What MSPs Want From Vendor Co-Marketing

Vendors invite MSPs to co-market all the time, and most MSPs quietly decline. They are not against marketing. They are against marketing that creates more work for them, with no clear benefit to their clients or their business.

Why Do MSPs Ignore Most Vendor Co-Marketing?

The pattern is familiar. The assets are generic, with the vendor's logo front and center. They need editing before they can be used. They are not written for the MSP's clients. The timing is set by the vendor's calendar, not the MSP's. And it is unclear who gets any leads that result.

An MSP who is already stretched thin looks at that list and does nothing.

What Do MSPs Actually Value?

Five things make co-marketing worth an MSP's time:

• Ready-to-use assets that can be posted or sent with minimal editing
• Education for their clients, not a product pitch with an MSP logo on it
• Clear lead flow: who receives leads, how, and how quickly
• Low effort: participation that takes minutes, not an afternoon
• Proof: case studies, results, and real stories from other MSPs

Joint webinars with shared registration work well for the same reason: the content helps the MSP's audience, and the effort is shared.

How Do You Build a Program MSPs Join?

Start small and make the first step easy:

1. Pick one asset type, such as a short post pack or a joint session, and do it well.
2. Make participation a ten-minute decision.
3. Spell out the terms in advance: who gets leads, what is promoted, and when.
4. Share results back with partners, so they can see what worked.
5. Ask for feedback after every campaign, and change something visible because of it.

Co-marketing is also more credible when the product works cleanly inside the MSP's tools. If your PSA integration is solid, there is something real to talk about. MSPCentric helps vendors build the integrations that make that story true.

FAQ

Why do MSPs decline vendor co-marketing?

Mostly because it adds work and the benefit is unclear. Generic assets, vendor-driven timing, and no clear lead flow make it easy to say no.

What kind of co-marketing do MSPs actually use?

Educational content their clients will value, short ready-to-post assets, joint webinars, and real customer stories. The common thread is low effort and clear value.

How do you measure a co-marketing program with MSPs?

Track participation (how many partners used an asset), results (registrations or leads), and feedback. A program that earns repeat participation is working.

‍