12-Month MSP Marketing Plan to Get New Clients Consistently

Use this free MSP marketing plan for proven month-by-month steps to attract qualified leads and close more sales. Checklist format with helpful details.
MSP Marketing Plan - Free Download

Download this MSP marketing plan for proven month-by-month steps to generate qualified IT leads. You can also use this as part of your MSP sales plan. This free pre-written MSP marketing plan and template is in a checklist format to make it easy to customize and implement for your IT company.

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What is an MSP Marketing Plan?

what is msp marketing

MSP marketing is a strategic approach to growing your MSP business through specific marketing activities that generate qualified leads. It starts with creating your ideal client profile, also known as your buyer persona. Then, create or acquire MSP content that shows off your IT expertise in order to attract qualified clients. This allows you to use educational MSP marketing content to promote your business and nurture leads so they become “sales ready” to buy your IT services.

This MSP marketing plan template allows you to start quickly using copy/paste to get your plan started. Then, make edits as you would like – or simply follow the exact steps in the MSP marketing plan – to generate new business.

How to Use This MSP Marketing Plan

Here’s how to use this MSP marketing plan to grow your IT services or managed service provider business:

1. Download this MSP Marketing Plan (edit in Word, Docs, Pages):

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2. Make edits to customize it for your business based on your time and resources
3. Follow the monthly steps to grow your IT business

To make it even easier, we’ve created a series of free MSP marketing tips to guide you through proven marketing strategies that result in more business.

Why MSP Marketing Is Critically Important

Before you read on, I want to share the eye-opening market potential in your local area.

This quick video shows how many people are searching on “managed service provider” and related terms. It’s a big number, and by following this MSP marketing plan example, you can stamp a bigger footprint for your services in your local area.

It’s not rocket science. Rather, it’s block and tackle marketing. Use the techniques in this plan to grow your business.

MSP Marketing Strategy

This MSP marketing plan is written as a monthly checklist. It uses a proven MSP marketing strategy that uses educational marketing to build your brand so clients think of you first for MSP services.

Why an MSP marketing checklist?

Lists allow you to review each item and check it off as you do it. You can edit the tasks in this plan to make it your own. For example, change “Month 1” to “April” and so on.

You will notice that once a specific task is defined, such as creating an ideal client profile, we do not list out the detailed steps when you do that task again in future months. Just refer back to the earlier month in which you did the task.

You will also notice a theme: repetition.

MSP marketing is not something you do once in a while. There is deliberate consistency in messaging and actions in a good MSP marketing strategy. You will see actions that you do one month fall into place in future months.

More so, your sales team will leverage the activities in this plan as part of a MSP sales plan. They need educational content to stay top-of-mind with prospects. This MSP marketing plan will help you do this consistently.

surgeon buyer persona example for MSP marketingKnowing Who You Are Selling To

A tighter message to your target audience enables you to sell faster and easier. Use our free 5 buyer persona examples for MSPs, which include key messaging points to help you craft your words.

Buyer Persona Examples →

Before You Start Doing Any MSP Marketing

Every company is different so you should tweak this plan according the time you can commit. Whatever you do, don’t start and stop. MSP marketing done in fits and starts doesn’t work. That just wastes your time and energy – and money.

If you are serious about growing your company, dive in! A world of treasures awaits you. Good luck with your business!

Want a fast track? Use our MSP Website Content Kit →

And also take a look at our in-depth guide on search engine optimization specifically for MSPs:

If you’d like a detailed proposal on our MSP SEO Agency service, fill out this form:


12-Month MSP Marketing Plan

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 1

First half

  • Make a plan (or just edit this one), pick your team or sources of pre-written material (like MoreBusiness.com) to help with your marketing content, newsletter, blog, slide decks. You can download this editable plan here:

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  • Create an “ideal client” profile, your buyer persona:
    • Organization size
    • Job title and role within the organization
    • Who has budget authority
    • Key problems they face and how your solutions saves time, money and relieves headaches
    • Roles of influencers (e.g., internal IT, accountants)
    • Buying cycles
    • Professional associations they join
    • Conferences they attend
    • Publications they read
  • Set up a SendinBlue email marketing account to send an email newsletter automatically from your blog posts (watch our webinars)

Second half

  • Interview 5-10 clients on why they picked you
    • “Hi John, this is ____ from ABC IT Solutions. We’re taking a quick survey of our customers and I was wondering if you had 3 minutes to spare – I’ve got some really simple questions.”
    • When you selected us for IT services…
      • Who else was involved in the decision process?
      • What factors were important in your evaluation?
      • Why did you pick us over others?
      • Where did you find out about us?
      • What associations do you belong to?
      • Which conferences do you never miss?
  • Ask each if they know anyone else who could use your IT services
    • Just curious, would you know other companies that could benefit from our IT services?
      • … maybe other people in <association name>?
      • … or your accountant/lawyer?
  • Identify organizations your clients belong to
    • Attend 1-2 networking events
    • Review/redo web site with educational marketing content (use pre-written pages from MSP Website Content Kit, 7000 words ready to copy/paste)

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 2

free stock imagesFirst half

  • Review your buyer persona for “client pain points”
  • Write headlines for 6 articles that would help a client
  • Write the articles or have them written (or license them from MoreBusiness.com)
  • Send 3 articles in a newsletter, post to blog

Second half

  • Attend 2 networking events
  • Create a 25-slide presentation on one of these topics (about 30-40 minutes, maybe longer with questions from the audience):
    • How to Protect Your Business From Ransomware Attacks
    • The Most Overlooked IT Security Holes That Hackers Exploit
  • Record a video using the slide decks you created

 

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 3

First half

  • Send next newsletter, post remaining 3 articles to blog
  • Attend 2 events, register for 2 next month
  • Continue interview/referral calls to existing customers
  • Identify partnership opportunities

