I spent the week at a channel event (yes, really) and spent the two days listening to partners talk about where their business is going and what they need to be successful. As the show went on, it became apparent to me that partners really do fall into two very distinct groups; those who are leading their customers and those who are following them.

It occurred to me that following your customers is a great way to make sure you don’t make any mistakes, but it is also a great way to make sure you don’t make any money. The reverse is also true – leading your customers may drive you into some significant potholes along the way, but there is nearly always a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow. Why? Three words. Focus, confidence, and practice.

Lost in the woods

Imagine this scenario. You are lost in the woods with 50 of your customers. It is clear to envy one that you know more about finding your way out than any of them, but you are not entirely sure of the path yourself. If you ask them all what they want to do, and choose to follow all of them wherever they decide to go, none of you are ever going to get anywhere, and eventually you will all become unhappy, starve, and be eaten by wolves. This strategy has no positive outcome, but the benefit is that no one can blame you for leading them astray. It feels safe, while actually the results are fairly dire.

Now try this scenario – same situation, but instead you leverage all of you abilities, make a decision on behalf of your customers, and head in one direction.  Worst case scenario, you lead everyone off a cliff, in which case you are no worse off that you were in the first scenario, but you have at least a 25 percent chance of improving the lot of the collective group, and if you are really the best person for the job, then the chances are that much better.

So, let’s continue down path number two. You find civilization, you customers live on to fight another day, and they are really happy that they chose to follow you. Nice.

Be the leader

So, six months later, the same thing happens. You are out in the woods, things are looking bad, but you have made a decision and led them to help before. They almost immediately look to you for guidance, and expect that you are going to save them. You actually know the way out of this forest, you have been here before, and you confidently lead them out. Suddenly, you are the person they most want to be with when stuck in the woods.

The MSP business is much like this little tale. If you do the research, figure out a better way to consistently provide valuable technology solutions to your customers, and do it over and over again, you will get really good at it, they will trust you with their business, and you will make both happy customers and money along the way.  If you choose to follow your customers in every direction they want to go individually, you will never really get good at anything, they won’t trust you, and business will suffer. 

Leading is better. 

One last thing. Some people will not follow even if their lives depend on it.  They only trust themselves.  The last thing in the world you want to do is follow them and sacrifice the group.  Sometimes the best decision is not to take the business, especially when you know they are headed towards the cliff.

Ted Roller is vice president of Channel Development at LogMeIn. This guest blog is part of MSPmentor’s Platinum Sponsorship Program.