Can’t reach your prospects? Stop trying as an MSP sales person… and use this technique instead

The year was 2005. I'd just started my first business and was doing prospecting on the phone for the first time. And quickly discovered something horrendous... No-one wanted to take my call.

Is this your experience from making outbound calls? A constant and depressing stream of...

"no no no no no bugger off no"

It's a nightmare.

What I found especially difficult was that just a few months before, people had been DELIGHTED to get a call from me.

What changed?

Simple.

--> The context of why I was calling <--

Before, I worked at a radio station as a presenter and 'the boss'. When I called people it was exciting and showbiz and could help them. When you say to many people "hey, you wanna be on the radio?" they reply YES YES YES.

But if you say to the same people "hey I'm looking for new clients for my business" they reply NO NO NO 🤣

This suggests a genius idea to reach dream prospects (that I know at least 3 members of my MSP Marketing Edge have implemented after I suggested it to them).

Here's the idea: Instead of approaching someone as a sales person, approach them asking if you can interview them.

That's going to be a much easier conversation to have. Gatekeepers will be less suspicious, decision makers will be more willing. And the real beauty of this approach is you will get 30 mins+ of quality time talking to a dream prospect about their favourite subject: Themselves and their business.

Boom. It's perfect.

But I know you have doubts. Let me answer them.

The first is probably "but Paul, what am I interviewing them for?"

That's an easy one to answer. Because, unlike back in 2005 when you had to work in the media to be a serious content creator, these days ANYONE can and does create content.

I haven't worked in the media for 19 years, yet here I am creating content.

What made the media so powerful back in the day was that they controlled the distribution methods. That ended with the web. Now anyone can reach anyone else via a series of platforms.

So, you could:

• Interview them for your LinkedIn Newsletter

• Do a LinkedIn Live streaming interview

• Write about them for your blog

• Start a podcast about local business leaders

• Start a YouTube channel about inspiring TownName people

Your next worry might be "but Paul, I don't have a big audience"

Doesn't matter a jot. How many people do you think listened to the first episode of my MSP Marketing podcast when it was first broadcast in 2019? About 6 people... one of them was me... another was my Mum.

But that didn't stop me from cracking on and arranging great interviews. Even today when we get a few thousand listens per episode, no-one ever asks how big the audience is. It's an issue in your head not theirs. For many people, the showbiz of being interviewed is exciting enough.

Your final worry might be "what do I talk to them about?"

This is the easiest question to answer. You ask lots of open questions about them and their success (whatever that is). For example:

• Tell us your story. How did you get to where you are today?

• What are you most proud of achieving along the way?

• If you could jump in a time machine, what would you go back and change?

• What's the best advice you've been given over the years?

• What's your best advice for someone growing their business?

Listen carefully to their answers and ask questions for clarification, or to explore interesting things they say.

Remember, the big picture goal here is NOT to do a great interview that people will love consuming. The goal is for you to spend quality time with a hot prospect talking about something they are passionate about.

After the interview, you may find your subject saying "hey, that was fun, thank you... y'know, we should talk about our technology as we have some real problems right now...".

That's a solid invitation to engage with them about their business.

Clever, huh?

And you could rinse and repeat this approach with ALL the hot prospects.

Could you try this in your MSP?