Richard Tubb's Blog, page 32
May 4, 2023
Why Robust Passwords are Still the Backbone of our Digital Security
Robust passwords that are hard to break, are the basic table stakes for anyone who manages their private and precious data online.
Coded passwords have been in use for centuries for keeping secrets safe. But today, our passwords are the gatekeepers to our digital lives.
On May 4th 2023 we celebrate World Password Day, where we’re reminded of the importance of these little cyphers in keeping our data safe and secure.
Here, we take the opportunity to remind ourselves why it’s important to use strong passwords. We also look at what to avoid when choosing a password, and what else you can do to keep your files and applications safe from unauthorised access.
Over the years, passwords have evolved, becoming more complex.
Not only that, but the number of passwords we have for different systems and applications has grown exponentially too. It’s believed that everyone who uses a smartphone or a computer has at least 50 different passwords to remember now. Assuming that people do use a different password for everything, (and we should be), remembering them all can be quite a challenge.
It’s no wonder that many people write these passwords down. Though it’s advised that if you do this, you should keep written crib sheets stored safely under lock and key.
The minimum requirements for most online authentication processes require password combinations of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. And the full string can be ten, or sometimes twelve characters long.
Many applications will suggest a strong password when you register as a user. At which point, you’ll be provided with a seemingly random mix of letters, numbers and symbols. But these can be incredibly difficult to remember (unless you use a password manager – more on that later).
Therefore, if you’re not using a password manager, I’d recommend you use a convention to remember your password.
If you find managing a large number of passwords quite difficult, I’ve listed three ways to make your passwords easier to remember. Firstly, using mnemonics to help you remember the password, secondly theleetspeak convention, and thirdly, making passwords longer.
Using Mnemonics – Mnemonics are just phrases that are used to determine the order of something. For example, Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain, which determines the order of colours in the rainbow.
Any phrase that is memorable to you can be turned into a mnemonic. You could use song lyrics, book titles, or anything that falls into a memorable order for you. Make a mnemonic too complex, though, and you may end up forgetting your password.
Leetspeak Convention – You could also employ what we used to call ‘l33tspeak’ to insert numbers for letters, as long as the words aren’t too common, and you don’t convert letters to numbers too predictably. Also make sure to not use things that people can associate you with easily.
A list of leet substitutions can be found in the Leet Wikipedia stub.
Make Your Password Longer – Another way to make your passwords harder to guess is to make them longer than the minimum. This makes it harder for hackers that use blunt-force cracking methods to guess your password.
Longer phrases can also make your passwords easier to remember. Before now, I’ve made my passwords the same length as the application it belongs to, and therefore, the password it easier for me to remember.
The more complex you can make your password, the harder it will be to crack, but there are other measures you should to take to keep your data safe. Here are a couple you should definitely consider:
Password ManagersPassword Managers can hold all of your passwords in one place under one master password. They allow you to save all other passwords you use on your devices and allow you to autofill login details where it suits you.
A number of password managers are available, including: BitWarden, LastPass and 1Password.
Authentication AppsMulti-factor authentication is another way you can make it harder for cybercriminals to access your data.
It’s an extra layer of protection which provides a time-limited code that you have to enter to prove you are who you say you are. If your authenticator is held on a different device, and is accessed using biometrics, face-recognition or a passcode, then it’s another layer cybercriminals have to attempt to replicate.
Some great authenticator apps include: Google Authenticator and Authy.
You may think that the days of password cliches such as ‘password’ or ‘12345’ are long gone, but you’d be surprised.
Anything that could be easily guessed is not a robust password.
Alongside these, passwords to avoid include:
Consecutive letters and numbers (e.g. Qwerty12345, ABCxyz999, etc.)Pastimes and important years (e.g. Engl4nd1966, StarWars1977, etc.)Family or Pet Names and D.O.Bs. (JamieBoy280612, Twinklecat2019)Always make sure you change the default password on your wi-fi router as well. Many are set as default to ‘Admin’, and therefore it can be very easy to access your network if you don’t change it to something stronger.
Any password that contains something that can be easily guessed from looking at your online presence, should not be used. For instance, favourite bands or movies, sports teams you follow or anything you take pride in.
Hackers can get your personal preference data from online quizzes, such as those that can tell you which ‘Game of Thrones House’ you’re most suited to. So, avoid them at all cost.
World Password Day 2023The first World Password Day took place on Thursday 5th May 2016. It was created by technology firm Intel, to promote better password habits, and based on an idea by security researcher Mark Burnett.
Those who wish to take part are encouraged to pledge their support on social media using the hashtag #WorldPasswordDay.
Ways you can observe World Password Day include:
Change an old password to a long, strong oneTurn on two-factor authentication for your important accountsPassword protect your wireless routerDon’t store passwords on your computer or phoneLog off when you’re done with a programPeriodically remove temporary internet files
How regularly to do force your clients to set new, or more robust passwords?
And what’s the worst password you’ve ever seen for a highly sensitive system?
Please let us know in the comments how you’ll be observing World Password Day.
ChatGPT & How to Secure Your Business Against AI-Supercharged Ransomware
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May 3, 2023
Tubbservatory Round-Up #16 – April 2023
Tubbservatory Round-Up – Tools and Resources for Your MSP
Each week, Richard throws a spotlight on five resources Managed Service Provider (MSP) business owners should take note of in the IT industry. The Tubbservatory is a weekly video broadcast featuring useful articles, podcasts and events that bring value to IT business owners. Tubbservatory Round-Up #16 – April 2023 is a recap of all of the Tubbservatory episodes made during the month of April.
And, it’s all edited together for you to watch at your convenience. The items are summarised below, with links to the resources mentioned in the video at the end of this article.
This month’s topics include: Cybersecurity, Automation, Integration, Email Security, Marketing and Building a Personal Brand.
Tubbservatory Round-Up #16: April – Week 1#1 Mastering the Top 5 Microsoft 365 Security Scenarios
In a recent poll, 90% of MSPs cited Microsoft 365 security as the biggest untapped opportunity for growth in 2023. Therefore, a webinar that caught my eye was Mastering the Top 5 Microsoft 365 Security Scenarios from SkyKick.
It took place on Wed 12th April, run as a workshop-style webinar for MSPs to understand how to deliver M365 security scenarios confidently and effectively.
#2 Barracuda MSP 2023 Email Security TrendsAnd talking of email, email remains a top target for cybercriminals. So the 2023 email security trends report by Barracuda MSP in conjunction with analysts Vanson Bourne, provides MSPs with some great intel.
The report features insights into the latest email attack trends and impact, the cost of an email security breach and the role advanced email security.
Definitely a download of interest to MSPs!
#3 It’s A Numbers Game by the MSP Finance TeamA podcast that caught my ear this week is “It’s a Numbers Game” by MSP experts Daniel Welling and Adam Morris.
In this podcast series, MSP business owners will learn the fundamental steps, the tips and tricks, the dos and don’ts to achieve MSP financial growth.
#4 Revenue Stack: The 4 Tools Every MSP Needs to Manage Their PipelineAnd talking of money, MSP expert Ben Spector has written a great article about the Revenue Stack: The 4 Tools Every MSP Needs to Manage Their Pipeline. Spector describes how MSPs should focus on a Marketing CRM, Sales CRM, PSA and Accounting package.
