Outsourced sales development for managed IT services

MSP lead generation: meetings with owners who are done with their current IT setup

Most managed services deals start when an owner gets frustrated with the person or company handling IT today. We book meetings with those owners and their finance and operations leads before the frustration turns into a quick referral to someone else, so your MSP is already in the conversation when they decide to switch.

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Verified performance benchmarks

What it takes to book an MSP meeting

Real activity and outcomes logged on MSP programs. Each figure carries its definition, and the panel below says exactly what it covers.

Abstrakt sales center data

594,121prospecting callsOutbound dials logged by Abstrakt SDRs on client programs in this vertical.
3,657appointments setMeetings booked with a decision-maker who met the client's criteria.
162dials per appointmentCalls divided by appointments set, rounded.
10.0%of opportunities reached a proposalOpportunities are appointments that became a sales opportunity. Not a rate per appointment.
20.5%of proposals were wonProposals the client reports winning, divided by proposals sent.

Period: Cumulative program history through October 2026.
Scope: National. Abstrakt client programs in the "IT/Cyber Security/MSP" vertical. No market-level rates.
Sample: 594,121 calls and 3,657 appointments set.
Source: Abstrakt sales center, Performance Intelligence (Abstrakt's internal program reporting), imported 2026-10-01.
Not a promise: Historical averages across many programs, not a forecast or a promise for any single program. Client mix, offers and target lists differ.

How the sales center benchmarks are measured

Customer results

Real results from managed IT services companies

Approved MSP client stories, closed business and testimonials. Every figure says what it is and the period it covers. See every IT result.

IT and managed servicesOutbound BDR

$3.83M Closed From 119 Appointments: A Managed Services Provider’s Year

See how a Utah-based IT provider generated $3.83M in revenue and 119 qualified appointments with Abstrakt's lead generation services.
- $3.83M
- 119 appointments
Read the full story →
IT and managed servicesOutbound BDR

From First Call to $200K: The Power of Persistent MSP Appointment Setting

Persistence pays off. Discover how Abstrakt helped an MSP land a $200K deal through strategic B2B lead generation.
- $200K
Read the full story →
IT and managed servicesBrand Boost

An MSP’s Revenue Soars With a New Approach to Marketing

Chief Revenue Officer, IT managed services provider

2 verified results

IT and managed services: closed business and signed agreements
Amount	Classification	Industry	Client	Period	Context and source
$41,518	Closed business	IT and managed services	Client not named	Reported 2026-10-07	Deal value reported to Abstrakt by a client. Closed business snapshots, abstraktmg.com/abstrakt-at-a-glance/ (read 2026-10-12)
$59,112	Closed business	IT and managed services	Client not named	Reported 2026-09-21	Deal value reported to Abstrakt by a client. Closed business snapshots, abstraktmg.com/abstrakt-at-a-glance/ (as published late September 2026)

Hear it from IT clients

Appointment setting
ABQ
Greg of ABQ IT in New Mexico needed managed IT clients beyond its recycling customers. Abstrakt built a list around his compliance and cybersecurity strengths, then used calls and cold email to open conversations ABQ IT would not have had otherwise.
Appointment setting
Visitude
Jason Elquiza, president and COO of Visitude, an IT managed services provider, saw an early win once appointments started coming. He points to three things: steady appointments, messaging customized to his business, and close collaboration that feels like an extension of his team.
Appointment setting
CII Technology
CII Technology's first year back with Abstrakt was about getting in front of the right companies. The owner explains why steady, top-quality appointments give his IT firm an edge over other providers its size, and how to follow up so those meetings turn into contracts.

Who we target

The MSP buyers our SDRs reach

Start with the owner or managing partner and the controller or office manager who handles the IT budget and the insurance application, and bring in the internal IT lead where there is one.

Decision-makers and influencers

Owner / president / managing partnerControls
The final decision and the relationship with whoever handles IT today, often a friend or long-time vendor
Gets involved
After an incident, an insurance or client security request, or when the IT person leaves
CFO, controller or office managerControls
The IT budget, vendor invoices and the cyber insurance application
Gets involved
Budget season, cyber insurance renewal and invoice surprises
IT manager or internal IT leadControls
Day-to-day systems and a strong opinion on whether outside help is a threat or relief
Gets involved
Any time; they know the gaps better than anyone
COO, operations director or practice administratorControls
Onboarding, new locations and the staff complaints when systems are slow
Gets involved
Hiring pushes, new locations and system rollouts
Compliance officer or practice compliance leadControls
Audit and exam readiness, written security policies, vendor due diligence
Gets involved
Before audits, exams, client security reviews and policy renewals

Industries and company sizes

Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Law firms
Accounting, tax and bookkeeping firms
Architecture and engineering firms
Insurance agencies and brokerages
Wealth management and investment firms
Real estate brokerages and property management offices
Manufacturers
Wholesale distributors
Construction contractors
Nonprofits and member organizations
Private schools and education providers

What makes an account worth calling

20 to 200 seats, past informal IT. Professional offices of that size run on email, file shares and line-of-business software, and usually have one overloaded person or a break-fix vendor holding it together. That is where a managed agreement replaces a phone number.
Regulated data or client security reviews. Patient records, client financial data, legal files and defense contract work make IT a compliance question, not only a help desk question, and someone has to answer the questionnaire.
Multiple locations. Franchise groups, branch offices and service companies need the same network, devices and security at every site, which a single in-house IT person struggles to cover.
Downtime that stops revenue. Manufacturers and distributors run shop floor systems, ERP and the office network on the same infrastructure, so a server or network failure stops shipments and owners pay attention to backup and recovery.
An internal IT team of one or two. Co-managed IT is an easier first sale: you take the help desk, security tooling and after-hours coverage while their staff keep the projects.

