The IT Experts Podcast

If you are a new listener, I briefly mentioned the two pillar episodes that make this a brilliant trilogy series which are Episode 75, where we talk about how to increase the value of your MSP and Episode 80, the dos and don'ts when you want to exit your MSP. What a journey it has been indeed.

As usual, again just for the new listeners who have yet to keep up with this series, I asked Daniel to explain briefly who he is, what he does, and who he helps. He shares his experience in the area of buying and selling of MSP business.

Kicking off this value-loaded episode, I asked Daniel first what is one's purpose of buying an MSP. Daniel says that it's because of the assets, primarily the customers and staff, and secondary to that would be the intellectual property, processes, and reputation, although it's a case-to-case basis. He then explains why these factors matter.

Daniel and I briefly weighed in on an MSP's value before the sale and we then discuss the initial steps in the process of actually buying an MSP. Daniel reminds us that first of all, this is a sales process, and you need to approach it in the same way as if you are acquiring clients.

Establish the target market. Profile and understand the target market. Then build the relationship with the target market. Those are the first things first.

Daniel then moves on to explain a little bit more specifically this process.

Just out of curiosity, I asked Daniel if there are brokerage services for this kind of activity in the MSP space. He said not quite but explains more on what he does that is similar to that service.

We both then tackled whether it's best to reach out to someone like Daniel to ask for help when you want to buy another MSP or would it be better to "DIY" and build that relationship yourself. Daniel says you have really got to do both for more achievable sale. He also discusses the benefit of each option and how more beneficial it is to do both.

Now you've got the MSP that you want to buy, we then talk about the next step to do and how long does it really takes. Daniel notes that it can take as quick as a couple of weeks or as long as a couple of years. Because then again, it's a sales process.

Take your time to properly assess and understand the opportunity.

Daniel then takes us through the process and talks about the important agreements and planning that the buyer and seller will have to make.

Wrapping up this episode, Daniel and I discuss funding. We talk about the common ways of funding an MSP purchase. And according to Daniel, of depends on the size of the transaction. It can go from personal funding to debt funding to equity funding, which then Daniel explains each kind.

This concludes the trilogy series with Daniel Welling that surround on MSP valuation, selling, and buying. I hope you've taken lots of value from these episodes. You can listen to the first and second parts below:

• Episode 75 – How to Increase the Value of Your MSP
• Episode 80 – Preparing to Exit Your MSP

If you want to continue the conversation or simply learn more about exiting your MSP, you can reach out to Daniel Welling in his LinkedIn here – https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-welling-54659715/

You can also check out Daniel's website here – https://www.wellingmsp.com/

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP businesses of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

This podcast episode is coming from the recent event that we delivered, the IT Experts LinkedIn Lead Generator Masterclass.

Entering the world of LinkedIn and Lead Generation is like opening a pandora's box full of overwhelming questions. How do I generate leads from LinkedIn? How can I help my clients here? What content do I put out there? How do I connect with people? What messages do I send? And how do I even start?

First of all, do not think of LinkedIn as a spider web or a never-ending maze that you might not get out of. Think of LinkedIn as one of the most powerful tools available that will help you connect with people all over the world that will then make your IT & MSP business scale and grow.

It is important to understand your customer journey and the fact that using LinkedIn is all about making sure you are creating touchpoints. That's where it all starts.

Before I tell you my five top tips on how you can start an effective LinkedIn Lead Generation, I go through with you a simple but strategic process about Lead Generation in LinkedIn.

So here are my top five tips:

1. Build a killer profile. (Personal and company)
2. Create amazing content.
3. Build relevant connections.
4. Do not sell.
5. Get consistent results.

And of course, I dissected each tip and explain what they are, why they are important, and how you can do it. I talk about Sales Navigator, CTA, the types of content that you can put out there, how you can connect with people, who you should connect with, how to send your messages, and more.

This is a firehose of information wrapped in less than 30 minutes so I suggest you grab your pen and notepad again because you will definitely need them.

I hope you enjoyed this episode. It's never too late to start your LinkedIn Lead Generation.

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP Business of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

Most times, MSP business owners are so consumed in making sure the business grows technically and serve more clients, that they get themselves stressed and overwhelmed with everything that's happening within the business.

Although some of you might think that is a good thing, in this short and quick break-fix episode, I will tell you why it's not and the 5 things you can do to avoid it.

Here are my 5 tips to reduce that MSP overwhelm and free yourself from stress:

1. Block your time.
2. Change your environment.
3. Have clear SOPs.
4. Delegate to build trust.
5. Discipline – Getting an accountability buddy.

