Secrets to creating a managed services revenue rocket

Everyone wants to have a guaranteed revenue stream, but many managed services providers don’t manage to generate enough leads. Marketopia chief executive Terry Hedden discusses and reveals some of the marketing techniques and best practices that really do deliver for MSPs. Hedden was founder and chief executive of Infinity Technology, one of the largest MSPs in the world. After selling the company, he set up Marketopia specifically to help MSPs with their sales and marketing.

Below is a summary of the points Hedden covers in his talk, and a link to the webinar is embedded at the bottom.

What is marketing? (Timing: 2m 56s)

The engine that propels sales:

• Demand generation – this gear has to turn or all the rest won’t. Marketing’s role is to generate demand, NOT sales
• Prospect generation
• Client acquisition
• Account management

Understanding the two ways to market (Timing: 4m 23s)

1/ Inbound or ‘new marketing’ – any marketing tactic that relies on earning people’s interest instead of buying it:

• Communication is interactive and two-way
• Customers come to you via search engines, referrals and social media
• Marketers provide value
• Marketer seeks to entertain and/or educate

 

2/ Outbound or ‘old marketing’ – any marketing that pushes products or services on customers:

• Communication is one-way
• Customers are sought out via print, TV, radio, banner advertising and cold calls
• Marketer provides little to no added value
• Marketer rarely seeks to entertain or educate

“The magic is where the two intersect – engage with the customer online and then reach out and contact them.”

The different stages of marketing (Timing: 9m 55s)

Three stages:

• Awareness stage (get traffic)
• Consideration stage (get leads)
• Decision stage (get sales)

Why do you need marketing? (Timing: 14m 02s)

Because your buyer said so before you even spoke to them!

• 70% of the buying process is complete before prospect is ready to engage with sales teams
• 61% of internet users research products and services online
• 87% of b2b buyers say online content has an impact on how they buy products and services

 

What are the essential layers to a successful marketing mix? (Timing: 16m 24s)

• First impressions are key
• Have a fantastic website for mobile devices to PCs
• Search engine marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO) – can your customers find you? Make Google like your website. To be number 1 can take a while. You can pay per click, ie pay Google to put you on the first page
• Social media and content – customers want to know you are real
• Introduce blogs, eBooks and valuable content. Make the end user understand that if they engage they will see benefits
• Finally, people love pictures of real people. Marketopia even has a company dog!

Newsletters and email (Timing: 23m 42s)

• Valuable pictures and content stays in the inbox. When they are interested, they will retain you
• Traditional marketing – a letter now has more of a Wow factor than unread emails. Use a combination (14.4 trillion emails are sent a year, compared with 177 billion snail mail).

Build you brand through relationships (Timing: 26m 22s)

• Press releases – good for search engine ratings
• Public relations
• Networking
• Develop an expert reputation – get quoted in a business journal article, for example

Webinars and seminars (Timing: 28m 52s)

• Complement the marketing campaign you are pursuing that month
• Engage with clients and prospects
• Monthly events
• Establish yourself as an expert

Appointment setting and voice broadcasting (Timing: 29m 07s)

Final and most lucrative phase in a marketing campaign:

• Follow up on the offer
• Engage listeners and get your sales team into action

How will I grow? (Timing: 30m 24s)

• You will grow faster with marketing than without it
• Marketing is an investment, not an expense
• You are investing in the future of your business
• More leads = more sales = more profit

Create your plan (Timing: 32m 07s)

• Have a unique plan based on your goals and research
• Develop a strategy that fits these goals
• Start with goals, then end with measuring the results

Commit to a monthly plain (Timing: 35m)

Involves three core targets:

• Marketing to prospects
• Marketing to clients
• Marketing to referral partners

“You have to have multiple touch points and end with a call.”

Sales and marketing collateral (Timing: 37m 24s)

• Physical and digital – business cards, landing pages, highly responsive website, marketing slicks and proposal templates

“These make you look good, trustworthy and ‘worth more than the next guy’.”

Converting prospects to qualified leads (Timing: 38m 34s)

• Find the right contact, set times, ensure a fit and set the appointment

“If marketing and sales work together, the leads coming in will be qualified. This reduces sign on time.”

The keys to success (Timing: 39m 45s)

• Commitment and patience
• Budgeting