Over the past few years, we’ve seen a massive shift in how marketing works for MSPs. Open rates are down. Clicks are down. Ad costs are up. Organic SEO is disappearing. And yet, many IT business owners keep doing the same things they’ve always done—wondering why the results keep declining.
It’s not just you. It’s not just your market. Marketing as a whole is getting harder.
Here’s what’s changed—and more importantly, what to do about it.
The Digital Landscape Is Flooded
We’ve entered the era of digital saturation. Every inbox is flooded. Every feed is noisy. Every site is trying to outrank yours. And with AI tools cranking out content faster than ever before, there’s more “stuff” out there than anyone could possibly consume.
But here’s the catch: just because you can create more content doesn’t mean you should.
If your content is off-key—if it’s not rooted in value, if it doesn’t say something real—then creating more of it just adds to the spam pile. And your audience tunes you out faster than ever.
People skim. They scroll. They assume everything is fake until proven otherwise. That’s the new default setting. And it’s why trust is at an all-time low.
Trust Is The New Currency (And You’re Losing It If You’re Phoning It In)
AI isn’t just changing how content is made—it’s changing how people receive it.
We’re already seeing deepfakes, fake social posts, and manipulated videos that are nearly indistinguishable from reality. So when a business shows up with “perfect” marketing, overly-polished promises, or generic, templated content, what’s the instinctive reaction?
Distrust.
Your prospects are asking themselves:
“Is this real?”
“Is this person who they say they are?”
“Can I trust what I’m seeing?”
If the answer is no—or even maybe—they move on. This is why authentic, educational content is your lifeline. It builds trust before the sale.
The Cost To Acquire Customers Has Exploded
Digital customer acquisition costs in B2B are up 60% over the last five years. PPC ad costs have surged 50% since 2024 and haven’t come back down. Google, Facebook, LinkedIn—they all want you to pay more to reach fewer people.
SEO traffic is falling because 70% of search queries are now being hijacked by AI-generated answers. Organic listings are being pushed further down the page—below AI results, paid ads, local maps, and everything else. And good luck trying to rank above a billion-dollar SaaS company or an AI-generated content farm.
Even phone connection rates are plummeting. Most cold calls go unanswered. Fewer than 1% of people call you back.
So if you’re wondering why your old marketing tactics aren’t working, it’s not that you’ve gotten worse—it’s that the game has changed.
You’re Competing With Everyone (Not Just Other MSPs)
It used to be that your competition was the MSP down the street. Not anymore.
Now you’re competing for attention with every DTC brand, B2B SaaS, ad agency, influencer, and startup on the planet.
Your ideal client is seeing hundreds of ads a day—for razors, apps, productivity tools, crypto, insurance, weight loss programs, cybersecurity, you name it. You’re in a fight for a scarce and shrinking resource: attention.
If your marketing doesn’t immediately connect with a clear message, offer something truly valuable, or feel trustworthy, it gets ignored. Period.
So, What Still Works?
Despite all the doom and gloom, client acquisition isn’t dead. But the lazy shortcuts are. Here’s what still works—when done right:
1. Radical Clarity On Who You’re Talking To
You must know exactly who your audience is, what keeps them up at night, and what problems you solve better than anyone else. If your website, emails, and ads read like a tech brochure, you’ve already lost.
2. Give Value First, Sell Later
Content that educates builds credibility. When someone reads a blog that solves a problem, watches a video that teaches them something, or downloads a checklist that helps them avoid a mistake—they trust you. And trust leads to appointments.
3. Have a Strong, Compelling Offer
Generic offers like “book a free consultation” won’t cut it. What are you offering that has real value? Is it a cybersecurity risk assessment? A cost-savings audit? A dark web scan? Make it tangible and urgent.
4. Don’t Rely On One Channel
Email alone won’t work. Social alone won’t work. Events alone won’t work. Use everything: email, direct mail, LinkedIn, referrals, calling, events, webinars, retargeting. Layer your marketing to increase conversion.
5. Show Up Real
People buy from people. If your voice is authentic—if you show your face, share your perspective, admit what you don’t know—you’ll cut through the AI sludge and stand out.
The Economic Backdrop Is Getting Tougher
In Q1, the economy contracted by 0.5%. In Q2, it rebounded slightly, but still underperformed compared to 2024. Gross margins for most businesses are down 3% since 2020, and buyers are more price-sensitive than ever.
When people feel uncertain, they hesitate. Which means you can’t just market harder—you have to market smarter.
Bottom Line
Most MSPs are not losing because they’re not good at what they do. They’re losing because they’re still marketing like it’s 2015.
The cost of “meh” marketing has never been higher.
But the ROI on smart, value-driven, trust-building marketing has never been better.
If you’re willing to show up with clarity, deliver real value, and play the long game, this environment will reward you. Most of your competitors won’t put in the reps. You still can.
