If you’re reading this now, chances are you’re asking yourself this same question, is marketing for my Managed Service Provider a waste of time? The answer is yes AND no. Confused yet? Don’t worry, by the end of all of this, you will understand what I mean.
With remote work here to stay, MSPs are facing one of the biggest opportunities for growth in the history of the industry. So how can you be a part of this growth? Well first, it’s important that you not forget that growing your MSP takes time and effort, it’s not just going to happen overnight.
No matter what industry you’re in, growth requires strategy, and a big part of that strategy is in how you interact with prospective clients. How you interact with your prospective clients all comes down to your marketing strategy. So going back to our question, the answer is no, marketing for your MSP is not a waste of time, but also yes, because it is a waste of time if not executed properly.
If you’re feeling like you’re wasting your time marketing for your MSP, here are some of the most common marketing issues that our MSPs run into below – and some solutions.
1. You don’t know who you’re marketing to.
Something that we’ve noticed a lot of MSPs doing is market to the wrong person. If this is you, you may be thinking, “But marketing is marketing right? If I’m getting the word out, I’ll at least get some leads.” The truth is that if you put content out, not everyone is going to like it. We’re all different, and your prospective clients have different likes, needs, and ways of communicating.
That is why, marketing must be personalized to your ideal client. So, who is your ideal client? Do they hang out on Instagram, do they like listening to the radio, etc.? What do they like to do? What do they need you to help them with? How would they ask you for help?
Once you’ve done a bit of research and answered these questions, start building a marketing strategy that caters to each “persona” of your ideal client and watch the leads roll in.
2. You’re not building brand awareness.
Brand awareness can sometimes feel like a waste of time because awareness is not the same as having a client actually purchase your services. Although it is not likely that brand awareness will give you a direct ROI, it IS a key aspect to building trust with your ideal client.
People will not purchase what they don’t trust. Your ideal client needs to first be aware of who you are. Without building awareness and letting your potential clients get to know who you are, it is not very likely that you will have many clients.
Imagine your ideal client is doing a Google search for a new MSP and your name pops up, along with many others. Your ideal client will choose the MSP that they know and trust. Every. Single. Time. That is why it’s so important that you build brand awareness, even if a potential client is not thinking of attaining a new MSP at the moment. If the first time that your ideal client sees your name is the same moment that they do a Google search, you have already lost them.
Brand awareness campaigns are a fundamental part of an overall marketing strategy. If no one has heard of you or seen your logo before, the chances of having them engage with you when you do end up using a direct marketing approach are slim to none. Even if your ideal client is not interacting with you right away, by building brand awareness, you will subconsciously grab their attention so that when they do look for an MSP, it will be more likely that they choose yours.
3. Your message is confusing.
Donald Miller says, “if you confuse, you’ll lose.” You only have a limited amount of time to captivate your audience, and if your content is full of jargon, you’re going to lose them.
Likely, you spend so much time on your business that you end up eating, sleeping, breathing, and talking MSP. But those looking for you to solve their problems won’t have the same knowledge and familiarity with your MSP that you have. That’s why it’s important to market your MSP content without jargon, so that the people who are looking for help, will know that they are looking for YOUR help.
Answering your potential clients’ questions with complex explanations will confuse and intimidate them. It’s important to simplify and translate your content so that anyone who sees it will be able to understand it. And keep in mind that even though you understand what you are saying, your ideal client may not.
Before you send your next marketing piece, or your sales team rhymes off an answer to a problem your prospective client has, ask yourselves, “How much does this client know about my MSP?” Then review your materials with that question in mind.
You might find you have to rewrite some things, but it will be well worth the time.
So, what’s next?
If you’re not gaining leads, you’re wasting your time marketing your MSP and it’s time to start building a strategic marketing plan. Fixing your marketing is easier than you think, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Don’t waste your time. Contact us if you need help building a strategy for marketing your MSP.
