By 2025, at least 60% of businesses will rely on managed service providers (MSPs) for their IT needs. But as the market continues to grow like wildfire, and new competitors emerge daily with unique offerings, things aren't going to get easier for MSPs without a clear marketing plan.
For every dollar your potential customers are willing to spend, more and more choices are available. That's why it's vital for MSPs – both established and emerging – to have a well-thought-out and executed marketing plan. Below, we'll examine the critical paths to marketing success, the steps involved in creating your marketing plan, and the pitfalls to watch out for along the way.
The Three Pillars of MSP Marketing Success
There is a traditional framework called "marketing mix" or the "Four Ps of marketing" that many industries have lived by for decades: Product, price, place, and promotions.
In the 1990s, a more customer-driven framework tweaked this slightly to consumer, cost, convenience, and communication. This was done in order to focus more on user engagement and how to reach the right people with the right message. For MSPs, a specific marketing framework can be constructed out of these tried and trusted marketing ideas.
The three pillars that best describe what a good MSP can offer customers in today's market are: trust, value, and security.
TRUST
When you market an MSP, you need to focus on trust first and foremost. The customer needs to know that when they sign a contract with your company, there's nothing but good things in store for them. That means earning their trust through word-of-mouth referrals, third-party endorsements (like awards or industry accolades), and even social proof such as case studies or past customers' reviews of your services online.
It also helps if you can demonstrate technical proficiency – something like an IT certification from a respected institution – so that potential clients understand the level of expertise behind your offerings.
When someone spends money on a single product, or a one-time experience, they're risking a relatively small amount of money. If things go poorly, it won't put their livelihood in jeopardy. With MSPs, customers are investing in the future of their business – and that requires trust.
VALUE
Even if you can demonstrate trustworthiness and technical know-how, customers still need to be shown there is a legitimate return on investment. That means making sure your pricing is competitive without sacrificing the quality of service or delivery. It also requires understanding the needs of different customer segments and tailoring your services accordingly – something that will be explored later in this article.
Some products are marketed solely on an emotional reaction. But when it comes to managed services, the value proposition needs to be more thought-out and tangible. A business case will have to be presented that details:
• What services are included?
• What is the expected return on investment (ROI)?
• How long will it take to see a return?
• Are there any hidden costs or recurring expenses that need to be factored in?
Not just vague promises, but real data and metrics are needed to back up your offering.
SECURITY
More than anything, there must be an immediate and obvious sense of security when engaging with an MSP. That means taking the necessary steps to ensure data and system integrity, such as compliance with industry standards like GDPR or HIPAA, and having robust backup strategies in place. It also involves making sure that all customer 
information is secure from potential breaches or cyberattacks – which requires investing in the right people, processes, and technology. The bottom line is that customers need to feel safe entrusting their business operations to your company. If they don't have this assurance upfront, it won't matter how competitively priced you are or how well-crafted your marketing message is – they won't take the plunge.
Creating a Successful MSP Marketing Plan
Now that we've laid the groundwork for success, let's take a look at how to put together an effective marketing plan.
1. DEFINE YOUR GOALS
Don't just think about the short-term – set long-term objectives that you can work towards and measure success against. Your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely (SMART).
For example: Increase sales of our managed cloud hosting service by 10% over the next six months.
This is something you can track and measure to see if your efforts are paying off.
Key Term: SWOT Analysis
To accurately create these goals, take a step back and analyze your current position. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis can be used to identify areas in which your MSP has an advantage or disadvantage compared to the competition. This will help you determine where best to focus your resources and energy when planning your marketing activities.
2. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
The second step is to define your target audience.
• Who are they?
• What do they need?
• What are their pain points and how can you address them?
Once you know who you're targeting, it's time to create content that speaks directly to them. This could be anything from blog posts and whitepapers to webinars or email campaigns – the key is understanding what resonates with this particular demographic and tailoring your message accordingly.
Key Term: Market Segmentation
Market segmentation is the process of dividing a market into distinct groups of customers with similar needs, characteristics, or behaviors. This will help identify which segments are most likely to be interested in your offering in order to target them accordingly. For example, if you offer managed services for retailers, you may want to focus your efforts on department stores or fashion outlets. Designed for government offices? Then you may want to target local authorities or central government bodies.
3. GENERATE LEADS
Every marketing effort should have the aim of generating leads. This means creating content and campaigns that will drive people to your website or landing pages, and then capture their contact information for later follow-up. Focus on building relationships with potential customers by offering something of value – a free eBook outlining best practices in cloud security, for example – in exchange for their details.
Key Term: Organic Traffic
Organic traffic is the term used to describe people who find your website through search engine results. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and content marketing are two of the most effective ways to generate organic leads, as they both involve creating high-quality content that appeals to potential customers. These leads are often much more valuable than those generated from paid advertising, as they tend to be more engaged and interested in your offering.
4. NURTURE, NOT NEGLECT
Not everyone is going to buy right away. It might take days, weeks, or even months before they feel comfortable enough to trust you with their data. This means staying in touch with prospects and providing them with 
regular updates on your offering. You can do this through email campaigns, blog posts, webinars, or social media – whatever works best for your audience. The key here is consistency – make sure you keep in touch regularly and don't let leads fall through the cracks. Trust is built slowly, brick by brick.
Key Term: Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Don't forget that your current customers are just as important as your prospective ones. A customer relationship management system (CRM) can help you keep track of existing customers, advance relationships, and upsell additional services where appropriate.
Final Thoughts
The market for managed services is only going to get tougher. To succeed, you need to focus on building customer relationships through your marketing efforts. You will need a well-crafted MSP marketing plan that keeps these three pillars in mind: Trust, value, and security – the key to your MSP's success.
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