I was on a consulting call with one of my MSP clients — a rare breed who actually understands and can execute on great marketing. He had a shiny new lead generation campaign all set up: solid offer, qualified list, great copy, a follow-up plan, and of course, a little AI design work sprinkled in like trendy tech glitter. It was all looking delicious.
But then he said it. The phrase that sends me into a bad mood faster than a fat kid eating a cupcake:
“I don’t care if they’re ready to buy or not… if I could just get in the door, I’ll be happy.”
If I could just…
That sentence needs its own Netflix true crime documentary because it’s killed more marketing results than spam filters and robocall blockers combined.
You’ve heard it. You’ve said it. It’s the business version of “Dear Santa…”
“If I could just get one new client a month…”
“If I could just find a good SDR…”
“If I could just get more leads through my website…”
“If I could just get my team to enter tickets like they’ve seen a computer before…”
“If I could just figure out [insert entrepreneur fantasy here]…”
Listen, I get it. Being a business owner is like juggling chainsaws blindfolded while riding a unicycle on fire. But if “I could just” was all it took to achieve something difficult, I’d be saying, “If I could just drink wine and get abs,” I’d be in a string bikini right now on a yacht in Ibiza with a case of good French red. But life doesn’t work that way, and neither does marketing.
“If I could just” is a wish for oversimplification of a problem. And the worst part? Marketers love to feed this fantasy. And YOU fall for it.
Let’s go back to my friend. Spoiler alert: “Getting in the door” is not the goal.
Getting in the door with someone who actually wants to buy what you’re selling is. And not just anyone, but someone who fits your ideal client profile. Who will pay you on time and take your advice without emotional trauma or having to do a lot of “convincing.” Someone who you can develop into a raving fan that stays, buys and refers.
Want to do more business networking? It’s not “just” showing up, inhaling some Costco cheese cubes and handing out 37 business cards like a blackjack dealer on Red Bull. It requires an actual strategy. You research who’ll be there. You work on what your value proposition is and how to deliver your pitch without coming across as a lonely, hormonal teenager texting “wyd” at 2 a.m. Then follow up appropriately so it doesn’t get weird. And then you repeat that process again and again across 12 events until you find the two that don’t suck. Then go back to those events and show up again and again.
What about cold calling? You don’t “just” want to start calling and get an appointment with anyone who picks up. You want to get a good, target list of pre-qualified prospects. You want to craft an offer that will entice that prospect to engage with you. You want pre-meeting materials to develop them into a properly prepared prospect who’s genuinely interested. And you want those materials to position you as an IT stud, not a dud.
I once heard David Goggins — the unhinged lunatic who runs marathons for breakfast — say something to the tune of, “This is what hard feels like…and this is where most people quit.” I think he was running a 100-mile race. In the sun. With a sack of rocks on his back. Wearing flip-flops. I’m not entirely sure he’s right in the head. But the man understands grit. And that, my friends, is what success requires.
Because if you’re looking for ease, comfort, and security — congratulations, you’re qualified for a nice job in middle management at a soul-sucking corporation with free donuts in the break room and quarterly layoffs.
But if you’re building something of significance? There is no “just” anything.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t find ways to work smarter and faster. Automate, outsource, delegate and clone yourself if science allows — by all means, PUT IN THE WORK and stop wishing for “just.”
Most MSPs are still knocking on the wrong doors, hoping someone lets them in.
But the ones who are truly building something worth recognizing? They’re not settling. They’re not chasing. They’re setting the standard.
MSP Titans Of The Industry honors the top-performing MSPs who are doing more than wishing, waiting, and hoping — they’re executing, leading and growing with intention.
If that’s you — or who you’re becoming — apply now.
