A business book called The Pumpkin Plan pays homage to taking delicate care of the seeds you plant.
The book is a perfect metaphor for operating a successful MSP.
Writer Michael Michalowicz offers simple, straightforward advice for winning in the marketplace, which he likens to a pumpkin patch.
Three Simple Steps
His steps are not complicated, but also not easy:
- Plant the right seeds.
- Continually water them.
- Weed out the least promising pumpkins and nurture the most promising ones.
As business leaders, it’s critical that you begin to work on the business, not just in the business. In other words, get out of the sell it, do it, sell it, do it never-ending cycle.
Focusing on the best clients is critical too, even though the worst customers are usually the “squeaky wheel.” Think about the types of clients who are the best fit for your business and keep those tended to in your garden.
Look for perfect opportunities to sell your top outsourcing services.
By now, many of your potential clients understand that outsourcing IT infrastructure has its benefits: lower support costs, fixed budget-friendly monthly fees and tapping into external expertise.
As an MSP, it’s wise to focus on getting potential clients comfortable with the risks of outsourcing, while also building credibility in the marketplace.
Weed Out the Distractions
Do the processes, procedures, and technological constraints you face every day rob you of happiness and productivity? Or are you able to focus on prospecting for new business, nurturing the right kind of leads, and selecting the best clients to add to your portfolio?
Apply the pumpkin rule to your own technology as well. Plant the right seeds by making choices that will serve you well long-term, such as embracing innovative technologies that simplify your workloads.
Continually water the right seeds, i.e. learn as much as you can and apply your knowledge to your business.
Finally, weed out what doesn’t work to allow focus on the best prospects, that is pumpkins.
Great Partnerships are Mutually Beneficial
Choosing the right partners for your MSP firm is a crucial part of planting the right seeds. Instead of investing in on-premise equipment, or band-aiding existing aged hardware, consider partnering with a cloud services firm that will free you up to focus on your priorities.
A company like CPU can offer your white-glove service and a suite of white-listed products that you can rely on and your customers will enjoy.
Keep in mind the global market for cloud services is expected to exceed $992 billion this year alone.
CPU has been a trailblazer in technology since we started in 1986. With this experience, we provide an intuitive cloud management solution to MSPs that simplifies workflow processes, management, pricing, margin analysis, and billing.
Give your clients the cloud solutions they need to succeed. When you do, you’ll succeed as well. Partner with CPU, Inc. by getting in touch with us at (877) 373-8808 or send us an email today.