MSP Sales Professional Training and Certification Program

In this session, the aim is to determine a benchmark for the sales professionals’ skills. The professionals will be scored between 1 and 10 based on their performance in 87 specific metrics. These metrics are divided into six different categories, namely knowledge of the entire IT solution stack, marketing and sales skills, presentation of proposals and services agreements, FME (First Meeting Ever) preparation and presentation skills, business development skills, prospecting and scheduling FMEs, sales leadership, sales administration, CRM skills, office administration skills, sales education, books read, DISC and SSI experience, technical knowledge, etc. This comprehensive evaluation is conducted in collaboration with the sales professional’s manager. Based on the performance schedule, a plan will be devised to improve skills.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Complete SSI Test
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session aims to evaluate your understanding of the 7-step sales process. The process consists of prospecting, creating first impressions, qualifying, demonstrating, influencing, closing, and general activities. To determine your score, you must complete the SSI test, which ranges from 0 to 300. Depending on your score, you will receive training on the 7-step sales process tailored to your test results. After the training, a retest will be conducted to confirm your new score. Additionally, sales management will receive training to ensure your success

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Sales Professional Sales Skills Assessment SCORE document

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on completing a DISC profile. DISC is an acronym for the four primary behavioral styles outlined in the DISC model of personalities: dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness. A DISC assessment is a behavioral assessment tool that can help people

understand their management style, strengths, and weaknesses. We have developed the most common DISC profile for successful sales professionals in the technology industry. We will train sales professionals to interpret their DISC profiles and identify prospects’ DISC profiles to engage with them successfully.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Complete SSI Test
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on understanding how to ask qualifying questions to close managed services opportunities. We will engage in role plays involving issue and implications exercises related to objections to closing managed services agreements. We will also review status and solutionbased questions for qualifying managed services agreements.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Complete SSI Test
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

• The Challenger Sales Book
• The Challenger Sales Book Test
• Session required for Certification

This session focuses on understanding the current state vs the future state with respect to closing 200+ seat opportunities. We will also cover the development of a PIC chart (Problem Identification Chart). What does it take for a buyer to see you as a consulting thought leader? We will review outdated concepts about selling managed services agreements, emphasizing not selling based solely on needs if the buyer is unsure of the need or pain. Instead of focusing on ‘closing,’ we will explore finding the gap between what they have now and what they desire. Our aim is to enhance your ability to diagnose the buyer’s problems. Gap selling is a collaborative, empathetic process that prioritizes customer-centric selling, allowing the buyer to take the lead.”

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Gap Selling Book
• Gap Selling Book Test
• Session required for Certification
•  

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on determining the questions to qualify a buyer during the FME (First Meeting Ever). We will develop a horizontal-based needs analysis and review examples of custom vertical-based needs analysis documents. The needs analysis is used to facilitate training additional sales professionals on how to conduct a managed services FME. We will role-play the business needs analysis and evaluate the impact of the qualifying results from the FME.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• The Business Needs Analysis Form
• Role Playing Required
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on completing the FME preparation worksheet. If available, the FME worksheet will review the buyer’s website, persona, users, revenue, and budget. It aims to train sales professionals in discussing solutions to the pain points identified during the FME. The session will cover training sales professionals on engaging all influencers participating in the FME and what to look for on the LinkedIn profiles of the buyers and influencers. Sales professionals will also be trained on scheduling the next meeting after the FME and how to set FME expectations at the start, such as the timeline for FME, topics to be covered, and next steps. Lastly, sales professionals will be trained to evaluate the FME’s success using a 1-4 process.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• FME Preparation Worksheet
• Role Playing Required
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on training sales professionals to properly qualify a buyer to close a managed services opportunity. We will review or develop information received from the SDR FME form via your CRM. Key considerations include determining if the prospect has a budget, whether

they are under an existing contract, and, if not, what the timeline is for getting started. We will assess if our managed services program addresses the prospect’s immediate pain points and inquire about providing a copy of the existing MS agreement based on user count and understanding how many approvals are needed. Additionally, we will cover strategies for qualifying your solution if your per-seat price is higher than what they currently pay. The session will conclude with evaluating the prospect from a value pricing perspective.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• SDR – FME Form
• Role Playing Required
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on training sales professionals to conduct a managed services FME using the Needs Analysis Form. We will role-play the opening statement to set the tone for the prospect’s expectations from the FME and discuss the next steps if needed. We will also role-play the applicable warm-up exercise with the sales professional. The session will include a comprehensive review of all the questions on the Needs Analysis Form, and we will evaluate these questions using the QBS methodology. Sales professionals will also be trained on qualifying buyer questions, such as the buyer’s timeline, budget, and operation tempo. Moreover, we will provide training on positioning the buyer’s current state to the future state and emphasize its value in moving forward.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Managed Services Needs Analysis Form
• Role Playing Required
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on the essential steps for conducting a warm-up during a prospect visit, emphasizing its significant impact on winning the buyer’s business. It outlines seven crucial steps, including prospect introduction, utilizing gathered information, assessing warm-up impact, applying DISC profiles, establishing trust, using warm-up questions, and transitioning to a business needs analysis. Each step is detailed with practical insights and techniques, highlighting the importance of roleplaying for proficiency. The session stresses the role of knowledge in the buyer’s business and vertical over personal connections, emphasizing the need for preparation, adaptability, and active listening throughout the sales engagement.

