Marketing Managed Service Providers (MSPs) is no easy task. Unlike more straightforward products or services, MSPs offer highly technical solutions that many prospects don’t fully understand or realize they need. Selling core services like IT support, network management, or cybersecurity can be challenging because business owners may not even know what these services entail or why they’re essential for their business.
This makes marketing MSPs’ core services difficult. You can’t simply tell potential clients, “We offer managed IT services,” and expect them to jump onboard. Instead, you need to take a more strategic approach—one that reveals the pain points your core services address and solve. By focusing on the problems that prospects are facing and offering a solution that brings those issues to the surface, you create more urgency and relevance around your MSP’s offerings.
In this blog, we’ll explore why marketing MSPs’ core services is challenging and how to reframe your approach by marketing a core offer that highlights and solves key pain points. Let’s dive in.
1. The Core Challenge: MSP Services Are Hard to Understand
The Complexity of MSP Services
One of the main reasons marketing MSP services is difficult is that they’re technical and complex. Managed IT services involve things like network management, data backups, cybersecurity, and cloud solutions—terms that aren’t always easy to explain to non-technical business owners. For someone without an IT background, the value of these services isn’t always immediately clear.
A business owner might not realize that their network is vulnerable to security threats or that their outdated IT infrastructure is causing inefficiencies. And if they don’t understand the problem, they’re unlikely to see the need for your service as the solution.
Actionable Tip: Focus on Education
Rather than simply listing your services, start by educating your prospects about the problems they may face without proper IT management. For example, instead of saying, “We provide 24/7 IT support,” you could highlight the cost of downtime and how much money businesses lose when their systems go offline. When they understand the risks, they’ll see the value of having a managed IT provider.
Example: “Did you know that IT downtime can cost small businesses as much as $10,000 per hour? Our 24/7 IT support ensures your systems stay up and running, so your business avoids costly interruptions.”
2. Prospects Don’t Always Know They Need Your Service
Unawareness of IT Problems
One of the biggest hurdles in MSP marketing is that many prospects don’t realize they have IT problems or understand how much those problems are affecting their business. They might be dealing with slow networks, outdated software, or security risks, but until something catastrophic happens—like a data breach or system failure—they may not see the need for a managed IT provider.
This lack of awareness means that marketing MSP services often feels like you’re solving a problem the client doesn’t think they have. They may believe their current system is “good enough” or that in-house IT staff can handle things. In reality, the risks they’re taking with understaffed or undertrained IT teams can be massive.
Actionable Tip: Reveal the Hidden Pain Points
Instead of focusing solely on the core service, create an irresistible core offer that solves an immediate issue while also revealing a bigger problem—one that your MSP services can address. For example, offering a free cybersecurity audit or a network health check can show prospects vulnerabilities they didn’t know existed. This not only provides value upfront but also makes them more aware of the bigger picture and why they need ongoing IT management.
Example: “Our free cybersecurity audit will identify any weak points in your current systems. Discover how small vulnerabilities could lead to massive breaches and costly downtime—and learn how we can protect your business.”
3. Focusing on Core Offers That Address Pain Points
Why a Core Offer Is More Effective Than Selling Services
A core offer is a specific product, service, or value proposition that solves a pressing problem for your target audience. Instead of marketing your MSP’s core services (which may be difficult to understand or perceived as unnecessary), a core offer gives prospects a reason to engage with you by addressing an immediate pain point they’re aware of.
When done correctly, your core offer should not only solve a specific problem but also reveal a deeper issue that your full range of services can solve. This approach makes your marketing more relatable and compelling, and it leads prospects to realize why they need your full suite of MSP services.
How to Craft a Core Offer for MSPs
To create an effective core offer, start by identifying the biggest pain points your target audience is facing. What keeps them up at night? What IT issues are affecting their business growth, productivity, or security? Once you’ve pinpointed these pain points, create an offer that directly solves them.
• Cybersecurity Core Offer: “Get a free IT security assessment to uncover vulnerabilities and ensure your network is protected from cyber threats.”
• Disaster Recovery Core Offer: “Are you prepared for an IT disaster? Our free business continuity assessment will show you how to protect your data and minimize downtime in the event of a system failure.”
By providing a solution to an immediate problem, you open the door to discuss more complex, long-term IT solutions—like managed services, disaster recovery, or cloud migration.
4. The Benefits of Marketing a Core Offer
Builds Trust and Shows Immediate Value
When you market a core offer, you give prospects an opportunity to experience the value of your services without committing to a long-term contract upfront. This builds trust, as they get to see firsthand how your MSP can solve real problems for their business.
By solving an immediate pain point, you create a positive first impression and establish credibility. The more value you provide upfront, the more likely prospects are to trust you with their ongoing IT needs.
Reveals Bigger Problems That Your Core Services Solve
Once you’ve solved an immediate issue with your core offer, you can then guide the conversation toward the broader IT challenges that your full range of MSP services addresses. For example, if a client takes advantage of your free cybersecurity audit, you may uncover vulnerabilities in their network that require continuous monitoring and protection—leading them to realize the need for ongoing managed IT services.
This creates a natural progression from solving a small problem to addressing larger, more complex issues that require long-term solutions. And because you’ve already built trust with your core offer, prospects are more likely to invest in your full range of services.
5. How to Market Your Core Offer
Use Landing Pages and Targeted Campaigns
To effectively market your core offer, create dedicated landing pages and run targeted ad campaigns around the specific pain points you’re addressing. The messaging on these landing pages should be clear, direct, and focused on the immediate problem your offer solves.
For example, if you’re promoting a free IT health check, your landing page should emphasize the risks of unoptimized networks, the benefits of the check-up, and how the offer helps businesses improve their IT systems.
Leverage Social Proof and Case Studies
When marketing your core offer, it’s important to include testimonials, case studies, and reviews that demonstrate the success of previous clients who have benefited from the offer. This adds credibility and builds trust with prospects, making them more likely to engage.
Conclusion: Reframe Your MSP Marketing Strategy with a Core Offer
Marketing MSP services can be difficult, but by focusing on a core offer that solves immediate pain points, you can create a more compelling and effective marketing strategy. Instead of trying to sell complex services that prospects may not understand or think they need, offer something of value that directly addresses their concerns—and use that as a gateway to reveal the larger IT problems your core services can solve.
By solving small problems and building trust with a core offer, you position your MSP as a valuable partner that businesses can rely on for their long-term IT needs.
Ready to create a core offer that generates leads and builds trust with your prospects? Contact Lead Masters today, and we’ll help you design a targeted marketing strategy that drives results for your MSP business.
By shifting your focus from marketing core services to promoting core offers that reveal pain points, you’ll be able to engage prospects more effectively, build stronger relationships, and ultimately grow your MSP business. Let Lead Masters guide you in creating a marketing strategy that speaks directly to your target audience’s needs.
