Episode #863 of the MSPi PrimeCast
MSPs spend a great deal of time mastering technology, but sustainable growth also requires attention to how services are marketed, packaged, priced and sold. Stefanie Hammond, MSP Growth Head Nerd at N-able, works with MSPs on those business challenges.
In her conversation with Joey Pinz, Hammond shared practical approaches MSPs can use to strengthen sales and marketing, improve the customer journey and build a healthier business.
1. Systemize Your Marketing
Marketing often gets pushed aside when tickets, projects, employee issues and other priorities arise. Hammond recommends giving marketing the same type of structure MSPs already apply to their technical operations. A defined strategy, campaigns, email schedules, newsletters and social posts create a plan MSPs can return to when day-to-day demands interrupt their efforts.
MSP Action: Create a written marketing calendar with campaigns, emails, content and social activity mapped out in advance.
2. Build Trust Before You Try to Sell
Hammond discussed the “trust thermometer,” a term she credits to Dave Sutton of Wingman MSP. Prospects initially know little about an MSP, so trust starts cold. Educational content, FAQs, checklists, emails and other useful resources can gradually build familiarity, credibility and authority until a prospect is ready for a conversation.
MSP Action: Identify common prospect questions and create useful content that answers them without immediately pushing for a sale.
3. Make the Customer the Hero
Referencing Donald Miller’s StoryBrand approach, Hammond explains that the MSP should not be the hero of its marketing story—the customer should be. MSPs should position themselves as the guide that understands the prospect’s challenges and can help solve them. Websites dominated by “we” and “our” messaging can miss that opportunity.
MSP Action: Review your website and compare the number of “we/our” statements with “you/your” statements. Rework messaging that focuses too heavily on your company.
4. Make Your Website Clearer
Today’s prospects frequently research providers before speaking with anyone, using sources including Google, LinkedIn and AI tools. Hammond says an MSP website should quickly communicate who the company serves, what it offers and how it helps. Clear messaging makes it easier for prospects to understand whether the MSP is relevant to their needs.
MSP Action: Look at your homepage as a first-time visitor and determine whether those three questions can be answered within seconds.
5. Become Active on Social Media
Being on LinkedIn and being active on LinkedIn are different things. Hammond sees MSP owners and other key company figures building credibility by posting consistently, sharing thought leadership and engaging with others. She also stresses that MSPs should not simply broadcast—they need to participate and build connections.
MSP Action: Start with one platform where your audience spends time and establish a consistent routine for both posting and engaging.
6. Package Services for Greater Value
Hammond encourages MSPs to think beyond simply reselling individual technology tools. MSPs that package multiple services together can increase average contract value while creating an offering that better reflects the business outcomes customers need. Pricing those packages with appropriate margins is also critical.
MSP Action: Review your current services and determine whether they can be bundled into clearer packages with appropriate margins.
7. Reconsider Pricing Transparency
Hammond says she changed her own position on displaying pricing after reading Marcus Sheridan’s They Ask, You Answer. She discussed how pricing information or an estimator can help prospects understand whether they can afford an MSP before reaching out. That can make pricing a qualification tool rather than simply information for competitors.
MSP Action: Consider whether a pricing range, estimator or calculator could help prospects self-qualify before entering your sales process.
8. Use AI and Automation to Eliminate Repetitive Work
AI and automation can also support growth by addressing the human-capital side of an MSP. Hammond discussed how skilled employees may not want to troubleshoot the same issue repeatedly. Automating repeatable work can allow talented team members to focus on new problems and more challenging responsibilities.
MSP Action: Identify repetitive tasks your team handles regularly and evaluate which could appropriately be automated.
What This Means for MSPs
Hammond’s ideas point toward growth that is built deliberately rather than pursued through lead volume alone. Better marketing processes, customer-focused messaging, stronger service packaging, thoughtful pricing and appropriate use of automation can all contribute to a stronger MSP.
The common thread is execution. MSPs already understand the value of processes on the technical side of the business. Applying that same discipline to sales, marketing and growth can help turn good intentions into repeatable business practices.
Catch the full conversation on MSPi PrimeCast Episode #863 and connect with Cameron at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanie-hammond/