MSP Marketing: What It Really Is And What It’s Not

Robin RobinsIT Marketing, MSP Marketing

Is your Managed Service Provider (MSP) business hitting a growth wall?

You’re definitely not alone.

We surveyed over 500 MSPs and asked them what marketing channels they were using. The survey revealed that 39% of MSPs are doing ZERO marketing and rely solely on referrals to bring in new business.

If you’re serious about scaling your MSP, a robust marketing strategy is non-negotiable.

This comprehensive MSP marketing guide lays out the exact strategies your competitors are using and provides the resources and knowledge you need to start building your own successful MSP marketing campaigns. Here’s what’s covered:

Let’s dive in and transform your marketing efforts from a guessing game into a finely-tuned strategy that consistently brings in qualified leads and drives growth.

Answer ChoicesResponses
None, I rely 100% on referrals39.02%206
Social Media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)27.08%143
Local networking groups (Chamber, BNI, LeTip, etc.)26.14%138
E-mail23.11%122
Natural SEO strategies21.02%111
Newsletters15.72%83
Pay per click advertising (Google Adwords, etc.)14.96%79
Joint ventures and partnering14.02%74
Telemarketing13.07%69
Direct mail11.74%62
Other, please specify10.80%57
Trade show booths and sponsorships9.85%52
An outside sales team8.14%43
Yellow Pages6.25%33
Canvassing6.25%33
Vendor marketing initiatives4.92%26
Seminars4.17%22
Press releases3.98%21
Radio ads3.03%16
Teleseminars and webinars2.84%15
TV ads0.95%5
Total Respondents: 528

The Secret Weapon Behind Skyrocketing MSP Growth

Robin Robins and the team at Technology Marketing Toolkit, have helped more MSPs and IT services businesses to double – even triple – sales, profits, and MRR growth than any other marketing consultant in the IT services industry, period. As a trusted advisor to over 10,000+ IT services business owners for two decades, Robin knows a thing or two about what it takes to grow sales, recurring revenue streams, and a profitable client base for an IT services business.

By working with thousands of MSPs across the U.S., we’ve found many struggle with lead generation and closing the loop with new business. To win more clients, you need a well-executed MSP marketing strategy in place to draw in targeted customers and guide them through the sales process.

What Is MSP Marketing?

MSP marketing encompasses a series of strategies and tactics designed to promote managed IT services to potential clients.

It’s important to note that marketing is NOT the same as sales.

Here’s the key difference:

  • Marketing generates qualified leads.
  • Sales converts those leads into customers.

Why Is MSP Marketing Crucial?

  1. Educates Prospects About Your Services: It helps potential clients understand what you offer and how you can solve their IT challenges.
  2. Builds Trust and Credibility: Consistent and informative marketing positions your MSP as a reliable expert in the field.
  3. Shortens the Sales Cycle: Effective marketing can accelerate the journey from initial interest to a closed deal, which otherwise might take months or even years.

The ultimate goal? To secure appointments with qualified prospects interested in outsourcing their IT needs.

Because the MSP sales process is highly consultative, you can spend weeks, months, and sometimes even years closing a customer. Effective MSP marketing engages and educates leads to expedite the sales cycle.

Your MSP marketing should aim to secure appointments with prospects who are ready to consider outsourcing network monitoring and maintenance on a contractual basis.

7 Essential MSP Marketing Terms You Need to Know

Navigating MSP marketing jargon can be overwhelming, but understanding these key terms is crucial for your success.

1. Lead Generation

The process of attracting and converting strangers into prospects interested in your MSP services. Key components include attracting traffic, capturing visitor information, and nurturing leads.

Tip: Use lead magnets like free IT assessments to boost efforts.

2. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Techniques to improve the percentage of visitors converting into customers. Focus on A/B testing, optimizing call-to-action buttons, improving load speed, and simplifying forms.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Metrics to measure your marketing performance, including Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Lifetime Value (LTV), Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), and Churn Rate.

4. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Technology for managing company relationships and interactions. Benefits include improved customer service, increased sales, better retention rates, and data-driven decisions.

5. Managed Services Provider (MSP)

A company that remotely manages IT infrastructure and end-user systems proactively under a subscription model. Key services include network monitoring, cybersecurity, cloud services, and IT consulting.

6. Service Level Agreement (SLA)

A commitment between a provider and a client outlining service expectations. Key components are service description, performance metrics, problem management, and customer duties.

7. Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

What differentiates your service from competitors. Examples for MSPs include 24/7 support, industry-specific expertise, guaranteed response times, and all-inclusive pricing.

Master these terms, and you’ll be equipped to enhance your MSP marketing strategy effectively.

Master these terms, and you’ll be well on your way to boosting your MSP marketing success.

13 MSP marketing ideas to grow your MRR

1. Referral Marketing

Many businesses take referrals for granted, and very few have a plan for generating referrals. A referral from a happy customer is the best way to gain new sales leads.

We cover the secret to getting MSP referrals here:

You can actively generate new customers by offering referral discounts, conducting referral events, and planning contests to see which customer can provide the most referrals in a certain time frame. Also, you should ask for referrals regularly and have a generous reward system in place for the customers who refer you.

In the blog “How I Increased Revenue By $372,456 And Profits By $303,841 In 11 Months To Earn A Better-Your-Best Finalist Status“ Tommy Thorton shows how he used a Peloton Bike to fuel referrals.

2. Social Media Marketing

Social media is an important marketing and branding activity. It helps MSPs establish your company as a trusted industry expert, build market awareness for your services, and engage with customers and prospects.

Social media platforms offer an ideal medium for MSPs to engage with their audience and showcase their solutions. Identify the platforms most relevant to your target clients. Consistency is key—regularly post informative content, share industry news, and interact with your followers. Create a community around your brand and encourage discussions on relevant IT topics.

Why most MSPs shouldn’t start their marketing with Social Media:

MSP Social Media Marketing Tips:

  • Get all of the knowledge and information you will need to create your MSP’s social media profiles, optimize them, and leverage them to generate leads with our MSP social media guide
  • Use your personal LinkedIn profile as a sales page for your business. You want this set up before you start posting content and connecting. You and your employees should have completed profiles. Here are 3 things you MUST have filled out:
    • Your branded cover photo (bonus points if it has a call to action)
    • An offer link (you can update this link with text that says something like – Get a FREE IT Assessment)
    • Complete your Featured section with an offer (example can be a copy of your book, a free assessment, a white paper, etc.)
    • For more, check out our guide to optimizing your MSP’s LinkedIn profile

More Social Media Marketing Resources: How to create and optimize your MSP Google Business Profile Apple Business Connect: what MSP owners need to know

3. Email Marketing

Email marketing remains a highly effective method for nurturing leads and maintaining client relationships. Craft personalized and engaging email campaigns that address specific pain points and offer valuable solutions. Use automation to send relevant content at the right stages of the buyer’s journey, nurturing leads into loyal clients.

When implementing an email marketing strategy, building a high-quality subscriber list is key. You should collect business cards at industry events, get email addresses from your sales prospects, and make sure your existing clients are on the list.

MSP Email Marketing Tips:

4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Want free, targeted traffic to your MSP website?

That’s what SEO delivers.

Search Engine Optimization is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results.

Key SEO factors for MSPs:

  • On-page optimization
  • Local SEO
  • Content creation
  • Backlink building

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the cornerstone of digital visibility. Research and identify keywords relevant to your services. Optimize your website’s structure, metadata, and content around these keywords. Links from local businesses, local citations, like the Chamber of Commerce, and industry citations like clutch.co, cloudtango.net, can significantly boost your website’s authority, helping it rank higher in search engine results.

MSP Search Engine Optimization Tips:

5. Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

Need leads fast? PPC might be your answer.

Pay-Per-Click is an internet advertising model used to drive traffic to websites, in which an advertiser pays a publisher when the ad is clicked.

Popular PPC platforms for MSPs:

  • Google Ads
  • Bing Ads
  • LinkedIn Ads

Pay-per-click advertising allows MSPs to reach their target audience through targeted ads. Develop ad campaigns that highlight your unique value propositions and drive traffic to landing pages optimized for conversions. Monitor your campaigns closely and make data-driven adjustments to optimize your ad spend. For a more detailed look at how to create successful PPC campaigns, see our PPC strategies for Managed Services Providers. 

Pay-Per-Click Tips:

  • Your keywords, ads, and landing pages should be congruent and contain the same themes and messaging.
  • Landing pages used for PPC campaigns should have a bottom-of-funnel offer like a discovery call or consult above the fold (before a user needs to scroll).
  • Set a budget that is competitive to your market. (our recc is $3,000/mo) Setting too low of a daily budget might not produce the desired results. To help conserve budget set an ad schedule that aligns with your operating hours so that your ads are not spending 24/7.

