| One of the goals of your Managed IT Services | | | | ignore the Socialnomics videos that attempt to |
| business is a maintain a healthy monthly recurring | | | | share with you what is happening in Social Media and |
| revenue model and to ensure your clients are | | | | online marketing. The truth is, everyone has a |
| receiving a tremendous amount of value from the | | | | computer. At least in business, computers are a |
| services your managed services business provide. | | | | normal staple now. Social Media is important. I also |
| Getting your message out there continues to be a | | | | include your website, blogs, email marketing and |
| struggle for many MSPs out there. Marketing and | | | | anything that takes the direct communication with |
| sales is where many invest time to learn and do or | | | | the market and puts it in digital form. That |
| they may even outsource their marketing to a | | | | digitization tied with human interaction is the real |
| trusted MSP marketing consulting. | | | | definition of social media to me. We all need to |
| Marketing may seem complex on the outside but | | | | understand how this media fits into your business and |
| when you figure out how everything works, it is | | | | then figure out how we can use social media to |
| quite simple. Marketing effectively takes a serious | | | | enhance print, broadcast and even human media. |
| time investment and balance. | | | | 4. Human Media - The most important part of your |
| Your MSP marketing must include a well thought | | | | marketing strategy. "Human media" is about you |
| strategy that has many easy to execute tactics | | | | getting up out of your seat, visiting with people or |
| depending on the situation and who you are | | | | maybe just making a phone call versus sending an |
| targeting. An effective MSP marketing strategy | | | | email. Meeting people at Starbucks, see clients |
| must include these four critical pillars: | | | | face-to-face and attend your local Chamber of |
| | | | Commerce lunches is human media (looking eyeball to |
| 1. Print Media - I will lump a lot into this category, but | | | | eyeball with people). Human media must continue to |
| print media is still extremely important. Print Media | | | | occur in your business, I can't imagine life without |
| will include things such as post cards, sales letters, | | | | human interaction. Your human media strategy |
| brochures, signage...basically anything that you can | | | | brings portions of your print, broadcast and social |
| print a message, logo or your "invitation statement" | | | | media into the mix and is really the glue of your |
| will fall under this category. People still like to get | | | | business marketing, tech support, sales, accounting, |
| stamped mail, some like to get a flyer and others | | | | HR and anything else in your business. |
| simply need a business card. Print is still very | | | | Your message must span across multiple pillars. You |
| important. | | | | cannot do one thing on its own and expect success. |
| 2. Broadcast Media - Press releases, case studies, | | | | You still need flyers to hand out, you may direct |
| win wires, media, online radio, YouTube, TV and | | | | people to your website for more information and you |
| anything else that helps you broadcast your message | | | | want to get that Google searcher who may have an |
| to the public still must occur. I recently was in LA | | | | immediate pain point. The best of breed MSPs |
| and heard a commercial on one of the Christian | | | | understand the overall importance of effective |
| stations from a member of HTG. Broadcast media | | | | marketing and have practices in place to discuss and |
| still works when you understand what or where your | | | | carry out all four categories daily. |
| market actually is. | | | | Where is your market? This is something you need |
| 3. Social Media - All the rage these days and perhaps | | | | to figure out and do it now. No use investing a |
| only really popular because it is new. My take is | | | | bunch of our hard-earned money on postcards and |
| "social media is now part of our overall | | | | then picking a market where you are not skilled in or |
| communication fabric". You can choose to believe or | | | | where there is no real business opportunity. |