Do you remember when getting new clients used to be downright easy?
It seemed that all you had to do was kick back, do a good job, and let those sweet, sweet no-effort referrals flow into your MSP. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that the good old days of no-effort leads are either slowing down – or maybe behind you entirely.
Take deep breaths. Don’t panic.
As it turns out, it happens to nearly all MSPs at some point in their business.
We spoke to some of our clients that graciously agreed to share the specific top ways of how they managed to start landing new clients – without relying solely on referrals.
Tip #1: Experiment with Specializing in Niche Markets
Want to stand out amongst the crowded MSP market?
Don’t just focus on being the top dog IT generalist, which can leave you spread too thin. Try to focus on being a key specialist to niche markets.
- Focus on specific industries (e.g., dental offices, financial firms, education, government, etc.) and tailor your services to meet their unique needs and regulatory requirements. Bonus points if you can start using common tools of their industry in a sentence – it goes a long way in building rapport with prospects.
- Familiarize yourself with security and compliance regulations that affect these industries. Many businesses struggle to keep up with IT compliance regulations within their specific industries. Building a template to assess and handle regulations (like HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA, and more) can quickly add legitimacy to your MSP to help you land higher-value clients.
- Attend conferences and seek out events pertaining to these industries. Try to shake hands with as many local leaders in these spaces to start genuinely getting expertise in these markets.
Tip #2: Give Marketing a Proper Chance
Marketing is the bane of a lot of MSPs.
It’s usually the exact opposite skillset of the typical technical MSP team – it’s largely creative work that’s often subjective (and hit-or-miss). Still, getting the basics down is vital.
And if you're thinking of investing money in digital marketing and events, get your messaging established first. Clearly defining your value proposition will help you make the right strategic marketing decisions for your MSP, and help you differentiate. (Remember tip #1 about niche markets?)
Think of it this way: if you pay top dollar for pay-per-click ads but aren't driving those leads to a landing page built around the pain points and desires of a specific buyer persona, they aren’t going to convert. If you ask an agency to call 100 leads but they don't have an interesting message to convey, well, cue the cricket sound.
Key takeaway: strategy, then tactics.
Once you've got that in place, at best, you’ll generate leads and new business from your marketing. At worst, you’ll make sure that you look professional and trustworthy when prospects check out your business.
- Develop a strong online presence through a professional website. In 2024, it’s never been easier to spin up a great looking website without any professional help. Yes, SEO optimization, blogging, and pay-per-click strategies are amazing – but prospects will settle for a clean website that proves you’re a real business (with real services and real people working there).
- Participate in industry events, webinars, and networking opportunities to increase visibility. Building relationships with other businesses of all kinds can help to improve brand recognition and build lead pipelines. Seek out anything from local peer groups to major events, such as PSA-hosted conferences on MSP best practices. Keeping a pulse on the industry pays off.
- Keep your business-relevant profiles updated. Google My Business, Facebook, LinkedIn – anything you operate in should be updated with your website, phone number(s), and contact details. Don’t let a lead slip through your fingers because of a bit of old or missing information.
Tip #3: Make Customer Service Your Whole Thing
MSP tech stacks can be copied completely by your competitors, all the way down to your workflows. Instead of relying on your technology as a differentiator, make sure you focus on your customer service and dedication to the business relationship.
- Focus on a customer-centric approach, with regular check-ins (such as quarterly business reviews, or QBRs) and proactive problem to business solving. Don’t just leave your business relationships on autopilot, especially because you might miss chances to upsell more services – or to resolve any process inefficiencies.
- Gather, share, and act on customer feedback to continuously improve your services. The best way to keep everyone happy and on the same page is to put ego aside and ask. Reporting on customer satisfaction (CSAT) metrics to clients is a great way to build rapport and show them that you’re listening, too.
If you want a super quick win here, take a look at our Portal 365 platform. It’s got everything that you need to make your clients happier and your MSP processes more efficient – plus, you’ll have a killer platform that can make you look extra professional to prospects.
Tip #4: Create Customized and Branded Solutions
It’s basically impossible to stand out amongst another MSP when looking at line-item services.
Terms like “managed services”, “managed security”, “managed cloud” and more don’t mean much to non-MSPs. Putting a spin on these services with your own branding makes them both incomparable to other MSPs and even more marketable.
- Avoid one-size-fits-all approaches by developing customized solutions. It’s true, it takes more time and effort – but catering your services to the specific needs of each client is worth it. It’s both a way to justify an increase in your service margins and to improve client satisfaction.
CloudRadial is all about helping MSPs land, onboard, manage, and grow clients.
If you want more tips on client prospecting with CloudRadial, download our guide: Land, Onboard, Manage, and Grow.
