I've just delivered to my MSP Marketing Edge members a video update about what I think the 5 stages of short-term Coronavirus marketing will be. We're giving them marketing materials to support them at every stage.
Caveat 1: This is an educated guess. Everything's changing fast. And no-one's ever been here before
Caveat 2: This is not profiteering. This is about educating your marketplace, and giving them the calm thought leadership they desire
I believe the 5 stages will be:
1) Safe remote working: This is the stage we're currently in
2) Usual service during lockdown: This isn't an opportunity to win clients. In the event of a total lockdown, it's about communicating clearly to your clients that you can still do 98% of what you do
3) Opportunity: Fix annoying problems: Once the dust on WFH has settled, people will start to be annoyed by small things (and no I don't mean their school-less children 😃) Working from home is different and many people will be frustrated by technology. This is a big opportunity.
Although it requires doing marketing that I normally recommend MSPs avoid - that of "find someone with a problem and fix it for them". You should run ads on all platforms offering remote support, and do it on an ad-hoc basis. This will generate a bit of welcome revenue for you now. And most of those ad-hoc clients will never call you again. But for a small number, it will be the start of a long relationship, and they will become MSP clients
4) Help them get back on their feet: When people can go back to their offices, things will be different. Some of their staff will still work from home (especially if the schools are still off) and they will require guidance on a new way of working
5) Back to long-term marketing strategy: Once we are back to normal, you should focus again on building multiple audiences, building a relationship with them, and being there at the point they are fed up with their incumbent MSP. Actually, this marketing must NEVER stop, not even during the crisis.
The businesses that keep marketing during a crisis will have all the momentum coming out of it. There are dozens of examples of this within business history. When others stop marketing, your marketing costs less and has greater impact. The MSPs that focus on both long-term and short-term marketing in the next few months will be the winners.
