Thursday, March 26, 2009

Is Cloud Computing The New "Managed Services"?


I just finished up a coaching call with a managed services client of mine (and Producers Club Member) who shared with me the same tale of woe I'm hearing from many MSPs: their clients are calling to find out if they can reduce their managed services contracts or get out of them all together. Why? Because they are reducing staff, closing their doors or simply looking for ways to cut costs. In some cases, I've heard that MSPs are seeing a solid 30% to 70% reduction in contracts, almost overnight. Not good…

HOWEVER, this client (and a few other MSP clients of mine) have identified a NEW and lucrative opportunity that is selling right now: cloud computing

This particular client of mine said that he recently started offering cloud computing to his clients and instantly had three enthusiastically jump on the opportunity. One client, a business consulting firm, commented that they were going to tell all of their clients about it too since it was such a tremendous way to save money.

Another client of mine and Genius League Member, David Bennett, Connections for Business is finding the same thing. Not only is cloud computing selling right now, but it is helping him differentiate his company in the marketplace since so few managed services providers are offering it.

What are the hot buttons that are getting clients to buy? I'm being told it's these three:

1. Saving money

2. The ability to access their network remotely (remote workplace)

3. The business continuity and backup

Clearly now more than ever your marketing message has to portray how you are going to help your clients save money and survive this tough economy. Personally, I think cloud computing is one critical way to do this. While you can certainly make a case for how managed services will save a company money, the argument is FAR stronger (and more tangible) with cloud computing.

If you are an MSP, are you getting clients cutting back and cancelling contracts? If so, what are you doing to fill the difference, and is cloud computing one of the ways you are doing this? Please post your comments below…

Posted via email from Robin Robin's Managed IT Services Sales Training

Monday, March 16, 2009

Is AT&T's New Managed IT Services Plan A Threat To You?


The other day I received my VERY FIRST piece of direct mail from a company trying to sell me managed services. I gotta tell ya, it was a little tear-jerker of a moment. Why? Amazingly, even though I've been in business for over 5 years and spent close to $20,000 last year on various IT support services, I have never received ANY type of promotion from ANY managed services company in this area. What makes it worse is that I know there are at least 30 to 40 MSPs withing driving distance of my office.

Not a flyer, postcard, cold call...I mean NOTHING...until now.

But I was a little disappointed about WHO the letter came from. It was AT&T (my phone company) offering their "Total Tech Solution," which is their version of managed services. The plan includes:

- My own virtual US-based IT support help desk that is open 24-7-365

- Automatic security updates

- A pop-up catcher

- Anti-spam software

- An Internet security suite including anti-virus, anti-spyware and a firewall

All for...drumroll please...

$63.90 per month.

And if I sign up now, I'll get a $100 credit on my phone bill PLUS a $25 VISA rewards card.

So my question is this...if AT&T (or any other telecom provider for that matter) started offering managed services to small businesses in YOUR town, is that a threat to your business? If yes, what can you do to overcome it? If no, why not?

My view on it is this...

You are safe UNLESS they figure out how to get the marketing right. Naturally they also have to figure out how to deliver a great service, but keep in mind that they have a lot of money backing them, and they have a HUGE customer base to pull from...something that should not be overlooked, espeically right now when people are looking for ways to save money and cut back.

This - and many other topics regarding recession-proofing your IT business - are going to be discussed at the upcoming Marketing and Money-Making Boot Camp in Nashville, April 2nd - 4th. Don't miss it: http://www.robinsbigseminar.com

 

 

 

Posted via email from Robin Robin's Managed IT Services Sales Training

Thursday, March 5, 2009

The REAL Reason Behind Why You Struggle To Get A Marketing Plan In Place For Your Managed Services Practice . And The 3 Keys To Overcoming It


In a moment, I’m going to tell you how to get your hands on one of the most powerful and mind-blowing interviews I’ve ever done on the topic of what it takes to achieve any goal or outcome you want – and if you are an IT business owner that can’t seem to figure out how to discipline yourself to get a marketing plan in place, you are going to eat up this interview.