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on training sales professionals on customizing PowerPoint presentations to address prospects’ pain points and articulate how we plan to bridge the gap between their current and future states. Sales professionals will also receive training in crafting PowerPoint presentation opening statements that set the tone for prospects’ expectations. During role-playing exercises, sales professionals will go through each slide with case study examples, demonstrating the value to the prospect and supporting the impending future state. For each slide, sales professionals will be trained on QBS methodology-based questions to confirm the buyer’s understanding of the value presented. Sales professionals will role-play how to reconfirm the following steps, timeline, and budget and schedule the next meeting to review the budget and potential onboarding process. This role play will address sales professionals’ ability to determine if the opportunity is a commitment or upside concerning sales pipeline updates. Sales professionals will receive training on updating CRM-PSA with the sales status of all opportunities. Sales professionals should have a copy of the managed services agreement available at every meeting if the prospective person wishes to move ahead of schedule.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Managed Services PowerPoint Deck
• Managed Services Agreement
• Role Playing Required
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on how to present pricing and services for a managed services agreement. The role play will cover various aspects, including SLAs, certified network requirements, help desk services, security services, backup responsibilities, Hardware as a Service (HaaS) if applicable, the role of vCIO, 3-year agreement terms with annual increases, cybersecurity insurance requirements, onboarding process, setup fees, all exclusions, etc. Sales professionals will review the process for executing the agreement via DocuSign or on-site agreement signing. Sales professionals will receive training on overcoming the most common objections to managed services agreements. The session will also cover training on a managed services proposal template for effective proposal presentations, explicitly focusing on role-playing proposal presentations.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Managed Services Agreement
• Overcoming objections Document
• Role Playing Required
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on training sales professionals on pricing managed services agreements based on their value to the prospect and their impact on the client’s future state. This approach is based on more than just how many users the prospects have. We will engage in role-playing exercises to demonstrate how to use the ROI calculator to project cost savings based on the managed services solution addressing the client’s pain points or current state. The ROI calculator should handle any increase in spending based on the prospects’ current state.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Managed Services Calculator document
• Role Playing Required
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on the three phases of the sales and marketing process. Phase 1 involves the sales professional and SDR process for scheduling FMEs. This includes various activities such as marketing initiatives, cold call metrics, and lead qualification based on persona. Phase 2 encompasses the process management for conducting the FME during the first visit and the marketing process between the first and second visits. This phase includes activities like meeting confirmations, documentation of case studies and testimonials, and the process for conducting the second visit with a PowerPoint presentation. Phase 3 covers the proposal and managed services agreement processes, onboarding procedures, payment options, project plans for network upgrades, and post-deal activities such as sending thank-you cards and arranging gift baskets for deal closing

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• 35 Steps Sales and Marketing Process and Stages Document
• Email marketing content
• Business Needs Analysis Document
• Managed Services PowerPoint Deck
• Managed Services Agreement
• Managed Services Proposal Template

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on managing marketing and sales activities such as daily cold calls, follow-up calls, uninterested, decision-maker conversations, projected FMEs, scheduled FMEs, proposals, closed deals, lost deals, sales pipeline status commit and upside, etc. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be used to establish benchmarks for best practices in each KPI. Results will be managed through a color-coded system with red, green, and amber indicators. KPIs will help determine the number of marketing activities required to consistently schedule FMEs and the number of FMEs needed to close a managed services agreement.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Completed KPI Dashboard Form

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on how to provide sales projections to be managed via CRM-PSA. Sales opportunities are categorized into three areas. We will train sales professionals on the criteria for determining what qualifies an opportunity as commit, upside, and pipeline.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Sales Pipeline Report Example

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on using the sales professional GP quota calculator to determine how to develop a realistic sales quota for sales professionals. The sales quota is based on available Marketing Qualified Contacts (MQCs) and FMEs from the MQCs email marketing strategy. We will calculate the average sale per deal and review the previous or existing closing ratio. Evaluating the ideal client size, including users and revenue, is essential to assess the size of deals that can be closed to support the GP quota projection. We will also verify if GP sales quotas can meet the industry standard of 4.5 compensation.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Sales Professionals Annual GP Quota Calculator

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on reviewing the ideal target verticals based on referenceable accounts and the ability to support specific key verticals technically. Once target verticals are identified, we will determine which Clevel contacts or other contacts are the ideal target personas as our strategic buyers. We will review the perfect prospect size based on user size and revenue suitable for supporting projected new sales revenue. We will also check an MQC list count to determine the size of prospect lists.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Zoom Info Account or Other Software Tools

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on developing a sales professional marketing plan (PMP) for sales professionals who still need an SDR team to schedule FMEs for new sales opportunities. The PMP will track prospect lists, cold calls, appointments scheduled, proposals, opportunities closed, deals lost, etc. Sales professionals can enter the number of MQCs and receive a baseline of marketing activities required to meet FME and sales objectives. Sales professionals and their sales managers can manage these activities through SharePoint share of the PMP plan.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• Personal Marketing Plan – PMP Worksheet

MSSP University Instructor:

This session focuses on using a question approach from QBS to qualify and close opportunities. We will train sales professionals to utilize The Challenger sales professional approach to lead and immediate opportunities. Additionally, we will train sales professionals to use the Gap Selling approach to position the current state versus the future state, showcasing the value of closing opportunities.

MSSP University tools used during this session:

• The Challenger Sales Book
• Gap Selling Book
• Question Based Selling Book Role Playing Required
• Session required for Certification

MSSP University Instructor: