#71 – BMK Quick Takes: The Order of Selling Every MSP Must Know

Episode Summary

In this BMK Quick Takes episode, Josh Peterson breaks down one of the most misunderstood fundamentals in MSP sales: the order of selling. Drawing from decades of experience, Josh explains why most sales conversations fail early—salespeople rush to pitch services instead of building trust. This episode reinforces how disciplined execution and relationship-building align with the Vision operating system used by high-performing MSPs.

Josh introduces the correct sequence every MSP salesperson must follow: sell yourself first, company second, goods and services last. He then defines what a successful first-time appointment (FTA) must include—establishing budget, setting timeframe, securing the next meeting, and confidently asking for referrals. These fundamentals replace hope-based selling with intentional, repeatable execution.

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Episode Highlights

• 00:00:00 – Why the order of selling matters more than your offering
• 01:05 – Selling yourself first through curiosity
• 02:27 – What defines a successful first-time appointment (FTA)
• 03:40 – Establishing budget using revenue-based framing
• 05:50 – Locking in timeframe and working backward
• 07:07 – Never leaving without the next meeting scheduled
• 09:32 – Referral requests as proof you sold yourself

About the Host

Josh Peterson is the founder of Bering McKinley, a management consulting firm that helps MSPs improve execution across people, process, and performance. Through the BMK Vision Podcast and Quick Takes series, Josh delivers practical frameworks MSP owners can apply immediately.

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshdpeterson/

Apply to Be a Guest

Have a lesson or framework MSP owners need to hear? Apply to be on the BMK Vision Podcast.