Selling the Outcome: How MSPs Must Contextualize Their Managed Service Offerings

Picture it: You walk up to a hot dog cart and order two dogs to go. But before handing you any food, the vendor launches into a monologue on the fine art of sausage making. They tell you all about grinding the meat, stuffing the casing, and packaging it on the assembly line. 

Meanwhile, you are standing there either starving… or having lost your appetite.

Unfortunately, this is exactly how many Managed Service Providers (MSPs) approach their sales messaging. Too often, MSPs focus on the technical details - the tools, tech, new features, and backend processes  - rather than connecting their offerings to what businesses really care about: the outcome.

When pitching your services to prospects, it’s essential to remember one thing: clients aren’t just buying tools and services. There may be other vendors out there, with better tools, or lower prices. What they imagine is the transformation that those tools and services provide. While your technical expertise is important, what resonates is the emotional and practical benefits your offerings bring to the table. 

Some general thoughts to consider:

• How will your services reduce their stress? Offer peace of mind?
• Will it simplify their daily operations and free up valuable time?
• Will it inspire more confidence in their organization?
• Has it helped people avoid downtime and other costly situations?
• Does it affect their profitability?

These outcomes, along with the trust they have in you, are the real reasons that businesses partner with MSPs. Does your messaging reflect that?

Similarly, MSPs need to contextualize their services in a way that speaks to the client’s experience. Highlighting the technical process is fine, but do it when framed within the larger picture of how it positively impacts the client. 

For example, maybe a business feels they are constantly putting out IT fires.

Instead of: 

“We offer 24/7 monitoring using advanced RMM tools.”

Say: 

“We keep your systems running smoothly around the clock so you can focus on growing your business, not troubleshooting IT issues.”

How you frame your message will depend entirely on the problem that they are facing. This might be specific to your ICP or specific to that business. You’ll need to understand what is important to them, what they are doing now, and who benefits from this problem getting resolved.

When creating your pitch, consider this:

1. What specific problems does your service solve?
2. How does solving these problems make your clients’ lives easier?
3. What emotional value does solving their problem provide? 
   (e.g., peace of mind, confidence, or a sense of security)
4. How do your services impact their bottom line?

Frame your services around the answers and your messaging is far more likely to resonate with your prospects.

This isn’t just about adjusting your pitch; it’s about having an effective MSP sales process in place that everyone lives by. If your team is stuck focusing on features rather than outcomes, it’s time to consider a bit of MSP sales training to get everyone on the same page. Effective MSP sales coaching will:

• Teach your team how to connect with clients emotionally
• Equip them with the tools to position your services as transformative
• Help with MSP lead generation by creating a process that attracts ideal clients

Trust Through Storytelling

One of the most effective ways to contextualize your services is through storytelling. Share real-life examples of how your MSP helped a client overcome challenges, achieve goals, or grow their business. These stories, when presented honestly, can make your value relatable.

For instance:

• How did your services help a client quickly recover from downtime, saving them significant loss?
• Did your proactive monitoring catch a critical issue before it became a problem, reinforcing their sense of security?
• Have your services consistently helped clients increase profitability?

A sales conversation with an overworked MSP owner might go something like this:

Salesperson: 

"I know that managing your IT support while trying to grow your business is a lot. One of our clients was in the same boat - juggling daily fire drills and feeling stuck. After working with us, they reclaimed 10 hours a week by letting us handle proactive monitoring and issue resolution. What would you do with some extra time at your MSP if you had it?"

Prospects aren’t interested in the “sausage-making” details of your services. They want to know how you will transform their business, improve their day-to-day operations, and give them confidence in their IT systems. By focusing your messaging on outcomes rather than features, you’ll build stronger connections and set yourself apart from other MSPs.

Ready to elevate your sales strategy? Putting some effort into your MSP sales process with Feel-Good MSP can help. With your marketing messaging, it’s time to sell the experience, not just the process - and you’ll see the difference.