Unlocking revenue opportunities: how to effectively upsell Microsoft 365 products

As a Microsoft MSP, you know better than anyone that selling is an indispensable part of your business. And with the ever-increasing competition, looming recession, and a rapidly changing technology landscape, selling effectively is more crucial than ever. However, not everyone is a confident seller.

Microsoft 365 presents a fantastic opportunity for MSPs to upsell. It comprises a suite of powerful tools and applications designed to help businesses streamline operations, collaborate more efficiently, and work smarter.

But selling Microsoft 365 products requires more than understanding the features and benefits. You need to communicate their value to your customers effectively and identify opportunities to upsell. And many MSPs find this challenging – they have a deep understanding of the product but perhaps aren’t as confident in articulating its value to customers or identifying when upselling is appropriate.  

We understand these challenges and are committed to helping our partners sell Microsoft 365 products more effectively.

Read on to explore the upselling opportunities and learn how to take advantage of them to grow your business.

Microsoft 365 in a nutshell

Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive business solution that integrates Office 365, Windows 11 and Enterprise Mobility and Security elements. This means it can provide a stable foundation for each machine, offers a vast range of productivity options, and effectively secures company data and device access. Compared to sourcing the platforms individually, this approach is cheaper and easier to handle, making it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes.

There are two routes within commercial licensing: “for Business” (SMBs less than 300 seats) which are Basic, Standard and Premium and “for Enterprise” (unlimited seats), which is Microsoft E3 and E5. The Enterprise route also has Office 365 E1, E3 and E5. However, this is seen as a lesser-value SKU now. Partners should focus on the M365 stack due to the increased value partners can get from the advanced security and device management capabilities. Some SMBs or Office 365 users might benefit from the features included in the enterprise licenses, so an upsell to this suite may be advantageous.  

Microsoft 365 Basic, Standard and Premium for Business Comparison Chart

Microsoft 365 E1, E3 and E5 for Enterprise Comparison Chart

Security is a core strength of Microsoft 365 and a proven, effective way to protect against costly cyber-attacks, which are currently top of mind for customers. Microsoft 365 combines several security solutions protecting customers from email protection via Defender for Office 365 to endpoints with Defender for Business or Defender for Endpoint. Customers may currently be using alternative 3rd party point solutions, which could be consolidated into Microsoft 365, providing customers with an integrated, easy-to-manage solution. This makes Microsoft 365 a compelling prospect for any company trying to streamline operations and maximise efficiency through robust, reliable IT. 

Upselling opportunities for Microsoft 365 products

As an MSP, you have a lucrative opportunity to capitalise on the Microsoft 365 modern workplace offer.  

Here are some of the growth opportunities our most successful partners are offering: 

• Adoption, Change Management, and training services to guide your customers’ journey to the cloud and ensure they’re maximising the value of their purchases. 
• Specialist services for security, GDPR compliance, teamwork, and modern devices.
• Extending the Microsoft 365 platform with specialised offerings, repeatable tools, and value-added IP. 
• Managed services covering a wide range of offerings, from security monitoring to full-scale technology-as-a-service solutions. 

One of the easiest ways to grow your business is by upselling to premium SKUs – bringing you cost-savings and revenue opportunities. The more advanced licenses combine powerful features that are incredibly costly and difficult to manage when purchased separately. Having them in one place allows you to simplify licensing with one bill; everything is integrated and managed through a single pane of glass, which is also more cost-effective when compared with individual point solutions. Having these products available in a singular license allows you to offer more comprehensive and tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of your customers – helping you retain your existing customer base through personalised services and creating attractive offers to win new business.  

For the 2023 financial year, Microsoft’s messaging centres around ‘doing more with less’ and striving to maximise the benefits of the solutions you’re currently using or upselling to more premium SKUs to benefit from vendor consolidation and cost savings. For Modern Workplace, there are two supporting promotions which offer a 16.7% discount for SMB licenses or a 15% discount for upgrades to Microsoft 365 E3. Partners can utilise these promotions alongside Microsoft’s messaging to drive the upsell conversation.

By seizing these upselling opportunities, you can improve your bottom line and provide your customers access to the best possible Microsoft 365 solutions. 

How to upsell: resources now available from intY

We’ve created a range of resources to help you upsell Microsoft 365 products effectively. One of the most valuable is our +One M365 Upsell webinar. This webinar helps MSPs understand the benefits of upselling Microsoft 365 products and learn how to sell them effectively. It covers identifying upsell opportunities, understanding the different Microsoft 365 SKUs, and overcoming common objections. 

In addition to the webinar, we have a range of sales and marketing tools available through our Modern Workplace practice. These enable you to save time and resources while effectively promoting Microsoft 365 products to your customers. 

Our Modern Workplace support includes:

• Onboarding – understanding the Partner Centre and the pathways to attain the six solution designations. 
• Learning and development – our Technical Enablement Consultants help you create personalised upskilling and development plans. 
• Marketing strategy – we identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities leveraging your databases and utilising Microsoft’s marketing collateral to launch campaigns that win you more business. 
• Sales support – we provide end-user training and product demonstrations for you and your customers and conduct exclusive sales events. 

Key benefits of purchasing Microsoft 365 products through intY.

As a trusted Microsoft Cloud Service Provider, intY has a variety of plans to meet different, evolving business needs. 

intY partners can access competitive pricing on Microsoft 365 products and receive expert advice and guidance on which plan to choose based on customer needs. In addition, intY’s platform: CASCADE, helps you manage customers’ Microsoft 365 licenses, making adding or removing users easier as their business grows or changes.  

Another benefit is the opportunity to consolidate your solution stack. By selling Microsoft 365 products through intY, you can simplify their offerings and reduce the number of vendors you work with. This can save time and resources while providing customers with a more integrated and streamlined solution.

Next steps: partnering with intY for success 

Upselling Microsoft 365 products can bring numerous benefits to your business, including increased revenue, customer satisfaction, and streamlined solutions for your customers.  

The modern workplace is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of the curve will be crucial for your business. By partnering with intY, you’ll have access to the latest Microsoft 365 products and resources and expert guidance on how to upsell and effectively promote these products to your customers. Whether you want to expand your portfolio, grow your customer base, or stay ahead of the competition, intY’s Modern Workplace Practice can help you achieve your goals.