https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2020 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2020 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Digital Service Providers
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • CHANNEL PARTNERS ONLINE
 Channel Futures

Sales & Marketing


How to Market Yourself as a Managed Services Expert

  • Written by Joe Panettieri 1
  • January 18, 2010
When I picked up my local newspaper this morning, I noticed an article titled "How to Market Yourself As An Expert." The opinion piece included nine tips. And the tips certainly apply to multiple markets -- including managed services. Here's a look.

Here are the tips...

  1. Teach a class/host a webinar

managed services expertWhen I picked up my local newspaper this morning, I noticed an article titled “How to Market Yourself As An Expert.” The opinion piece included nine tips. And the tips certainly apply to multiple markets — including managed services. Here’s a look.

Here are the tips…

  1. Teach a class/host a webinar
  2. Write a special report/white paper
  3. Write a column
  4. Write and article
  5. Get third-party endorsements
  6. Write an e-zine or newsletter
  7. Write a book
  8. Participate in social media
  9. Get speaking gigs

Sure, that’s a very basic list. But here’s the key question: How are your writing and communication skills? Every tip, it seems, depends heavily on your ability to (A) write and/or (B) engage an audience.

The only way to become an effective writer and communicator is to practice. A lot. But is it possible to practice in public? Absolutely.

Start Slowly – Blogging and Social Media

There’s a natural temptation to start a blog and tell the world how smart you are. Stop. Slow down. First, you need to decide who in your company is going to hold the megaphone. Then, you need to make sure each message your company delivers is clear, concise and compelling.

As I often recommend — start a private journal in Microsoft Word. Update it once a week for two months. Then, re-read the journal. And share it with your team.

  • Are the eight entries compelling?
  • Are they good enough to form the basis for eight separate blog entries?
  • Can you keep the momentum going with one weekly blog entry through the rest of this year?

Stepping Onto a Stage

Conferences are another great way to put your face front-and-center in this industry. But once again think carefully before committing time and money to public speaking.

  • Can you deliver a compelling message without relying on PowerPoint?
  • Can you share real-world case studies and examples?
  • Can you communicate your expertise and share some knowledge without your presentation looking and sounding like a product sales pitch?
  • What audience do you want to reach — industry peers, potential end-customers, or both?

Again, start slowly. Perhaps start with four panel speaker engagements (one per quarter). Just be sure to ask around and determine who else will be on the panel. Conference content varies greatly from one event to the next. You want to make sure you’re hanging out with the right crowd and grabbing the right spotlight.

Regardless of the format make sure there are three or four key “takeaway points” that you’re going to drive home during the session. Keep the message simple. Be concise. You want people to remember you for all the right reasons.

Tags: Cloud Service Providers Digital Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Sales & Marketing

Related


  • Select a Hire
    Microsoft Taps Longtime Vet to Lead U.S. Partner Organization
    Veteran Microsoft execs Julia White and Brad Anderson are departing.
  • Hand pointing at digital depiction of word SaaS in a cloud
    Citrix to Acquire Wrike for $2.25 Billion, Expand SaaS Portfolio
    Wrike offers a collaborative work management platform.
  • COVID-19 pandemic
    How the Pandemic Will Influence Channel Partner Businesses in 2021
    From reshaping workspaces to doing more with less, four trends will dominate operations and sales.
  • Target group
    Stratus Technologies Targets VARs with New Partner Program
    Stratus offers two edge computing platforms.

4 comments

  1. Avatar Paul Barnett January 18, 2010 @ 5:37 pm
    Reply

    Great post Joe!

    People buy from those they know and trust. A tried and true method of establishing trust is by building your credibility as an expert. By doing this, you will increase the value of your services and attract more customers.

    Paul Barnett
    Marketing Director
    Virtual Administrator

  2. Avatar Joe Panettieri January 18, 2010 @ 5:41 pm
    Reply

    Hi Paul: Thanks for adding Virtual Administrator’s perspective.

    I suspect some readers will consider the blog entry super basic. But ultimately that was my point… You can’t be considered an expert on anything if you don’t sharpen two very basic skills: writing and verbal communications.