Second half

  • Identify headlines for next set of 6 articles, write content or acquire it from MoreBusiness.com
  • Contact 5 organizations that your clients belong to and offer to host a webinar, seminar or lunch-and-learn
  • Share article links on LinkedIn (do this every month)

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 4

First half

  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Attend 2 events, register for 1 for next month
  • Draft a guide/white paper based on first seminar topic
  • Send press release to promote your seminar next month

Second half

  • View email analytics to see who is interested in what
  • Contact those who clicked on articles to start a dialog
  • Develop your next webinar/seminar topic:
    • The Most Common Ways Hackers Get Into Your Systems
    • What’s the Difference between a Hub, a Switch, and a Router?
    • Record a video using the slides and post to your YouTube channel

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 5

First half

  • Present first seminar at association meeting; give guide
  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Print & mail guide to warmest prospects
  • Attend 1 event, register for 2 for next month

Second half

  • View email analytics to see who is interested in what
  • Contact those who clicked on articles to start a dialog
  • Identify headlines for next set of 6 articles, write content or acquire it from MoreBusiness.com
  • Setup next association seminar

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 6

First half

  • Assemble a guide based on prior articles that are similar
  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Attend 2 events, register for 2 for next month
  • Send press release to promote your seminar next month

Second half

  • View email analytics; make contact
  • Identify possible trade shows/conferences to exhibit at
  • Develop your next webinar/seminar topic:
    • The Differences Between Cloud Sync, Backup, and Storage in Plain English
    • How to Protect Your Business From Phishing Attacks
    • Record a video using the slides and post to your YouTube channel

msp marketing security

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 7

First half

  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Attend 2 events, register for 2 for next month
  • Print & mail newest guide to warmest prospects
  • Present seminar at next association event

Second half

  • Call newest clients to ask buyer persona questions
  • Identify headlines for next set of 6 articles, write content or acquire it from MoreBusiness.com
  • View email analytics; make contact
  • Setup next association seminar event

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 8

First half

  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Attend 2 events, register for 2 for next month
  • Draft a guide based on newest seminar topic
  • Send press release to promote next month’s seminar

Second half

  • View email analytics to see who is interested in whatmsp keywords
  • Contact those who clicked on articles to start a dialog
  • Post guide(s) to web site behind form; advertise link
  • Develop next seminar
    • 6 Important Data Backup Considerations
    • How to Build a Disaster Recovery Plan
    • Record as video and post to YouTube

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 9

First half

  • Present next seminar at association meeting; give guide
  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Print & mail guide to warmest prospects
  • Attend 2 events, register for 2 for next month
  • Identify partnership opportunities

Second half

  • View email analytics to see who is interested in what
  • Contact those who clicked on articles to start a dialog
  • Identify headlines for next set of 6 articles, write content or acquire it from MoreBusiness.com
  • Setup next association seminar; promote next month’s

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 10

First half

  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Attend 2 events, register for 2-3 for next month
  • Print & mail newest guide to warmest prospects
  • Identify possible trade shows/conferences to exhibit at
  • Call newest clients with buyer persona questions

Second half

  • Present seminar at next association event
  • View email analytics; make contact
  • Develop/repurpose your next seminar topic
    • 5 Reasons Even the Best Free VPN Services Are Not Safe To Use
    • Everything You Need To Know About Patch Management

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 11

First half

  • Assemble a guide based on prior articles that similar
  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Attend 2 events, register for 2-3 for next month

Second half

  • View email analytics; make contact
  • Identify headlines for next set of 6 articles, write content or acquire it from MoreBusiness.com’s MSP Marketing Content Library

MSP Marketing Plan – Month 12

First half

  • Send next newsletter, post 3 articles to blog
  • Attend 2 events, register for 2 for next month

Second half

  • View email analytics; make contact
  • Develop/repurpose next seminar topic
  • Review MSP marketing plan
  • Identify steps and budget for next 12 months

MSP Marketing Plan Implementation Notes:

  1. Attending networking events can be done any time during the month. The task is listed in the first or second half just for ease of documentation, not for when your networking events will actually occur.
  2. You should publicize your blog posts to LinkedIn each time you post something. We’ve only listed it here once, but you’ll get more out of your MSP marketing plan when you do it each month.
  3. One way to send press releases is through online wire services, which can get your announcements placed in dozens (even hundreds) of publications.
  4. For trade shows/conferences, you will have to put those into your MSP marketing plan. We haven’t listed them in any particular months because they would vary based on where you are and who you target.
  5. For promoting your guides, you can advertise via links on association pages, LinkedIn, or even try Facebook. The key is to give away a useful piece of content that people would be willing to exchange their contact information for. Attend our MSP SEO Crash Course to learn ways that increase qualified leads from your website.
  6. Printing and mailing guides is not required for smaller budgets.

If you haven’t already done so, download this MSP marketing plan in Microsoft Word format for easy editing:

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Get Pre-Written MSP Marketing ContentMSP Website Content Kit

MSP marketing when done properly can help you achieve big goals. You can double or even triple the size of your business. In this MSP marketing plan, there are many tasks and you may find it overwhelming at first. That’s why it is best to leverage other resources at your disposal, like pre-written MSP marketing content.

Additional Resources to Make Your MSP Marketing Easy

MoreBusiness.com’s Content Kit can make your MSP marketing plan much easier to implement than doing it all on your own. It will help you attract new leads, boost referrals and close more business.

Two easy options to fit your budget:

  • MSP Website Content Kit – get 11 in-depth, pre-written SEO-friendly pages for your MSP website, $399 $299 using discount code website100
  • Content Library – access over 10,000 articles that you can edit – private label rights give you the ability to use them as your own articles

Get started today!

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