Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are feeling the squeeze of competition in the market. In our recent Direction of Technology survey, more than 56% of MSPs cited increasing competition as their top concern when scaling IT operations. So, how do you stand out in an increasingly crowded market?
MSPs and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) must go beyond reselling technology — they must design repeatable, scalable and intelligent business models that deliver ongoing customer value. While every MSP and MSSP is different and has their own unique needs, there are a few best practices when developing your go-to-market strategy that transcend size and industry:
1. Focus on business outcomes, not just technology.
Modern customers expect measurable results, not toolsets. The most successful MSPs and MSSPs position their services around business outcomes like risk reduction, efficiency gains or digital transformation.
Delivering those outcomes consistently requires more than intuition; it demands structure, clarity and strategic foresight. You need to be able to explain to your customers how you can help them in a way that shows value on their terms versus simply presenting a list of tools.
2. Build on a proven framework.
When developing your go to market strategy, you don’t need to start from zero. Look at existing go-to-market strategies and frameworks to guide you.
For example, partners who work with our Practice Builder team follow the Revenue Solution Path, a structured roadmap designed to help partners achieve profitable growth and business differentiation. The framework combines proven concepts from many research-based and proven sources, including the Blue Ocean Strategy and Playing to Win.
These sources guides partners to identify uncontested market spaces, innovate beyond price competition and clarify “where to play” as well as “how to win.”
3. Prepare to scale ahead of time.
Before you can truly scale in a sustainable way, you must put in the work to define your goals and the strategy you’ll use to achieve them. This helps you focus on the activities and customers that align with where you’re trying to go instead of wasting limited resources.
What does this look like in practice? Participants in our Practice Builder program complete structured pre-work to align leadership and define their growth vision.
Key components include:
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- Business model canvas: Identify market opportunities and service gaps.
- Differentiation workshop: Apply Blue Ocean frameworks to stand apart.
- Profit levers and pricing strategy: Design sustainable, high-margin offerings.
- Technology integration plan: Embed scalable solutions into your service model.
The Practice Builder methodology equips partners to transform from transactional resellers into intelligent, outcome-driven service providers. By following the Revenue Solution Path and committing to doing the work up front, MSPs and MSSPs can scale sustainably.
4. Unlock cybersecurity business outcomes with the Cyber Defense Matrix.
Proven frameworks don’t stop at sales and business strategy. They can also help you map out what types of technology to offer.
The Cyber Defense Matrix helps MSSPs map cybersecurity capabilities across five asset classes (users, devices, networks, applications and data) and align those capabilities with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework’s core functions.
This structured approach enables MSPs and MSSPs to visualize gaps, clarify responsibilities and prioritize investments that drive measurable impact.
When paired with the latest evolution of NIST CSF 2.0, which introduces the govern function, the Matrix becomes a bridge between technical execution and executive strategy — helping partners to elevate cybersecurity from a reactive service to a proactive business enabler.
TD SYNNEX resources to help.
Setting your go-to-market strategy is ultimately about deciding what you want for your business. TD SYNNEX is here to help you with resources you need to make that vision a reality.
MSP Evolve from TD SYNNEX meets you where you are today and enables you to meet your unique business goals. You’ll get access to a wide range of tools, services and offerings purpose-built to for MSPs to optimize operational efficiencies and accelerate business growth.
Resources like Channel Academy and Practice Builder equip MSPs with the tools they can use to scale intelligently. The Cyber Range replicates real-world threats to sharpen detection and response capabilities for MSSPs.
By embracing the Cyber Defense Matrix and leveraging TD SYNNEX’s enablement platforms, partners can confidently lead with insight — delivering security strategies that are not only technically sound, but are also aligned with customer goals, regulatory expectations and long-term growth.
Plus, the MSP Evolve experience in the Partner Loyalty program rewards you for engaging and growing with TD SYNNEX. When you sign up, you’ll earn rewards that help you put money back in your pocket and grow your business.
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