#5 ManageEngine UserConf 2023And finally, the ManageEngine UserConf 2023 takes place in Chicago, IL on May 9th-10th, and Toronto, Canada on May 17th-18th 2023.
If you believe in delivering a consistent employee experience without compromising on security, then this is a conference you should not miss. Attendees can learn everything about the new era of digital transformation.
#1 Pax8 Academy
The Pax8 Academy provides MSPs with an extensive library of free, on-demand content and paid instructor-led courses.
If you’re not already a Pax8 partner, then this new Academy adds so much value that it makes it a no-brainer to choose Pax8 to work with.
#2 MSP Success – Habits to Stand Out From the CompetitionWhat habits are IT Solution Providers and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) using to stand above their competitors? I offer some advice in a guest article I’ve written for Domotz. For instance, does your MSP business use Engineering Floorwalks?
Read more in this article.
#3 Generate More Leads, The Power of Portability, Maximizing Your Cloud Spend and More…If you’re not already following the amazing James Steel of Linode with his MSP videos, then you’re missing out! In his latest video, Steel shares insights on how to generate more leads, the power of portability, maximising your cloud spend and much more.
Steel’s YouTube is definitely a channel for MSPs to subscribe to!
#4 Invoice Management for Managed Service Providers: A Complete Guide – ZomentumNow, managing billing is a challenge for any MSP business, so this valuable eBook may help.
Invoice Management for Managed Service Providers: A Complete Guide is a free eBook from Zomentum and covers:
The three critical steps to manage invoicesScaling your invoice management process, and Leveraging automation for invoice processingThe best bit? This eBook is being made available by Zomentum completely free of charge.
#5 The Security Event For The European IT ChannelAnd finally, a huge upcoming cybersecurity event for MSPs is Channel Sec in London on 18th May 2023.
The event will cover all aspects of security across the IT and comms sectors including the emergence of managed security services embracing on-premises, cloud and hybrid solutions, zero-trust architecture, sustainability, skills shortages, recruitment, and development.
Speakers include Graham Cluley, Will Greenwood MBE and Senior Director of Security at Pax8, Mostyn Thomas.
I’ll be attending, so I hope to see you there!
#1 Acronis #CyberFit Academy
We start with shining a light on a hidden gem for MSPs who are using Acronis solutions to protect their clients.
The Acronis #CyberFit Academy is on-demand training for MSPs, with foundation courses offer a quick introduction to Acronis products. Associate courses provide a deep dive into specific product features, and Professional courses which are designed to provide expert-level instruction for specialists.
All the CyberFit Academy courses are offered through on-demand and live, instructor-led webinars.
Acronis reports that partners who have taken this training spend 30% less time on support and earn 103% more revenue.
I often talk about one of the fundamental tenets of Managed Services being to lower your cost of support, so if you’re using Acronis solutions, the CyberFit Academy is a no-brainer for your MSP business.
#2 The 3 Phases of Effectively Onboarding a New MSP ClientAn article that caught my eye is ‘the three phases of effectively onboarding a new MSP client’ by MSP legend, Joshua Liberman in a guest post for SuperOps.ai.
Liberman runs a successful MSP based in New Mexico, and his security first approach to onboarding is something MSPs can learn from.
#3 Managing Client Subscriptions is Now a Breeze!And talking of SuperOps, did you know that SuperOps offer an integration with Pax8 for managing client subscriptions?
Thanks to the integration, all your subscriptions are imported into your PSA, which means that all your MSP’s offerings are brought together in one place.
In short, you can integrate SuperOps.ai with Pax8 to drive your subscription management on autopilot.
#4 Quitting Has A Bad NameQuitting has a bad name, so writes MSP legend Karl Palachuk in his latest Relax, Focus, Succeed article.
The process of trimming – quitting something important – is rarely easy. It can be almost heart-breaking. But it’s a necessary part of growth, writes Palachuk.
#5 Kaseya Connect Global 2023
And finally, many of the top names in Managed Services will be headed to Las Vegas for Kaseya Connect Global from April 24th-27th 2023.
With over 100 sessions to attend, networking and celebrity keynotes, the event promises to be a huge one for MSPs.
#1 Augmentt Free Community Tools
MSPs, if you ever find yourself having to deal with old fashioned email alerts, then this free community tool from Augmentt is for you!
Augmentt’s Email Alerting & Notification Console helps you centrally monitor and escalate email-based alerts. You can monitor, categorise and escalate actionable email-based alerts and notifications from your critical applications and systems.
And did I mention the tool is free?
#2 Struggle to Build Your Personal Brand?Bradley Munday and Jason Kemsley of Uptime Solutions hosted me to talk personal branding for entrepreneurs, and the results were eye-opening.
For instance, you may have a personal brand already and not even know it!
If you’re an entrepreneur, then I’d highly recommend you watch this video for some valuable insights.
#3 MSP Initiative – MSP Community MindsA new MSP community that caught my eye is MSP Community Minds, part of the MSP Initiative.
The Community Minds series aims to bring in experts in:
LeadershipFinanceOperationsHuman ResourcesSales and Marketingto provide hands-on sessions in each discipline of business operations.
Those that attend will be provided education providing them actionable steps to implement and improve their business – both live and when they return to their daily jobs.
#4 Lifecycle InsightsA platform that I’ve heard a lot of MSPs talking about recently is Lifecycle Insights.
Insights offers to help MSPs with delivering real (not complex) QBRs, real fast, consolidate warranty look-ups, asset lifecycle management and vCIO reporting tool all in one, and link risk assessments and assets to build projects, roadmaps and budget forecasts.
Lifecycle Insights appears to be a powerful tool that many progressive MSPs are speaking highly of.
#5 N-Able Hosts Empower Prague 2023And finally, May 9th-11th sees Empower 2023 in Prague, in the Czech Republic.
Hosted by N-Able, Empower 2023 is set to be an intimate, hands-on, multi-day event attended by N-Able partners, industry leaders, and exciting guests.
Links to the Resources Mentioned in this Round-Up
From Week 1Mastering the Top 5 Microsoft 365 Security Scenarios Barracuda MSP 2023 email security trendsIt’s A Numbers Game By The MSP Finance TeamRevenue Stack: The 4 Tools Every MSP Needs to Manage Their PipelineManageEngine UserConf 2023Mentioned in Week 2Pax8 AcademyMSP Success – Habits to stand out from the competition MSP Success – Habits to stand out from the competition Generate More Leads, The Power of Portability, Maximizing Your Cloud Spend and More…Invoice Management for Managed Service Providers: A Complete Guide | ZomentumThe Security Event For The European IT ChannelWeek 3Acronis #CyberFit AcademyThe 3 phases of effectively onboarding a new MSP clientManaging client subscriptions is now a breeze!Kaseya Connect Global 2023And Week 4Augmentt Free Community ToolsWant to build your personal brand but find doing so a challenge?MSP Initiative – MSP Community MindsLifecycle InsightsN-Able Hosts Empower Prague 2023
That’s all from the Tubbservatory Round-Up #16!
Are there any particularly valuable tools or resources that you’ve discovered recently?
We’d love to hear about them in the comments!
