{"id":5761,"date":"2016-07-26T20:54:14","date_gmt":"2016-07-26T19:54:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/?p=5761"},"modified":"2021-04-07T20:57:01","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T19:57:01","slug":"overcoming-biggest-objection-managed-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/it\/blog\/overcoming-biggest-objection-managed-services","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming the biggest objection to managed services"},"content":{"rendered":"

It can be a difficult sale to move from break\/fix to managed service. To be honest, most very small businesses have a lot of trouble with this. They somehow think they’re saving money by deferring an expenditure. And, to be honest, ROI (return on investment) arguments are lost on most small businesses. SMB owners tend to believe that discussions of ROI are just smoke and mirrors to take more of their money.<\/p>\n

So how do you get buy in?<\/p>\n

The \u201cKiller objection\u201d<\/h3>\n

First, here’s the truth that you know and your client doesn’t: They need someone to manage their desktops just as much as they need someone to manage their server and network.<\/p>\n

The client thinks they understand their technology needs, but they don’t. And, take it from me, telling the client that they don’t understand is not a good sales strategy. So you push the brave new world of managed service.<\/p>\n

And you get the killer objection: “We’re getting what we need right now.”\u00a0Remember: What the client believes is true to him. You can’t say, “No you’re not.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

If there’s a key to success, it’s this\u2026 Don’t argue about all the things that are the SAME.<\/p>\n

The hardest sale in the world is to say that you’re exactly like the competition only better. If you say you’re the same only better, then you create a commodity and you’re forced to charge less.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about differentiation<\/h3>\n

Here’s the most important six-syllable word in sales: differentiation.<\/p>\n

The only way to overcome the Killer Objection is to differentiate yourself from the competition. Why? Because you can’t tell the client that he’s wrong or that he’s not getting what he needs. You need to present something different enough that the client comes to this conclusion himself.<\/p>\n

Don’t talk about what you do. Or what you do better than everyone else.<\/p>\n

To the untrained observer (Joe Client), we all look the same. We all do the same thing. Every consultant is the same and does the same. So if he’s getting something, he’s getting what he needs; even if he’s getting something from you.<\/p>\n

If your competition is your competition, then you need to differentiate yourself from your competition. If your competition is yourself, then you need to differentiate your break\/fix business from your managed service.<\/p>\n

And the key to differentiation is as obvious as it is difficult: Don’t mention anything that’s the same \u2013 focus 100% on what’s different.<\/p>\n

For example:<\/p>\n

With managed service:<\/p>\n