Steve’s Tribal Dispatches #4 – August 2023
In the last of the series: “Steve’s Tribal Dispatches”, I, Stephen McCormick, have trawled through and unearthed some of the great treasures available inside The Tech Tribe.
The objective: to report on some of the amazing reasons why you should become a member. And if you happen to be a member already, to highlight some of the gems that you may have missed!
The Tech Tribe is a paid, members-only, online community for managed service providers (MSPs) – filled with great resources for its members.
In this month’s dispatches, I highlight a great primer for cybersecurity sales. And from the Tribal Library, I have selected a booklet template for cybersecurity essentials, and a template for a Terms of Service agreement.
Featured Resource: Cybersecurity Sales Primer Course
As we all know, sales can be a tricky subject for some MSPs. However, Cybersecurity sales can be even more difficult if you’re unprepared for the tricky questions and common objections.
This course, led by Jennifer Bleam of MSP Sales Revolution, delves into the process of packaging and selling cybersecurity solutions, whether that’s to existing customers or to new prospects.
She tells us what we should be bundling into our offering, and lets us in on the common mistakes people make in selling cybersecurity.
The course takes around 60-90 minutes to complete, and like all of the courses available in the Tech Tribe course library, they can be completed at your own pace, one chapter at a time.
The discovery questions Jennifer asks will really help you to frame what your cybersecurity offering might look like to your clients. As Nigel Moore says in the course introduction, it’s your job as the MSP to present the options and information to your client. It’s their job to make the decision based on your expert advice.
Common Cybersecurity Sales Objections
One of the things Jennifer explains is the common objections to cybersecurity sales and how to handle them.
Objections like:
- My business is too small to be targeted
- We’ve never had a breach/ransomware event
- It’s not a priority for me right now
- A cyber event wouldn’t affect my business
Preparing for these difficult conversations in advance will make your selling attempts much more successful.
There’s also guidance on whether or not you should bundle your offerings too.
From the Tribal Library
The Tribal Library is an area of the Tribe where you can quickly access templates, videos, reviews and other tools.
This month, I took a closer look at the Cybersecurity Essentials Booklet and the Terms of Service Agreement Template.
The Cybersecurity Essentials Booklet
When it comes to selling a service that you’re offering, it’s always better if you can hand over a professional document to help illustrate why a client needs your services.
This resource is a detailed 40-page document ready for you to brand with your company’s logo and contact details.
It goes into detail explaining common cyber threat terminology, with easy to understand diagrams backed up with statistics. The intention is to show your knowledge and authority on the subject, increasing the likelihood of a sale for your services.
The booklet is available in Adobe InDesign format too, so you can customise the content to suit your geographical region if you want to. Additionally, noted in the sidebar are suggestions for where you can get the booklet professionally printed too.
As with everything the Tech Tribe offers its members, you can always get additional help from the community if you need it.
Terms of Service Agreement Template
The Terms of Service Agreement template in the Tribal Library is just one of a number of great template resources for members to use as they see fit. There’s an Australian version and a UK version of this agreement available for members to download, edit and use.
The template sets out the terms of your service agreement with your client, so there is no ambiguity in the arrangement. Furthermore, it can be used in conjunction with the Managed Services Agreement and IT Partner Agreement. These are also available in the Tribal Library, should you need them.
This agreement covers all the necessary bases you’d expect. However, it is strongly advised that you do your due diligence and get this checked by your legal team before you use it in practice.
It’s designed to protect you and your business by clearly defining what’s included and excluded in the contract that you sign with your client.
Tribal Dispatch Hot Topics
Steve’s Tribal Dispatches has been put together to show what you can get out of The Tech Tribe as a member.
One of the most useful and active parts of the tribe is the community forums.
The Community Forums are where members of the tribe can post and comment on topics that are relevant to them.
They’re where members may openly ask any questions they have, whilst helping others who are seeking answers.
This can be anything from advice on how to cultivate a prospects list, to help in choosing an insurance provider.
Some of this months featured Hot Topics were:
- Does the title you give yourself in your MSP matter?
- How many hours of work or tickets should the average 100 seat SMB generate?
- How can I remain profitable and ethical as a solo MSP?
- How can I better automate and manage incoming accounts payable bills?
- How do you hold a daily huddle for yourself as a solo MSP?
- Where do I start with marketing?
- To niche or not to niche?
- Advice on carrying out employee reprimands
- How do you incorporate AI into your MSP toolset?
Local Gatherings of The Tech Tribe
Each month there are regular local gatherings of The Tech Tribe. And you don’t even have to be a member to attend them!
For example, John Clark runs the UK Thames Valley meetup in Berkshire, on the first Thursday of every month.
You can find out where your local Tech Tribe gathering is, and how to register your attendance here.
These are great peer groups that are free to attend, and are well worth your time.
Thinking of Becoming a Member?
Was there anything in Steve’s Tribal Dispatches this month that has piqued your interest, and made you want to find out more?
Click for more information and discounts up to a 49%!
If you’ve followed the series of dispatches so far, you’ll know that you get a lot of value out the Tribe for what you pay in membership fees.
Tribal Dispatches Final Word
Selling cybersecurity can be a tricky task at the best of times. When you’re selling a solution that mitigates a risk to a client’s business, you’re selling on the emotion of fear. However, you’re also providing confidence of a speedy resolution. Combine this with a professionally printed booklet full of statistics and clearly-explained definitions will reinforce your case. And you will certainly set yourself apart from the competition.
A concrete ‘terms of service agreement’ will protect your business and push out any ambiguity when it comes to the services you provide.
Well, that’s all folks, from our intrepid explorer on the Tech Tribe. We hope you enjoyed the series.
Are you already a member of the Tribe? What do you think is the best thing about being part of the community? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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I'm the MSP Community Manager for Tubblog. A small business owner, technical writer and blogger, with 15 years experience in corporate IT. I frequently attend MSP peer groups and create content relevant to IT service providers and business owners.
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