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May 1, 2023
Steve’s Tribal Dispatches #1 – Benefits of Being a Tech Tribe Member
Steve’s Tribal Dispatches #1 – Apr 2023The Tech Tribe is a paid, members-only, online community for MSPs that is filled with some amazing resources for its members.
In this short series, I, Stephen McCormick, will be taking a look at some of these resources. Reporting back on the best The Tech Tribe has to offer, so that you can see what’s available to you, should you become a member.
In this month’s dispatches, I mention Growably, Tribal Website Reviews and the MSP Agreement Auto-Increase Email Template.
As part of my Tribal Dispatches, I’ll highlight a featured resource in the Tribe that many woill find useful. In this edition, I’ve chosen Growably.
This is arguably one of the best benefits of becoming a member of The Tech Tribe.
Growably is an all-in-one Sales & Marketing Automation platform for MSPs. If you’re lacking an adequate website, or you’re social marketing engine is non-existent, then this could be just what you need.
The platform includes a website/landing page builder, an email and SMS marketing suite, a sales CRM, a website chat widget and a social media posting tool. Everything you need to build a marketing engine and sales pipeline workflow for your MSP!
Features included in Growably include:
CRM & pipeline managementUnlimited sales funnelsWebsite developmentSurveys & formsEmail marketing2-Way SMS marketingAppointment systemWorkflow automationSocial media marketingMobile appIt integrates with Twilio and there’s a WordPress plugin available for it too!
This is a great tool, with lots of functionality, and it’s completely free to Tech Tribe members!
Furthermore, to make it easier to get started, there are some great detailed guides to help you find your feet.
As well as regular training sessions and Q+A’ provided by Tribal Elder, Andrew Moon (TheOrangeNomad).
The Tribal Library is an area of the Tribe where you can quickly access templates, videos, reviews and other tools.
This month, I took a look at Mark Copeman‘s Tribal Website Reviews and the email template: Notice of MSP Agreement Auto-Increase
Tribal Website ReviewsEach month, members of the Tribe may submit details of their website via a form. Then, one entry is then picked for a comprehensive review by Wingman Marketing‘s Mark.
Mark makes a 20-30min video where he makes recommendations on how that website can be improved, which is then shared with the rest of the Tribe.
The idea is that, from his reviews, members can apply Mark’s advice to their own websites.
Suggestions for improvement usually touch upon things like:
Strong calls to action (CTAs)How user-friendly it is to navigateGeneral website performanceUse of social proof (or lack of)Email Template: Notice of MSP Agreement Auto-IncreaseThere are a great many useful email templates in the Tribal Library. However, this one is definitely a handy template to have at hand when you have a client due for an anniversary uplift.
The annual price increase email you send to your clients can be a source of anxiety for some MSP owners. Many dread the thought of pushback, but it shouldn’t stop you. You should, at the very least, be raising your prices annually in line with inflation.
Even if you don’t use the template verbatim, it’s a strong foundation upon which you can formulate your own auto-increase notice.
The Community Forums are where members of the Tribe can post and comment on topics that are relevant to them.
Members are encouraged to ask any questions they here, while helping others who are seeking answers.
This can be anything from advice on how to cultivate a prospects list, to help in choosing an insurance provider.
Some of this months featured hot topics were:
How do you respond when a prospect or lead says your price is higher than your competitors?What to do if your primary vendor is compromised and your MSP goes down with the ship?How to rekindle the relationship when a prospect stops respondingRMM tool recommendations for a fledgling MSP
Each month there are regular local gatherings of The Tech Tribe. And you don’t even have to be a member to attend them!
Congratulations to Michelle Coombes who recently started a new local gathering in South Birmingham. These gatherings take place at Shirley Golf Club, Solihull, in the West Midlands, happening on the third Wednesday of every month.
You can find out where your local Tech Tribe gathering is, as well as who to contact about attending, here.
These are great peer groups that are free to attend, and are well worth your time.
Liked what you saw in this month’s Tribal Dispatches, and want to find out more?
Click here for more information and a 40% discount code!
This was just a taster of what to expect should you become a member of The Tech Tribe.
Look out for next month’s Tribal Dispatches, where I’ll be reporting on more of the benefits of joining this great community.
Are you already a member of the Tribe? What do you think is the best thing about being part of the community? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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April 26, 2023
How to Demonstrate Character? Show You Stand for Something Meaningful
For today’s article, I’m honoured to be handing over the blog to one of my business heroes, Bob Burg. He talks in this article about what character means in business.
Bob is the co-author (alongside John David Mann) of the best-selling book, The Go-Giver: A Little Story About A Powerful Business Idea.
The Go-Giver is a book I consider one of my top-three life-changing reads. It is also the book I gift most often to other people. I’d highly recommend you read it.
After you’ve read Bob’s article, I’d also recommend you listen to my TubbTalk Podcast interview with Bob where we talk about How Being a Go-Giver Can Increase Your Sales.
Richard Tubb.
***
“Those are my principles. And, if you don’t like them… I have others.”~Groucho Marx
The above line by one of our greatest comedians is, unfortunately, a bit too real. While we tend to see this manifest most commonly in politicians who will say just about anything in order to get elected or re-elected, far too many in business do the same thing.
Understanding a Person’s CharacterA person’s character is their defining quality. Perhaps, more accurately, it’s the sum total of all their qualities. It’s…who they are.
It can accurately be said that when you really understand a person’s character, you can predict their major decisions.
Why? Because you know where they stand. And you know that they stand for something! They are predictable.In this case, a good predictable.
While the media gives significantly greater attention to those whose principles are along the line of Groucho’s above persona, fortunately there are many more whose principles — based on high character — are indeed immutable.
One such man I’m reminded of is John Allison.
John Allison: A Man of Character Based LeadershipMr. Allison, the former Chairman & CEO of Branch Banking & Trust Company (BB&T), grew one of the most profitable banks in the country. It was also one of the few banks that did not involve itself in sub-prime lending in the decade leading up to the 2008 financial meltdown, writing only conventional mortgages.
Mr. Allison understood the unholy alliance between Washington, DC and many of the banks. And, being that this was contrary to the principles upon which he and his bank stood (making their profit through providing value to their clients), the decision to forgo the countless “easy millions” being made by his peers was a no-brainer.
Of course, when things came crashing down, his bank was left standing tall; both in profitability and in reputation.
Mr. Allison was a character-based leader. As a result his team members gladly followed him, as did his customers.
John Allison stood for something. After all, that’s what people of character do.
I know that you are the same way.
You might also find it useful to read Richard’s article, How Being a Go-Giver Can Increase Your Sales – TubbTalk #43!
Question: What principles do you stand for, and how do they guide your decisions and actions in both your personal and professional life?
Leave a comment below or get in touch with Richard or me, Bob Burg!
About Bob Burg
Bob Burg is the co-author (with John David Mann) of the best-selling book, The Go-Giver, a Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek Bestseller.
Bob’s Go-Giver book has sold well over 1 million copies and been translated into 30 languages.
It was rated #10 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the Most Motivational Books Ever Written.
Further, The Go-Giver was featured on HubSpot’s 20 Most Highly Rated Sales Books of All Time.
In The Go-Giver, Bob shares how a subtle shift in focus is not only a more uplifting and fulfilling way of conducting business but the most financially profitable way as well.