6. Local Networking

Good old school “networking” is still one of the best, and most underused strategies that most MSPs ignore. Done right, you’re marketing and selling, without anyone knowing it. One of the best ways to do that is to have a strong, Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Something that makes you instantly stand out in a “sea of sameness” and attracts your ideal clients to come talk to you.

Here are some local networking options to throw into your marketing mix.

  • Chamber of Commerce events: These groups usually meet in-person monthly and contain other community business leaders and decision-makers. They aren’t usually very expensive to join and have added benefits like getting a directory of members (great for building your farm list), being listed on their website (which can provide high-quality backlinks) and other opportunities to get in front of local businesses. These can be great speaking and webinar opportunities. To see what chambers are active in your area start at: https://www.uschamber.com/co/chambers
  • Professional Associations: If your MSP is marketing to a specific industry or niche, you must look into local professional associations. Every industry, from medical, to financial, to trades, manufacturing, restaurants, municipal and more, have associations or groups. Not sure where to start? Check out the Directory of Associations.
  • Paid Industry Coaching Groups: Just like you’re looking to add clients and make more money by improving your MSP marketing, there are people in every other type of profession looking to do the same. It may not be about marketing, but there are tens of thousands of coaching groups for anything and everything you can imagine. You can either join these groups by becoming a member, or it may make more sense to see if you can be a speaker, sponsor or associate member to get access without the full cost of membership.

    HINT!!! Most of these organizations STINK at getting sponsors so you may be able to get a booth at their event for as low as a few hundred dollars.

    BUT…if they know what they’re doing you could spend thousands or tens of thousands. The first thing is to ask for an event prospectus, here’s a sample of ours. If they don’t know what the heck you’re talking about…that’s a good sign you could get a great deal.

    Even authors like my friend Mike Michalowicz have created their own groups like Profit First Professionals for bookkeepers and accountants, so there are probably more groups than you could ever imagine.

    Side Note: At Technology Marketing Toolkit alone, we have Toolkit Membership (for those who want proven strategies and are dipping their toe in the TMT waters), MSP Launch Academy (MSPs under $500,000 in annual revenue looking to get their operations in order and marketing started), Accelerators Club (MSPs usually under one-million in revenue but are ready to really ramp up their number of high-paying clients they get with proven msp marketing strategies) and Producers Club (An invite-only peer-lead group for MSPs looking to aggressively grow and want the tools and strategies to do it.)
  • Paid Networking Groups: This includes organizations like Business Networking International (BNI), LeTip, and Toastmasters. These are groups primarily designed around “forced” referrals and organized networking meetings.

7. Newsletters

A free, physical, monthly, mailed newsletter is STILL one of the very best pieces you can use to stay in front of leads, get more referrals from clients and stay top-of-mind.

At TMT we provide a monthly newsletter for all of our members for them to send to their leads and clients, plus of course…we eat our own dog food.

All of our members get a monthly MSP Marketing Strategy Brief loaded with tips and strategies and marketing campaigns to grow. (Get a sample here.)

We also send about 30,000 leads and clients the MSP Success Magazine. The important thing to remember in a newsletter is to have topics YOUR CLIENTS ARE INTERESTED IN READING ABOUT and not just write articles about what you’re interested in selling/telling them. For a great book about using newsletter to get clients and referrals check out The No B.S. Guide To Maximum Referrals And Client Retention by my long time marketing mentor Dan Kennedy and friend Shaun Buck.

8. Joint Ventures (JVs) And Partnerships

From when I first started out to today, joint ventures (JVs) and partnerships continue to be one of my favorite ways to market IT services. And I don’t see enough people doing it!
Joint venture are often FREE and give you access to a large pool of potential clients to present to. PLUS…you come in with tons of pre-built authority. Think about this…

If you want to get your foot in the door with a number of companies that already have a great relationship with another professional (their business insurance agent) then why not do a webinar or speaking engagement where you talk about cyber-insurance. The agent get 10-12 new potential clients in the room, you tell them the importance of cybersecurity and insurance (as the last line of defense…and something they are required to have). You’re the expert in the field and just added a dozen new great prospects to your list.

Done right, you can walk out of even a small gathering with 3-4 high-quality appointments.