I dissected these tips and explained why they are relevant and very important.

Growing your MSP business is about confidence, and you can't be confident when you are stressed, overwhelmed, and stuck in the mud.

This may be a short break-fix episode, but I hope you've got massive value from it.

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP businesses of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

Just five episodes ago in Episode 75, Daniel Welling helped us learn how to increase the value of your MSP especially in case you want to exit. So, this will be a second part of a trilogy episode with Daniel where the third one, coming up real soon is when we delve into how to buy an MSP.

First and foremost, for those who haven't listened to the previous episode, which I highly recommend you do, Daniel shares with us who he is, what he does, and who he helps.

Kicking off the main discussion of the episode, I ask Daniel to share with us the high-level process of when people decide to sell their MSP business and also consider the emotions that come with it especially in getting your head in the right space to exit your MSP.

Daniel says that there is a wave of emotions to be preparing for, most especially guilt and fear.

There is a "remorse stage" which is mostly caused by the long sales process that normally takes time. You will feel like being in a waiting room for weeks and months during the process so it's important to be logically ready for that, and then keep the emotions in check and balance them throughout the process.

Daniel then drew out from his own experience and journey when he also sold his MSP, and he goes us through how handled the emotions during the "remorse stage" as he calls it.

We then continued to tackle the process, after you've made the decision of selling your MSP business, I ask him about the first thing that's needed to do. It is going to the market. Daniel mentions that this will go after establishing the value of the MSP business, as discussed in Episode 75, which is very important in knowing the deals that can be offered.

There are a few ways of going to the market but the most common is going to a broker, or you can also do it yourself. Daniel then explains both ways and how they affect the process.

Daniel and I then tackled on briefly about niche and due diligence. He then explains why due diligence is also very important and this is where you basically have to be prepared to support everything that you've said in the prior stages.

Then we delved into what happens after due diligence and Daniel continued to explain the different types of transactions that would take place. He also introduces the share purchase agreement and explains what it is. He also talks about the roles that solicitors play in the process.

We then moved on to talk about communicating with the staff, which can be very critical if you are not being careful since there are important things to consider to avoid jeopardising the whole sale, especially who to tell first and when to tell them.

Wrapping up the episode, Daniel and I briefly talk about other different types of agreements that you may come across in the process.

I hope you enjoyed this interesting episode. This is something we don't normally talk about but we hope we have given you the value that you need to understand the complexity and critical points as you prepare to exit your MSP.

If you want to continue the conversation or simply learn more about exiting your MSP, you can reach out to Daniel Welling in his LinkedIn here – https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-welling-54659715/

You can also check out Daniel's website here – https://www.wellingmsp.com/

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP Business of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

Chris shared how stressful the first few years of the business were for him when he took over. He lost grip of the culture and the business, no KPIs to measure, and no core values to immerse themselves in. He didn't know what success looked like and also didn't know what a good customer looked like.

It was because of football that made Chris think enough is enough and things need to change He saw how invested his people are in football more than the business. That's when he made a decision that scared him the most, slimming his staff.

Today, Vermont Systems, although they have decreased its turnover, it has become a nicer place to work with a small team of experts that shows commitment and possesses its company values.

We talked about believing in oneself, how and why it is very important as a business owner.

Chris highlighted that it is important to recognize that you need help and do reach out for help to MSP Business Growth coaches like myself who help scale MSPs and change lives.

I hope that you enjoy this episode and that you've picked some tips that you can apply in your own MSP business.

You can connect with Chris Ward in his LinkedIn here – https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmmward/

You can also email Chris at – [email protected]

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP businesses of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

Kicking off this high-energy episode, Paul briefly talked about his pre-MSP Marketing career which went from his 13-year experience in the radio broadcasting industry to starting a PR agency to general Marketing and finally to 'marrying' MSP Marketing.

Paul then continued to introduce and share what he does now with MSP Marketing.

We went straight directly to MSP Marketing trends, and I ask him about the difference between generic Marketing and MSP Marketing. Paul briefly shares that this year, 2022, and the next 2 years, the way we do marketing is going to be affected by Covid. He thinks that the thing that makes MSP Marketing different is that there is no other world like the world of MSPs.

Customers don't buy technology. They buy relationships. They buy 'help me sleep at night'. They buy trust.

According to Paul, your MSP Marketing strategy not only for 2022 but for the next 20 years is to build a relationship with your leads and prospects before they are ready to pick a new MSP. He then explains how and why, which I then relate that it all surrounds around trust.

