When I was a young kid learning how to work to make money, I used to pray and hope for a giant snowfall in winter because I’d have the day off from school to grab a shovel and start door knocking to earn $20 to $40 for clearing my neighbors walk’s and driveways. The BEST days I’d hope for were bitter cold, sleet, ice and miserable conditions, snow a solid FOOT deep instead of an inch because it was during the WORST times I made the most money, got the most people to say “Yes” and got an extra $5 to $10 thrown in without even asking for it.
So goes it with any tough economic “winters.” Most people hunker down, stay inside and do nothing. Right now, that’s pretty much what I’m seeing many IT services firms and MSPs doing, convinced it’s “CRAZY” to venture out. However, many of our top MSP members ARE charging out into the bitter cold, prospecting, selling and closing still, despite what everyone else is doing – and those are the ones that are making money right now and that will come out of this stronger, with more cash, more clients and more stability. They ARE closing deals. They ARE converting break-fix clients to managed services. They ARE raising prices. They ARE selling cybersecurity solutions, phone systems, compliance and managed services contracts. They ARE continuing to charge ahead with the prospecting campaigns – and they ARE working.
Here’s why doing marketing now is more critical than ever before:
You don’t need me to remind you we are living in very uncertain, crazy times. Not only is a resurgence of COVID threatening and creating more shutdowns, but there’s intense political unrest, protests and angry mobs robbing, looting and burning businesses to the ground. We are in the deepest global recession in 8 decades. All of this offers new opportunities, renewed energy for terrorist groups. Who knows what fresh hell is coming next?
The New York Times, Forbes and other financial analysts have predicted a bankruptcy “tidal wave.” The federal deficit has grown to unimaginable new levels over the last year – a weight on this already-fragile economy. Out-of-control inflation lurks. Banks and credit card companies are tightening lending standards across the board, making it more difficult to get money even though demand has increased.
The middle class and “working poor” are mired in chronic unemployment and personal debt, with more shutdowns happening by the day, creating more layoffs and furloughs.
As I’m writing this, companies are asking their employees to choose between a pay cut or a layoff. Hardly a week passes where we don’t hear about another business closing their doors or shrinking back. PPP and SBA loans have helped, but companies will run out of air at some point, and all of this lost revenue will result in ONE thing for sure: a longer recession, fewer opportunities, more money on hold and ultimately HIGHER TAXES. This makes one thing of heightened and paramount importance…
Marketing Strength
Weaknesses and gaping holes in your sales and marketing engine may have been tolerable pre-COVID, but now these inadequacies could be FINANCIALLY FATAL in the next 12 months. One area that is usually extremely weak or nonexistent is a RELIABLE SYSTEM for the acquisition of new clients.
If marketing is NOT solid as a rock in your IT services business, the evolving and worsening economic crisis could have you suddenly without sufficient sales coming in, clients disappeared, opportunities dried up BUT bills still coming in, debt stacking up and new (quality) clients as hard to find as a pretty virgin in Vegas. NOW is the time for action. NOW is the time to hire sales people. Yes, you should have planted this oak tree 10, 20 years ago…but the next best time is NOW. Today.
If you, in honest self-appraisal, feel there are such weaknesses and vulnerabilities in your business…if you feel anxious about the current economic situation…if you don’t have sufficient funds, sales and opportunities coming in to replace the certain loss of clients and budgets drying up…and you are NOT at peace with the amount of money you are making, then listen to that inner alarm bell and act on its warning to you. Decisively. Pick up your damned shovel and venture out into the cold.
We’re offering multiple “recession proof your IT business” resources, one of which is a free consultation to discuss your current situation and put together a marketing plan that WORKS. You can do that by going here: https://www.toolkitlive.com/thrive2020
And PLEASE: Do not waste more money and time gambling on the untested, the unproven, the “easy” and cheapest options. The SAFE port in this storm is, unequivocally, our program. For nearly 2 decades I’ve been a stubborn, unvarnished truth-teller. A relentless practitioner and engineer of methods that WORK for lead generation, client-getting and sales generation for “regular” MSPs, VARs and break-fix shops.
I’ve worked with well over 10,000 MSPs, VARs and IT services companies through the very lean start-up phase…the plateau when they’re stuck…the transition from break-fix to managed services…AND I’ve helped thousands of them survive and even THRIVE with double-digit growth through the 2008–2010 recession. I have stood the test of time while others have come and gone.
For this, I’m not “humble.” My reputation and track record for getting results is second to none in this industry, as evidenced by the tangible, no B.S. results I produce. I’ve earned the right. Now I’d like to help YOU – to pass on the knowledge I’ve gained from helping countless other IT businesses just like you during this economic crisis. The urgency is real.
To get started, go to this website: https://www.toolkitlive.com/thrive2020