Start small, then go big like Scott Hagizadegan of Shield IT Networks. Scott became the “go-to” cybersecurity expert for local CPAs and then grew that initially small partnership into becoming the preferred provider for the California Society of CPAs (CalCPA). You can get more of his story where he describes, “Even After Losing My First MSP And Enduring Massive COVID-19 Shutdowns, I GREW My Brand-New MSP By $89,492 In MRR In Our First 90 Days!“

9, Telemarketing (Everyone’s LEAST favorite strategy…except those that are adding millions to their bottom line by doing it!)

Telemarketing is like the kale of the MSP marketing world. You know it’s good for you, but you’ll be damned if you’ll eat it! If you don’t like this one…skip it…but know what kind of results you’re missing.

You’d be hard-pressed to get David Javaheri of Direct IT to stop with his prospecting system since this has been the backbone of his meteoric growth. Since implementing a 3-call telemarketing plan back in 2019 he’s grown from a little over $2M in annual revenue to nearly $10M in 2023. Click here for the full story.
The most important aspects of any calling campaign are systems, process, measurement, training, re-training, re-training, MORE re-training and then scaling. An example of a system like David uses is to send a mailer on a Thursday. Then call the person who got the mailer the following Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

What’s this get you (besides tired, “no’s”, and a lot of banging your head against a wall?) We’ll for every 100 letters you send and use telemarketing strategies to follow-up, you get 1-2 appointments. So if you want 6 new appointments each month, you’ll need to send 300-600 letters and then make that many phone calls times about 2.4 on average. Is it hard? Actually, the system is pretty easy! Is it hard to make time for and stick too…well that depends on how much you really want a proven marketing strategy to grow your MSP. Remember, it’s kale. It works…but it’s not tasty. You gotta WANT the end result.

10. Direct Mail

The days of using mail (not email) but like put-a-stamp-on-it mail is alive and well as a marketing strategy for MSPs. IF (and that’s big IF) you do it right.

Marketing Mailers should be used three different ways.

  1. Gives You A Reason To Call: We talked about this a bit in the “telemarketing section” but if you’re going to use a mailer to try and get new clients you must, Must, MUST! follow up with multiple phone calls. The mail is simply a reason to call i.e. you start off with, “Hi, this is Robin from Your IT Expert and I was calling to follow up with you about a package I sent…”
  2. To stay “top-of-mind” as the MSP of choice: Things like postcards and newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with unconverted leads. Postcard are NOT something you should be sending to cold leads unless you plan to follow up by phone or have the offer of a lifetime. An amazing postcard offer will yield about a .5% (not FIVE…point FIVE) and that only means the will perhaps go to a website. With a cost of about a dollar per card that’d mean it’d cost about $200 to get a single visitor to your website…with an AMAZING offer. Chances are it’ll cost you much more.

    However, if you want to keep in touch with someone you met already, or who inquired about your services…postcards are a great tool for MSPs.
  3. As an offer: If you have a report, book or some other item of value, you can offer than on your website, in emails, on webinars, etc…in exchange for them giving you information.

11. Webinars And Thought Leadership

Hosting webinars allows MSPs to showcase their industry expertise and connect with potential clients in a more personal way. Select relevant topics that address pain points, challenges, or emerging trends in the IT landscape. Promote your webinars through your website, social media, and email campaigns, and engage participants through interactive sessions.

Webinar Tips:

  • Straight from Robin Robins: “We don’t typically start promoting webinars until about five days before. It is primarily digital because if you promote it sooner, you’ll get registrations, but show-up rate is low because people register and then forget and they don’t show up.” Three ways to maximize your webinar ROI
  • For longer, virtual events, we suggest starting marketing promotion a few weeks out.

12. Video Marketing

Video content has gained prominence in digital marketing due to its engaging nature. Produce informative videos that simplify complex IT concepts, showcase successful case studies, or provide glimpses into your team’s expertise. Share these videos on platforms like YouTube, social media, and your website to boost engagement and brand awareness.

For more information on how to get started with video, see our introduction to video marketing for MSPs.

MSP Video Marketing Tips:

  • Educational Value: Focus on creating videos that educate your audience about industry trends, common challenges, and solutions. Break down technical jargon into understandable language to resonate with a wider audience.
  • Case Studies and Success Stories: Share real-world case studies that highlight how your MSP’s solutions have positively impacted clients. This not only demonstrates your capabilities but also builds trust through tangible results.
  • Authenticity: Showcase the human side of your MSP by featuring key team members in videos. This adds a personal touch and helps build a connection with your audience.

