It's tough enough to establish and maintain a thriving managed service provider (MSP) practice in such a competitive marketplace. It's doubly so when you're also tasked with marketing your business and its services to draw new clients while keeping your existing clientele engaged.

Frankly, you can't be all things to all people all of the time. You're already the technical team lead for your business as well as a mentor for your staff. Trying to be the chief marketing officer (CMO) on top of everything else you do leaves you with little time to eat or sleep, much less ensure you're keeping your current clients happy.

One of my clients in Manchester, New Hampshire was faced with this very problem. IT Secure Services specializes in providing a number of critical technology services including help-desk support, IT security, data and email protection and encryption, cloud hosting and file sharing, server virtualization, business continuity and general consulting. Business is booming for this top-notch MSP. So much so its Founder and CEO, Joerg Laves, recently expanded his business's reach into Burlington, Massachusetts, and he simply couldn't find the time to also be the CMO. As Joerg said to me recently, "I have so much new business, I'm running out of time."

He turned to my team at Ulistic to take over their marketing responsibilities. We built IT Secure Services's new website to support its expansion into Massachusetts, and I continue to coach Joerg and his staff on marketing-related best practices.

Outsourcing your marketing needs can pay huge dividends for your business. Good marketing can give you a competitive advantage over other MSPs who pay little attention to it, or don't regard it as a critical component to their success.

Don't be like one of them.

Here are three reasons why you need to put marketing your MSP business high on your to-do list:

Brand awareness. In order for any business to succeed, people need to know you exist. They need to understand what services you provide, and how you can help them reach their strategic goals. There's an old saying that goes, "Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM." That might be one of the best marketing taglines in IT history.

Increased sales. If the people and businesses you're targeting as potential clients are aware of your brand or business's name, that's half the battle. If they've heard of you, or think they have, chances are they'll be open minded to hearing what it is you can offer them to help them succeed.

Relationship building. Many people confuse advertising for marketing. Both are important but marketing encompasses much more than advertising your business and its services. Marketing includes supporting your current clients through thought leadership, getting involved in your local community by sponsoring important events and causes, and media and public relations. In short, marketing is everything your company needs to do to build a lasting relationship between your company and your clients.

Have questions about how you should begin to market your business or how to do a better job of it? Let's talk. Tell me where it is you want to go, and I'll tell you how my team and I can help you get there.

Only one in 100 IT firms prioritize marketing but 100 out of 100 want more sales leads. Ulistic helps managed service providers think and act strategically about marketing to generate more leads. Our team of experienced writers, graphic designers, and professional marketers will engage with your business daily to provide expert marketing materials and advice to help you create a foundation for success. Want to learn more? Visit us at Ulistic.com.