Qualification criteria

Inside your service area and in an industry and size range you want
The person in the meeting signs or shapes the IT decision
Seat count and locations you can support
A stated problem, a known agreement end date, or a compliance or insurance deadline
Who handles IT today captured, person or company
A confirmed date and time for a sales conversation

Prospect intelligence from our MSP programs

Fewest dials per appointment first, so the list starts where meetings come easiest. Rows with fewer than 30 opportunities are left out.

Titles

Office Manager102
Vice President111
IT Director113
IT Manager133
Executive Director137

Prospect industries

Organizations (Non-Profit)112
Education115
Hospitality133
Transportation134
Wholesale144

Dials per appointment, national. Source: Abstrakt sales center, Performance Intelligence, cumulative through October 2026.

Buying triggers

What opens an MSP account

These are reasons a buyer may be open to a conversation, not proof that anyone is buying. Some we can see before the first call; the rest only the buyer can confirm.

Observable signal visible before the call: new offices and locations, hiring, leadership changes, acquisitions, published breaches
Learned on the call only the buyer can tell us

Observable signalThe IT person leaves
When the internal admin or the one-person vendor moves on, the company has to decide whether to replace them or outsource.
Observable signalGrowth past an employee band, a new office or an acquisition
More seats and new sites expose a network and device setup that was built for a smaller company.
Observable signalNew owner, executive or finance lead
New leaders review vendors and costs in their first year, and IT is usually on the list.
Learned on the callA security incident or close call
A phishing loss, ransomware scare or compromised mailbox makes the owner question the current setup in a way nothing else does.
Learned on the callCyber insurance renewal or a client security review
The questionnaire asks for controls such as multi-factor sign-in, tested backups and endpoint protection that the business may not have, and someone has to put them in place before the deadline.
Learned on the callA compliance requirement with a date
A HIPAA risk analysis, a CMMC assessment for a defense supplier, a SOC 2 report a client asks for, or a written security plan under the FTC Safeguards Rule turns IT into a deadline.
Learned on the callEnd-of-life hardware and software
Servers, firewalls and operating systems reaching the end of vendor support force a project, and projects open the door to a managed agreement.
Learned on the callAgreement end date with the current provider
Contracts with the current MSP run out on their own schedule. The end date is when an unhappy client can switch cleanly.

Why "not now" is still a prospect. Most businesses already have someone handling IT, so a no on the first call is usually a timing answer or a sign the current setup is working for now. The useful outcome of that call is the name of whoever handles IT today, whether it is a person or a company, when any agreement ends, and what the owner or controller wishes were different. Recorded and revisited, that turns a no into a meeting before the agreement ends, the next insurance renewal or the next budget.

How Abstrakt works in managed IT services

We build the pipeline. Our clients close the business.

The same six steps run on every program. What changes for managed service providers is who we call, the reason we give them, and the agreement end date we track. It is our appointment setting for commercial contractors, with the phone work done by our cold calling services team.

01 · Build your target market
Build the target list
Businesses with 20 to 499 employees in the industries you serve best, inside the area your engineers can reach for on-site work, with the owner, finance lead and any internal IT contact identified for each. We start with the prospect industries and titles that have booked fastest on our MSP programs.
How Abstrakt Intelligence builds the list
02 · Launch your marketing strategy
Run phone, email and LinkedIn as one
Your SDR works phone, email and LinkedIn under your company's name, so the prospect knows the name before the call.
The team and technology behind it
03 · Qualify target companies and decision-makers
Reach the people who decide
Start with the owner or managing partner and the controller or office manager who handles the IT budget and the insurance application, and bring in the internal IT lead where there is one.
What "Right Contact" means
04 · Decision-maker introduction
Confirm the reason to meet
Frustration with the current IT setup, a security close call, an insurance or compliance deadline, or an agreement coming to an end. Right company and size, right person, a real problem or a known date, and an agreed meeting time.
The 5 Star quality process
05 · Nurture qualified companies
Stay in touch until it is time
Re-contact before the agreement end date, the insurance renewal and budget season; share something useful about an end-of-support date or a requirement that applies to them. The agreement end date goes in the record so the next call lands on time.
Our process, stage by stage
06 · New sales appointments
Book the meeting
A confirmed meeting with business owners and office managers, checked for right company, right contact and right timing, and graded on our 25-point 5 Star Scorecard before it reaches your calendar. You receive the seat count and locations, who handles IT today, the agreement end date, the decision process and the exact reason they agreed to meet. Every call and booked meeting is visible to you in the Results Portal.
What happens after a meeting is booked

Abstrakt Intelligence · Targeting

Every list starts with the qualified prospects Abstrakt Intelligence finds in your industry, each one verified by our team.

See how lists are built

Real platform screen. Companies and contacts are fictional.

Calculate my opportunity

What an MSP pipeline takes, in your numbers

Set a monthly meeting goal and your own conversion rates. Green tags are Abstrakt history, gray tags are your inputs. Contract value appears once you enter your own average: we never fill one in.

Your inputs

Qualified meetings you want a month Your goal

Dials per appointment Abstrakt history

162 is the historical MSP average from our sales center. Change it to test your own.

Appointments that turn into a proposal (%) Your assumption

An appointment is not a proposal. 25% is only a starting example, not Abstrakt data: use your own experience.

Proposals you win (%) Abstrakt history

20.5% of MSP proposals were won across our programs. Your close rate depends on your own sales process.

Average annual managed services agreement value Your number

What one managed IT agreement bills in a year (the monthly fee times 12).

Average project value Your number

A typical server, firewall, migration or security project.

Share of wins that are managed agreements (%) Your assumption

Typical agreement term, in years Your assumption

1 shows first-year value only.

Illustrative math from your inputs. It updates as you type.

1,296dials a month
62dials every working day
2proposals a month
0.4wins a month, on average
4.9wins from 12 months at this pace
96meetings over 12 months
Enter your average values to see contract value. We do not fill in a number for you.

How this works: appointments x dials per appointment = outreach, spread over 21 working days. Appointments x your proposal rate x win rate = wins. Wins x your value = contract value: what signed work is worth, not revenue recognized, and recurring contracts bill over their term. Fractions are monthly averages. Not a forecast, a quote or a promise.