13. Content Marketing

Content Marketing is a strategy focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.

Content types for MSPs:

  • Blog posts
  • Whitepapers
  • Case studies
  • Videos
  • Infographics

Content marketing serves as a potent tool for establishing thought leadership and building lasting relationships. Create high-quality, educational content that addresses pain points and challenges your target clients face. Blog posts, whitepapers, and industry insights showcase your expertise and provide value, positioning your MSP as a go-to resource in the field.

MSP Content Marketing Tips:

  • Clear, direct content is necessary to grab your prospect’s attention and differentiate yourself from the competition. Why great content is the key to marketing managed services.
  • Social media platforms want you to be social. You can’t post and ghost. Best practices are: Posting Monday through Friday and spending 10-15 minutes engaging with your newsfeed AFTER hitting publish on your post.

How To Implement An MSP Marketing Plan

Through working with thousands of MSPs and IT services providers, we know most of the marketing they do doesn’t drive results. Even the process of collecting and responding to referrals isn’t structured into an effective marketing strategy. Instead, the process is disorganized, disjointed, and often improvised. All in all, to generate leads and drive sales for your managed services offering, your MSP marketing strategy should connect the dots from prospect to customer and that requires a comprehensive MSP marketing plan.

Where to get started when creating an MSP marketing plan:

Start with the Who, Not the What

The plan should begin by identifying the ideal customer. It’s crucial to understand who the target market is before deciding on the marketing tactics. Different markets have different needs and preferences. Your marketing plan should be tailored to address the specific needs, challenges, and characteristics of your chosen target market.

Understand the Market and Pricing Dynamics

Most MSPs look at their competitors to set prices and services. However, this often leads to a homogenized market where everyone offers similar services at similar price points. An effective marketing plan should carve out a unique place in the market, offering distinct value that sets your MSP apart from its competition.

Clarify the Value Proposition and Niche Focus

Your plan should clearly articulate what makes your MSP unique. This involves defining a niche or specializing in certain types of clients or industries. Being a specialist in a particular area can be a significant competitive advantage, offering a clear value proposition to the target market.

Understand the Customer’s Needs and Preferences

Instead of focusing on what competitors are offering, your plan should emphasize understanding what the customers need and want. This understanding should guide the service offerings, pricing, and the overall approach to the market.

Strategic Planning and Resource Allocation

Your marketing plan should outline the strategies to reach your target market, considering the most effective channels and methods to engage potential clients. This includes selecting the right marketing channels (like social media, trade shows, or direct mail) based on where the target market is most likely to be found and be receptive.

Service Offering Customization Based on Target Market

The services and products offered should be tailored to meet the specific needs of your target market. This involves not just customizing your marketing message but also aligning the actual service offerings with what the market requires.

Continuous Market Feedback and Adaptation

Your plan should not be static. It should involve mechanisms for gathering market feedback and adapting both the marketing tactics and service offerings in response to market demand and changing conditions.

Performance Measurement and Adjustment

Include key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the success of marketing activities. Your plan should be flexible enough to allow for adjustments based on these performance metrics.

Here are some additional resources to help you get started with your MSP marketing plan:

Understanding The MSP Marketing Landscape

MSPs operate within a unique ecosystem, catering to businesses seeking reliable IT solutions. They face both challenges and opportunities specific to their industry. From showcasing technical expertise to building trust in cybersecurity, your MSP marketing strategies must be tailored to your audience.

Get started with MSP marketing:

What To Expect From Your MSP Marketing: Real Numbers From MSP Case Studies

In this video, we cover everything from email open rates and webinar conversions to Google PPC campaigns and direct mail strategies, this comprehensive breakdown gives you a clear picture of what to anticipate when you start your MSP marketing campaigns. Discover real numbers from case studies and why certain metrics matter.

How To Build A Strong MSP Brand

Brand identity goes beyond just a logo and colors—it encompasses the values, voice, and mission that differentiate a business. For MSPs, establishing a strong online brand presence helps foster credibility and trust. Define a clear brand voice that resonates with your target audience. Communicate your commitment to security, reliability, and innovation to position your MSP uniquely in the market.

Tips for building your MSP’s Brand:

Need help implementing a cohesive MSP marketing strategy? Schedule a FREE MSP marketing strategy session. In 60 minutes or less, we’ll show you how to get in front of more high-quality prospects that WANT your services and are ready to buy.

Schedule Your FREE Marketing Strategy Session

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