For 30 years, Bob has helped companies, sales leaders, and their teams to more effectively communicate their value, sell at higher prices with less resistance, and grow their businesses based on Endless Referrals.
If you’d like to receive regular ideas, tips and wisdom from Bob, then sign-up for the Daily Impact email.
You Might Also be Interested in:The benefits of learning how to Up-Serve your clientsHow IT Companies can Sell Themselves Better – TubbTalk #20How to get a grip on your small business finances with a Weekly Financial Report
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April 24, 2023
TubbTalk 130: Wearing all the Hats: How to Succeed When You Run a Solo MSP Business
Jack Gray is the founder and Managing Director of FOMO Technology Limited, which he runs as a solo MSP. Jack recently won the “Solo MSP of the Year” award in the recent SuperOps MSP awards.
It’s a Northern Ireland based IT support and services company and Jack has over two decades of experience in the industry. He’s committed to providing businesses in the region affordable, customised, and personal IT support.
The SuperOps Awards ProcessJack says FOMO Technologies has a streamlined IT system in place . He’s thorough with every project he works on, making sure it’s completed properly and to the client’s satisfaction. He works hard to build a good rapport with clients: “Communication is really key.”
He found out about the awards by accident: “I’m in a ‘pod group’ with some like-minded MSPs I met in The Tech Tribe. We have regular calls, and someone mentioned the awards. And he shared the link, I filled in the form and sent it off. It was fairly easy to do.”
What the Win Means for a Solo MSP BusinessJack admits that the win came as a bit of a shock, but he’s very grateful for it. “It’s immense, and highlights what we like doing on a daily basis in terms of providing the best possible IT service that our clients deserve.”
Another benefit of the win is reaching a new audience, and having an accolade to put front and centre on social media. When you’re a solo MSP, your marketing budget is small. So this is a great piece of PR to share everywhere.
The Challenges and Successes in Running a Solo MSPAs with many other service-based industries, there are only so many hours an MSP can work in a day. “So to grow, you need to hire more staff and work more hours as a business as a whole.
“Another big challenge is standardising a set of services, when your clients have different requirements and budgets. That happens often with cybersecurity support. I feel like we’re constantly re-evaluating our stack. Finding suitable staff is an ongoing problem at the moment, too.”
But on the positive side, the variety of the work makes running an MSP enjoyable. “One day is not the same as the next. And because I wear multiple hats, I cover lots of different roles.”
What’s Next for the IT IndustryFirstly, Jack says that the fight against cybercrime and staying ahead of ever-more sophisticated techniques is a focus. Second, educating clients about the risk they face, and helping them understand that it’s when, not if, you’re attacked.
“I think that cloud growth will continue to grow, so clients will need support with that. And with so many distributed workforces, remote working is here to stay.” Forward-thinking MSPs should bear all of those in mind!
The Obstacles to Business Growth as a Solo MSPOne of the biggest obstacles of growth and expansion is needing to get into the mindset of being a business owner. Because it’s much easier to have a lifestyle business. And to do that you need to let go of things and delegate more.
“Finding the right staff and keeping them busy and incentivised is always a problem. For the most part, we’ve outsourced our NOC and SOC, which has been great. But we need people onsite too. That’s the big step that will take us to growth.”
Jack’s Advice to New Solo MSP Owners“Some days you feel like you’re the statue and your clients are the pigeons!” says Jack! “But remember that your clients don’t understand what it is you do for them. Many of them don’t really know what IT is in their business.
“Try to add value wherever possible. Educate your clients as best you can in a language that they can understand, and they will appreciate your time and effort as a result. Just stick at it.”
How to Connect With Jack GrayConnect with Jack on TwitterLike FOMO Technology on FacebookHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeCompTIAThe Tech TribeYou Might Also be Interested inPodcast: Why a Cybersecurity-First Service Mentality Keeps MSPs on Top of Cyber TrendsHow to Future-Proof Your MSP: Inspiring Highlights From SuperSummit Live 20237 Essential Ways to Strengthen Your MSP’s Backup OfferingThe post TubbTalk 130: Wearing all the Hats: How to Succeed When You Run a Solo MSP Business appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
April 19, 2023
Creating a More Sustainable MSP – Why the Benefits are More Than Just Ethical
“It’s not easy being green!” And yet, in today’s climate, we have an ethical responsibility to run an environmentally-friendly, sustainable MSP (managed service provider) business, as best we can.
However, beware of greenwashing. This is the practice of making unsubstantiated claims that your business is environmentally-friendly, when in fact, it’s not.
In this article, we take a look at ways you can make your business greener: explaining the benefits of doing so, and what to avoid.
As we all know, wanting to be more sustainable MSP and putting sustainability plans into practice are two very different things.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to understand that being sustainable is for everyone, not just the big multi-nationals.
According to a report by the IBM Institute for Business Value, 86% of the companies they surveyed who put sustainability as one of their top 3 priorities had a sustainability strategy. But of those, only 35% had put that strategy into practice.
Challenge 1: Lack of Money to Implement Sustainability PracticesMaking any type of change to your business often requires some investment to implement. When changing suppliers, systems and even stationery, there is some form of capital cost to your business.
There’s also a risk from market forces, as well as other factors. Do you really want to be spending more when there’s a looming recession, an impending banking crisis and the threat of cyberattacks on the increase?
It’s so easy to say, “We’ll put our green strategy into practice when the economy stabilises…”
This ‘fear of the financial unknown’ is why some companies are still waiting to make the transition.
Challenge 2: Lack of Time/Low Priority to ImplementBeing an MSP business owner keeps you busy enough as it is. You focus your time on delivering quality services for your customers, marketing for new business and making sure you’re compliant for tax and insurance. And ensure that your accounting and payroll are all up to date!
As an MSP business owner, you’ve probably got a long list of things to do. And so it’s understandable if developing a more sustainable MSP is probably quite low on that list.
Challenge 3: Employee PushbackImplementing new initiatives, even if they’re with the best of intentions, can seem like ‘extra work’ for your employees.
It’s not just about making those sustainable changes to your business, but in proving that you are sustainable through metrics and compliance reports. They way to pitch this to your staff is to see these changes as an opportunity to raise a positive culture together.
Challenge 4: GreenwashingBelieving that customers or staff will think you’re greenwashing is cited as a reason why some small businesses won’t focus on sustainable practices in their business. Even though it’s the businesses that are lying about, or embellishing their sustainability to their audiences, that are guilty of greenwashing.
Alongside these separate challenges, there also seems to be a lack of cohesion in delivery too.
Help in Tackling these ChallengesDespite the challenges, there are some helpful resources out there to make transitioning to a more environmentally-friendly business much easier.
There is help for small businesses that are looking to become sustainable. Quite a few banks in the UK offer ‘green loans’ for businesses. In addition, many local authorities may offer grants to undertake sustainability transformation projectsDownload a sustainability checklist for your business. A good one can be found at smallbusiness.co.ukAsk your vendor partners to provide a sustainability report for you. If you can prove you’re using partners who are committed to a cleaner/greener future, this will help you achieve your sustainability goalsAsk your peers at peer group meetings what they are doing to ensure sustainability. You’re likely not the only one at the meeting committing to a more sustainable business, and others may be able to guide you on your next stepsSet up a report to help you track your goals for achieving a greener businessThis is not an exhaustive list, but just a few ideas to get you started!