Book my strategy call → (314) 338-8865

Market opportunity

Explore your MSP market opportunity

Search 100 metros for the local numbers: how many IT services firms compete, how many target businesses buy the work, and which account types to call first. Most target businesses per IT firm in the data: Saginaw, McAllen, Central Valley, Grand Rapids, Springfield.

Search a market

Type a city or state, then pick a market.

MSP market snapshot

Saginaw, MI

13computer systems design, computer facilities management and other computer services firms competing
241businesses with 20 to 499 employees in the industries MSPs sell to
18.5target businesses per IT firm

Account types to call first: Medical, dental and outpatient practices, Manufacturers, Construction contractors

Request an availability review (314) 338-8865 Open the MSP guide for Saginaw See the Saginaw market page

IT firms: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private ownership, 2026 Q1, computer systems design, computer facilities management and other computer services firms (NAICS 541512, 541513 and 541519). Target businesses: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, establishments with 20 to 499 employees in the categories that buy MSP work. These are establishment counts, not qualified prospects: qualification happens on the call. Territory availability is not shown here because it changes as programs start; a strategist confirms it against current territory records.

Browse all 100 MSP market guides

Filter markets 100 markets

Managed Service Providers market guides. Column headers sort the table.
Market	IT firms	Target businesses	Per IT firm	Largest category
Birmingham, AL market page	499	1,691	3.4	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Huntsville, AL market page	530	656	1.2	Manufacturers
Phoenix, AZ market page	2,940	6,236	2.1	Construction contractors
Tucson, AZ market page	296	1,065	3.6	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Little Rock, AR market page	192	974	5.1	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Central Valley, CA market page	245	2,776	11.3	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Los Angeles, CA market page	4,339	17,537	4.0	Manufacturers
Oxnard, CA market page	237	960	4.1	Manufacturers
Riverside, CA market page	557	4,257	7.6	Construction contractors
Sacramento, CA market page	855	2,831	3.3	Construction contractors
San Diego, CA market page	1,318	4,192	3.2	Construction contractors
San Francisco, CA market page	3,002	6,338	2.1	Construction contractors
San Jose, CA market page	1,629	2,531	1.6	Manufacturers
Santa Cruz, CA market page	67	255	3.8	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Santa Rosa, CA market page	112	705	6.3	Manufacturers
Stockton, CA market page	144	717	5.0	Manufacturers
Colorado Springs, CO market page	917	862	0.9	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Denver, CO market page	3,919	4,304	1.1	Construction contractors
Bridgeport, CT market page	1,067	1,237	1.2	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Hartford, CT market page	1,084	1,776	1.6	Manufacturers
Washington, DC market page	10,066	8,197	0.8	Construction contractors
Cape Coral, FL market page	281	945	3.4	Construction contractors
Daytona Beach, FL market page	193	567	2.9	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Jacksonville, FL market page	703	2,002	2.8	Construction contractors
Miami, FL market page	3,187	7,665	2.4	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
North Port, FL market page	451	955	2.1	Construction contractors
Orlando, FL market page	1,209	3,357	2.8	Construction contractors
Tampa, FL market page	1,990	3,996	2.0	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
West Palm Beach, FL market page	795	1,964	2.5	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Atlanta, GA market page	5,397	7,819	1.4	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Honolulu, HI market page	653	1,064	1.6	Construction contractors
Boise City, ID market page	482	1,174	2.4	Construction contractors
Chicago, IL market page	3,474	13,201	3.8	Manufacturers
Indianapolis, IN market page	1,233	3,224	2.6	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
South Bend, IN market page	90	486	5.4	Manufacturers
Des Moines, IA market page	716	1,058	1.5	Construction contractors
Wichita, KS market page	392	974	2.5	Manufacturers
Lexington, KY market page	507	758	1.5	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Louisville, KY market page	1,245	1,939	1.6	Manufacturers
Baton Rouge, LA market page	445	1,205	2.7	Construction contractors
New Orleans, LA market page	608	1,344	2.2	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Portland, ME market page	537	825	1.5	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Baltimore, MD market page	2,164	3,898	1.8	Construction contractors
Boston, MA market page	2,614	7,160	2.7	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Springfield, MA market page	67	612	9.1	Manufacturers
Worcester, MA market page	274	1,020	3.7	Manufacturers
Detroit, MI market page	1,125	6,008	5.3	Manufacturers
Grand Rapids, MI market page	212	2,235	10.5	Manufacturers
Saginaw, MI market page	13	241	18.5	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Minneapolis, MN market page	1,364	6,276	4.6	Manufacturers
Kansas City, MO market page	1,818	3,289	1.8	Construction contractors
St. Louis, MO market page	959	3,954	4.1	Manufacturers
Omaha, NE market page	467	1,426	3.1	Construction contractors
Las Vegas, NV market page	1,548	2,501	1.6	Construction contractors
Manchester, NH market page	235	680	2.9	Manufacturers
Albuquerque, NM market page	500	1,053	2.1	Construction contractors
Albany, NY market page	475	1,107	2.3	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Buffalo, NY market page	253	1,600	6.3	Manufacturers
New York, NY market page	7,844	23,343	3.0	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Poughkeepsie, NY market page	203	633	3.1	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Rochester, NY market page	272	1,335	4.9	Manufacturers
Syracuse, NY market page	158	811	5.1	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Charlotte, NC market page	2,338	4,044	1.7	Manufacturers
Greensboro, NC market page	296	1,238	4.2	Manufacturers
Raleigh, NC market page	2,160	2,007	0.9	Construction contractors
Akron, OH market page	253	1,098	4.3	Manufacturers
Cincinnati, OH market page	1,291	3,238	2.5	Manufacturers
Cleveland, OH market page	848	3,385	4.0	Manufacturers
Columbus, OH market page	1,282	2,949	2.3	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Dayton, OH market page	405	1,128	2.8	Manufacturers
Oklahoma City, OK market page	1,023	1,759	1.7	Construction contractors
Tulsa, OK market page	722	1,511	2.1	Manufacturers
Portland, OR market page	1,714	3,864	2.3	Manufacturers
Allentown, PA market page	167	1,093	6.5	Manufacturers
Harrisburg, PA market page	229	935	4.1	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Philadelphia, PA market page	3,025	8,606	2.8	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Pittsburgh, PA market page	569	3,735	6.6	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Providence, RI market page	937	2,072	2.2	Manufacturers
Charleston, SC market page	573	996	1.7	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Columbia, SC market page	389	972	2.5	Construction contractors
Greenville, SC market page	411	1,211	2.9	Manufacturers
Chattanooga, TN market page	222	798	3.6	Manufacturers
Knoxville, TN market page	372	1,243	3.3	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Memphis, TN market page	411	1,721	4.2	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Nashville, TN market page	1,310	2,991	2.3	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Austin, TX market page	2,264	3,193	1.4	Construction contractors
Dallas, TX market page	6,078	10,653	1.8	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
El Paso, TX market page	138	767	5.6	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Houston, TX market page	2,994	9,095	3.0	Manufacturers
McAllen, TX market page	41	630	15.4	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
San Antonio, TX market page	839	2,733	3.3	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Provo, UT market page	314	840	2.7	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Salt Lake City, UT market page	1,711	2,178	1.3	Construction contractors
Richmond, VA market page	717	1,883	2.6	Construction contractors
Virginia Beach, VA market page	606	2,039	3.4	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Seattle, WA market page	7,028	5,555	0.8	Construction contractors
Spokane, WA market page	566	820	1.4	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Charleston, WV market page	101	250	2.5	Medical, dental and outpatient practices
Madison, WI market page	418	1,080	2.6	Manufacturers
Milwaukee, WI market page	598	3,052	5.1	Manufacturers

