Nate Teplow
Continuum Managed IT Services
Marketing Programs Manager
Future Leaders Community
I’ve had the opportunity to work with a number of MSPs and IT solution providers on refining their marketing strategies and have noticed some common areas where MSPs could do much better.
Plenty of MSPs are good at marketing, but many more can significantly improve their efforts. Here are the three biggest marketing mistakes that I see, along with tips on how to fix them.
Being Generic and/or Lacking Differentiation
Many MSPs and VARs have a hard time committing to a target market. It’s easy to think that by picking a targeted segment you’re giving up on others who might want your services. But the truth is, picking a niche makes it easier to market and sell your services and to ultimately grow your business.
Many MSPs use generic taglines, but this is a wasted opportunity since it says nothing about how your services are different. I could come up with 10 clever IT taglines on the spot:
- We Make IT Work for You
- Getting IT Done
- We Do IT Right
- Getting Jiggy with IT
You get the picture.
However, it takes a lot more than a clever slogan to convince people that they need to work with you. To make an impact, be sure to differentiate and make it resonate with your audience. If you were a doctor looking to outsource IT in your office, which of the two slogans would get you more excited?
- Empowering doctors with the latest technology solutions
- Because IT just needs to work
The more specific you can be to a prospect’s needs, the better chance you have at engaging them and winning their business.
Poor Websites
Your website is your storefront. A brick and mortar store wouldn’t have an old rusted sign, a broken window and cigarette butts littered out front and expect new customers to walk in. Spend time cleaning up your “storefront” on a regular basis in order for people to feel more comfortable approaching you.
I was recently looking for a new dentist. After checking with my insurance provider for a list of nearby dentists covered under my plan, I started visiting their websites. I didn’t like the first few because they were old and outdated. After about three or four attempts, I finally came to a website that looked professional, had clear pictures of the facilities and listed the services I was looking for. I submitted a contact form and they ended up getting my business.
I pretty much chose my dentist based on the website since it left a good impression. The same thing rings true for any site. Spending time and money to make yours look professional helps improve your chances of generating new leads and is an important investment you should make in your business. I wrote about investing in yourself on the Continuum Blog, and your website is one of the areas you can do so.
I’ve seen MSP websites that don’t have a single picture of a person on it anywhere! Not one single person! Outsourced IT is about establishing personal relationships. Make sure you have actual images of people on your website – with bonus points if you include yourselves and your employees.
Little or No Content
Content is the foundation of modern-day, online marketing. People are looking for answers on the Internet and having content that’s regularly published on your website will help your company get found.
Content is fulfillment. If you don’t have good blogs, case studies, videos, and helpful information, it’s like convincing someone to come to your restaurant and serving bad food. Getting them to come is half the battle, but you also need to fulfill their needs when they’re there.
Having strong content helps people find you and also demonstrates that you know what you’re talking about. If they like the material you provide, they will begin to trust you and are much more likely to engage with your company and seek your expertise for their business.
Regularly refreshing and publishing content on your website should be a core part of your marketing strategy.
Get Started
Marketing doesn’t come easy to MSPs and IT solution providers. It takes time, money and a consistent effort to produce results. However, it’s an essential investment if you want to grow your business. Check out CompTIA’s sales and marketing tools to help you get started.
