Three Tips That Will Help You Achieve MSP Marketing Success

Social Media is the talk of the town and many MSP’s globally are trying to figure out how they can use social media services such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to drive attention and increase the demand for their MSP business.

How can your MSP business benefit from Social Media and make your mark?

When the team from Ulistic walks the halls at any IT conference and most recently during CompTIA in San Antonio a few weeks ago.  We had many hallway discussions with new MSPs  and Master MSPs who are curious about social media and if it is valid way to market their business.  The same concerns ring true if you are one person operation or have 50 employees.  The standard feedback is “social media doesn’t work for your business”.

You know something this statement is true to some degree.  After an engaging conversation on what they are using (always comes down to the tools) of course it is not working because the focus is on the wrong end.  During our hallway chat I normally ask this follow-up question “how do you engage with your ideal client or those who know you ideal client?”.  Silence is usually what follows.  Everyone, not just MSPs are completely focused on the tools and not the message or where their clients are hanging their hats.  You will rarely find a Lawyer or Doctor where Lawyers and Doctors don’t hang out.

Yes, Social Media and networking using online services such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and a bunch of others do work if you apply the basic principles of networking.  But it is the message and the market you must focus on, not the tool.

This behaviour still exists as well.  When you go to your BNI or Chamber of Commerce group, you are not there to sell to those in the room although many of us go there with this mindset.  We are there to tap into the networks of everyone else who attends these meetings and we are there to openly share our contacts with those we know, like and trust.

Why does Ulistic attend IT conferences, because our target market is there.  We could hang out with other social media consultants but will that net us new business.  Maybe not.

Here are three basic tips to achieving success online or where you decide to market your MSP business.  They come from my friend Chris Brogan.  Chris shared these principles with me during a recent podcast we did together.  Check out Chris Brogan and Ulistic on Small Business Podcast.

1. Invest 30 minutes each day reading what is going on in the MSP community and your local community.  Follow industry blogs like this one and the MSPMentor.net.  Read your local newspaper especially the business section and keep up with what is happening in the verticals that you have chosen to specialize in.
2. Invest 60 minutes engaging with others.  This is the secret sauce and doing this right will help you social media and online marketing skyrocket.  You must engage in the communities you serve.  Your niches, get on their discussion forums, answer questions and engage.  Do the same in your local community and the MSP industry in general.  In other words, get known.
3. Invest 30 minutes each day publishing your own content.  Write an article for the Chamber of Commerce newsletter, publish a blog or write a product review for your niche markets.  Other activities include writing win wires, case studies and anything that can get your MSP business name out there.

These principles are just some of the ways Ulistic helps the global MSPs community do more. We will teach you how to succeed with your online marketing and target market your message with those who will engage with your MSP business and add value to the market you serve.

Want to chat about ways our team can help you.  Drop Stuart Crawford a line at scrawford@ulistic.com today or call 403.775.2205.