Finding new customers takes time, resources and expertise that many MSPs can’t spare. But without a steady stream of qualified prospects, growing the business can be difficult.
Xplifi wants to make that process easier by connecting businesses with MSPs that have the expertise to meet their needs. The company also offers lead-generation services that help service providers identify potential customers, deliver targeted marketing messages and build stronger sales pipelines.
CEO and President John McCallum recently sat down with ChannelPro. He shared how Xplifi helps MSPs reach the right prospects, build trust with potential customers and turn those connections into sales opportunities.
ChannelPro: How does Xplifi help MSPs grow?
John McCallum
McCallum: We provide lead-generation services specifically designed for managed service providers. We work with them to identify their ideal client profile so we can develop targeted messaging that reaches the prospects they’re looking for to help grow their businesses.
ChannelPro: What differentiates Xplifi from other lead-gen services?
McCallum: There are a few key areas:
- We provide a fully managed platform that handles much of the front-end work that usually falls lower on an MSP’s priority list. That includes list creation, maintenance, enrichment and outbound marketing campaigns.
- We manage those campaigns on their behalf and track engagement so we can provide a warm handoff to the MSP.
- MSPs can use our portal to review prospect engagement, company information and other details that can help them prioritize sales opportunities.
ChannelPro: How does Xplifi help MSPs build trust with potential customers?
McCallum talks with an MSP at a ChannelPro event.
McCallum: Prospects aren’t out there looking to turn their IT over to just somebody. There has to be a level of trust. One way to build that trust is by showing prospects that you’re helping other businesses in their industry and explaining how you can provide better business outcomes. Most business owners don’t really worry about managing their IT until they have to. It’s more about showing them you are better aligned with their requirements.
ChannelPro: How does feedback from MSP partners influence the platform’s development?
McCallum: We crowdsource with our partners. Some of our best enhancements and features have come from early adopters of our platform. We’re pretty agile, so we can ask what’s going to help the MSP engage with that prospect and convert the interaction into a legit sales opportunity. Then, we can roll it out as a feature within the portal. Most MSPs are not afraid to give us their feedback. That’s positive. I like the feedback because it helps us guide where we’re going. We can develop it to be a good fit for what they’re looking for.
ChannelPro: What advice would you give MSPs looking to improve their sales prospecting?
McCallum: Part of that is just looking for ways to give yourself a leg up on your competition. Find out how you can get in front of somebody new outside of your traditional organic way of growing your business. Maybe it doesn’t turn into a deal today, but it may turn into a deal six days from now, next month or next year. You have to get in front of new people and be able to talk about what you’re providing so that you can make those connections and grow your business.
Anjali Fluker is managing editor of The ChannelPro Network, where she covers news, trends and best practices for the MSP community. She specializes in telling the stories that matter to IT providers serving the SMB market. When she’s not reporting on the latest in managed services, she’s connecting with channel pros at industry events across the country.
Images: SashaMagic — stock.adobe.com, John McCallum via LinkedIn, Anjali Fluker/ChannelPro