The talk track

What a sales call sounds like in IT and managed services

This is the path our SDRs follow on a good call in IT and managed services. Each line is tagged with its step in the ENGAGE Sales Process: a specific reason to talk, a pushback handled without arguing, the qualifying and decision questions, the differentiator, and a clear ask for the meeting. It earns every point on our 5 Star Scorecard.

Opener
Reason for the call
Pushback
Feel, felt, found
Qualify
Decision-making question
Timeline
Differentiator
Consideration question
Close for the meeting
Meeting set
Recap the agenda
Confirm details
Invite sent

Dramatized example.Written from our IT and managed services talk track and voiced by AI. Names and figures are samples. This is not a recording of a real call.

Abstrakt SDR for Northline ITBooking for a client in IT and managed services. Calling Dana Ellis, decision-maker.

Opener
Abstrakt SDRHi Dana, this is Chris with Northline IT on a recorded line. I know I'm catching you in the middle of the day, so I'll keep this short. How are you today?
ProspectOkay. What's this about?
Reason for the call
Abstrakt SDRThe reason for my call, we support companies across the metro running somewhere around 80 workstations, and your support agreement came up as due for review around the first of the year. I wanted to see how support and security are being handled right now.
Pushback
ProspectWe already have an IT company.
Feel, felt, found
Abstrakt SDRI understand. A lot of the people I talk to felt the same way at first, and what they found is that a second look cost them nothing. Our assessment sits alongside what they do, a second set of eyes at no cost, and if they have everything handled the report will say so.
ProspectOkay, that makes sense.
Qualify
Abstrakt SDRTwo quick things so I send the right engineer out. Are you at roughly 80 workstations, and are you the one who signs off on IT spending, or does that go somewhere else?
ProspectAbout eighty, yes. And IT spending comes to me.
Decision-making question
Abstrakt SDRBesides you, who else is usually involved when a decision like this gets made?
ProspectOur CEO wants to know the cost. But I make the call.
Timeline
Abstrakt SDRAnd when are you looking to have this sorted out?
ProspectProbably sixty days out, so we're not stuck for another year.
Differentiator
Abstrakt SDRWhat we do differently is the assessment itself. We look at the network and the security posture first, at no charge, and you get the written findings either way. Support after that is one flat per-user price, so there are no surprise project bills.
ProspectThe surprise bills are a real sore spot. Last quarter's bill still makes me twitch.
Consideration question
Abstrakt SDRIf what we show you makes sense, is Northline IT a company you'd consider working with down the road?
ProspectI'd consider it.
Close for the meeting
Abstrakt SDRLet's put it on the calendar. I have Tuesday the 15th at 10, or Thursday the 17th at 2. Which is better? I'll send the invite while we're on the line, and I'll add Warren Doyle's mobile to it.
Meeting set
ProspectTuesday at ten.
Recap the agenda
Abstrakt SDRGreat. So that's Tuesday the 15th at 10 o'clock, in person at your office, and we'll keep it to thirty minutes. Warren Doyle, our project manager, will review your current setup and support contract with you, run the assessment, and leave you the written findings. When he gets there, where should he check in?
ProspectFront desk. They'll bring them back.
Confirm details
Abstrakt SDRLet me confirm your details: your title, the best email for the invite, and that we're meeting at your office address.
ProspectDirector of operations. It's dana dot ellis at our company dot com. And yes, main office.
Invite sent
Abstrakt SDRPerfect. I'm sending the invite now. Could you accept it when it comes through, so the time is held? Thanks, Dana. Warren will see you Tuesday.

The MSP prospecting playbook

How MSP accounts are won, from first call to signed work

The research our SDRs train on for MSP programs. Open any section. The same material, with sales center data, is in The State of MSP Business Development, 2026.

Market overview and contract economics

How the work is bought

Recurring work: Fully managed IT agreements billed per user or per device, co-managed support alongside an internal IT person, managed security, backup and monitoring, and Microsoft 365 or other licensing.
Projects: Server and firewall replacements, cloud and email migrations, workstation refreshes, new office build-outs, and security and compliance projects tied to an audit or insurance renewal.
Emergency work: A ransomware scare, a compromised mailbox or a failed server. They get a provider in the door fast, and the monthly agreement comes from the follow-up conversation once the crisis is over.

