are engineering-types, there can be a great deal of reluctance in our industry to public speaking. Even for those...

/ October 22, 2018
Ask an MSP Expert: How can we expand our IT service business internationally?

Ask an MSP Expert: How can we expand our IT service business internationally?

Q:  The managed service business is very competitive and sometimes the United States feels saturated with IT providers. My business is strong and I’m primed to grow it. Are there any options for expanding internationally? Good question! For insights on...

/ October 1, 2018
Clive Longbottom: When selling MSP services is like selling a house

Clive Longbottom: When selling MSP services is like selling a house

I’ll start with a bold statement: being an MSP salesperson is like being a real estate agent. Hold on – don’t stop reading: there is a reason for such a statement. Any real estate agent will tell you what a...

/ September 20, 2018
block time billing
Block-time billing as a stepping stone to managed services

Block-time billing as a stepping stone to managed services

In my previous two articles, I’ve shared my thoughts on why should you move to the managed services model and also written on how to understand which of your existing clients will move to managed services. But for many IT...

/ September 12, 2018 / 5 Comments
Ask an MSP Expert: Navigating the bid process for government clients

Ask an MSP Expert: Navigating the bid process for government clients

Q:  My MSP has never gone after government business, I have wanted to, but I keep getting scared away by the whole bidding process. How complicated is it? An excellent MSP opportunity may be hiding in plain sight. Many MSPs...

/ September 10, 2018
Four ways to distinguish a good MSP from a great one

Four ways to distinguish a good MSP from a great one

What sets apart the most outstanding MSPs goes beyond just business acumen, customer empathy, and technology expertise. As important as these factors are, what I’ve observed – now from many years in the channel – to be even more valuable...

/ August 30, 2018 / 2 Comments
Move to managed services
Richard Tubb: How to understand which of your existing clients will move to managed services

Richard Tubb: How to understand which of your existing clients will move to managed services

Using the managed service model instead of the traditional break/fix model of selling time for money is a no-brainer. But what is more challenging is working out *how* to sell this new model to existing clients. We’re going to look...

/ August 6, 2018
PR advice for IT service providers: How to make your words matter

PR advice for IT service providers: How to make your words matter

We have all heard the phrase, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” And the truth is both are equally important. Yet, there’s another question that many ignore, and that’s the why behind the comments we make...

/ August 1, 2018
MSP competition
Alex Hoff: 10 Ways a small MSP can punch above its weight

Alex Hoff: 10 Ways a small MSP can punch above its weight

Sometimes we associate being big with being powerful and strong, but being small doesn’t mean you can’t compete — you just need to be smarter and more efficient than the other guys. Here are 10 things you can do as...

/ July 16, 2018 / 1 Comment