When I first started my MSP, I thought clients would magically appear. I had a nice website, a decent logo, and some business cards—surely that was enough. It was not. Days went by, then weeks, and the phone stayed silent.
So, I did the one thing I swore I’d never do: I started knocking on doors. It felt awkward. It felt outdated. But I didn’t have the luxury of waiting for word-of-mouth to kick in. I had to make something happen.
I wish I could tell you it was an instant success, but that would be a lie. At first, it was just a lot of polite nods, some blank stares, and more than a few businesses where I could feel them mentally willing me to leave. But I kept at it, and slowly, things started to change.
Finding the Right Places to Knock
The first mistake I made was thinking any business was a good target. I walked into any open door, including clothing tailors and small corporate satellite offices, expecting to find someone who cared about IT support. Instead, I found employees who had zero decision-making power and owners who either weren’t there or weren’t interested.
Eventually, I learned to be more strategic. Small law firms, real estate offices, independent medical clinics—these were the gold mines. They relied on technology but usually didn’t have an in-house IT person. More importantly, they understood the cost of downtime.
The first time I walked into a small accounting firm, I barely had to say anything. The receptionist took one look at my business card and said, “Oh, thank God. Our computers keep crashing, and I can’t get a hold of our IT guy.” I booked an appointment on the spot. That was when I realized this method could actually work.
Making the Approach Less Awkward
The hardest part was walking in without feeling like I was about to sell a used car. At first, I was stiff, too rehearsed. “Hi, I’m [Name], I run an IT support business and wanted to see if you need any help with your computers.” That line got me a lot of quick “No, we’re good” responses.
So, I changed tactics. Instead of diving into a pitch, I kept it casual. “Hey, I’m [Name], I run a local IT business. Just wanted to stop by and introduce myself.” That small tweak made a huge difference. People weren’t immediately defensive. Some even started asking me questions.
One day, I walked into a dental office, just planning to drop off a card and leave. But before I could even introduce myself, the office manager sighed and said, “Are you here about our network issues?” I wasn’t, but I sure was now. That turned into an on-the-spot troubleshooting session, and later, a monthly contract.
Bringing Something to Leave Behind
I quickly learned that if you don’t give people something tangible, they forget you the moment you walk out the door. Business cards were fine, but they often got buried under paperwork. Flyers helped, but only if they were simple and to the point. The real winners? Branded coffee mugs and pens.
I’d leave a mug at the front desk and more often than not, the next time I walked in, someone was drinking from it. It was a constant, low-effort reminder that I existed. Once, I brought donuts to an office, and while it didn’t land me a client that day, I had the office manager’s full attention for a solid five minutes. A month later, they called me when their server went down.
Reading the Room
Not every visit went well. Some businesses were polite but uninterested. Others just wanted me gone. I learned to recognize the signs early. If someone kept checking their watch, avoided eye contact, or gave short answers, I didn’t push. I’d drop off my card and leave.
One time, I misread the situation badly. I walked into a busy chiropractor’s office and started my usual introduction. The receptionist nodded along, but halfway through, the phone rang, and she immediately turned away to answer it. I should have stopped talking. Instead, I awkwardly finished my pitch while she ignored me. I left knowing full well I had wasted both our time.
On the other hand, when someone leaned in, asked questions, or—even better—started complaining about their current IT guy, I knew I had a real lead. I’d ask a few follow-up questions, share a quick story about how I’d helped a similar business, and if they seemed interested, I’d suggest setting up a free consultation.
Following Up Without Being a Pest
Door-knocking was just the introduction. The real work was in the follow-ups. If I just walked in, handed over a business card, and never followed up, I’d never hear from them again.
Instead, I made a point to follow up within a week, either by email or phone. Nothing pushy—just a quick message like, “Hey [Name], I stopped by your office last week. Just wanted to check in and see if you had any IT needs. Happy to help if you ever need anything!”
The key was persistence without being annoying. Some businesses needed a few touchpoints before they’d trust me. Others ignored me until their current IT guy messed up. One company ghosted me for two months, then called in a panic because their email stopped working. They became one of my longest-running clients.
Why This Works (Even When It Feels Like It Doesn’t)
I won’t pretend door-knocking was easy. It was frustrating. It took time. Some days, I felt like I was just collecting polite rejections. But every now and then, I’d walk into the right place at the right time.
Over time, those one-off fixes turned into long-term contracts. Businesses started referring me to others. And eventually, I didn’t have to knock on doors anymore—because the work started coming to me.
If you’re running a small MSP and struggling to get clients, give it a shot. It’s uncomfortable at first, but you never know when you’ll walk into an office at the exact moment they’re looking for someone just like you.