The MSP services worth selling outbound

Best fit for outboundFully managed IT agreements
The core of the business. Every business with 20 or more seats has some IT arrangement. The agreement may have an end date, or the person or shop behind it may have a weak spot an SDR can learn about on the call.
Best fit for outboundNetwork and security assessments
Easy to say yes to on a first call: a look at the network and security posture with written findings, whatever the outcome. It gives the owner something concrete and gives your engineers the scope for a proposal.
Good fitCo-managed IT
The easier first sale where there is an internal IT person. You take the help desk, security tooling and after-hours coverage while their staff keep the projects, so the IT lead sees help instead of a threat.
Good fitSecurity and compliance projects
Sells when a cyber insurance questionnaire, a client security review or a regulation such as HIPAA or CMMC puts a deadline on controls like multi-factor sign-in, tested backups and endpoint protection.
SituationalBreak-fix and one-off projects
Nobody books a meeting for a future outage. Be the number they have when it happens, and turn the follow-up into an assessment.

Account types and how to open each one

12 segments

Medical, dental and outpatient practices

Buys: Managed IT with HIPAA safeguards, practice management and imaging system support, backup, secure email, multi-location networks
Reach: Practice administrator, office manager, physician owner or managing dentist
Opens the door: A new location, a HIPAA risk assessment, an EHR or practice management change, a security incident

Patient data rules and uptime at the front desk. Ask who did the last HIPAA security risk assessment and what happens when the scheduling system goes down.

Law firms

Buys: Managed IT, document management support, secure remote access, email security, backup with tested restores
Reach: Managing partner, firm administrator, office manager
Opens the door: A phishing incident, a client security questionnaire, a new office or partner group, a document management change

Client confidentiality and billable time lost to IT problems. Ask what the last client security questionnaire asked for and who answered it.

Accounting, tax and bookkeeping firms

Buys: Managed IT, a written information security plan, multi-factor sign-in, secure client portals, seasonal capacity
Reach: Managing partner, firm administrator, office manager
Opens the door: Tax season problems, a written security plan requirement, a cyber insurance renewal, a merger with another firm

Client financial data and tax season. Ask how the systems held up last season and whether the firm's written information security plan is current.

Architecture and engineering firms

Buys: Managed IT, file servers or cloud storage for large drawing files, CAD workstation support, backup, remote access for field staff
Reach: Principal or owner, office manager, operations manager, internal IT lead
Opens the door: Slow file access, a workstation refresh, a new office, a client or government security requirement

Large files, CAD and BIM workstations and project deadlines. Ask how long it takes to open a big project file from home.

Insurance agencies and brokerages

Buys: Managed IT, agency management system support, email security, multi-factor sign-in, compliance documentation
Reach: Agency principal or owner, operations manager, office manager
Opens the door: A carrier or state cybersecurity requirement, an acquisition by a larger agency, a management system change

Customer personal data and carrier requirements. Ask who handles the security controls the carriers and state regulators ask about.

Wealth management and investment firms

Buys: Managed IT, compliance-ready email archiving, multi-factor sign-in, vendor and cybersecurity documentation for exams
Reach: Firm principal, chief compliance officer, operations manager
Opens the door: A regulatory exam, a custodian or broker-dealer requirement, a firm breakaway or merger, a security incident

Exams and client trust. Ask who prepares the cybersecurity documentation when an examiner or the custodian asks for it.

Real estate brokerages and property management offices

Buys: Managed IT for offices and agents, email security, wire-fraud protection, property management software support
Reach: Broker-owner, managing broker, office manager, operations director
Opens the door: A wire fraud attempt, a new office, agent growth, a change in property management software

Wire fraud and agents who bring their own devices. Ask what the office does to verify wiring instructions and protect agent email.

Manufacturers

Buys: Managed IT for office and plant networks, ERP and production system support, backup and recovery, CMMC and supplier security programs
Reach: Owner or president, controller or CFO, operations manager, IT manager
Opens the door: An ERP upgrade, a ransomware incident in the industry, a defense supplier CMMC requirement, a new line or facility

Downtime that stops shipments. Ask what happens to production and shipping if the server or network is down for a day.

Wholesale distributors

Buys: Managed IT, ERP and warehouse system support, EDI and order system uptime, backup, multi-site networks
Reach: Owner or president, controller, operations manager, IT manager
Opens the door: An ERP or warehouse system change, a new warehouse, a cyber insurance renewal, an acquisition

Orders that cannot stop. Ask what happens to order entry and shipping when systems are down.

Construction contractors

Buys: Managed IT for the office and job sites, mobile device management, project management software support, backup, secure file sharing with owners and subs
Reach: Owner or president, CFO or controller, operations manager, office manager
Opens the door: Office growth, a new branch, job site connectivity problems, a wire fraud attempt, a cyber insurance renewal

Field crews on tablets and an office that runs the money. Ask how project managers reach plans and files from the job site.

Nonprofits and member organizations

Buys: Managed IT on a set budget, Microsoft 365 nonprofit licensing, donor database support, backup, security awareness training
Reach: Executive director, director of operations or finance, office manager
Opens the door: A grant or funder requirement, a new executive director, a phishing loss, a donor database change

Predictable cost and protecting donor data. Ask what the board or funders expect on security and how IT is budgeted.

Private schools and education providers

Buys: Managed IT for staff and classrooms, student device management, network and wireless, content filtering, backup
Reach: Head of school or director, business manager, technology coordinator
Opens the door: A device refresh, a wireless upgrade, a new building, a summer project list, a security incident

The school calendar. Projects are planned in winter and spring for summer installation, and support has to work around the school day.

Buyer roles and what each one cares about

5 roles

Owner / president / managing partner

Cares about: Not being exposed, not being surprised by bills, and staff who can work

Ask what happened the last time something broke and how long it took to get fixed. Lead with response time and fewer surprises, not a list of services.

