But what about lead generation, especially MSP leads? Businesses everywhere need a fresh supply of opportunity to keep the pipeline filled, and tech companies are no different.
There is no one quick-fix to lead generation. Ideally a good overall lead gen strategy will incorporate a number of concepts that see results over varying lengths of time.
I recently shared with an MSP client a handful of tips we use for finding good leads, some of which I have picked up from other MSPs. I broke out the strategy into time segments:
Direct engagement with our current clients has proven to be a quick way to find leads. Implementing a live chat tool such as Intercom on our website allows clients to connect with the added benefit of allowing a way for people surfing our content to ask questions. Help centers and forums have proven to be another quick way to start dialogue, and if written by the right person, you will be viewed as an authority in your space.
Your sales people may shudder, but leads groups are a proven method of delivering, and may produce opportunities quickly, like the first visit. A longer play for us was to build and host a leads group at our location. We don’t run the meetings, just provide the space.
Most people now have a presence on LinkedIn. Your targets, both individuals and their organizations, will have profiles. Pay for the upgraded version and join groups that fit your target. MSP Mentor and CIO network are popular in the MSP space. I use groups to both engage in dialogue and keep up with technology news.
Each month I try to deliver a written post. Not only has my perceived authority in my industry grown, both regional and national individuals have connected. Sage advice from my marketing guru: accept every invitation because each is a potential opportunity. If someone gets buggy (which can happen) it is easy enough to block them.
Client referrals are an important part of our lead gen strategy. Once we establish stellar service we often ask if our clients know of other similar organization that can use the service. Often decisions-makers that we work with belong to other groups such as HR groups and will have a strong network of peers.
Well written content to feed our blog has been a great way to attract contacts and leads. Online research suggests that you may see results in less than one year. It has been our experience that 14-18 months is the norm. By being diligent and sticking to a well planned editorial calendar and also utilizing SEO we are now seeing over 1k web visits per day.
We have dozens of posts but one of our most popular is a simple explainer post written last spring that describes our service. Every technology organization should have a similar piece to attract your desired MSP leads, beyond what is written on the web site. Remember to engage with comments that come in and also get active and comment in other blogs.
You need a way to manage and measure. Going hand in hand with content is marketing automation. There are many tools to fit your budget, but the key points are 1) having a way to see who is engaging with your content and 2) what is the content they are attracted to, so you can nurture them appropriately. Eyes on a page > contacts > leads > customers.