Social selling for MSPs: build trust before you pitch

Social selling gets a bad name in MSP circles. And to be fair, we get it.

If your LinkedIn inbox is filled with cookie-cutter connection requests and instant pitch slams, it’s easy to assume social selling is just cold calling in disguise.

But when done well, social selling isn’t about spamming people. It’s about showing up, being useful, and building relationships over time — the same way you would in real life.

What social selling actually means

Social selling is using platforms like LinkedIn to stay visible, relevant, and helpful to your target audience. That might mean:

• Sharing helpful insights
• Commenting on industry conversations
• Connecting in a human, non-pushy way
• Starting genuine conversations in DMs (without going straight for the pitch)

Why MSPs struggle with it

1. They go quiet.
   You don’t know what to say, so you post nothing.
2. They go full robot.
   Mass messaging, no personalisation, instant pitch — it rarely works, and it hurts your brand.

What works instead

1. Share what you know – Be helpful. Talk about things clients are already asking you.
   2. Engage with others – Comment, like, and show up in conversations.
   3. Be human in your messages – No scripts. Just relevance and curiosity.
   4. Post consistently – Once a week is a great start.
   5. Support your team – Sales and client-facing teams should be visible too.

Final thought

For MSPs, trust is the foundation of every new relationship — and that trust often starts well before the first meeting.

The next opportunity might not come from a flashy campaign. It could come from a helpful comment, a shared insight, or a quiet moment of relevance on someone’s feed.

Social selling works best when it’s consistent, human, and rooted in value. Focus on showing up in the right places, with the right intent — and let the sales follow naturally.

More in this series: The MSP marketing reset

• Part 1: MSP marketing is hard (but it doesn’t have to be)
  Why MSP marketing feels so overwhelming — and what to focus on first.
• Part 2: Lost in translation: why most MSPs struggle to talk about what they do
  If your messaging feels vague or generic, here’s how to fix it.