If it feels like the marketing and sales activity for your managed services provider business are not working as well as they have in previous years, you’re not alone.
Changes in the industry and buyer behavior have altered the way MSPs need to market.
When it comes to selling and marketing your MSP, there are many different factors that should be considered. Here is why the MSP marketing playbook has changed, and what you can do to bring your strategy up to speed:
Twenty years ago, companies were predominantly working with internal IT resources or outside computer companies in a break/fix engagement. Working with an MSP on a monthly, recurring basis was still a novel idea.
Then, about 10 years ago, companies started outsourcing their IT needs to an MSP for cost savings, scalability, and internal efficiencies. Most of those break/fix companies made the transition to the MSP model.
Today, companies who could benefit from an MSP are already in a long-term contract with one, and don’t want the hassle of switching. Most markets are saturated with MSPs that have very little differentiation.
What this means is that the playbook you were using 10 or 20 years ago is just not going to bring in the kind of business you want in 2025. It’s time to find a better way to stand out in a competitive market.
If you’ve been in the industry for awhile, you’ve experienced firsthand how the lead generation strategy has changed.
Cold calls can feel interruptive and are rarely answered or returned.
Creating content for your website and waiting for people to show up doesn’t produce enough qualified leads.
Social media posts are often tuned out and ignored, and usually controlled by the algorithm. Spending money on paid ads strategies just does not drive enough conversions to justify the investment that’s needed there.
But the challenge goes beyond outdated or ineffective tactics. The entire way that people live and work has changed, and this shift was happening long before the pandemic upended things.
Consider the way people used to work:
20 years ago, a 9-5 workday was common. Work happened inside of a closed office space, and fast internet to homes and businesses was just becoming available. Fast forward to 10 years ago, people began working more of an 8-6+ workday in open concept offices. High-speed internet became available on your phone, and you were always connected.
But today, people are working wherever they want, whenever they want, and MSPs are having to adapt to that new style of working.
People are buying differently now, more than they ever have before.
20 years ago, the buyer’s journey was driven by the sales person. Buyers were relatively uninformed, and the sales and marketing playbook was all about interrupting with cold calls and advertising.
But 10 years ago, buyers became savvier, and often began their buyers’ journeys with an online search. The sales and marketing playbook adapted to attraction: putting out website content, spending time on search engine optimization, and even thinking about social selling.
But today, you have what we call a “misinformed buyer.” These buyers have already heard of an MSP or an outsourced IT operation, and they may have worked with one in the past. They already have perceptions of what it’s like to work with an outsourced IT company. What that means for you is that you don’t just have to inform them; you also have to overcome any perceptions they might already have.
Today’s buyer’s journey is fluid. Sometimes it’s driven by the sales person. Sometimes it starts with a Google search. The best way you can show up for today’s buyer is to show up at the time of need, provide true value, and build a human connection. Find the thing that you do better than the other MSPs, and make sure you’re communicating that advantage to your audience.
If you’ve been struggling to get a handle on your MSP sales and marketing strategy, consider how your approach is evolving with the times. This is a competitive industry; the only way to thrive is to differentiate yourself from the crowd, build authentic connections, and meet your clients where they’re at.
When you’re willing to toss out the old playbook and try something new, you can begin to see real, positive progress in your client acquisition, and your business overall.