How often do you think about the strength of your brand? Your brand awareness for your MSP might never have the global recognition of a company like Apple or Nike, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t devote marketing efforts to developing it. 

Brand awareness for MSP is the level of recognition and association potential customers have to your products and services. When looking for hotels, most people will think of Hilton or Marriott first. That’s because their brand awareness is top-notch. As a local business competing with similar companies in your area, you want your name to be one of the first that enters people’s minds when they think about IT management services, even if they’ve never needed this type of service before. 

As CharTec Marketing Director Brandi Rogers explains in her sessions at the CharTec Academy, brand awareness is the first step in the marketing funnel. Without it, your prospects won’t see you as the solution they are looking to try. They need to be aware of you before they eventually develop into prospects and clients. 

 

Your logo shouldn’t be an afterthought. 

Your logo can be used to great effect when it comes to building brand awareness for MSP. Think of any major brand, and we’re sure you can picture their logo. Perhaps you’ve got a beautiful, intricate logo or something that is a clever play on the name of your MSP. These may have their merits, but you also need to ensure that your logo tells people something about what you do. This approach builds the association in their mind between your name and your offering.   

For example, when you see the logo of ARRC Technology, you immediately know that their work involves computers. Your logo needs to get this message across, particularly if the name of your MSP does not have a word like “technology” in it. 

When hiring designers to create your logo, you’ll probably come across a broad range of prices and qualities. Be sure to find out what formats you’ll receive your logo in, how many revisions you’ll get, and what experience they have. Don’t be afraid to speak up if everything isn’t exactly how you want it. Make sure you are happy with everything you receive from the designer, from the overall look down to the specific color code. After all, you’ll be using it everywhere! 

 

Don’t forget brand equity! 

Another component of brand awareness is brand equity. This recognition can be positive or negative, and it refers to the brand’s perceived value among its customers. If you have positive brand equity, you will have a competitive advantage and charge more for your products because of your perceived value among customers. This can also make it easier for you to form better partnerships with other companies and receive better supplier rates, among other perks. 

 

Why brand awareness matters for MSP 

Brand awareness is important for your MSP. 

Word-of-mouth marketing 

A huge benefit of brand awareness is its power to create word-of-mouth marketing. One of the best ways to attract new clients is through direct referrals from current or past clients. Your prospects will attach a significant amount of value to a recommendation from someone they trust.  

This can even be effective if they haven’t worked with you before. For example, if someone tells an associate that they’re looking for an MSP, the associate might mention your name to them because they keep seeing it pop up on their timeline. Or they remember you because your ads are memorable. 

Buying decisions 

When it’s time to sign up for services, brand awareness can make all the difference. You have probably used brand awareness to guide many of your buying decisions in the past. For example, when purchasing a cell phone, you probably feel much more comfortable shelling out for a name you recognize, like Apple or Samsung, than a brand you’ve never heard of, even if the latter’s specs seem better or it appears to be a better value. This is something you want for your MSP as well. If your name is at the top of people’s minds, they’re going to be more willing to commit to you when it’s time to decide which company to go with. 

Customer loyalty 

Brand awareness can create the kind of customer loyalty your MSP needs to stay in business. If you regularly post high-quality content on social media platforms, use email marketing wisely and put out informative videos. There’s a chance your customers will stay loyal to you and continue to use your services and recommend them to others. Isn’t this the goal of any MSP?  

There are lots of ways you can develop your brand and build awareness. Copywriting, video marketing, branding, and social media marketing are all effective methods we explore at great length at our CharTec Academy. And if you’d like to learn these tips first-hand, sign up for our next Virtual Academy, December 8th and 9th.  

Or, if you are looking to outsource your Marketing efforts, we off a Premium Marketing Membership package that takes care of all the hard stuff so you can focus on running your business. Contact us here for more information: membership@chartec.net