What if the secret to unstoppable MSP growth was right in front of you – and you’ve been ignoring it? In this blog, we’re going to talk about a concept that comes from the book They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan. The idea is straightforward: transform the way you approach marketing and sales by focusing on the questions your customers are asking and providing clear, honest answers!

This approach was a pivotal strategy in scaling our MSP: in fact, it played a major role in helping us grow into a successful seven-figure business. Read on for steps to implement this strategy and the overview of how we made it work for us!

Why Do MSPs Struggle with Listening to Their Customers? 

Here’s the thing: most of us in technical roles, me included, are natural problem solvers. When we’re in sales or marketing situations, our instincts often get in the way of fully listening. As soon as a customer mentions a problem, we’re already thinking about how to fix it—sometimes at the cost of hearing the rest of what they’re saying…

This is where They Ask, You Answer comes in! During a recession, Sheridan’s pool company, River Pools and Spas, was struggling. To stand out, he started writing blogs answering common customer questions about pools—things like cost, maintenance, and installation. By educating his audience and being transparent, he built trust and became the go-to resource for pool buyers. 

The result? His business didn’t just survive—it became one of the top pool companies in the country! It worked because he listened, answered his customers’ questions, and built trust: that’s what this strategy is all about. 

What Does This Mean for Your MSP?

If you can anticipate and answer your customers’ questions, you’ll position yourself as a trusted authority—something we all know is crucial for building relationships with customers and prospects. But how can you start implementing this process today? 

The first step is simple: focus on listening. Really pay attention to what your customers are saying during conversations. From there, start documenting the most common questions they ask. While we often keep this information in our heads, writing it down creates a resource you can actively use and build on!

Here are some examples of common questions to consider: 

• How much does this service cost?
• What’s the difference between an on-premise server and the cloud?
• How is my data secured—whether in the cloud or on-premise?
• Am I safe from cybersecurity threats?
• Why should I choose your company over another MSP?

Once you’ve identified these questions, don’t stop answering them during sales meetings. Take it a step further by creating marketing material that addresses these questions thoroughly and transparently. By making this content accessible to anyone researching IT services, you establish your business as a go-to resource for knowledge in the IT industry. 

This strategy worked well for us. We listened, documented common questions, and made it a point to answer them openly in our marketing. That’s how we built trust and stood out as an authority on cloud!

Won’t Answering These Questions Give My Competitors an Advantage? 

FAQ pages on your website are a great way to build trust and answer customer questions. For instance, we created a list of 50 common questions, each clickable for a detailed answer.  We worried competitors might use our content, but they rarely do—they don’t have the time or don’t see the value in transparency!

People prefer honest, straightforward businesses over slick sales pitches: if you don’t answer their questions, your competitors will.

Transparency doesn’t mean giving away expertise; it shows you understand challenges and are the best fit to solve them. Plus, when customers come to you after reading your content, they’re often highly educated and ready to buy, which shortens the sales cycle and leads to more productive conversations!

When we started addressing common cloud questions—costs, migrations, security, and more—we became known as the go-to cloud MSP. Prospects referenced our content, proving it worked before we even spoke to them.

Here’s Your Challenge!

Start by listening to your clients. Pay attention to their questions, write them down, and then focus on answering them—not just during face-to-face meetings or phone calls, but through your marketing as well. And don’t overthink it. You don’t need to write a novel or create Hollywood-level videos: just be authentic and transparent!

 Trust me, I used to aim for perfection, but you really don’t have to. That’s the beauty of They Ask, You Answer. It’s not about flashy tactics—it’s about serving your clients and building trust. 

Today, I’m going to leave you with this quote from Marcus Sheridan himself: “When people don’t take the time to become well educated, they are most likely making their decision based solely on price, which generally means they’re not the best fit.”

Have a great week!