Most of our data backup and disaster recovery (BDR) conversation has centered around BDR sales by managed services providers (MSPs), but what about marketing BDR?

Disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) solutions vendor Datto gave us an inside scoop on BDR marketing strategies in this MSPmentor exclusive.

Datto Channel Marketing Manager Christine Gassman, a BDR channel specialist, outlined three simple, but useful marketing strategies for MSPs selling BDR solutions to potential customers:

Show the differences between backup, BDR, and intelligent business continuity

We’ve reviewed the differences between these three terms before, but Gassman told us that it should also be done through marketing. Remember: You’re not just selling BDR.

Communication through a blog, an article with local press or other means, should be leveraged to explain these differences to customers.

Enforce potential outcomes of diasters

Gassman reminded us that MSPs should “get the customer thinking about the ‘what if’ scenarios” with marketing. It’s fairly common for SMBs to equate disaster with natural disaster, Gassman said.

To help them think beyond this common misconception, MSPs can point to other common disaster scenarios via marketing and show how these scenarios can impact SMBs.

Break down what downtime means for SMBs

Downtime means loss of revenue, productivity, and reputuation, she said. Promote these losses through your BDR marketing. As an MSP, your job is to make downtime unnoticable. 

Her bonus tip revolved around a topic we recently discussed: setting customer expectations with service level agreements (SLAs).

“Never over-promise when marketing a BDR solution; be clear in SLAs,” she said.