There are many programs available to managed service providers to aid in spreading the organizational message. Many of these services are designed with a common claim, to help grow your MSP business.
With so much choice, the question lingers….
What solution is right for your business?
Many MSP marketing services remove the stress from day-to-day marketing activities and management for the average service provider.
Services offered by the leading firms will include telemarketing, social media management, blog writing and website management to name a few.
Just like selecting your help desk provider, picking a marketing partner requires careful consideration.
Here are a few key areas for your focus when determining both a marketing and help desk provider for your managed service provider:
Strategy
You are the business owner and you must always retain the ownership of your strategy, simple! It is your company and there is no ‘magic bullet’. Outsourcing tactical activities will help with execution but you are the business owner and therefore the marketing and service delivery strategy must remain your responsibility. Seek help and guidance, but ultimately you own it.
Uniqueness
You need to stop looking like the next guy. Find your unique voice and share it. There are many MSP websites, marketing materials and blogs that are the simply the same for all MSPs. Even in local geographies or within the same vertical markets. It seems that many of us have lost our own voice. Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes when they see the same website, promo material and other items that are just like the other firms. The same goes for your services, there are a lot of outsourced IT departments out there – what combination of services, and experience make you stand out?
Know Your Market
There are some great ideas in terms of technology and services you can tack on to your offering. All with the intent of helping to grow your managed services business. You need to select the ideas that resonate with your market. Is your healthcare offering and marketing material speaking to the challenges affecting Doctors in your town? Does your generic sales letter speak to the needs of small business around you? It may sound rudimentary, but you would be surprised at how many of us forget , or neglect to address in our marketing that it must speak to your specific markets needs and triggers directly. There is not a one fits all approach to this.
Do your homework prior to locking in with an automated marketing service. There are many great services designed to take the stresses associated with marketing off your plate. Make sure you choose one designed to help your business.
The same careful considerations must be made when selecting your MSP Help Desk
providers. There are many firms out there, dig beyond their marketing materials (unlimited usage claims etc).
In any outsourcing or consulting scenario – you need to have a partner who knows how to represent your business the same way you do.
What lessons have you learned over the years in selecting a partner of any kind?
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