Managed IT providers know that they need to reach out to both IT and non-IT decision-makers to gain new customers. That\u2019s because IT purchases are increasingly being decided not only by multiple people but also across multiple business functions.
\n\n\n\nThese trends highlight the critical role that targeted, one-on-one outreach plays in selling MSP solutions, and cold calling remains one of the best tools for the job.
\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s why we recently released a downloadable eBook that contains sample call scripts for finding and qualifying potential MSP customers. Each script is tailored for a specific buyer persona and includes a few helpful notes and comments.
\n\n\n\nThe resource is available for download here. The rest of this blog post provides added insights to help you fine-tune your cold call pitch.
\n\n\n\nIDC reports that non-IT line of business (LOB) buyers now account for around half of technology spending. These are purchases made without the involvement or knowledge of an organization\u2019s IT department.
\n\n\n\nEven when IT does get involved, LOB managers still hold huge sway in the tech purchase process. TechTarget estimates that nearly 30% of buying decisions made by an organization\u2019s IT leadership depend on inputs from non-IT staff.
\n\n\n\nThis makes it clear that selling MSP solutions now needs to move past solely targeting IT decision-makers. This underscores a growing challenge for MSP vendors that rely on reaching a buying consensus with multiple stakeholders to close deals.
\n\n\n\nNot only do LOB managers\u2019 priorities and pain points differ from those of IT decision-makers, but these two buying groups often disagree about key items on the IT buying checklist. Struggling to sell your MSP solution? Check out these MSP best practices.
\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s also important is that these divergences have a huge impact on how MSP buyers start their purchase journey. This means that connecting and building relationships with stakeholders requires messaging that takes these gaps into account, even in the initial stages of the buying process.
\n\n\nTargeted cold calls make up a vital layer of touchpoints for proactively reaching out and engaging potential MSP customers.
\n\n\n\nCold calling works well for top-of-funnel outreach activities since it enables one-on-one conversations that prepare prospects for the next stages in the sales cycle.
\n\n\n\nFor complex-sale products like managed IT solutions, cold calls help move contacts from initial awareness to active leads.
\n\n\n\nWith the MSP prospect pool growing to include more and more non-IT decision-makers, your cold call messaging strategy also needs to capture this new audience.
\n\n\n\nOne way to refine your outreach message is to segment potential stakeholders based on buyer personas and then tweak your cold call pitch accordingly.
\n\n\n\nIn most technology purchases like managed IT solutions, key decision-makers consist of four buyer personas (although the number can certainly increase, depending on the complexity of your sales cycle):
\n\n\n\nSee why businesses trust Mercury Labs for professional cold calling services.
\n\n\n\nIn MSP sales, the end-user buyer persona consists of non-IT LOB decision-makers who oversee specific functional business areas that directly benefit from your solution.
\n\n\n\nEnd users have the most to gain from your offer. That\u2019s why they tend to be the biggest advocates in your target accounts. That is if you can find a way to build a relationship with them early on in the sales process.
\n\n\n\nLOB decision-makers care about business outcomes rather than product specifics. If a product solves a real problem, the results matter more to them than the underlying details.
\n\n\n\nAccording to professional services automation provider Promys, the decision-making process that LOB managers follow typically includes:
\n\n\n\nEven though buying decisions have now become more distributed, the process is still significantly driven by stakeholders that span different business areas and functions.
\n\n\n\nThese decision-makers have a huge influence on the buying process and help move the deal forward. That\u2019s why they\u2019re typically labeled as \u201cinfluencers.\u201d They commonly consist of mid to senior-level managers who directly handle your target LOB prospects.
\n\n\n\nInfluencers look for the strategic impact of MSP solutions instead of operational or technical details. They\u2019re more into seeing how your offer fits their big-picture goals of growth, profitability, competitiveness, industry trends, disruption, etc.
\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s why your cold call messaging strategy needs to achieve the below three key points. These ensure that your pitch will be able to capture influencers\u2019 attention and obtain the response you want:
\n\n\n\nRelated: Selling to C-Suite: Guide to Winning C-Level Decision Makers in the B2B
\n\n\n\nThe rise of the LOB buyer hasn\u2019t made the IT department irrelevant in MSP purchases. The risks and limitations associated with shadow IT (such as interoperability, security, resilience, etc.) still support the case for IT\u2019s close involvement.
\n\n\n\nWhile technical buyers typically don\u2019t have final authority over tech purchases, they do have the power to reject a potential managed IT proposal. The goal when reaching out to technical buyers is to make sure they don\u2019t shake their heads sideways at your offer.
\n\n\n\nWhen crafting a cold call pitch aimed at technical buyers, it\u2019s important to keep the following points from Lean B2B in mind:
\n\n\n\nThe persona that has the final say in MSP purchases is the economic buyer. In fact, most marketing experts consider economic buyers as the \u201cultimate decision-maker\u201d because even if everyone else says yes, it\u2019s the economic buyer\u2019s approval that determines whether a purchase happens or not.
\n\n\n\nEconomic buyers can be a single person or a committee that directly controls budget and spending. The larger the deal size, the more senior the economic buyers will be involved. Smaller purchases commonly require only the approval of managers lower in the org chart, while deals with six-figure price tags can involve a board- or C-level evaluation committee.
\n\n\n\nThe key to winning economic buyers over is to deeply understand the things that tend to make them say yes:
\n\n\n\nBonus: Don\u2019t Waste a Moment! See Sample Cold Calling Scripts
\n\n\n\nNow more than ever, cold calls help MSP vendors reach and connect with the different decision-makers involved in the purchase process. But this requires refining your MSP pitch to make it more relevant to what each decision-maker actually cares about.
\n\n\n\nTo see how to put this strategy into action, check out our latest collection of cold-calling scripts for various MSP buyer personas.
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Warm your cold calls up with targeted scripts aimed at the 4 main buyer personas in MSP purchases. Get the free guide and apply this post\u2019s key lessons.
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