Most MSPs and IT companies that I speak to have successfully grown their business over the years through organic growth means - referrals, word-of-mouth, existing customers moving to a new company etc.
There’s no doubt that this type of growth is highly successful – the fact that you have been referred means your potential customer already feels as if they know you, has some level of trust in you and is generally in the zone where they are looking to buy – all of which already puts them typically 70%-80% of the way along the buying journey.
However, organic growth happens when it happens, it’s not under your control. And there are times when organic growth just isn’t enough. When, for example, you’ve just taken on a large investment in terms of staffing or infrastructure costs and need a sharp increase in recurring revenue to cover it, or when you are looking to sell your business and need to be able to demonstrate a strong pipeline of new business sales. It’s also only natural that, with the best service in the world, you will lose the odd customer over time – they go bust, they get taken over, whatever it may be that means you lose them. And it only takes this to happen at 1 or 2 key accounts for your business to become very vulnerable.
New business development is an entirely different skillset to account management, (a subject I discussed in much more depth in this blog), and one that takes significant amounts of dedicated time combined with strong sales and marketing skills, as well as technical skills. For new business, you have to start the journey at 0% - finding prospective new customers, letting them get to know you, get to like you and get to trust you, and then to be in a position where there is a compelling reason for them to change their IT service provider to your company. In today’s competitive market-place none of this happens quickly or easily and it’s therefore little wonder that IT sales directors at MSPs now command salaries of £150k plus. And indeed attracting such an individual can be impossible, as there is such a shortage of suitably experienced candidates, which in itself has driven a 60% salary rise this year. It is not surprising then that many time-poor, overstretched MSP owners give up on new business development and take the dangerous route of relying entirely on organic growth.
A New Solution for MSPs and VARs
However, there is now another option, as in response to these problems Virtuoso Consultancy has launched a Virtual Sales Director service, specifically for MSP’s and VAR’s.
What does a Virtual Sales Director do?
• Set business development strategy in conjunction with business owner
• Define and implement the marketing strategy needed to support the business development strategy
• Manage an effective lead generation strategy
• Carry out first stage sales meetings or conference calls where required
• Put together sales proposals where required
• Deliver sales pitches where required
• Deliver events where required
• Manage sales staff (in-house or outsourced) where required
• Advise on and implement best practice sales and marketing processes
How Does Virtuoso’s Virtual Sales Director Service solve the problem?
Based on a number of days per week or days per month, Virtual Sales Director is an affordable alternative to employing a sales director, which gives MSPs and VARs access to a wide range of skills and experience. Virtual Sales Director allows MSP owners to focus on service delivery, safe in the knowledge that an experienced pair of hands is running sales, business development and marketing.
My fellow directors and I have over 40 years combined experience in growing businesses, which included co-owning and running an MSP for 10 years during which time I grew the business from £900k to £3.5 million. As such we can deliver MSP-specific sales, business development and marketing strategy knowledge and experience straight to your door.
More Information
If you would like to find out more about our Virtual Sales Director service, please contact Jane Gatfield on 01189 471010 or by email at janeg@virtuosoconsultancy.co.uk
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