WEDGE AND WIN:
How Top MSPs Turn Doubt into Deals
Join us for this episode of MSP To The Future where your hosts, Jeanne DeWitt and David Hood, answer these questions and more about these cloud options!
Join us for this episode of MSP To The Future where your hosts, Jeanne DeWitt and David Hood, answer these questions and more about these cloud options!
Let’s be honest: some MSPs out there have gotten lazy. They’ve been asleep at the wheel, cruising on autopilot while their clients slowly slip through the cracks. And that? That’s your opportunity!
Now, don’t get me wrong. If you come across a prospect whose MSP is absolutely crushing it, answering every question with confidence and clarity, you probably won’t win that deal. And that’s okay. Because most of the time? You’ll run into clients whose providers aren’t doing so hot.
That’s where the wedge comes in!
The Power of the Wedge
Back when I ran my own MSP, I learned this powerful strategy that helped me win business time and time again. It’s about planting a wedge of doubt: professionally, of course.
During your discovery meeting, ask the right questions. Make the prospect feel just uneasy enough to start second-guessing their current provider. You’re not trying to burn bridges: you’re simply shining a light on the gaps.
Maybe it’s in their backups. Maybe it’s their cloud setup. Or maybe their cybersecurity posture is paper-thin. Whatever it is, your questions should make them think, “Hmm… why hasn’t our current MSP talked about this?”
Now here’s the catch: they’re probably not going to fire their MSP right there and then. And that’s completely normal! They’re not ready to rip off the Band-Aid just yet.
Small Wins, Big Impact
After the wedge, most MSPs make one of two mistakes: they either give up too soon or rush in with a full-blown proposal.
Don’t do either!
Instead, offer something low-risk and valuable.
A cloud readiness review. A security awareness check. A backup validation. Something that proves you’re the real deal without pushing the prospect too fast!
These “small wins” expose even more risks. Risks their current MSP hasn’t mentioned. Risks that now make YOU the expert. And the best part? You’re not pitching, you’re revealing.
Suddenly, you’re the obvious next step!
Win Without the Hard Sell
Let’s cut through the noise: the best MSPs don’t win deals by sounding smarter.
They win by helping prospects realize their current provider isn’t cutting it! And all it takes is asking the right questions and guiding them to their own conclusions.
That’s your job now. See the gaps and help your prospects to see them too!
Your Challenge This Week
Want to make this strategy part of your process? Here’s what I recommend:
- Write five wedge questions: Focus on security, cloud, backups, etc. Whatever areas you’re strongest in!
- Role play them: Practice until they roll off your tongue naturally, like a casual chat with a friend. Remember, it shouldn’t sound salesy.
- Use them: Pick one active opportunity. Use those wedge questions in your next discovery call and see what doors open!
Today, I’ll leave you with a quote from Socrates: “The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
Have a great week and weekend!