Let’s be real. Most MSPs treat selling compliance like it’s radioactive. Either they scare the heck out of the prospect or they avoid the conversation altogether. Neither approach builds trust. Neither grows your MRR.
Here’s the thing: Selling compliance doesn’t need to be scary. It needs to be strategic.
Stop Pitching Checklists. Start Delivering Confidence.
Think back to your last project kickoff. You probably had a deliverable list, milestone dates, timelines, and a discussion about what happens if things go sideways. Tight process. Clear expectations. Minimal drama.
So why don’t we treat compliance the same way? Because MSPs get stuck in the weeds. HIPAA. PCI. NIST. SOC2.
Your clients don’t care about any of that. They want one thing: “Are we protected — and can we prove it?”
That’s it. Answer that and the deal’s already yours.
Sell Outcomes, Not Acronyms
Nobody loses sleep over whether they’re “NIST 800-53 aligned.” Rather, they’re thinking:
- Are we going to lose that contract?
- Is our data actually safe?
- Can we survive a regulator digging through our stuff?
Your job is to translate tech into business wins. Tell your clients:
- We make audits less painful.
- You’ll close more deals with compliance proof.
- We reduce your risk — and show the receipts.
That’s what your clients care about. That’s what they’ll pay for.
The Mechanic Analogy that Closes Deals
Here’s an easy pitch that works every time:
You’re a mechanic and your client owns a fleet of delivery vans. New laws say every van needs a routine safety inspection. Skip one? The van gets grounded and the business loses money.
That’s where you step in. You have:
- A dashboard showing which vans are ready to roll
- A team that fixes issues before they become problems
- A process that keeps the fleet moving quietly, efficiently, reliably
Compliance is the same. Proactive. Quiet. Strategic.
Kill the Fear. Celebrate Progress.
Fear sells once; confidence sells forever.
Next time you’re in a QBR, skip the scare tactics. Instead:
- Show the risk score trending up.
- Point out fewer failed tests.
- Celebrate a clean audit or faster vendor due diligence.
Say something like: “This quarter, your posture improved 23%. That’s why your cyber insurer gave you that rate drop.”
Carrie Richardson
Now they’re not just safe — they’re winning.
Use Compliance to Sell Bigger Services
Compliance is your Trojan horse. Clients come to you because they need reports. They stay because you offer ongoing protection.
Bridge the gap. Tell clients the following: “You can’t prove compliance without real-time monitoring. That’s where we come in — every single day.”
Congrats. You just sold compliance as a service, not just a one-time checklist.
Final Word: Be the Partner, Not the Preacher
No more fire –and brimstone. No more doom and gloom.
Be the guide. Show the value. Simplify the mess. Give them a roadmap. Show them how compliance helps them win contracts, build trust, and sleep better at night.
They’ll listen, buy, and stay.
Carrie Richardson is a partner at Fox and Crow Group LLC, which can help you start winning with compliance. At Fox and Crow Group, the MSP Sales Process platform helps you turn compliance from a chore into a competitive edge. Schedule a 30-minute call with the company to start selling compliance as a service using a repeatable process. For more great insights, check out Fox & Crow Group’s author page.
Featured image: iStock
