Most MSPs want to grow, and that growth includes a transition from ‘owner-led’ sales into hiring that first account manager. Maybe you have already done this, and it hasn’t worked as you expected, or maybe you are about to take the leap, and you want it to work.
Finding the right salesperson is a little like finding the winning lottery ticket. The results are golden, but the right person who can just come into your business and start hitting home runs probably doesn’t exist.
Once you have found them, how do you support them to ensure they succeed? How long do you have to wait until they get up to speed and start producing?
It might be hard to do, but that can’t stop you. Your MSP’s growth depends on this step, and it’s one that most MSPs have to go through at some stage. Your MSP’s value and its resilience are dependent on growth and that has to be growth that doesn’t depend on the MSP owner doing all the sales work.
We can’t help you find them. But we can help you do the next best thing, and that’s ‘make’ them.
First up, let’s explore the common pitfalls that unravel this vital step.
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- Expectations – they won’t be you! – they don’t have your knowledge, and they don’t speak with your authority because they don’t have your perspective or experience. It is hard to find the time to train them up, so there is often a ‘sink or swim’ experience that is unfair on them and on you.
- Set them up for success – it’s easy to assume they know what they need to do, especially if they are an experienced salesperson. The reality is that salespeople are fairly dynamic and tend not to be structured. They need you to give them a structure and the tools to ensure they stay focussed on the things that will give your business the most value.
- Make it easy for them to have a business conversation, to find out what your client’s care about. As an experienced businessperson, you will have an instinctive understanding of not just your business, but also the ability to relate that to your clients. The person you have hired probably doesn’t. Many new salespeople are better at selling transactionally, such as replacement equipment, but you need them to learn to uncover client business problems and to be more strategic.
The good news is that this is now much easier!
You will still need to find the right salesperson and train them. But you can use getKambium, to give them the tools to have these conversations and to report back with meaningful QBRs to your clients about the great work your MSP is doing for them.
Even better, it’s quicker than ever, and the setup time to get underway is almost nothing.
getKambium gives you the tools to lead to their success.
getKambium provides the sales person with a methodology for having the right conversations with clients and uncovering their business needs.