    -jp

  3. Avatar Vlad Mazek January 19, 2010 @ 10:39 pm
    Reply

    Good point… How many social media experts are out there? Thousands maybe. Common trait? Unemployment.

    I see a lot of people, even in my own organization, trying to stand on some pedestal and try to “own” something and it nearly always comes at the expense of them actually doing their job.

    Being an expert comes down to one thing: experience. Good news is that even if you don’t have it, faking it is fairly easy.

    -Vlad

  4. Avatar Stu Lustman January 20, 2010 @ 8:14 am
    Reply

    These are great tips. Because we are all entrenched in Tech on a daily basis, we don’t think about the fact that most people aren’t. Most don’t blog or Twitter about their businesses. I know in finance its even less than in Tech. Perhaps the biggest benefit of the social media tools as well as the seminars (cause I’ve done those too) is that you get to build both your business brand and your personal brand.

    Stu
    @StuFinancesTech

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • New, Changing Partner Programs: AWS, Tech Data, Avaya, Verizon
  • Intel Partner Alliance Unifies All Programs, Provides New Opportunities
  • Commvault Partners Get New Global Leader with Dell EMC Vet
  • Pax8 Follows Wirehive Acquisition with $96 Million in New Equity Capital

Galleries

View all

New, Changing Partner Programs: AWS, Tech Data, Avaya, Verizon

January 11, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

The Rise in Remote Work Increases the Need for Patch Management

January 27, 2021

Partners Share Their 2021 Goals—and Plans for Achieving Them

January 26, 2021

The Importance of Being Security-Centric

January 22, 2021

Webinars

View all

Your Network Perimeter Has Changed

February 18, 2021

In Case of Emergency: The Importance of Proactive Critical Event Management

February 23, 2021

How Managed Hosting Providers Thrive with the Alternative Cloud

February 24, 2021

White Papers

View all

Product Brief: Kaseya VSA Integrated Workflows with BMS and IT Glue

January 26, 2021

Why Subscription Business Model

January 15, 2021

The Ultimate MSP Guide to Sales Efficiency

January 14, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Virtual

March 2, 2021 - March 4, 2021

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

FASTCHAT: How SOAR Eliminates Security Challenges and Elevates Service Provider Revenues

January 6, 2021

Happy Holidays from Channel Partners & Channel Futures!

December 21, 2020

FASTCHAT: How Old, Unpatched Technologies Are Creating New Security Threats for MSPs and Their Customers

December 3, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

Building an efficient and profitable #patchmanagement practice in 2021 @ConnectWise #cybersecurity #endpoint #MSP… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 28, 2021
ChannelFutures

International effort takes down #Emotet botnet, but @Netenrich, @digitalshadows, @Vectra_AI say it will be back.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 28, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@Microsoft @Azure’s Tyler Bryson, new U.S. channel head, talks priorities at @GetNerdio’s #NerdioCon… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 27, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@CryptoStopper hires @GetChanneled to build partner program, act as virtual channel chief. #ransomware… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 27, 2021
ChannelFutures

MSSPs, check for this ‘novel’ social engineering threat from North Korea. #Google. dlvr.it/RrTS9J https://t.co/2mDcnNvkHz

January 27, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@keepersecurity report shows financial sector heavily targeted by #cybercriminals. dlvr.it/RrTBPz https://t.co/joTBNeb2MT

January 27, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@Trustwave unveils new global referral partner program. #cybersecurity dlvr.it/RrT9Td https://t.co/amXCw33UsF

January 27, 2021
ChannelFutures

Ecosystem security provider Cyberpion launches first #partnerprogram. dlvr.it/RrSnxK https://t.co/g7Po3jq8iw

January 27, 2021

MSSP Insider

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Channel Partners Online

Want more? Find more channel news and analysis on our sister site, Channel Partners.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Online
  • Channel Partners Events
  • MSP 501
  • MSSP Insider
  • IoT World Today
  • Webhostingtalk

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X