I was doing some prospecting this morning looking at different MSP websites, and there’s one thing that I noticed: everybody looks the same. 

Are you feeling this in your business, too?

Every MSP website talks about proactive support and cybersecurity; they use the same phrases and offer the same services. Honestly, if I didn’t know any better because I work in this industry, I would assume most MSP companies are the same. 

This is a problem, especially as small businesses are beginning to tighten their budgets. Business owners are starting to think, “Should we spend the money on a new vendor, or even spend the money on searching for a new vendor? What’s wrong with our existing IT vendor, if they do the same thing everybody else does?”

Prioritizing Differentiation as an MSP

I believe that prioritizing differentiation in your MSP is going to be key as we’re heading into the second half of 2025. 

You do a lot of the same things that your competitors do, but the guy down the street isn’t necessarily who you need to worry about losing business to. Instead, I think people are just going to make the decision that they don’t need to switch providers. 

If business owners can’t tell the difference between the MSP options out there, they’re just going to stick with the incumbent, right? Why would they bother with the friction of switching providers if every provider says that they’re doing the same thing? 

This is why I’m passionate about finding ways to stand out. If your website and services look just like everybody else’s, then you’re going to get lost in the crowd.

How to Make Your MSP Stand Out in 2025

When I talk to our clients about putting their business on the map, here are a few of the strategies I recommend:

Niche down

One of the best ways to stand out from the crowd is to become a specialist. Some business owners worry that if they get too specific, they’ll limit their growth potential. But it’s actually the opposite. When you go all in working with a specific type of business, you position yourself as a go-to for clients in that industry.

For example, if your website says you work with small businesses, that puts you at the same level as hundreds of other competitors. But if you market yourself as a 24/7 IT support for law offices, that’s going to set you apart. Your client pool might be smaller, but your services are much more likely to move to the top of the list for law offices seeking out an IT company.

Productize Your Services

Most of the IT companies out there are offering the same services, and marketing them in the same way. To a potential client, options like managed services, managed IT services, cybersecurity services and project consulting all mean basically the same thing. It makes it difficult for them to know which MSP would be best for them, because they look so similar at first glance.

Productizing your services allows you to bring something fresh to the market. It means taking your current services, and packaging them in a more marketable and accessible way. Think about your ideal clients: if you could package together three tiers of services, what would they include? What solutions are your clients looking for?

By bundling services together and clearly indicating what your clients will get when they choose a bundle, you are offering standout solutions instead of cookie cutter services.

Refresh Your Marketing

If your marketing hasn’t changed in the last several years, it’s probably time for an update.

Over the past decade or so, buyers started to become savvier. They had more information to conduct their own research, find reviews, and make more informed choices. In response, marketers focused on blog posts, website content and search engine optimization to draw those clients in.

The challenge for businesses in 2025 is that we now have a “misinformed buyer.” So much accessible information means that today’s buyers are coming in with preconceived ideas of what it means to work with an MSP, and what services they might need. Connecting with potential clients is more fluid than ever before.

Your marketing should help to cut through the noise. Show up for your buyer at the time of need, provide true value, and build a human connection. Communicate the process and advantages of what it’s like to work with your business, and be ready to adapt when the playbook changes again. 

Leaning in to a New Approach

In a market as competitive as IT, differentiation is essential for growth. I’ve got some strong opinions on it, and some ways to help your MSP stand out from others. If you’re interested in talking about it, let’s schedule some time to talk about the right marketing strategy for your business.