Actionable Idea Checklist

Table of Contents: Actionable MSP Idea Checklist · List 3: Ideas · FAQ

Actionable MSP Idea Checklist

Perspective around Ideas

A checklist for success

This blog is presenting the questions that make up my Actionable Idea Checklist. I use this checklist before filing an idea in my idea drawer. If you're curious about the idea drawer, take a look at Your MSP Idea Drawer for more information around that concept. That post has similar questions listed in it, in a more general sense. You can combine the two lists when examining items for your idea drawer.

List 3: Ideas

Note that this is a bit of a different way of pursuing perspective and mostly involves questions for myself, the visionary scoping the idea. There is a final batch of questions I would ask an outside resource, but that resource is restricted to someone I know and trust not to violate the sanctity of my idea. It's important to run through the entire actionable idea checklist before leaving the idea for future pursuit — it not only ensures the idea is well thought out, it helps prevent loss of clarity around the idea over time.

• Questions to myself, to help properly scope and define the idea for future reference. Stoplight Rating: Red – I'm not allowed to "store" the idea without these being answered.
  • "What is the idea?"
  • "What teams does the idea require / impact. What is the scope of that impact?"
  • "What is the potential monetary return on the idea? How will it make us additional profit?"
  • "What is the customer impact of the idea? How does it benefit our customers?"
  • "How will the idea impact our culture / teams?"
  • "Is the idea feasible? Could we pursue this idea if we had time, treasure, and human capital?"
  • "Is our competition currently offering this idea in some way, shape, or form?"
  • "Is anyone currently offering this idea in some way, shape or form? Is the idea a 'red ocean' or 'blue ocean' strategy?"
  • "What collateral and/or materials will be needed to support the idea? Do we need to educate the marketplace on the value of the idea, or is the market ripe for harvesting?"
  • "What are the potential negatives from the idea?"
  • "Does the idea further our progress towards our vision?"
  • "What does success look like for the idea?"
  • "What is a potential process for implementation of the idea at a high level?"
  • "What does selling the idea look like? What are the pain points the idea addresses for our clients? What discovery questions would we ask to identify a fit for the idea?"
  • "What are the expenses and/or COGs involved with the idea?"
  • "What vendors and/or suppliers will be involved in the idea?"
• Questions to a key person in my sphere (This person will be a non-peer. Ideally this would be a mentor and/or business partner, or someone who I can trust will not "steal" the idea and implement it themselves.) Stoplight Rating: Yellow. Questions I would ask:
  • "Here are the basics of my idea, what are your thoughts around it?"
  • "What items am I missing from my idea analysis?"
  • "If I could dedicate the resources to the idea, would you recommend I pursue it? Why or why not?"
  • "What would you pay for this idea if you were presented it for your organization?"

Want your own copy of this actionable MSP idea checklist? Request it — the form will ask what you need. Or skip straight to a conversation — schedule time with Carrie or Ian, a founder, not a sales rep.

About Fox & Crow Group: Fox & Crow Group is behind The MSP Sales Process and Jackdaw — the free MSP marketing guide there has no paywall and no login requirement.