As a coach to MSPs, I get this question all the time: "Joe, why isn't my outbound working? We’re sending emails, but nobody is biting."
Usually, when I dig into their "process," I find out that their "process" consists of sending a single cold email, waiting three days, and then giving up because "the lead wasn't interested."
Here’s the hard truth: sending one email isn't a sales strategy. It’s a gamble. And in the world of Managed Service Providers, where the stakes are high and the sales cycles are long, gambling with your growth is a recipe for stagnation.
If you want to actually fill your pipeline, you need to understand the Rule of 9.
The Psychology of the "No Response"
It’s easy to get discouraged when you put effort into a well-crafted outreach and get met with deafening silence. Your brain immediately goes to the worst-case scenario: They hate me. They think I’m a spammer. They already have a provider they love.
But in reality, that’s almost never the case. The real reason they didn’t respond? They’re busy.
Think about the average business owner or IT Director you’re targeting. They are bombarded with hundreds of emails, Slack notifications, and fires to put out every single day. Your one email is a tiny pebble dropped into a very turbulent ocean.
This is where the mental spam filter comes into play. Most prospects don’t even "see" your first three or four touches. They might glance at the subject line, but their brain filters it out as background noise because there’s no established trust or urgency yet.
What is the Rule of 9?
The Rule of 9 is a fundamental principle of persistence. It states that it takes a minimum of nine distinct "touches" or points of contact before a cold lead will give you a meaningful response, whether that’s a "yes, let’s talk" or even a "no, stop calling me."
Most MSPs fail because they stop at touch one or two. They do the hard work of identifying a lead, finding the contact info, and reaching out, and then they waste that entire initial effort by not following through.
Persistence isn't about being a pest; it's about being present when the "window of need" opens. You have no idea if today is the day their server crashed, their current tech guy didn’t show up, or they just got a massive bill for out-of-scope work. By staying in the mix for at least nine touches, you significantly increase the odds that you’ll be the one they call when they finally hit their breaking point.
The Anatomy of a Multi-Touch Campaign
You can’t just send the same "Checking in!" email nine times. That is annoying, and it will get you blocked. A successful Rule of 9 strategy involves a mix of channels and a heavy dose of value.
Here is how we break down those touches at RedVine:
1. The Multi-Channel Approach
Don’t live and die by the inbox. Different people prefer different communication styles. Your nine touches should look something like this:
- Email: Professional, personalized, and problem-focused. (Check out our guide on how to successfully write a cold email).
- LinkedIn: Don't just pitch. Send a connection request with a personalized note, engage with their content, or share a relevant article.
- The Phone: Yes, the phone still works. A human voice carries more weight than a digital one.
- Value-Add Content: Send them a case study, a checklist for cybersecurity, or a link to a blog post that solves a problem they likely have.
2. The Power of "Value-Add"
Every touch should offer something, even if it’s just a new perspective. If you’re just asking for a meeting, you’re asking for their time: which is their most valuable asset. If you provide a tip on how to avoid the latest phishing scam, you’re giving them something of value first. This builds the foundational trust necessary for a long-term business relationship.
Why MSP Owners Get It Wrong
I’ve seen a lot of MSP owners try to implement a sales strategy and fail. Often, it’s not a lack of talent; it’s a lack of operational maturity.
Growing an MSP requires more than just being "good at tech." It requires a system. When you don't have a repeatable process for sales, you rely on "heroics": the owner staying up late to send a few emails when things feel quiet.
The problem with heroics is that they aren't scalable. As soon as you get busy with a project or a client issue, the sales outreach stops. Then, three months later, the project ends, your pipeline is empty, and you’re back in the "feast or famine" cycle.
At RedVine, we often talk about why MSP owners get it wrong when implementing sales strategy. Usually, it’s because they treat sales like a project instead of a department. They don't have the accountability or the systems in place to ensure those nine touches actually happen for every single lead.
How to Address the Persistence Gap
If you realize your outreach is falling short, don't panic. You don't need to hire a 10-person sales team tomorrow. You just need to build a better system.
**Here is how to start: **
- Map Out Your Sequence: Don't wing it. Write out exactly what Touch 1 through Touch 9 looks like. What is the cadence? (e.g., Day 1: Email, Day 2: LinkedIn, Day 4: Call, Day 7: Value-Add Email).
- Use a CRM (and actually use it): If it isn't in the CRM, it didn't happen. Set tasks for follow-ups so you don't have to remember who to call next.
- Automate the "Mechanical" Parts: Use tools to automate some of the email outreach, but keep the high-value touches (like phone calls and personalized LinkedIn messages) manual.
- Track Your Metrics: You can't manage what you don't measure. Track how many leads are reaching touch 5, 7, and 9. You’ll likely see a massive spike in engagement after touch 6.
- Focus on Accountability: This is the big one. Whether it’s a weekly meeting with your sales person or a coaching session with us, you need someone to ask, "Did we hit our touch targets this week?"
The MGEN Advantage
This is exactly why we built the MGEN (Managed Lead Generation) program. We realized that most MSPs are great at delivery but struggle with the consistency of sales. They have the "Rule of 9" in theory, but the "Rule of 2" in practice.
Through our MSP lead generation services, we help you build the systems, provide the accountability, and implement the "Rule of 9" so you can focus on what you do best: running your business. We don't just give you a list of names; we help you build a repeatable sales engine that focuses on company value and operational maturity.
Conclusion: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
The reason your MSP sales outreach is failing probably isn't your pricing, your stack, or your personality. It’s likely just a lack of persistence.
Remember, growth stalls not because of a lack of leads, but because of a lack of systems to nurture those leads. The initial effort of finding a prospect is wasted if you don't follow through.
It might seem straightforward, but implementing a consistent, nine-touch sequence across multiple channels is difficult. It takes discipline and a shift in mindset from "tech provider" to "business builder." But the reward: a predictable, growing pipeline: is worth every bit of the effort.
If you’re ready to stop gambling on your sales and start building a system that actually converts, let’s talk. We’ve helped dozens of MSPs get past the "Rule of 2" and into a state of true sales maturity.
Want to see how we do it? Learn more about our services here or reach out directly.