The marketing landscape is constantly changing. If you want to compete and win new clients in 2026, you need to stop wasting time, money and your list’s patience on strategies that no longer work, and in some cases are outright killing your sender reputation, your brand and your ability to close business.
Stop: Sending Spammy Broadcast Emails Nobody Asked For
If you’re still hammering your email list with “new AI offerings” or generic product announcements to people who didn’t ask for them or don’t even know who you are, stop. Right now.
When you send email after email about your latest product or solution, especially to someone like a receptionist or office manager who isn’t the decision-maker, you’re not marketing. You’re spamming. And if they’re not opening or clicking, guess what? The email gods (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo) are watching.
Your sender score is like a credit score for your email reputation. It’s being dragged through the mud every time you blast people who haven’t opened one of your emails in 90+ days. Low open rates and click-through rates signal to those systems that you’re irrelevant. Worse, if someone marks your email as junk, your sender score takes another hit.
Keep this up, and eventually, none of your emails will get through. Not even to the people who do want to hear from you.
Instead:
- Clean your list regularly. Remove unresponsive contacts who haven’t opened or clicked in 90 days.
- Only email people who’ve opted in with permission.
- Send content they actually want to read. Be helpful. Be relevant. Be strategic.
Stop: Marketing On Price
If your pitch is “we’re cheaper than the other guy,” you’re racing to the bottom. And there’s always someone willing to go lower. That’s a losing game.
Clients don’t buy cheap IT support. They buy peace of mind, security and results. If you’re selling yourself as the budget friendly option, you’re training clients to treat you like a commodity, not a trusted partner.
Instead, learn how to properly package and price your services so you’re not attracting just any client. You’re attracting the right ones.
Stop: Marketing Without A USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
If your website, emails and sales copy all sound like every other MSP out there (e.g., “fast, reliable IT support for small businesses”) then why should anyone choose you?
A generic message means a forgettable business.
In 2026, you need a crystal-clear, differentiated USP that speaks directly to your ideal prospect’s biggest pain point. It needs to grab attention, provoke curiosity and make people think, “I need to talk to this company.”
If you’re struggling with this, you’re not alone. Most MSPs haven’t taken the time to craft a strong USP. But until you do, your marketing is dead in the water.
Stop: Playing The SEO Game Without A Local Strategy
Too many MSPs think that dumping some keywords into their homepage and hoping for the best will get them leads. It won’t. Google has gotten smarter, and your competition probably has too.
If you’re not executing a smart, local SEO strategy, you’re invisible.
That means:
- Claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile
- Getting real, local reviews from actual clients
- Publishing local content that speaks to your geographic market
Stop: Marketing To Everyone
If you try to market to everyone, you reach no one.
Dumping money into generic Facebook ads or mass-mailing everyone in your Chamber of Commerce is lazy marketing. It might feel like activity, but activity is not the same as strategy.
In 2026, the most successful MSPs are going narrow and deep. They’re targeting specific niches like legal, dental, financial services and multi-location retail, and building offers, campaigns and messaging tailored exactly to that niche’s needs.
Know who you want. Know what they care about. Speak only to them.
Bottom Line: Cut The Noise And Get Strategic
If you want 2026 to be the year you finally break through the marketing clutter, stop doing what doesn’t work. Stop sending spammy emails. Stop selling on price. Stop trying to be all things to all people.
Start being strategic. Start being bold. Start marketing in a way that actually builds trust, authority and leads.