CFO, controller or office manager

Cares about: Predictable monthly cost and answers for the insurance questionnaire

Lead with predictable monthly cost and ask who filled out the last insurance security questionnaire.

IT manager or internal IT lead

Cares about: Getting out from under tickets to do the projects, and coverage when they are away

Position co-managed support: ask which tickets eat their week and what they never get to.

COO, operations director or practice administrator

Cares about: New hires working on day one, locations that run the same way

Ask how long it takes to get a new hire set up with a laptop, accounts and access.

Compliance officer or practice compliance lead

Cares about: Documentation that holds up when a regulator, examiner or client asks

Offer documentation and controls that answer the questions they already have to answer.

Qualification questions by account type

60 questions

Medical, dental and outpatient practices5 questions

Who completed your last HIPAA security risk assessment, and when?
The HIPAA Security Rule expects a risk analysis. A blank or an old date is a concrete, compliance-driven reason to meet.
When the practice management or imaging system goes down, who do your front desk staff call, and how fast does someone respond?
Downtime at the front desk is felt in canceled patients the same day, so response time is where practices notice a weak provider.
How many locations do you run, and does each one have the same network and security setup?
Multi-location groups often grew one office at a time, and the differences between sites are the scope for a standardization project.
Is IT handled by someone on staff, a local shop or another MSP?
A person or a shop on call is a different sale from displacing another MSP under contract, and the answer sets the timeline.
Are you adding a location or changing your EHR or practice management system in the next year?
A new site or a system change needs network, devices and data migration work before it goes live, which gets you in ahead of the agreement.

Law firms5 questions

Have any clients sent you a security questionnaire in the last year, and who filled it out?
Corporate clients send their outside counsel security questionnaires, and the person who answered the last one knows where the gaps are.
Has anyone at the firm clicked a phishing email or had a mailbox compromised?
A close call is the event that makes a managing partner question the current setup in a way nothing else does.
How do attorneys get to files and email when they are out of the office or in court?
Remote access is where convenience and security collide, and an awkward answer is a project to price.
Who handles IT today, and what happens when that person is on vacation?
Coverage gaps are the most common opening at a small firm with one IT person or a part-time consultant.
Who decides on IT spending, the managing partner, a committee or the firm administrator?
Partnership decisions can take a meeting cycle, and knowing who signs keeps you from presenting to someone who cannot approve it.

Accounting, tax and bookkeeping firms5 questions

How did your systems hold up during last tax season, and what slowed people down?
Tax season is when IT problems cost the most billable hours, and a bad season makes a partner open to a change before the next one.
Does the firm have a written information security plan, and who keeps it current?
Tax preparers are covered by the FTC Safeguards Rule and IRS guidance that call for a written plan; a missing or stale one is a scoped project.
Is multi-factor sign-in turned on for everyone, including email and remote access?
It is one of the first questions on a cyber insurance application, and partial coverage is common.
Who supports IT today, and do they plan around your filing deadlines?
A provider who schedules changes in the middle of tax season is a frustration you can solve.
Are you merging with another firm or adding staff before next season?
Mergers mean combining systems and accounts, which is project work that leads to the monthly agreement.

Architecture and engineering firms5 questions

How do people open large drawing and model files when they work from home or a job site?
Slow access to big files is a daily, visible pain at design firms and points to a storage or network project.
When were the CAD and modeling workstations last replaced?
Workstation age tells you whether a hardware refresh is coming, and refresh projects open the managed agreement.
Do any clients, including government agencies, ask about your security controls?
Public-sector and defense-related work brings security requirements that a small firm often cannot meet alone.
Who handles IT today: a principal, an employee with another job, or an outside firm?
In many design firms a principal or a technical staff member holds IT together, which is billable time lost.
Is anything coming that changes the setup, such as a new office, a merger or new software?
Change gives you a project with a date attached and a reason to meet now.

Insurance agencies and brokerages5 questions

Who answers the security questions that carriers or your state insurance regulator ask about?
Many states have adopted insurance data security laws, and agencies need someone who can document the controls.
Which agency management system do you run, and who supports it when something breaks?
The management system is the agency's core tool, and support gaps around it are felt every day.
Is the agency part of a larger network or aggregator, or has it been approached about an acquisition?
Acquisitions and network memberships bring IT standards and integration projects with deadlines.
How many producers work remotely, and how do they reach client files?
Remote producers handling personal data is where security and convenience need a real design.
When does your current IT agreement or support arrangement renew?
The end date turns a no into a scheduled conversation.

Wealth management and investment firms5 questions

When an examiner or your custodian asks about cybersecurity, who pulls the documentation together?
Securities regulators review cybersecurity at investment firms, and the compliance officer feels that burden directly.
How are email and client communications archived today?
Recordkeeping rules make archiving a non-negotiable requirement and a common gap at smaller firms.
Is the firm growing through new advisors, a merger or a breakaway from a larger firm?
Breakaways and mergers have to stand up or combine systems on a fixed date, which is a project with urgency.
Who supports IT today, and do they understand the compliance side?
A generalist provider who cannot speak to exams is a weakness the compliance officer will name quickly.
Who signs off on IT and compliance vendors, the principal or the compliance officer?
Both often need to agree, so the meeting should include both.

Real estate brokerages and property management offices5 questions

Has the office ever had a wire fraud attempt or a spoofed email to a client?
Real estate transactions are a known target for wire fraud, and an attempt is a powerful reason to tighten email security.
Do agents use their own laptops and phones, and how is company data protected on them?
Personal devices with client data are a common gap and a clear scope for device management.
Who handles IT for the office today, and who do agents call when something breaks?
Brokerages often lean on an office manager or an agent who is good with computers.
Are you opening an office or adding a team in the next year?
New offices need network and phone setup before they open, which gets you in ahead of the agreement.
Which property management or transaction software do you run, and how is it backed up?
The core software holds the business, and backup and recovery questions open the security conversation.

