In our last blog The Line of Safety – Why Is It Important for MSPs? | McMann & Ransford, we discussed the Line of Safety and some of the benefits of working with buyers who are empowered to independently solve problems at their respective companies. Most MSPs are aware of the critical need to sell to and build relationships with high-level buyers. However, they often struggle to get executive attention and retain it for meaningful periods of time. In this blog, we delve into why we see MSPs struggle with this problem and how to fix it.
Targeting Executives is More than Adding Names to a Target List
The most common mistake we witness MSPs make when trying to operate above the Line of Safety is trying to sell existing product and services that they currently sell to lower-level roles or functions (ex. Purchasing, IT managers, etc.) to target buyers above the Line of Safety; Using the same sales process and messaging is ineffective with buyers in the executive mindset.
We frequently see this with MSP leaders that are aware of the benefits of selling above the Line of Safety yet become frustrated with a slow pipeline or lack of line of sight to revenue when trying to focus on targets above the line. This results in putting more pressure on their sales team to work their way up within a target – and existing – customer. While the thought process makes sense, the results are often subpar. This is because MSPs are either not focused on topics relevant to executives or they are meeting executives with “With Whom to Act” messaging when they are in fact at the “Whether to Act” stage.
Are You Relevant to Buyers Above the Line of Safety?
Executive buyers go through the above three stages when determining whether or not to take action on an “idea” (i.e., an insightful topic, problem opportunity, value proposition): They first decide whether the idea is worth acting upon, they then decide how best to act on it, and finally, they decide whether or not external support is needed to realize the desired outcomes.
To get an executive’s attention, MSPs must bring something insightful (i.e., an idea) to executives on topics they care about. While this sounds simple, the reality is very few MSPs take the time to consider this very simple question: Is my existing portfolio of products and services relevant to buyers above the Line of Safety? Often, when we evaluate this question with MSPs, their response is something along the lines of:
“Somewhat.” or “We get executive attention when the deal size is large enough or when we are brought in to be a part of a larger Solution to a much bigger problem.”
These “once in a blue moon” large deals lead MSP leaders astray because they make obtaining and keeping customer executive attention feel attainable with their existing offers. Instead, MSPs should focus on using their internal expertise to create their own Solutions that garner customer executive attention and pull-through their products and services.
Leveraging Solutions to Deliver Value and Grab Buyer’s Attention
For most MSPs, the first and most challenging hurdle is determining which ideas and topics have an executive focus that they can also deliver. Given their typical operating model of working with buyers below the Line of Safety, getting any conversations above the Line of Safety can be difficult. This leads to a struggle to define which problems are relevant to executive buyers. There is also the looming problem of actually scoping and delivering a Solution not centered around a product, which can feel daunting even for advanced MSPs. The answer here is trust in your organization and take small steps. While everyone wants the “silver bullet” answer, not every MSP has the information needed to make the right play.
Therefore, MSPs should begin with a cross-functional team that includes sales, professional services, marketing and customer account management. The intersection of these teams can define what can be sold and what can be delivered with a focus on high level buyers allows an MSP to create solutions/offers that allow more executive access. As you have more conversations focused on the challenges that your customers are experiencing, the answers will become clearer.
Conclusion
Getting your MSP business above the Line of Safety is more than just targeting high-level buyers. In addition to new targeting practices, MSPs need to work with their teams on how to have problem/solution-focused conversations, how to deliver solutions-centric offers, and how to message solutions to garner the interest of buyers above the Line. While this answer is unsatisfactory for some because of the level of effort needed, the path of least resistance is rarely the best path. The results of operating above the Line of Safety are well worth the effort.