We then tackled the key ways that MSPs can make use of the marketing mediums to help build that trust and Paul says answers with a few relevant things like meetings and LinkedIn which are actually your tactics.

This is where Paul discusses the difference between strategy and tactics. First and foremost, you set a goal.

Then, your marketing strategy is a three-step process which are as follows:

1. Build multiple audiences.
2. Build a relationship with them.
3. Commercialize the relationship.

Once you've got your goal and strategy, you then implement the strategy with the tactics that are appropriate to you.

Paul recommends making your email list as your number one tactic and LinkedIn coming in as your number two.

The key thing to get both right is to put out both educational and entertainment content, or as he calls it, "edu-tainment". I then add up that the only way to know if it works is to test it.

Paul and I then talk about LinkedIn. We weighed in whether it's better to find your prospects and support the content they put out there or having prospects that support your content and contacting them when they do.

LinkedIn's algorithm changes all the time, so Paul broke both points down and explains which one he believes is better than the other.

Marketing for MSP is a numbers game and a game of timing. Multi-touch marketing is the key.

Wrapping up the episode, Paul gives us his top tip on where people need to get started with LinkedIn and those are the three C's.

• Connect
• Content
• Contact

He then explains why these are high key things.

I hope you enjoyed this high-energy and fun-filled episode. I suggest you listen to this as many times as you need to get every bit of value this episode offers because there is not a second of this episode that doesn't scream value.

If you want to learn more about Paul Green's marketing services, simply click here - https://www.mspmarketingedge.com/

And to get a copy of Paul's book, click here - https://www.paulgreensmspmarketing.com/

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP Business of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

To start with, Fiona introduces herself, what she does In the MSP Channel, how she started in the channel, and who she helps.

Kicking off this value-loaded episode, I ask Fiona what she sees as the biggest blocker in MSP sales or the thing that scares MSP business owners the most. Fiona says it's taking them out of their comfort zone, which is being technical. We both agree that just like they need to work on the technical side of their MSP business, they need to work on the sales and marketing side too.

Fiona then explains how she gives MSPs the confidence and ability to trust the sales process. She explains that selling MSP services is relatively easy if you have the right strategy and tactics in place. She then discusses how she works with MSPs to build that confidence.

Fiona and I then continued on to talk about Value Proposition and Niche. We both agree that the value proposition should focus on selling the business outcomes, not the tech. Fiona also says that she is a big believer in niche and explains why it is also important.

I then ask Fiona her top tip for MSPs in increasing their sales funnel, and she says it is consistency. Having a clear target customer and putting out customer-centric campaigns with consistent call to actions are the key things.

One of the most successful calls to action that MSPs use is calendar appointments according to Fiona, because it's what converts the most, and I agree. We also talked briefly about content creation in relation to call to actions.

We then tackled strategy and I ask Fiona what happens when MSPs don't have a style strategy for their sales and Fiona straightforwardly answered that it all falls apart. Then they fall back into the comfort zone of going back into technical and conclude that all their sales and marketing efforts don't work, so they stop.

Strategy is important. Know who you want, target them, and put the top of funnel in place.

Wrapping up the episode, Fiona shares her final tip for MSPs and that is, when speaking to a customer, it's important to qualify the total customer and not the opportunity in front of you because you might just be leaving revenue on the table. She then explains why.

I hope you enjoyed this energy and fun-filled episode, apart from the value of course.

You can get in touch with Fiona Challis on her LinkedIn profile here – https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionachallis/

Or you can visit her website to learn more about what she does, simply click here – https://www.mspsalesmastery.com/

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP Business of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

Mark starts off by sharing a bit about himself, what he does and who he helps, but this time, it's all relating to MSP website success

Kicking off this episode, I ask Mark why websites are so important in the sales process. Mark says that you are what you are online and unless you portray yourself in the right way, no one will know about you. If you portray yourself in the wrong way, people will get an impression of you that isn't necessarily true.

Mark and I then tackled the biggest mistake that MSPs are making on their websites, and he gave us two. The first one is the complete lack of personality, and the second one is the complete lack of understanding of key phrases. He then explains each and why it's important to correct these two mistakes.

We also talk about and weigh each other's opinions on the number one objective that an MSP needs to achieve from the website itself. Mark thinks that the objective is the website being there to start a conversation. I add that it's not just about the website but your collective online presence.

We continued on to talk about a little bit of marketing, pillar content, and vertical niche.

Mark and I then discuss Google My Business and we weigh in why it is important for the website. Mark says it is because of the immediate social proof you get when you search for an individual company, and it absolutely affects rankings. We also talk about desktop wallpapers as an underused asset for an MSP.

