Are You Positioning IT as a Commodity — Or a Business Enabler?
It is all too easy to fall into the trap of treating IT like a box to check. Hardware? Check. Licensing? Check. Backups? Check. The temptation to solely focus on closing a new deal is strong, but the most successful Managed Service Providers (MSPs) aren’t just selling IT - they sell business elevation to their clients through technology. Ultimately, they’re having mature conversations with customers. Take some time to reflect on your current customer conversations to determine where they land and keep reading to learn tips to level them up.
Speak Their Language, Solve Their Problems
Here’s a hard truth: Many MSPs get caught up talking about IT through a lens of what’s familiar to them- technical features, new tools, industry TLAs (three letter acronyms). Sometimes we forget that, to your customers, memory speed and server specs aren’t business goals. What matters to them is secure productivity, minimal downtime, and supporting their bottom line.
Every conversation you have—whether it’s a sales pitch, a recurring business review, or a regular check-in—should be rooted in your client’s actual pain points, not the problems you’d like to solve. Instead of trying to sell everything you’ve got, focus on deeply understanding their business: What’s holding them back? What keeps them up at night? How can you enable growth, resilience, and efficiency with technology?
Industry Specialization
To really understand your customers’ businesses, consider specializing in specific industries. When you speak a law firm’s language (compliance, billing hours, sensitivity of data) or know the inner workings of a manufacturer (downtime, production errors, IoT integrations), you become more than an MSP—you become a true business partner. Clients value a partner who “gets” their world and offers solutions tailored to their very real challenges.
Specialization doesn't just improve your credibility—it can make your solutions more effective. For example, an MSP that focuses on healthcare will understand HIPAA requirements and the unique pressures of patient data confidentiality and uptime. A provider working primarily with retailers will grasp the challenges of PCI compliance, seasonal spikes in demand, and the high cost of any point-of-sale disruption. These insights allow you to recommend tools and architectures that not only fit but truly enhance the client's operations.
Actionable specialization starts with research and curiosity: some tips to immerse yourself in these industries are to attend industry events, subscribe to sector-specific publications, and actively engage with professionals in target markets. Then, tailor your offerings—whether it’s customized reporting, workflow automation, or niche compliance products—to address those industries’ pain points.
Clients who see you as “one of their own” are more likely to come to you proactively with business challenges, creating more collaborative and consultative relationships. This, in turn, leads to longer contracts, more referrals, and a reputation for delivering genuine value where it counts most. Ultimately, industry specialization positions you as a partner that isn’t just maintaining technology, but is deeply invested in your clients’ long-term business success.
Elevate the Conversation: Be an Educator
A mature MSP doesn’t just solve issues—they empower customers through relevant education. Help clients understand how technology positions them for success and guide them on which investments truly align with their goals. This consultative approach sets you apart, builds trust, and turns relationships into long-term, profitable partnerships.
A proven way to frame these conversations is by starting with the why. Frame conversations around benefits that you know the customer will truly care about. If you can show how the service drives real improvement, you will gain their true attention and focus.
Don’t Sell Yourself Short — Protect Your Business Too
A mature MSP isn’t afraid to draw boundaries. Sometimes clients push back on essential services like business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), either due to budget concerns or a sense that “it won’t happen to us.” It’s okay to respect the client’s decision, but not at the expense of your business.
Communicate your requirements clearly with customers and prospects. If they choose to opt out of critical services, you have options. You can either choose to not do business or proceed with stipulations in place. You can respect their decision but still communicate that there are contractual obligations. Make it clear that should an incident occur; they will still be responsible for the remainder of the contract. Your position will be that the customer should strongly advise reconsidering, because your role is to protect their business—and the business implications can be very significant. This approach can help cement the criticality of this service for your customers and may even be the push they need to reconsider.
Level Up Your MSP Conversations (and Operations!)
Ready to level up your conversations? Start by improving your marketing materials - our MSP Marketing Bot helps bring the right message to the right prospects, in their own language. And for better day-to-day IT management, LogMeIn Resolve streamlines workflows—so you can focus less on tickets, and more on delivering true business value. Start your free 14-day trial today.
Want to learn more about how we can help your MSP have more mature, impactful conversations? Contact us today to get started!