The beginning of a new year often brings big plans, big promises, and big pressure, but for most MSPs, meaningful growth doesn’t come from massive overhauls. It comes from clarity, focus, and consistent execution.
If you want to start the year stronger without adding complexity, here are five smart, practical moves you can make right now.
- Set One Clear Revenue Target, and Reverse Engineer It.
“Grow this year” isn’t a plan. A number is.
Choose one specific revenue target like $48K or $75K in new MRR. Then work backward:
- What’s your average MRR per client?
- How many new clients does that require?
- How many sales presentations typically lead to one close?
- How many discoveries turn into sales presentations?
- How many first appointments result in discoveries?
- How many marketing touches or contacts does it take to get to a first appointment?
This exercise instantly turns an abstract goal into a measurable path forward for sales and marketing.
Action step: Write the math down. Draw out your funnel and reverse engineer it step by step. If it’s not documented, it’s just a hope.
We’ve created a Reverse Engineer the Funnel worksheet built on close ratios observed across MSPs using the CharTec sales process. Get the worksheet here.
- Define Your Real Ideal Client Profile.
When we ask MSPs who their ideal client is, they too often say, “we support everyone.” This waters down messaging and sales conversations while reinforcing the myth that all money is good money.
Your ideal client is usually hiding in plain sight — it’s who already works well with you.
Look at your client base and ask:
- Which accounts were most profitable?
- Which were your favorite clients to work with?
- Which accounts aligned best with your services and expertise?
Patterns emerge quickly. Those patterns should drive your marketing, sales conversations, and referrals this year.
Action step: Write a one-paragraph description of your ideal client and a one-paragraph description of clients you’d like to avoid. Name them. Make them real. Share them with your team.
- Identify Where Deals Actually Get Stuck.
If your pipeline feels sluggish, the issue is rarely “not enough leads.” More often, it’s a breakdown inside the sales process.
Review recent deals and ask:
- Where did prospects hesitate?
- At what point did discussions break down?
- What assumptions led to a mismatch?
Fixing one point of friction can dramatically improve close rates.
Action step: Pick one stalled stage in your sales process and improve how you address it.
- Fix the First 10 Seconds of Your Website.
Most MSP websites struggle with clarity, not design.
Ask yourself:
- Can a prospect immediately tell who you help?
- Do they understand what problem you solve?
- Is the next step obvious?
If not, no amount of traffic will convert well.
Action step: Rewrite your homepage headline and primary CTA for clarity, not cleverness.
- Track One KPI Weekly for at Least a Quarter.
Dashboards are useless if they’re never reviewed.
Choose one metric that reflects real progress:
- Qualified discovery calls booked
- Opportunities created
- Net new MRR
Track it weekly. Discuss it regularly. Let it guide decisions.
Action step: Pick one KPI and review it weekly for the next 90 days. Treat it like a focused effort on your strongest growth driver.
Strong years don’t start with big resolutions that fade. They start with better thinking and clearer execution.
Focus on these five moves and you’ll create momentum that lasts well beyond Q1 and sets you up for a very successful 2026.
