2018 has been an eventful year for us here at Smarter MSP, as we have continued our mission to deliver resources to help you develop your managed service business and make it more successful. We were fortunate enough to have several articles from our contributors that resonated well with our audience. As part of our recap of this past year, here are the top 10 Smarter MSP posts of 2018:
Email bombing is making a quick comeback
Kevin Williams breaks down the resurgence of a form of cyber attack known as “email bombing” is making a comeback. In this post, Kevin shows us how email bombing is a simple process for bad actors to carry out, but more complicated for MSPs to clean up. Check out the post for detailed tips on how MSPs can best defend against this resurging trend.
3 best practice strategies for MSP pricing models
Gary Pica shares insight into which strategies MSPs should implement when they are creating a pricing model for their business. Gary’s advice on setting a price demonstrates how MSPs can balance the need to attract partners and customers without “selling themselves short” by setting a rock bottom price.
How to improve your productivity while running a busy MSP
Mike J. Douglass offers his expert advice on how MSPs can maintain productivity while accomplishing multiple tasks. In this popular post, Mike Douglass covers specific topics like time management, measuring productivity, delegating tasks and projects effectively, and making the most of your MSP’s resources.
Ask an MSP Expert: What security solutions should I add to my portfolio?
In this entry from our “Ask an MSP Expert” series, we sat down with Neal Bradbury, the senior director of business development at Barracuda MSP. Neal shared strategic advice to help guide MSPs as they prepare to enter the managed security services space. He helps MSPs reexamine the solutions they are currently offering and could improve on, before ultimately touching on some of the newer, more innovative security solutions that are easy to sell for MSPs.
Looking back on 2018, one of the largest trends that emerged was cryptojacking, which occurs when bad actors use CPUs to mine cryptocurrency. Kevin Williams dives into the vast reaching effects of cryptojacking, from the victims that are affected by the cyber attack to the difficult-to-detect inside threats that allow it to take place. It’s not all doom and gloom though; Kevin also details how MSPs can stop the attempts in their tracks and prevent them from occurring in the future.
A vendor’s perspective: 4 ways to distinguish a good MSP from a great one
In this post, Cam Roberson spoke with representatives from multiple vendors to see how individual MSPs can stand out from a crowded pack. Highlights include tips for how general business practices, networking behaviors, and efficiently utilizing partnerships can push an MSP business to the next level.
Is your MSP wasting money on the wrong type of marketing?
Nate Freedman investigates why some MSPs are failing to see results from their marketing strategy, no matter how many different tactics they use. He goes beyond simply diagnosing the problems that MSPs have in their existing marketing strategy, but how to proactively address them moving forward.
Ask an MSP Expert: What are some best practices for patch management?
In this edition of our “Ask an MSP Expert” series, we sat down with product management executive Chris Crellin, for advice on how MSPs should handle patch management. Chris supplied us with his five best practices for patch management, complete with detailed description on what MSPs should look for when putting these practices in action.
Ask an MSP Expert: What do I need to teach my customers to keep them safe from ransomware?
Another popular “Ask an MSP Expert” post, we spoke with Barracuda MSP’s desktop support specialist Paul Hanley on how MSPs can educate their customers to keep them safe from ransomware. Paul provided three tips to help MSPs educate their customers on how to avoid falling victim to ransomware.
Why security should be a pillar in your MSP marketing strategy
In his second post in the top 10 list, Nate Freedman shows how the IT channel has been forced to provide greater attention to cyber security, as bad actors and other threats continue to rise in number and prevalence.
As the new year begins, we have some exciting things in store for Smarter MSP, and hope you will join us for the adventure. We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to provide you with valuable content into 2019 and beyond!
Photo: Steven VanDesande Jr / Unsplash
