As a managed service provider (MSP), what should you do if your referrals run dry? At this point, don't panic — you don't have to face this worst-case scenario on your own.
Before your referrals run dry, use these strategies to consistently generate leads.
Watch this 5-min video as an alternative to reading the article:
1. Cold Call Prospects
Don't just pick up the phone and start cold calling prospects. First, do research to learn about your prospects and get insights to help make the most of each call. If you don't know what to say, put together a script. This gives you discussion points you can use during calls and helps you deal with concerns or questions from prospects. Set monthly goals to motivate yourself to make a certain number of calls. If you meet or exceed a goal, that's great. On the other hand, if you don't, practice makes perfect. Keep making cold calls, and you'll keep getting better at it.
2. Optimize Your Website for SEO
In terms of creating an MSP website that works, take ownership of your site. Make a list of the topics relevant to your audience. Additionally, consider the problems you want to solve. From here, search competitors' sites to see what other keywords to include on your site. Once you know what terms and phrases are most important to your prospects and customers, integrate them into your site. Put them in blog posts, landing pages, and other content on your site. Don't jam keywords into your site, either. If you do, it'll sound like your site content's been written by a robot, which may push prospects away.
Further reading Content Marketing for MSPs
3. Post on Social Media
With social media marketing guide in hand, you'll have no trouble crafting timely, pertinent, and engaging content. If you're not already doing so, start using X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other platforms. Use them in conjunction with Hootsuite and other platforms that'll automatically publish your content on social networks. When you post content, include high-quality images. Shop for photos on iStock and other online sources, or use free photos available on Pexels or Wikimedia Commons. Of course, with photos, make sure you attribute them to the source as needed. In the long run, be consistent with how frequently you post social media content. By creating a social media calendar, you can post at regular intervals. Plus, readers will know when to expect new content from you.
Check out these marketing templates that we created to help MSPs sell backup services, including a promo email, customer presentation, and a leaflet:
4. Launch Email Marketing Campaigns
If you're worried about email marketing mastery, you're not alone. Fortunately, once you build and launch campaigns, you may quickly discover that it's easy to connect and engage with prospects through email. As you craft an email, think about your audience and why they should open your message in the first place. This will help you come up with a subject line that grabs readers' attention. With any email you send, keep it short. If you bombard a reader with too much information, they may be turned off by any emails they receive from you.
Further reading Cold Emails Pack for MSPs
5. Use Direct Mail
In 2024, 61 percent of marketers said they increased their spending on direct mail in the past year. If you use direct mail correctly, it can be more effective than email, social media, and other platforms for generating leads. To get started, create a customer profile that includes details about your ideal partner. Next, pick out the businesses and individuals you want to contact. Send out personalized marketing and promotional materials to highlight your brand. Track your results to see how well your direct mail campaigns are working, too.
Want to Generate More Leads Than Ever Before?
Use these strategies to improve your lead generation pipeline. By doing so, you can drive more leads, increase your sales and revenues, and grow your MSP business.
Download our free guide to learn how MSPs can change their business approaches to maintain high profits in 2024. In this guide, you will find:
- Key ways to analyze your opportunities and business health
- Practical steps for boosting your profits
- Tips on how to review your marketing strategy