Wrapping up the episode, we both then tackled the good old CTA (Call to Action) and the things that MSPs can do to make sure they increase their conversions. According to Mark, it starts on the homepage, and its whole point should be to start a story. He then explains full circle why it's very relevant.

So, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as Mark and I had fun creating it (You can tell!). This is truly an episode full of great advice, tips, tricks, and of course value bombs that will surely help you achieve website success in your MSP.

If you want to get in touch with Mark and/or get a hold of his Website Success 101 checklist, simply click here – https://mspsitehub.com/

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP Business of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

If we're not connected already, let's connect on LinkedIn, YouTube and over here at our website, innovatetosuccess.com

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

Normally, we're talking about business growth, but in this episode, we'll take a different turn and talk about some of the tactical things that MSPs need to do to build their business value so that when they exit, they have got a business that's worth some money, and all the hard work, pain, and stress will be worth it.

To start off, Daniel introduced himself, what he does in The MSP Finance Team, and who they help. Daniel and I will also do two more episodes, one about what to do when you actually sell the business and how does that transaction work, and another one about what to do if you want to buy an MSP.

Daniel and I then talked about the vision that people have for their exit. I asked him about his experience in the business owner's view as he also formerly owned an MSP before and sold it. He thinks that given the volume of the market, you can see pretty much every scenario. It depends on who you talk to.

We then talked about why it is important for business owners to have an exit plan even though it might just be a loose idea in their heads. Daniel thinks that it's going to form a good and healthy business plan. We also talked about how much of the exit plan should the business owner keep in his head and how much should he share with his team.

We then continued on to talk about the things that MSP owners need to do to increase the value of their MSP. Daniel answered with a four-method solution. These are:

1. Annual Recurring Revenue
2. Gross Profit from Annual Recurring Revenue
3. EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization)
4. The Business Plan

He then explained each of the methodologies and why they are relevant.

Daniel and I both agree that the most critical way to increase the value of an MSP is to have systems and processes in place so that the business operates easier. The more you can automate or delegate, the better. Daniel also says that a business owner has to be all over their numbers, which dials us back to the episode with Adam Morris about knowing your MSP numbers.

To wrap up the episode, I asked Daniel about the common mistakes that he sees when people come to plan their exit. Daniel says that the valuation is the main one, and the second would be preparedness to go through a sales process.

I hope you enjoyed this episode. Be on the lookout for the future episodes that Daniel and I will be running, one about what to do when you exit and the process around it. And the second one is going to be what to do when you want to buy another MSP, which I know will be interesting for people who put that into their growth plan.

To get to know more about Daniel, you can visit his website here – https://www.wellingmsp.com/

You can connect with Daniel Welling on LinkedIn here – https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-welling-54659715/

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP Business of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

If we're not connected already, let's connect on LinkedIn, YouTube and over here at our website, innovatetosuccess.com

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

Happy New Year to you all!

As you know, at IT Experts, we dedicate all our time and talent to help IT & MSP businesses succeed and we have put together these 12 steps to help you get 2022 off to a flying start!.

With each step, you can do every month or once a week, as it is a straightforward guide that you can follow throughout the year to grow your IT & MSP business to your next level.

Here are the 12 steps, and of course, I went on and discussed every single one of them.

1. Have a compelling Vision.
2. Create your Company and Personal Values.\
3. Align your team with your new the Vision and Values.
4. Set company KPIs.
5. Set individual targets.
6. Create your Marketing Model.
7. Upgrade your Sales planning - align language and your value proposition.
8. Niche your Marketing – TEST TEST and TEST some more!
9. Get good at Sales.
10. Get great referrals and create a scheme for your clients.
11. Hang around with legends and people that can help you.
12. Measure what matters.

With that, I also leave you off with my final thoughts which also means my two greatest tips as you follow these 12 steps, and they are:

1. Get an accountability buddy.
2. Take one day at a time.

It's only the first week of the year and we are not kidding when we say that we only want to help your MSP business grow, so start your year right and follow these 12 simple steps.

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoy creating it. Again, have a happy and prosperous 2022!

At IT Experts, we have years of experience helping IT & MSP Business of all sizes to leverage their talents and take back control so they can scale confidently.

To connect with us and find out how we can possibly help, simply book an intro call straight into my diary here:- http://bit.ly/ite-introcall

If we're not connected already, let's connect on LinkedIn, YouTube and over here at our website, innovatetosuccess.com

Alternatively, you can drop me an email at [email protected]

Until next time, you look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!