Manufacturers5 questions

If the server or network went down for a day, what would happen to production and shipping?
Downtime that stops shipments puts a dollar figure on IT in the owner's own words, which justifies backup and recovery work.
Do you supply parts or services to the Department of Defense or its prime contractors?
Defense contracts that involve controlled information now carry CMMC requirements, so a supplier needs a certification level to win and keep that work, which is a scoped, deadline-driven project.
Which ERP do you run, and is an upgrade or replacement coming?
ERP projects touch servers, networks and security, and the provider who supports the migration usually stays.
Are the plant floor systems on the same network as the office?
A flat network is a security exposure owners rarely know about, and separating it is a concrete project.
Who handles IT today, and does that person also have another job in the plant or the office?
Part-time IT in a manufacturer is common, and coverage gaps around the shifts are the opening.

Wholesale distributors5 questions

When order entry or the warehouse system goes down, how long until someone has it back?
Distributors lose orders by the hour, so response and recovery time are what they pay for.
Did your last cyber insurance renewal ask about controls you did not have in place?
Renewal questionnaires ask about multi-factor sign-in, backups and endpoint protection, and the controller has to answer them.
How many warehouses or branches do you run, and are they on one network?
Multi-site distributors need consistent networking and security, which is recurring work an in-house person rarely covers alone.
Is an ERP, warehouse management or EDI change on the plan?
System changes come with a go-live date and a project team that chooses providers now.
Who signs off on IT spending, the owner, the controller or both?
The controller often owns the budget while the owner makes the final call, so both belong in the meeting.

Construction contractors5 questions

How do project managers and superintendents get to plans and files from the job site?
Field access is a daily pain at contractors and points to cloud, device and connectivity work.
Has the company had a payment or wire fraud attempt involving a vendor or owner email?
Contractors move large payments by email instruction, and an attempt makes email security urgent.
How are the tablets and phones in the field managed and secured?
Unmanaged field devices with company data are a gap the owner can see once it is named.
Who handles IT today, and what happens when that person is busy with their other job?
At many contractors IT falls to the controller or an office manager on top of their real work.
Are you opening a branch or growing the office staff this year?
Growth exposes a setup built for a smaller company and gives you a project with a date.

Nonprofits and member organizations5 questions

How is IT budgeted today, as a set monthly cost or as things come up?
Nonprofits plan to a fixed budget, so a predictable monthly fee answers their real concern.
Do any funders, grants or the board ask about how donor and client data is protected?
Funder and board expectations put a requirement and a date on security work.
Are you using the nonprofit licensing programs available for Microsoft 365 and other software?
Licensing that was never set up correctly is a quick, visible win for the operations or finance lead.
Who handles IT today, a volunteer, a staff member or an outside firm?
Volunteer and part-time IT is common in nonprofits and leaves gaps in coverage and documentation.
Has the organization had a new executive director or finance lead in the last year?
New leaders review vendors and processes early in their tenure, which is your window.

Private schools and education providers5 questions

What is on the summer technology project list, and when is it finalized?
School projects are decided months before summer, so this tells you how far ahead you need to be.
How are student and staff devices managed and kept up to date?
Device management is a large recurring workload for a small technology staff, and a co-managed offer fits it.
Who supports IT today, a technology coordinator, a teacher with extra duties, or an outside firm?
Many schools rely on one person, and coverage during the school day is the gap.
Is the wireless network keeping up with the number of devices in classrooms?
Wireless problems are visible to every teacher and point to a funded infrastructure project.
Who approves technology spending, the business manager, the head of school or the board?
School approvals often run through a committee or the board, which shapes the meetings and materials you need.

Objections and what they tell you

5 objections

“We already have an IT guy.”

It is usually true, and it tells you who gets called when something breaks, not what is covered. Ask whether it is a person or a company, and what happens when they are unavailable.

Next step: Ask about restore testing and after-hours coverage, and book the meeting around the gap the owner names.

“We're under contract with another MSP.”

That is a date, not a no. The contract length and end month are the facts you need.

Next step: Record the end date and nurture to it; offer a second-opinion assessment if they name a problem.

“It's too expensive.”

Usually a comparison against today's visible cost, not the cost of downtime, rework or a failed insurance questionnaire. Ask what the last outage or project bill cost them.

Next step: Move the conversation to predictable monthly cost and what the current setup leaves uncovered.

“Send me some information.”

Often a polite exit, sometimes real interest. Ask what they would want it to cover.

Next step: Send something specific to their size and industry, then call back with a reason.

“Our IT person handles it.”

Internal IT staff usually handle day-to-day support and still need help with security tooling, after-hours coverage and projects.

Next step: Position co-managed support and ask what they never get to. That is the opening.

Prospecting considerations

Message and discovery

Lead with: Response time, security and predictable cost, not a list of services. Owners switch IT providers when something broke and nobody fixed it fast.
Reason to call: Frustration with the current IT setup, a security close call, an insurance or compliance deadline, or an agreement coming to an end.
Watch for: An incident, an insurance renewal, an audit, the IT person leaving, growth, end-of-support systems, an agreement end date.
Learn on every call: Seat count and locations, who handles IT today and whether it is a person or a company, agreement end date, recent incidents, insurance and compliance requirements, who signs.

Sales cycle and timing

When to call back

Most businesses already have someone handling IT, so a no on the first call is usually a timing answer or a sign the current setup is working for now. The useful outcome of that call is the name of whoever handles IT today, whether it is a person or a company, when any agreement ends, and what the owner or controller wishes were different. Recorded and revisited, that turns a no into a meeting before the agreement ends, the next insurance renewal or the next budget.

Managed IT has no weather season. Decisions follow fiscal-year budgets, cyber insurance renewals, audit and exam calendars, and the end dates of current agreements, so outbound runs every month and the message follows each account's dates.

