MSP's and VAR's; Account Management Is Not Selling!

“Then You Will Know The Truth, And The Truth Shall Set You Free!”,,,,,,,, 
As those regular readers of my blog will know, I’m not usually known for my biblical quotes but I thought this was very appropriate for today’s business development post; which is actually an updated version of one our most popular posts from earlier this year, the content of which is becoming prevalent within the IT Channel.

Now firstly and before everyone starts bombarding me critical messages about my statement in the title, I know, I know, of course account management is a “Form” of selling, but I had to get your attention and if you have got to this line, well I think we can agree that it has worked?

And before you get irritated with my tactics, there is a lesson in this exercise, and that is that you have got to work very hard to get the attention of your target audience if you ever expect to eventually get their business.  As an owner of MSP’s and VAR’s reading this post, you are my target audience and over the months I have subtly gained your attention and your interest and this has earned me ”The Right” to grab your attention with a deliberately provocative headline!

Not necessarily because it is right but because I know it will grab your attention, because it tugs at your emotions and your professional pride; in fact all the emotional areas we call the “Hallowed Ground” in new business development circles, which must be handled with respect and empathy when targeting customers, thus you will notice how having grabbed your attention, I immediately placated you, but by then you are interested and reading my post; has the penny dropped yet?

In most cases we have never met, not even spoken over the telephone yet, but I am speaking to you via this medium as one of my target customers. Many of you will have clicked through to my Business Development Blog, and our Website, both carefully written and constructed to add gravitas to what I am both saying and delivering, (professionally), because I know that in the B2B sales channel, (the channel that we both occupy), if I want to get your business, 3 very important things have got to happen during the journey of building our relationship:

• First; I have to get your attention! 
• Second; I have to gain your interest! 
• Lastly; I have to gain your trust! (Because only then can I contemplate asking you for your money!)   

And thus we return to the original title of this post and if I’ve done my job correctly you will have realised that all I have done in the text preceding this paragraph, is to subtly show you that, actually, there is much truth in that statement; in other words I am taking you, (as my target audience), on a journey of showing you that I know what I’m talking about, so I can begin the process of earning your trust, because without that, I will never get your attention, let alone your trust and your business!

And this is the journey we will take your business on with your target customers because “Account Management” is NOT selling to new customers! Although account management is a skill, in fact a very important one, (having worked hard to get customers, we must ensure that we don’t lose them and that the opportunities for further future revenue are maximised), if you are to continue to leverage them commercially and make the most of the opportunities that exist.

But speaking to existing customers, where a relationship exists and trust has already been built is a very different skill-set to obtaining new customers and taking them on a journey to where your business is managing their account. These customers don’t know you and worse than this, they will already have relationships in place for their IT infrastructure requirements, so if you want their business you are going to have to get over the natural lethargy to change, and convince them they should be giving you their business.

This is a very different skill-set to account management and thus my headline statement; because account management is many things, look at it in simple terms as “answering the phone” in the sales department, which is a completely different skill to “making the phone ring,” which in simple terms is new business development.

And as the sector transitions into and come to terms with, what we call a “Lethargy To Change” market, the 2 most important business models for an MSP or VAR are going to be the protection of your existing customers from competitors targeting them via their own new business development initiatives, and the targeting of the business currently held by your competitors. It is the ability to do this, the undermining of existing supplier relationships and the building of your credibility and gravitas with the customers of your competitors that is the skill that the industry is now paying so highly for; it has to, with the first purchase market now exhausted, the only model that remains is the targeting of existing businesses with IT provision and services already in place.

And this is what we at Virtuoso Consultancy do for our customers; In the last 36 months we have already constructed and delivered successful sales, marketing and new business development campaigns for MSPs and VARs operating in the Independent Schools, Pharmaceuticals, Legal, Recruitment, Accountancy and Financial Services sectors, to name just a few.  We have existing, highly effective and proven sales, marketing and business development campaign modules ready for your business that have already been utilised to sell many different product or services offerings; from traditional in-house infrastructure to cloud based solutions.

So, all is not lost because luckily help is available to the owners of MSP’s and VAR’s looking for the answers to the challenges that growing sales pipelines and delivering sustained growth present; The Virtuoso Virtual Sales Director, a service was discussed in great detail in our previous message; Introducing … Virtual Sales Director for MSP’s and VAR’s

My fellow directors and I have over 40 years combined experience in growing businesses and can deliver sales, operational, business development and marketing experience that is IT sector specific, straight to your door. We know how to build these models, they are “Current” and continually evolving, we know how to target and speak to the decision makers in your target markets and most importantly, we know how to grow your business and make you money!

If this has resonated with you and you would like to explore how we can help you achieve your growth aspirations, then please do not hesitate to contact Jane Gatfield on 0118 947 1010, or at  janeg@virtuosoconsultancy.co.uk

To read more posts covering all aspects of sales, marketing and business development for MSP’s and VAR’s, please visit our blog; https://it-business-growth-strategies.blogspot.co.uk/