You pick up the phone to call a prospect. It rings … and rings … and you get sent to voicemail. This scenario is probably all too familiar to managed services providers. Chances are that unless you have forged a personal connection, you won’t hear from that prospect. But, you can change this situation so that your leads will start calling back.
Build Your Network
The best approach is to build a vibrant network that provides new potential clients. This will take time and work but will be worth it. A good way to start building your network is to join the professional associations your clients participate in. Be actively involved in order to meet as many contacts as possible. Ask them about their business and the kind of issues they are facing. Most people like to talk about themselves, and this is a good way to start building relationships with the people that you meet.
When you do make a connection, make sure to follow up and stay in touch. After you exchange business cards, add them to your email list and LinkedIn account. Try to make the follow up personal and memorable. For example, a handwritten note is a good method of doing this. Very few people take the time to handwrite anything, so it will make you stand out.
One of the best ways to get a prospect to call you back is to provide a live lead for them. It will quickly start a conversation and make a positive impression on your prospect. For example, you might come across a lead looking for help with their accounting work. As an MSP, you may not provide this, but someone in your network probably does. Offer to connect your lead with a good accountant, and you will probably get a call back.
Pinpoint Headaches
Another tactic is to address the problems your leads are facing. Maybe your products and services can relieve one of your prospect’s headaches. Describe how your business will relieve those pain points and save time and/or money. Suppose you’re targeting a law firm with a data backup proposal. Demonstrate to the prospect the cost of losing their data, maintaining business continuity, and minimizing downtime.
Above all, establish yourself as a connector, the go-to-person that others rely on to make connections for them. You will begin to build trust as someone who can solve problems and get things done.
Photo Credit: 10ch via Flickr.com. Used under CC 2.0 License.
