Increase Lead Generation: 9 Tips for MSPs
For IT providers, one of the sales biggest challenges is securing leads. Exceptional lead generation comes from a willingness to explore with different campaigns across multiple channels relentlessly; this holds true for MSPs. As an IT provider, lead generation enables your business accessibility to more sales and higher conversion rates. A quality lead generation process will target the right audience for your business. The following 9 steps will help you develop convertible sales leads, minimize the use of your time and budget, and help you generate higher returns on your investment to get better lead generation results overall.
#1 Define your ideal client/customer
Defining your ideal customer will improve the quality of leads to increase sales. Don’t be afraid to niche down! Finding the right client is as important to IT/Cyber providers as finding the right IT provider is to your customer. If you need help defining your ideal client, sign up as a TechStak provider, and learn more today!
Pro Tip: Develop a buyer persona or personas. Defining the buyers of your products as character stereotypes. Sales’ first contribution to the customer journey is creating personas.
#2 Give your staff and partners the right knowledge and resources
Make sure the resources and expertise you’re providing easily and readily available at all times. Ensure your team and partners solve problems and add value to your customer’s lives—not just force a product. This will allow you and your company to build trust and rapport with your customers. TechStak provides our partners and providers with relevant information and resources.
#3 Customize your MSP sales materials
According to an Etrigue marketing expert, “75% of companies under-utilize data, relying on a one-size-fits-all mentality for communications.” For the love of all that is sales, customize your sales materials, especially emails, to each individual client. Do your homework and make sure you’re speaking to what they need!
Pro Tip: Understand the customer journey and optimize it. A customer journey is the complete sum of experiences that customers go through when interacting with your company and brand.
#4 Make sure your customers are happy with you, their IT provider
Reviews matter, and they are everywhere! Customer service is important because now more than ever, reviews are in everyone’s face, always readily available for EVERYONE to see– this includes TechStak. On our website, we request and vet reviews from the references provided to us by our providers.
#5 Keep interacting with your clients and be engaging
Keep your audience engaged and educated by posting on social media regularly. Simply schedule a few social media posts every day or two for higher user engagement with current and prospective clients. Customers are 77% more likely to buy from brands that engage them.
Ways to interact with customers:
- Share exclusive offers
- Create a product tour
- Host an event
- Engage on social media
- Host an educational webinar
#6 Nurture your clients through the MSP sales process
Foster them through the sales process and build trust and rapport with them. If they say, “No, thank you,” offer to keep in contact with them and even check in with them from time to time to update them on your growing business. If they see that your business is growing through periodic updates, you may turn a no into a yes!
#7 Fix a leaky marketing funnel
You work hard to drive traffic to your website, which also can be costly. How are you converting your visitors into leads? Are they leaking from your funnel? If so, you’ll end up with inflated acquisition costs and less than ideal results. Optimize your landing pages and forms with strong calls-to-action to separate good leads from non-leads. This will have a significant impact on your conversion rate. Don’t leave leads behind.
#8 Know what lead generation strategies you will use
Determine what percentage of your company’s leads come from which sources. Is email marketing your most effective channel for B2B lead generation? Or is it social media and content marketing? Perhaps it’s online registrations and newsletter opt-ins. What is even more important is how you use the lead generation channel. You must effectively execute your campaigns to reach your target audience and generate the right leads.
#9 Network at IT provider industry events offline
Consider the ROI (return on investment) of trade shows and conferences. Remember, if attending, you need to have a plan—research who is attending that you want to meet and network with. Plan how many leads you want to walk away with that match closely to your ideal customer. Track which key industry contacts you would like to connect with and connect with them!
Pro Tip: Use LinkedIn to network before and after the event. Reach out and start a conversation with people online through LinkedIn before the conference. Introduce yourself and get the meeting before heading to the event. Stay connected after an event through LinkedIn.
Though lead generation can be a daunting task, there are plenty of steps you can take to make the most of it. With these tips and ideas in mind, you can begin the exciting journey of creating convertible sales leads. At TechStak, we understand the anxieties that come with making sales and creating leads, and we’re here to help!