The nature of outbound marketing has seen a drastic shift in the last decade.
People are more connected now than at any point in human history. This means, to put it bluntly, most people don’t like being bothered by poor sales pitches.
When we start working with a managed service provider (MSP) at Tech Pro Marketing – my MSP marketing agency – we tend to hear similar stories about the MSP owners’ experiences with outbound marketing. Something along the lines of:
“I know I should be doing something to generate leads. I’ve looked at a number of outbound lead generation systems for MSPs, but they just don’t work for me.”
Trust me on this. Outbound marketing is not a lost cause for MSP owners. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. In this post, I want to explain three major mindset shifts to start making outbound work for you – and how to do it in a way that’s not spammy. Let’s get into it.
Shift #1: From brand damage to in-demand
What causes “brand damage” in outbound marketing?
There are a million ways to create a bad perception of your brand using outbound, but ultimately, it all boils down to this question:
Are your tactics “normal”?
Let me explain.
Cold calling used to be the bread and butter of outbound marketing. But that’s not really the case anymore. When was the last time you answered a phone call from an unknown number? To many business owners, cold calling is a spammy tactic in 2024.
These days, cold email feels more normal for outbound marketing than dialing a phone.
However, there are plenty of ways you can be abnormal with email. Here’s an example of an abnormal email I received last fall:
This is an abnormal email for several reasons.
- It’s way too awkward. No one talks like this.
- Most of the email is just going on about how great their own company is, the “cutting-edge solutions” they provide, and why I need to start working with them immediately.
- Most importantly, it’s clear they didn’t do any research on my company before reaching out. This person thought we were an IT company, not a marketing company.
Look at the articles on SmarterMSP.com. The reason they provide such good insight is the editors are very picky about the content they accept. The blogs aren’t full of industry jargon and surface-level insight. They get to the core of what MSP owners need to know.
When you send a cold outreach email, focus on the recipient and what they need. Droning on about how great you are is not a normal way to break the ice with someone.
Here’s the type of cold email we’ve found to be most successful:
It’s short, gets right to the point, and is focused on solving marketing problems for MSP owners.
Key takeaways:
- Use email or LinkedIn for outreach
- Respect people’s privacy
- Focus on solving problems
- Be concise
If you need help getting started with outbound – or changing your playbook – talk to my team. We’ll guide you in the right direction.
Shift #2: From what to say to who to say it to
The most common reason outbound marketing – and marketing as a whole – falls flat is because there is a disconnect between the message and the receiver. Marketing efforts should always be focused on attracting the right prospects – rather than casting a wide net. It’s always better to have a smaller pool of highly engaged prospects than a large group of uninterested contacts.
When you’re trying to market MSP services, the people who need to see your messages are decision-makers – owners, C-Suite executives, office managers, etc.
As you build your outreach list, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, industry directories, and business communities are great places to identify decision-makers who could benefit from your services. Categorize your list based on criteria such as company size, industry, and specific pain points you can address.
Once you start your outreach, focus on the prospects who showed interest with regular follow-ups. From here, create a logical bridge to open the conversations for IT support. This could mean sending relevant blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, or webinars to help answer some key questions.
Key takeaways:
- Quality always trumps quantity in an outreach list
- Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator, directories, business communities, etc.
- Create logical bridges to steer the conversation to IT support, showcasing your expertise
Shift #3: From “now” to playing the long game
What exactly does the “long game” look like for an MSP owner in marketing?
In most cases, this means building a team that allows you to get out of the trenches of marketing – so you can focus on growing the business.
Outbound marketing involves many different tasks, including (but not limited to):
- List building
- List cleaning (making sure your existing customers aren’t on the outreach list)
- Campaign management
- Responding to lead notifications
- Scheduling follow-ups
- CRM management
As business owners, getting out of the trenches is much easier said than done. I speak from experience here. Eventually, you’ll become a roadblock by trying to do everything yourself. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, the long game always involves building a team of all-stars to run the marketing engine.
Fortunately, owners of growing MSPs don’t typically need to hire in-house. There are marketing services dedicated to helping MSP owners grow, which are significantly less expensive than bringing on full-time employees.
Key takeaways:
- Know when it’s time to step back from marketing
- Pass off the menial tasks of outbound
- Look into companies that specialize in MSP marketing
The next step
Outbound will always have a big role in the marketing mix, but the day-to-day activities are much different now than they were in the 1990s and 2000s. By shifting your mindset, you can turn outbound into one of your top tactics for lead gen.
Do you feel like you’re using outdated marketing strategies? Are you struggling to get traction with the right prospects? I can help you. Request a strategy call on my website or check out the Masterclass I’ve created on MSP marketing.
Photo: Jantana Duncan / Shutterstock