 

But first, let me give you a little background on how this came about…

 

As a marketing coach, one of the toughest challenges I have to overcome with my clients is getting them to actually implement the plans and strategies I give them. This is a big problem for me because if a client doesn’t execute, they aren’t going to get the results they want…and if the don’t get the results they want, it doesn’t matter how brilliant my marketing systems are. There about as valuable as lottery ticket you don't cash in; lots of potential but worth nothing if not acted on.

 

No results = an unhappy client.

 

Of course, this makes no sense if you think about it: WHY would someone struggling financially NOT take action? WHY would someone pay me good money, and then shelf the solution to one of their biggest problems. They KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that if they follow my plans and systems, they will work. They’ll make more money, secure better clients, bigger profit margins and never have to worry about whether or not they are going to be able to make payroll or pay the rent.

 

With so much UPSIDE, why is it SO difficult for IT business owners to take action on marketing their business?

 

Because the truth is, they HATE the idea of marketing. Think about it yourself…if you are an IT business owner, chances are you think marketing is about as much fun as an IRS audit.

 

It’s the epitome of the phrase “necessary evil”…you utterly loathe the idea of having to do it, but you know it’s absolutely essential to the success of your business and your personal income. When times are ‘good’ you can sigh a bit of relief and ignore the fact that you don’t have a clue about how to drive in new sales; but inevitably, it comes back around to bite you and the frustration and anxiety of financial troubles forces you to (once again) get serious about improving this critical area of your business.

 

So it begs the question, WHY is it so difficult for small IT business owners to implement a marketing plan for their business? With all the information available on how to do it, you can’t blame ignorance – after all, there are plenty of resources available to teach you how to successfully implement a marketing system for your business. My Toolkit is just one. That eliminates that excuse…

 

You can’t blame ‘lack of time’ because that’s the oldest excuse in the book. Time is the greatest equalizer – we all get the same amount every day. Plus, there are many great examples of IT business owners who ARE growing and marketing their business very successfully. And if you hold on to that excuse – that you never have the TIME to work on plans to make your business more lucrative, profitable and stable – what hope do you have? No plan will work because you don’t have the time (hopefully you can see what a limiting and destructive belief that is).

 

So again, WHY is it so difficult for you to execute a great marketing plan?

 

I believe that UNTIL you figure out the answer to that question…until you get to the true ROOT of the problem, you’ll continue to be frustrated and stalled, floundering, flopping and struggling, making little or no progress.

 

BUT, I believe I have the answer.

 

A few days ago I interviewed Alan Deutschman, author of the book, “Change Or Die”  as a teaser to wet the appetites of my clients attending my upcoming 2009 Marketing Boot Camp in Nashville, TN (Alan is going to be one of the key speakers at that event).

 

Without a doubt, this was one of the most powerful interviews I’ve ever done. During this call, Alan and I get to the REAL reason why you are struggling to make progress on your marketing plan – and I promise you the strategies revealed on this call are NOT ones you’ve ever heard before.

 

Not only did Alan dispel old myths about goal setting and change, but he revealed the 3 critical keys to changing any bad habit (and yes, NOT marketing IS a bad habit…you are in the habit of NOT doing it.).

 

But these strategies don’t just apply to marketing; they apply to ANY habit, action or result that you seem stuck on that you are finding difficult – if not impossible – to break through.

 

This interview was so incredible that I decided to make the recording available to all of my clients, friends and subscribers; and if you are struggling to change anything in your life, then I urge you to drop everything and listen to this unbelievably insightful and life-changing interview.

 

To download it, go to: www.robinsbigseminar.com and opt in on the page.

 

On the VERY NEXT PAGE, you’ll see a section that says, “Free Stuff.” Click on that section of the site and you can download a copy instantly. No cost, no catches, no problem.

 

 

Posted via email from Robin Robin's Managed IT Services Sales Training