To be carbon neutral means to offset the same amount of CO2 that a business generating, by removing it elsewhere.
While net zero means to remove an equal amount of all greenhouse gasses (GHGs) (which includes carbon dioxide) to what your organisation produces.
The aggregated pollutant emissions figure that an organisation and its supply chain produces is known as its carbon footprint.
SMEs can find out what their carbon footprint is by entering their emissions data into an online calculator. The Carbon Trust have a calculator that works it out from your company’s yearly fuel, energy and greenhouse gas top-ups.
There are many buzzwords that you hear when talking about businesses that have ‘gone green’.
There are two fundamental ways in which any business can become greener.
By reducing their waste outputBy reducing the energy they use (or by offsetting carbon or greenhouse gasses elsewhere)You can buy carbon offsets if you find reducing waste and energy too difficult. If you go down this route, make sure to check the projects that your donation is being invested in and that they have a legitimate third-party certification.
Some reputable carbon offset organisations, include:
Additionally, there are other business practices that can make the difference when deciding to become more environmentally-friendly.
Encouraging car-pooling or allowing more staff to work from home, saving on commuter CO2Going paperless, and using refillable water bottlesChoosing local suppliers for goods and servicesGreenbiz has a great article highlighting 11 ways for small businesses to become more ecofriendly.
For IT businesses, one of the biggest energy consumers are local servers that store networks and data. Cloud computing solutions are generally seen as greener because they have lower emissions and power consumption overall. They require fewer engineers to manage, and are more efficient storage solutions too.
And don’t forget that there is an opportunity as a managed service provider to provide carbon-accounting-as-a-service to your clients. Scandinavian firm Normative.io is one such platform that provides this.
Though sustainability for its own sake is a worthy pursuit in itself, there are other reasons you might want to consider a more environmentally friendly approach to running your MSP.
Reducing Waste Will Reduce Your CostsWaste is bad for the environment for two reasons. Waste pollutes if it goes to landfill, and it has a carbon cost when it is processed.
Crucially to you, as a business owner, you’ll save on your bottom line if you’re more cautious about how much you order in – think about packaging stationery and other items come in.
Attracting New Talent to Your Sustainable MSPAccording to business media brand Fast Company, nearly 40% of millennials have taken a job because of company sustainability.
With the struggles that are happening around recruiting talent at the moment, being competitive and sustainable might be just what’s needed to give your company the edge.
It demonstrates just how much younger generations care about the future of the environment. And therefore, it’s reflected in the choices they make.
Proven Sustainability is Great for Your Business MarketingThe way we perceive sustainability has become very important for consumers and partners in recent years.
“66% of consumers would spend more on a product if it came from a sustainable brand”. This is according to a study carried out by Nielsen IQ Partner Network.
There is a greater respect for companies and individuals who can show real sustainability in their operations. Therefore, it’s a big draw for your target audience if you’re able to demonstrate your green credentials.
The positive engagement you get when focusing your digital marketing strategies on sustainability creates social proof for your audiences.
Likewise, a sustainability transformation story is a great draw for local press. It’s just the sort of publicity that can raise your profile to greater heights, hopefully leading to more sales opportunities.
Sustainability benefits to businesses were highlighted in a keynote given by Dan Scott of ConnectWise at the CompTIA Community event in Manchester in April 2022. He said, “By going carbon free, net zero or paperless, you’re saying to your potential partners that you care about sustainability.”
If you make false claims on sustainability in your business, you are, in fact, greenwashing.
It might not always be immediately apparent that you’re doing it. After all, and with the best of intentions, you might not fully realise that you’re claiming to be a sustainable company when you’re not.
To avoid greenwashing:
Make sure your messages are not misleadingHave data to back up your claimsDon’t exaggerate your plans to become more sustainableMake your claims easy to understand and not open to interpretationIf you’re found to be greenwashing, the bad PR can have a massively negative impact on your business.
Always ensure your reporting tools are providing accurate data, and that you meet any and all compliance regulations before stating your facts.
Sustainability is achievable if you’re willing to invest the time and effort. It can even save you money if done right, and attract more business and better talent.
Make sure you’re not cutting any corners before marketing yourself as a sustainable MSP business, though. The reputational damage if you’re found to be greenwashing could be devastating.
Before you start your sustainability journey, take a look at the resources available to you. Get buy-in from your employees and stakeholders. Ask your peers for guidance and see what financial assistance may be available to you.
Are you looking to steer your business into become more sustainable? Or have you found some great resources that you think might help others on their path to sustainability? Please let us know in the comments.
The post Creating a More Sustainable MSP – Why the Benefits are More Than Just Ethical appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
April 17, 2023
TubbTalk 129: How an MSP Wins At Marketing in The Real World
Sarah Turner is a creative marketer at IT Backbone. They support cloud migration, infrastructure overhauls and build anything that their clients need.
A data-led decision-maker, she was part of the team that helped IT Backbone win the “Most Innovative Marketing and Sales Campaign” category of the MSP awards, hosted by SuperOps.
The Winning Marketing StrategySarah explained that she and her team had put together a multi-pronged marketing campaign, which combined direct mail, emails and phone calls. “We also introduced video to the process, so we could make the follow-ups really personalised.
“For instance, if someone had a meeting scheduled that didn’t go ahead, we wanted to know why. Sending a video message can help them to reply. I want us to stand out from the businesses who approach marketing more broadly – they throw things together to see what sticks.”
“We really focus on the customer journey, so when I put together our submission, I wanted to come up with a visual way of showing what we did. A written summary wasn’t going to be interesting enough. So I made a video that showed our story.
“Part of the campaign was to send out slide decks with personalised information, which clients loved so much that they shared them on social media. I included some of those in my video. I thought it was helpful to show the campaign and the feedback, along with our results and learnings.”
What a Customer First Approach Looks LikeFor Sarah and IT Backbone, everything comes down to brand values. “If your brand values are not customer first, you can’t fake it. It needs to be inherent and top-down in everything you do across the business.
“I believe that it’s something that needs to be lived every day, but that’s only possible if everybody is living it too. Because we do it, our clients say they trust us and understand their business. We look at the problem and how we help solve it, how they want to approach it and the outcome they’re after. We’re not just selling them stuff.”
Tools to Run and Measure a Marketing CampaignSarah shared just some of the tools she uses for her marketing campaigns, including HubSpot, which serves as their CRM. She adds that it’s great for reporting, and lets you establish trends and see where touchpoints are working.
“I use Canva a lot, particularly to make visuals that I want to share with the rest of the business where I don’t need to go into so much detail. One example is our marketing roadmaps, which are one-page guides with easy-to-understand overviews. So for example, I produced our marketing roadmaps in Canva. And I used InVideo for our award submission.
Sarah explains that as she’s data led, it’s important for her to understand and interpret that data. “I tend to make decisions using both qualitative and quantitative data. That lets me really evaluate the success or failure of a campaign, and why things worked.
“We use a tool called Hot Jar – you put some code onto a landing page which then records user behaviour on that page. It gives you heatmaps of where the mouse went. And it measures rage clicks!”
The SuperOps Awards ProcessSarah says she’s a big fan of the SuperOps content, because it’s valuable, not salesy. It’s easier to warm to a brand, she says, when you feel like there’s a real person creating content.