Following up after the meeting

5 stages

01After the first meeting or assessment
Send a short summary within a day of what you found or heard: the systems past vendor support, the backups that have never been restore-tested, who covers after hours, and the next step you agreed. Keep it to what you saw in their environment, with a monthly range and a separate one-time range if you can give one.
Avoid: Sending a generic services brochure instead of findings about their business, which tells them you were not listening.
02After the proposal is sent
Call within a few days to walk through it rather than asking whether it arrived. Tie each line back to a finding from the assessment, and ask who else needs to see it, usually the owner if your contact was the controller or office manager.
Avoid: Following up only by email asking if there are any questions, which lets the proposal sit unopened.
03When the answer is "no decision yet"
Ask what has to happen first: a budget meeting, the insurance renewal, the end of a contract or a partner vote. Set a check-back date tied to that event and send something useful in between, such as a note on an end-of-support date that affects their systems.
Avoid: Calling every week to ask for an update, which pushes the contact to stop answering.
04When the account stays with the current provider
Thank them, ask what made the difference and record the agreement end date and what they wish the current provider did better. Check in after the next insurance renewal or budget cycle, and stay in touch with the internal IT person if there is one.
Avoid: Writing the account off. IT relationships come up again at the next renewal, the next incident or the next departure.
05Re-engaging before the next renewal, budget or audit
Reach out ahead of the agreement end date, budget season or audit you recorded. Reference what you learned last time, like the server past support or the unanswered insurance questions, and offer a fresh assessment.
Avoid: Leading with a price cut. Lead with what has changed in their environment and what is still uncovered.

What a qualified MSP appointment includes

The handoff

Inside your service area and in an industry and size range you want
The person in the meeting signs or shapes the IT decision
Seat count and locations you can support
A stated problem, a known agreement end date, or a compliance or insurance deadline
Who handles IT today captured, person or company
A confirmed date and time for a sales conversation

You receive the seat count and locations, who handles IT today, the agreement end date, the decision process and the exact reason they agreed to meet.

Questions

Managed IT services appointment setting, answered

How do managed service providers win new business clients?

Managed IT is sold one business at a time, and almost every business with a few years behind it already has someone handling IT: a person on staff, a shop that comes out when something breaks, or another MSP. Deals start when the owner gets frustrated with that setup, when an insurance renewal or client audit asks for controls nobody has put in place, or when the person who handled IT leaves. The outbound job is to be in the conversation before that frustration turns into a quick referral to someone else. Most of these buyers already have someone handling IT, so new accounts come from a target list built around the right businesses, contact with the people who sign, and follow-up timed to their agreement end date. An outsourced sales development team runs that work as an extension of yours and puts qualified meetings on your calendar.

What kinds of MSP deals can outbound generate?

Fully managed IT agreements, co-managed support alongside an internal team, security and compliance projects, and infrastructure work like firewall, server or cloud migrations that lead to a monthly agreement.

Who does the SDR call?

Owners and managing partners, CFOs, controllers and office managers, internal IT leads and operations administrators, at professional offices, medical and dental practices, multi-location businesses, manufacturers and distributors.

Can you target a specific vertical or seat count?

Yes. The list is built around the businesses you serve best, whether that is healthcare practices, law firms, manufacturers or companies in a certain seat range.

Do you offer exclusivity for MSP companies?

Yes. One client per trade per territory: we will not run MSP appointment setting for your direct competitor in your territory. Whether your territory is open is confirmed by a strategist against current territory records, so ask for an availability review.

What counts as a qualified MSP appointment?

Inside your service area and in an industry and size range you want; The person in the meeting signs or shapes the IT decision; Seat count and locations you can support; A stated problem, a known agreement end date, or a compliance or insurance deadline; Who handles IT today captured, person or company; A confirmed date and time for a sales conversation. Every meeting is graded on our 25-point 5 Star Scorecard before it reaches your calendar.

Can you run MSP programs in more than one market?

Yes. The target list is built to your footprint, from one metro to several states, and stays inside the area your engineers can serve. Each territory is exclusive, and each one is reviewed for availability separately.

Can I see results from MSP companies?

Yes. Approved MSP client stories: IT / MSP, IT / MSP, IT / MSP. Each figure is labeled with what it is (appointments, closed business and so on) and the period it covers, and the full library is on our Success page. You can also ask for an introduction to a current MSP client; we ask the client first.

What does a program commit to?

Program expectations and commitments are defined in your agreement. Before launch we agree on what a qualified MSP meeting is, who we call and how results are reported. Outbound BDR programs are priced from a starting point (starting at $5,000 per month).

Explore managed IT services client results · Hear a dramatized sample call · Watch a client testimonial

Decide with the facts

See how Abstrakt works for managed IT services

Abstrakt at a Glance answers the five questions buyers ask before they sign: how it works, what clients got, what calls sound like, what reviewers say and what it costs. It opens with IT and managed services selected where we have it.

Program commitments
Program expectations and commitments are defined in your agreement. Before launch we agree on what a qualified MSP meeting is, who we call and how results are reported.
Exclusive to your territory
One client per trade per territory: we will not run MSP appointment setting for your direct competitor in your territory.
Pricing
Outbound BDR programs: starting at $5,000 per month. See what a program includes.

Beyond the calls

What your MSP buyers see after the first conversation

Our SDRs open the door. Our creative and inbound teams make sure what a buyer finds next, your website and the material your reps send, closes the gap.

Sales collateral Sell sheets, case studies and decks for owners The one-pager in the follow-up email, the case study they forward upstairs, the deck for the first meeting. See the collateral portfolio →

Websites and inbound A website that turns MSP searches into calls Inbound SDR builds the site, content and search presence that turn interest into conversations your team can work. Shown: Meyer Tree Services. See Inbound SDR →

Our four solutions

Four Solutions. One Team.

Individually powerful. Better together. Our four solutions work together to find your buyers, book meetings with them and help your team close more of them.

All three together: Get Outbound BDR, Inbound SDR and Brand Boost together, starting at $6,500 per month ($5,000 + $1,000 + $500 = $6,500). Enterprise SDR/BDR is custom.Build my program