This year’s gold standard Comms Vision Convention (6th-8th November, Gleneagles Hotel) doubles down on the technology drivers transforming the channel’s portfolios alongside how go-to-market (GTM) and revenue models are evolving – and what this all means for the channel’s strategic planning.
ICT buyers in the private and public sector are more tech savvy than ever before and more likely to rethink how they engage with MSPs. This means that an MSP’s approach to the technology forces reshaping the future not only requires a sharp eye when reading the market, it demands a deep dive into the tech factors transforming businesses and how these drivers will play out in terms of IT buyer decision-making.
A sales and marketing model that supports these goals is also vital – and where these two conference tracks (technology evolution and GTM strategies) successfully converge leads us onto the Road to Future Growth. Key points to be addressed include what’s topping the CEO’s technology agenda, the extent to which business transformation is being driven by emerging technologies rather than more mature products and services, and what a successful skills and tech partnering strategy will look like in five years time.
The conference will also bring into focus evolving cloud models and how far data, AI, analytics, security and intelligent applications will impact channel and end user businesses; and how these trends underscore the growing role of a channel partner as technology educator, enabler and problem solver. Furthermore, last year’s Comms Vision Convention highlighted the technology and market knowledge gap that can exist between suppliers and their partners. Given that bridging this gap and enabling MSPs to succeed as educators and problem solvers in this evolving world is vital, what more can vendors do to help MSPs get closer to customers and maximise growth opportunities?
Remodelling GTM and revenue creation strategies
The question of how to achieve better results through a fit-for-purpose sales and marketing model has also taken on greater urgency. But what strategies should MSPs focus on as they transition their GTM towards the evolving business transformation and CX demands of end users? This question becomes more pressing when considered in the context of a shift from transactional technology upgrades towards organisations requiring business transformation with tangible outcomes, which closes the gap between the customer’s technology and business strategy.
Understanding the market’s changing dynamics and how they impact marketing and selling is crucial and will be fully explored at this year’s Comms Vision conference, alongside how MSP sales and marketing leaders could most propitiously target their resources and planning.
More broadly, the conference agenda will also consider the biggest challenges facing MSP sales/commercial and marketing leaders, while spotlighting their golden opportunities and how to meet opportunities with confidence. Comms Vision will also ask whether MSPs who are focused inwardly on a cross-selling strategy are perhaps missing new organic customer acquisition opportunities. And gauge whether there is a strong case for the channel to recharge new organic customer acquisition as a primary growth driver. Furthermore, given the need to fully understand the end customer business and get closer to ICT buyers, Comms Vision will explore how MSPs’ commercial resources are evolving, including pre-sales, and whether these functions need to be re-engineered.
To help MSPs stay ahead of the GTM curve and ensure a competitive advantage our intention is to underscore the priority areas that MSP sales and marketing leaders would be wise to consider in order to make the right long-term commercial choices when setting out on their growth journey. This may involve tough decisions when remodelling sales teams for a brighter future, and will certainly involve an assessment of the impact of growing end user demand for tangible outcomes and value versus deliverables.
As well as commercial topics such as these... the emerging technologies requiring most attention will also be under the spotlight during an MSP-led insight panel where high profile MSP business leaders will provide first hand perspectives on navigating challenges and addressing market opportunities through the right technology, value propositions, GTM and revenue creation strategies.
About Comms Vision
Comms Vision is the leading annual leadership forum for CEO, MD and CTO delegates making up the major league of the UK MSP community. To find out more visit www.commsvision.com