She saw the MSP awards mentioned on LinkedIn, and found the application process easy. “I wanted to appeal to the judging panel and stand out. And because the category included examples of innovation, it made sense to create a video rather than a written document.”
One benefit of winning the award is that it shows the company that they’re doing well and on the right track. “It’s great to have that recognition from such prestigious people in the industry. And it’s real validation that what we do works and is something to be proud of.”
The Challenges and Successes of Marketing in ITInterestingly, Sarah’s biggest challenge and greatest success in marketing in the IT industry are the same. “The length of a sales journey to getting a client to sign up. But no business owner goes looking for a new MSP for fun.
“Unfortunately, it’s usually when they have a real pain point, and something that has gone wrong with their existing partner. So companies aren’t necessarily primed to want to hear from you and engage with you.
“But on the other hand, when somebody does engage, it’s really exciting. Or when they respond to your marketing, or let you know that they’ve seen your content and want to arrange a meeting. It’s so rewarding, because we know that the long game is working.”
Where MSPs go Wrong with MarketingA very easy and common mistake is not marketing for long enough. Sarah says that an MSP might have a campaign that doesn’t seem to generate any leads, or enough to make it worthwhile.
“So the temptation is just to stop the campaign. But it doesn’t mean that it hasn’t worked, it just hasn’t worked yet. At that point you want to switch to something else, but you’re better off persevering.
“Re-evaluate your goals and targets for the campaign, and just keep it going. Why? Because you never know when somebody is going to read your content at the right time and get in touch.”
How to Connect With Sarah TurnerIT BackboneFollow IT Backbone on TwitterFollow IT Backbone on LinkedInConnect with Sarah on LinkedInHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeMarketing CRM: HubSpotDesign tool: CanvaOnline video editor: InvideoWebsite heatmap tool: HotjarMel Robbins PodcastJay Shetty PodcastBook: Mel Robbins: The High 5 Habit: Take Control of Your Life with One Simple HabitBook: Mel Robbins: The 5 Second Rule: The Surprisingly Simple Way to Live, Love, and Speak with Courage: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage, (cover may vary)Feel Better, Live More podcastBook: Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Happy Mind, Happy Life: 10 Simple Ways to Feel Great Every DayBook: Dr Rangan Chatterjee: The 4 Pillar Plan: How to Relax, Eat, Move and Sleep Your Way to a Longer, Healthier LifeBook: Nir Eyal: Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your LifeBook: James Clear: Atomic Habits: the life-changing million-copy #1 bestsellerYou Might Also be Interested inHow Marketing Conferences can Dramatically Improve Your MSP’s Marketing KnowledgePodcast: How To Accelerate Your MSP Sales for Business GrowthHow Video Marketing Boosts Your IT Sales Reach
The post TubbTalk 129: How an MSP Wins At Marketing in The Real World appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
April 13, 2023
Why Business Networking is a Powerful Tool for Techs
For this article, I’m handing over to guest blogger Suzanne Rice. Suzanne is the Director of Computer Troubleshooters Tonbridge, an IT support department, there to help your business with all of its computer needs.
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Business networking is not the natural habitat for techs who much prefer to stay in the backroom and communicate via email. But I have bravely ventured out into the world of networking!
So, here are my thoughts on why you should give it a go, and suggestions for making it a success.
Firstly – now more than ever since Lockdown – it is vital to show that you are still trading by being visible.
Indeed, meeting business-people face-to-face contributes to the 16 touches required by prospective customers before they make their buying decision.
How Should You Approach Networking to get the Best Results for Your Business?In a nutshell, think about how you would like other people to approach you. Networking is about making connections, not about selling. No-one likes to be sold to or lectured and you will soon get a reputation as a hunter if you persist in this behaviour.
You may feel shy or nervous as you enter a room full of strangers the first time. But remember that the majority of the attendees probably feel the same way. Be brave and go over to talk to someone you don’t know –they’re likely to be grateful that you made the first move.
Also, there’s nothing worse than being confronted with a roomful of cliques where you feel you are excluded from the conversation. Don’t be that person who only chats with their friends – be open and welcoming to new contacts.
Attendees are there to network, so you have permission to talk to them about your business and to approach people you don’t know – as long as they are not clearly involved in a private conversation.
Connect, engage with them and ask interesting questions. And a top tip – can prepare some conversation openers in advance. Only once you have established a connection should you mention your company and the type of professions you would like to link up with – your niche.
Computer Troubleshooters was a member of BNI for several years, which focuses on referral marketing.
There are strict rules for attendance and making contributions, which include referrals, visitors and testimonials.
However, you get the weekly opportunity to talk about your business and the referrals you are looking for, and enjoy the benefit of having no competitors in the room.
To be successful you need to invest a lot of time and effort preparing for the meetings. It provides excellent training in presenting your business. Plus, it provides a local support network of experienced professionals on tap – invaluable for novice companies.
Informal Business NetworkingAt the other end of the spectrum are the gatherings which bring together local business-people for informal networking without having to do presentation yourself.
Computer Troubleshooters enjoys being a member of Sevenoaks Chamber of Commerce. At this event, it’s more about making connections with the local business community.
Each member can choose how much they wish to put in or take out of it – no three-line whips, no referrals, no 60-second presentations. The serendipity of who you may meet all adds to the fun, with First Wednesday regularly attracting more than 60 attendees.
If you get the chance to give a talk – embrace it! Just remember to focus on the benefits of your service or a business aspect of your industry and don’t blind them with science.
You will encounter competitors in the informal networking groups. Don’t shy away from them. They could have interesting insights about the local market and end up being useful strategic partners.
We met a residential IT specialist this way, and we’ve passed on all our former residential customers and new enquiries rather than leaving them in the lurch.
Hopefully he’ll reciprocate and send us an opportunity that doesn’t fit his business model. It’s important to understand that there’s no guarantees, though.
You might also find Richard’s article on Online or Offline, Networking is Networking a useful read!
Professional development. You learn how to speak in public, what to look out for when conducting a one-to-one meeting and how to make your presentations entertaining and memorableSimply an enjoyable way of marketing. It definitely beats cold calling!
Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Business Networking?You are bombarded with opportunities to meet up and you could spend your whole day progressing from one meeting to the next.
You
clearly have to allow time to work on your business too! Remember, networking is not just a jolly chat but actually a marketing activity.
My preference is to be selective. Personally, I’m currently focusing on Sevenoaks Chamber but I am open to occasional events hosted by local companies.
I also attend Sevenoaks Voluntary Forum as this brings together representatives from our niche – charities.
My Advice on Business NetworkingBe brave. Get involved, listen more than you talk, show interest and be ready to offer your business card if requested. Remember that business networking is not just an hour-long meeting. To be effective, you must follow up with connections and develop the relationship further.
Have fun out there. Good luck!
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So, what are your thoughts on business networking? How should you approach networking to get the best results for your business? Leave a comment below and let us know!
Suzanne is the Director of Computer Troubleshooters Tonbridge, an IT support department. They’re on hand to help your business with all of its computer needs.
Computer Troubleshooters Tonbridge get to know your business and make technology recommendations that save you money or boost your productivity.
You can connect with Suzanne Rice on LinkedIn or follow @CTTonbridge on Twitter.
The post Why Business Networking is a Powerful Tool for Techs appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
April 11, 2023
How to Future-Proof Your MSP: Inspiring Highlights from SuperSummit Live 2023
Future-Proof Your MSP: The SuperOps.ai SuperSummit Live 2023In a follow-up to 2022’s SuperOps‘ SuperSummit Live: The Road to £1m, this year’s SuperSummit once again took place in London over the course of an afternoon on the 23rd March 2023.
The theme for this year’s event was about how to ‘Future Proof your MSP’!
The event kicked off with a networking welcome lunch held at the Royal College of General Practitioners at 30 Euston Square, London, which gave attendees plenty of time to arrive before the speakers took to the stage.
Arvind Parthiban, founder and CEO of SuperOps.ai, led the welcome note. He set the tone of the event highlighting the present challenges facing MSPs.
Among the challenges he mentioned were:
RecessionHigh InflationLayoffsCybercrimeand WarThe state of the global economy looks set to slow down even further than it has over the past three years, with projected growth only at 1.7% compared with 5.5% in 2021.
Cyberattacks are on the rise, with 1 attack occurring on average every 39 seconds.
While these are challenges that all businesses must face, they can also be opportunities. As MSPs, we need to starting thinking about how we adapt and provide solutions to these problems, both for ourselves and our clients.
Speaker: Richard Tubb, interviewed by me (Stephen McCormick)
In this Q&A chat, Richard explained what the New Normal was, how this was a challenge for businesses, but also an opportunity for MSPs. Taking advantage of these opportunities is the perfect way to future proof your MSP business.
Key PointsSome of the key points included:
Digital transformation is seen as a necessity now. Move systems to the cloud to allow staff to work from anywhere faster, better, cheaper and more securelyIT service providers are seen as key partners for businesses looking to secure a competitive edgeAlso, IT service providers should be thinking of themselves as not just technical people. They should be thinking of themselves as business people with specialist technology expertiseMSPs are essentially recession-proof businesses, and that the future is going to be good for MSPs who invest in skills for the futureWith big businesses tightening their belts and the potential of them having to let staff go, there may be opportunities for MSPs to hire some good talent. Especially if they compete on a better work-life balance as a perkWhen it comes to mental health, there are many communities and peer groups to become a member of. Communities such as The Tech Tribe openly discuss mental health. You should not suffer alone, and always ask for help if you need itIn conclusion, the session helped prove that there were a lot of great opportunities for MSPs. Therefore, we should be confident in the fact that businesses need MSPs more than ever.
As a sidenote, this was my first time interviewing on stage. I was nervous, but it went well!
Speakers: Joe Burns, Vera Tucci and Andrew Eardley, and the panel was moderated by Dave Sutton.
One of the ways you can future-proof your MSP is to maintain a happy MSP.
The second session was a panel on what makes a happy MSP. With such a broad topic to cover, the answers that were given to some of the questions posed felt very personal.
Joe kicked off by saying that running an MSP can be a stressful experience. One of the ways you can feel less all by yourself is to join a community. While taking regular holidays are great for your mental health.
Vera said that having the right people in your MSP is the key to a happy experience
running an MSP.
She wanted people who displayed the potential to mature into responsible people, and for them to feel part of the journey.
For Andrew, life is about doing things you enjoy doing. Your business is there to facilitate the lifestyle you want for yourself.
Working With ClientsWhen it came to working with clients, the panel had a few ideas about that too. Where clients can sometimes not be a good fit for your business, Vera said that in one case that she experienced, the client was affecting the culture of the business. It was a tough decision, but in the end she decided the best course of action was to let that client go.
Joe agreed that you should pick the clients that you want to work with, if possible, but always have your team’s back.
Ensuring that your team has the necessary soft skills as well as the technical expertise, was also seen as a winning combination. And, Andrew added you need to employ people with the right attitude, and let them relate to the customers on their level.
Process AutomationMoving onto process automation (AI) for your MSP, the panel had something to say about refining their business processes.
Vera mentioned establishing monthly process meetings. Changing processes so that they’re a better fit for the customer, and re-evaluating changes in six months’ time.
Joe said to avoid shiny thing syndrome, and instead build the systems you want to grow into. Clients don’t care what is in your stack, just the results it will bring them.
Andrew agreed that bringing your clients in line with the technology that you wish to adopt was key.
Advice on How to Get Prospects to Close a DealIn getting a prospect to commit to closing a deal, the panel had one last piece of advice to give.
Vera suggested that if they’re not quite ready to begin a full business relationship, see what they’re willing to do in the interim.
Andrew confidently said you should offer a security audit, but don’t do it for free, or they’ll think it’s worthless.
Joe said that he never really had that much trouble in getting prospects over the line.
Mark Copeman, Director of Wingman MSP Marketing and Author of Helpdesk Habits and MSP Secrets Revealed, has helped dozens of MSPs in reviewing their websites.
At SuperSummit 2023, he educated us about four small changes that we can make to our websites that will make a massive difference to our businesses.
Two of the things he mentioned included how to get your ‘above the fold’ right, and why you should banish the ‘white-toothed people’ from your website.
Above the FoldThe above the fold is the very top of your website, the page you see before you start scrolling. It’s very much the storefront on your business, so it’s important to get that right to intrigue your visitors and prevent them from bouncing early.
Mark said it takes 6-7 seconds to make a good first impression.
Some of the things a good ‘above the fold’ include are:
Headline – what do you doEvidence of what you doQuote – a short and sweet testimonialA Quirky Image – something that draws the eyeA Call to Action – but DO NOT include a button hereMark explained that including a button that links away from your homepage in your above the fold section takes them away from the rest of your storefront too soon.
If you’re unsure of your above the fold, ask a client to review it – or even better, ask a 10 year old, they’ll always give you an honest opinion!
Banish the ‘White-Toothed’ PeopleThe next piece of advice from Mark was to banish the white-toothed people from your website.
‘The white-toothed people’ is Mark’s’ term for those stock images of those perfect-looking people that you see on a lot of websites.
It’s an insincere reflection of your business, but worse than that, they are boring, and don’t grab the attention of your visitor.
It’s much better, if you can afford it, to get a professional photographer to take pictures of your people in your offices.
If not though, there are sites where you can grab free assets such as Unsplash, or for a small subscription, such as Envato Elements.
Mark said there were many more ways to improve a website, but that these changes made the biggest difference.
Speakers: Scott Riley, Steven Pretlove, Arvind Parthiban and the panel was moderated by Richard Tubb
There were more valuable discussions about our relationship with technology in our MSP.
As MSPs Do We Need More Tools?Scott suggested that we need to move away from ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’ and focus on the tools we already have. Only implementing new tools if they legitimately fill a gap in our services. Don’t believe the sales pitches all the time.
Steven agreed, and furthered the point that we need to get the most out of what we already
have. If you find you’re constantly changing the tools you use, it’s not the tools that are the problem. You can do without anything that isn’t making you money.
Arvind added that technology is evolving all the time, and we should only change our systems when it gives us a massive advantage to do so. Ask yourself, will it save you time and money? And will it help you to achieve more?
How Can Tech Help You to Find New ClientsScott confessed that he made the mistake of paying around £40k on outsourced marketing ‘specialists’ – only to find that none of it worked. He realised that his error was that he didn’t use that money to buy a really good camera and make his own content.
Arvind said that you find better results in business once you start speaking the language of your customers.
Scaling Up with More Staff: Recruit In-House or OutsourceScott uses Uptime Solutions to outsource the day-to-day tickets his MSP generates to external engineers. The project work is done in-house.
Steven warned of the dangers of absenteeism when using outsourced staff. It could cost you business in the long run if regular reviews of service are not completed. He only uses an out-of-hours outsourced service desk.
Digital Transformation – Should it be MSP Led?Steven suggested that a client’s Digital Transformation should be led by the vision held by the individual customer. It’s an MSP’s job to advise and make that vision come to life. In other words, to supply the tools and expertise to make their digital transformation happen smoothly.
MSP marketing expert Paul Green, founder of MSP Marketing Edge, completed the line-up with a lively session on how to help MSPs to grow their business.
This closing keynote reminded us that you need to do three things to grow your MSP business.
Get new clientsGet your clients to buy moreGet your clients to spend moreIn order to achieve these things, we have to build our marketing machine in three ways:
Building multiple audiences of people who will listen to you. This includes spending 60 minutes a day active on Linkedin (though this can be delegated). Also, you should be focusing on strong email campaigns for your subscribers.
Start building relationships with your audiences. Produce new or repurpose existing content. Develop interesting ways to interact with your followers and subscribers. Post, like and share content to start conversations from these interactions.
Commercialise the relationship. Employ someone to gather the contacts you’ve made and give them a ‘warm call’ to gauge their interest in a 15-minute follow-up Zoom meeting with you.
We finished off the day with a last chance to network over a drink, catch up and discuss what we had heard throughout the day.
On a personal level, I enjoyed my first event as a speaker on stage, and I received some great comments from my peers.
The was a lot of value to be gained for MSPs who attended, and the rule of ‘strictly no pitches’ was observed as advertised.
Finally, everyone I spoke to said they were glad that they attended. I hope that more MSPs will be able to make the next one.
Did you attend? What did you most enjoy about the event? If you didn’t go, has this, or the LinkedIn posts of others, made you wish you had attended?
The post How to Future-Proof Your MSP: Inspiring Highlights from SuperSummit Live 2023 appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
April 10, 2023
TubbTalk 128: Why a Cybersecurity First Service Mentality Keeps MSPs on Top of Cyber Trends
Stephen talks to Mitch Redekopp, CEO of Rivercity Technology Services, an MSP in Canada. The company has become known as one of the top managed service providers in Saskatchewan. They operate on a cybersecurity first approach, while also having a highly experienced software development on hand.
They have a deep focus on packaging together cybersecurity and creating bespoke solutions to help improve their clients’ internal business processes. Rivercity won Emerging MSP Of the Year category at the SuperOps MSP Awards.
How Rivercity’s Cybersecurity and Software Offerings Fit TogetherMitch explains that Rivercity have a security-first mindset. In practical terms, at their first meeting with a potential client they explain that they’ll be carrying out a cyber risk assessment.
“We want to know what personal or identifiable information they hold and any security holes they might have. As MSPs, it’s our job to stay up to date with risks and protect our clients’ data. Backups and encryption aren’t enough – you need to plan for what happens when clients are compromised.”
Rivercity also have a team of software developers on hand, which Mitch says is helpful. “The company started out with a focus on Access databases, and we still work on it now and again, so the developers are left over from that. But it’s great to be able to call on them to build internal automation or look at ways to improve client processes.”
The Enroller Software SolutionThe company aims to branch out into creating products that are suitable for the business market as a whole, rather than just MSPs and IT professionals. And of course, having in-house developers makes that easier.
Mitch explains: “We have a registration platform called ‘Enroller’, which is for youth camps and things like that. We build it for a local kids’ club, and we can see that it’s something that others would use too.
“However, I’m always on the lookout for other things that could address problems in the MSP space, too. I’ve got a lot of ideas brewing, so I’d like to explore them all. It’s just about getting the balance right.”
The Experience of Entering the MSP AwardsMitch explains that he’s been following SuperOps for a while, and saw a LinkedIn post about the MSP awards. He found the entry process really straightforward, and was very impressed by the calibre of the judges SuperOps had assembled.
“Winning this award means everything. There are lots of local business awards out there, but nothing directly for MSPs. Being able to share our success in a global competition with our community is invaluable.
“One of the big benefits is that it really helps with social proof and lead generation. If you see an award coming up, just go for it. I’m hoping to do that and keep getting our name out there.”
Mitch’s Books on Cybersecurity and Business LifeLast year, Mitch was invited by Chris Wiser to co-author a book with the business strategies that owners can take to protect themselves from hackers and cybersecurity threats. It became an Amazon bestseller in several categories, which is something he’s understandably proud of.
He was also approached by Janna Dutton, a business owner and philanthropist based in Saskatoon. She invited individuals to share their story and nuggets of advice in a book called Conversations over Coffee, which also became an Amazon bestseller.
“Writing a book is great for social proof and brand awareness. I’m hoping that in a few years I’ll have some more knowledge to share for a different volume of Janna’s book. It was great experience.”
The Best and Worst Parts of Running a Cybersecurity BusinessMitch says one of the most challenging things of running an IT business is keeping up with the industry. “It’s not once a year or every couple of years you need to do training. Really, you need to be reading news articles, attending webinars, following experts on social media. And doing so every week.
“If you’re not paying attention, you’re falling behind. It’s a busy industry, and there’s continuous growth happening. It’s also really easy to get caught up in doing too much work yourself, so you have to learn to delegate.”
On the other hand, Mitch says his experiences of the channel have been really positive. “The vendors and my peers are amazing.” He also loves taking care of his staff, contributing to their personal and professional growth, which he says is super rewarding.
Mitch’s Predictions for Cybersecurity and ProtectionMitch highlights automation and AI as two things that MSPs should keep an eye on. “The key is to get ahead of the curve and see what’s coming next. Then you can work out how to harness it properly.
“And there’s still going to be a focus on cybersecurity, because that’s getting more serious. Plus, there’s always a need for us as MSPs to be up to date with compliance rules and legal requirements, and help our clients to do the same.”
Mitch says it’s important to be informed of changes and developments, and in his own business, provide educational content for his customers. For he and his team, they want to encourage a security-first mindset.
How to Connect With Mitch RedekoppRivercity TechnologyFollow Rivercity Technology on LinkedInConnect with Mitch on LinkedInFollow Rivercity Technology on TwitterLike Rivercity Technology on FacebookHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeThe Tech Tribe7 Figure MSPBook: Chris Wiser: The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Protecting Your Business From HackersBook: Janna Dutton: Conversations Over Coffee – Volume 1: Real People, Real Stories, Real SuccessBook: Marcus Sheridan: They Ask, You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital ConsumerMarketing expert Paul GreenErnest Murry CTO of Genuine Technology GroupYou Might Also be Interested inPodcast: How to Navigate the Scary World of MSP CybersecurityVideo: The Best Cybersecurity Solutions for Today’s SMBsPodcast: Co-Managed IT, Cybersecurity and Imposter Syndrome: Top Tips for MSPsThe post TubbTalk 128: Why a Cybersecurity First Service Mentality Keeps MSPs on Top of Cyber Trends appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
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