Most MSPs think their problem is leads.
If you’re honest, you’ve probably said some version of:
“I just need more leads.”
I get it. I used to think the same.
But what if I told you that this belief is actually getting in your own way and once you see the real issue, everything about marketing suddenly becomes clear?
In this article, I’m going to change the way you think about marketing in your MSP. I’ll share the single biggest mindset shift that helped me (and hundreds of MSPs) win more business, spend less time on pointless tactics, and finally understand where to put time and money.
A Quick Story From My MSP Sales Days
Back in 2013, I was doing MSP sales for another IT company.
Here’s the thing: I had no problem selling.
Once I was sat in front of a prospect, the sale was easy. I just listened to their technical problems, their frustrations with their current provider, what they were trying to achieve in their business and then I sold them the managed service agreement.
That part was simple.
The hard part? Getting in front of prospects in the first place.
And if you’re an MSP owner, I’m guessing you can relate.
That struggle is exactly why so many MSPs gravitate towards marketing and ask the same question over and over again:
“How do I get more leads?”
Eight Years, 500+ MSPs, and One Pattern
I’ve been helping MSPs solve this problem for around eight years now.
I’ve tried everything:
- SEO
- Social media
- Content marketing
- Account-based marketing
- Direct mail
- Cold calling
The list goes on.
And I always ask new clients the same question:
“How have you gotten most of your clients so far?”
I’ve asked this question to over 500 MSPs, and nine times out of ten, the answer is always the same:
- Word of mouth
- Referrals
- People they already know in business
Sure, you might get the odd inbound lead from your website but for most MSPs, it’s just a trickle.
The real growth always comes from relationships.
First Principles Thinking (And Why This Matters)
Let’s apply first principles thinking to MSP marketing.
(If you’re not familiar with it, don’t worry neither was I until recently.)
Elon Musk built much of his success using first principles thinking. Politics aside, the impact he’s had is undeniable.
Here’s a simple example.
NASA launches rockets at a cost of around $1.5 billion.
Instead of copying NASA, Musk asked one question:
“What is a rocket actually made of?”
When he broke it down, he realised the materials were cheap. The process was expensive.
So SpaceX vertically integrated and built everything themselves. Result? Falcon 9 launches at around $65 million.
That’s first principles thinking: Rebuilding from fundamentals instead of copying the existing system.
Applying First Principles to MSP Growth
Now let’s do this for MSPs.
If most of your clients come from:
- Referrals
- Word of mouth
- People you know
What do they all have in common?
Relationships.
None of them exist without a relationship.
So when we apply first principles thinking to MSP growth, we realise something important:
You’re not looking for more leads. You’re looking for more relationships.
The Best Way to Build Relationships at Scale
So the next logical question is:
If relationships drive growth, how do we build more of them using digital marketing tools?
For me, the answer is simple:
Webinars.
I’ve been using webinars for the last two years for my own business and for my clients and nothing else comes close.
Now, you probably already have objections running through your head:
- “Webinars never worked for me.”
- “I hate presenting.”
- “I can’t get people to register.”
- “Even if they register, they don’t show up.”
- “What would I even sell?”
I hear these all the time.
But here’s why webinars work so well for MSPs.
The REAP Formula for MSP Webinars
I call this the REEP formula.
R Relationships This is the only marketing activity that lets you hold someone’s attention for 20–30 minutes. Nothing else builds relationships like that.
E Educate You get to educate prospects on what makes your MSP different and where the real value in your service actually is. Try doing that with a brochure.
A Entertain People buy from people they like, know, and trust. Webinars let you tell stories, be human, and build trust.
P Present You get to present the next step. Not a hard sell a Trojan horse. Book a call. Continue the conversation.
Why Webinars Are Perfect for Busy MSP Owners
Once you get past the initial fear and clunkiness, webinars become:
- Fast (20 to 30 minutes)
- Repurposeable (blogs, LinkedIn posts, emails, short-form video)
- Fun (you meet new people every time)
- Predictable (sales appointments start appearing in your calendar)
You’re putting yourself in front of 20 to 30 businesses regularly, educating them, building relationships, and naturally creating demand.
Sales becomes the byproduct.
The Real Lesson
If you want to grow your MSP:
Relationships → Sales
Not leads. Relationships.
And if you’re stuck on:
- What to present
- How to get registrations
- How to improve attendance
- What to sell
I break all of that down inside my community.
If this way of thinking makes sense and you want to go deeper, check out IT Rockstars
That’s where I share:
- How MSPs actually generate consistent appointments
- How to run relationship-first marketing
- How to make webinars work without becoming a “marketer”
👉 IT Rockstars👈
See you inside.