Let’s be honest: Network management is a big responsibility. It includes monitoring and controlling a computer network to ensure all of its resources—both hardware and software—are in good shape and are being used productively. And if you’re not a network expert (or don’t have one on your payroll), that probably sounds pretty intimidating. But there’s no time like the present to tackle the topic of network management head on.

Thomas Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” That statement couldn’t be further from the truth—but there is an opportunity that MSPs are missing in the Wi-Fi market. If you think about the Wi-Fi market today, it’s an incredibly well-known and mature solution category, where most vendors offer highly similar products that provide a very similar set of capabilities.

We’re pleased to come home from DattoCon19 with memorable experiences. It was a well-curated conference, striking a fine balance between emerging MSP trends, informative sessions, networking and of course, entertainment. Here are my top takeaways from the event.

One of the common pieces of advice I hear given to managed service providers (MSPs) is to “go narrow”—find a niche and become a specialist. This is generally sound advice. Specialization typically means your MSP faces less competition and becomes much easier to find in an otherwise crowded marketplace. But finding an area to specialize in is easier said than done. So how do you find a great niche for your MSP?

To grow your MSP’s revenue and business performance, the best sales tool isn’t a selling platform or a ninja-rockstar-unicorn sales hire. It’s documenting and optimizing your sales process. Just like your favorite sports team follows a game plan to win, your sales team needs a playbook to close more business.

“What have you done for me lately?” It’s an honest question that doesn’t always have an easy answer. Fact is, you’re doing a lot of proactive work behind-the-scenes to prevent network disruptions and unnecessary downtime. But if you’re not heroically putting out fires in front of your clients, they might think they’re paying you for nothing.

“Oh, they’ll never pay for that.” It’s a phrase Leigh Wood, the Director of Node IT Solutions, hears a lot from his fellow MSPs. It’s easy to understand why. When you’re used to hearing price push-back on every contract, selling something beyond your basic managed services agreement seems impossible.

One of the most common complaints I hear from managed services providers is how hard it is to recruit staff. In the past month, I’ve had three MSPs ask me: With the high cost of tech talent, how can I afford to fill technical and managerial roles? When’s the right time to employ an extra tech? Why am I struggling to grow my team?