Introduction

Liking is one of the most important persuasion principles in business because people are far more likely to say yes to people they like, trust, and feel comfortable with.

At first, this may sound obvious. However, it explains something that happens all the time in sales, marketing, leadership, and client relationships. People do not always choose the technically best option. Very often, they choose the person or business they feel most comfortable dealing with.

For MSP owners, this matters enormously. Clients are not just buying a technical service. They are choosing a long-term relationship with people they will need to trust, speak to regularly, and rely on when things go wrong.

Background

The principle of liking was identified by Robert Cialdini as one of the core drivers of human behaviour. The idea is simple: people are more likely to be influenced by those they like, relate to, and feel connected with.

Liking is not random. It is often created by several recognisable factors. People tend to like those who are similar to them, those who make them feel understood, those who communicate well, and those who appear to be working with them rather than against them.

This makes liking much more than simply “being nice”. It is about connection, trust, familiarity, and emotional comfort.

For MSP Owners

For MSPs, liking is especially important because prospects often find IT services difficult to judge.

A business owner may not know whether one backup setup, security process, or support model is technically better than another. So, they naturally look at other factors.

Do these people explain things clearly? Do they understand my business? Do they seem approachable? Would I want to deal with them when something goes wrong?

This is where liking becomes highly persuasive. A technically strong MSP that also feels approachable, clear, and easy to work with has a major advantage.

The opposite is also true. An MSP may have excellent technical ability, but if it comes across as distant, difficult, arrogant, or too jargon-heavy, that can work against it.

Similarity Builds Trust

One of the strongest drivers of liking is similarity.

If a prospect feels that you understand their world, they are more likely to trust you. That similarity could come from working with the same type of business, supporting organisations of a similar size, understanding the same pressures, or simply communicating in a familiar style.

This is why phrases such as “we work with businesses just like yours” can be powerful. They create a sense of recognition. The prospect starts to feel that the MSP understands them, their challenges, and their priorities.

For MSPs, this means social proof should not be too generic. A testimonial from a similar business, in a similar sector, with similar challenges, will usually be more persuasive than a broad statement from an unrelated client.

Familiarity and the Mere-Exposure Effect

Another important driver of liking is familiarity.

The more often someone sees you, hears from you, or encounters your ideas, the more comfortable they can become with you. This is sometimes called the mere-exposure effect.

For MSPs, this is why regular visibility matters. Posting useful insights, sharing practical advice, sending helpful emails, publishing guides, and appearing consistently in front of your audience all help build familiarity.

Over time, that familiarity can become liking. Prospects begin to feel that they know you before they have even spoken to you.

This links closely with authority. If you are consistently visible and consistently useful, you are not just becoming more familiar. You are also becoming more credible.

How You Communicate Matters

Liking is often built through how you communicate, not just what you say.

If you interrupt people, talk over them, or rush to give answers, you reduce liking. Even if your advice is technically correct, the interaction may feel uncomfortable.

By contrast, if you listen carefully, pause before responding, and reflect back what someone has said, you increase liking. People feel heard, understood, and respected.

For MSPs, this is a practical sales lesson. The prospect should not feel as though they are being “talked at”. They should feel as though their situation has been properly understood.

Feeling understood is one of the fastest ways to build trust.

The Halo Effect

Another important psychological concept linked to liking is the halo effect.

The halo effect means that when we like one aspect of a person, we often assume other positive things about them as well. If someone comes across as friendly, approachable, and easy to talk to, we may also assume they are more competent, trustworthy, and reliable.

This is extremely relevant in business.

If a prospect enjoys speaking to an MSP, feels comfortable with the team, and believes they are being understood, that does not just increase liking. It can also increase perceived competence.

This does not mean the most likeable MSP always wins. However, if two providers seem broadly similar technically, the more likeable one often has the advantage.

Emotional Safety

Liking also creates emotional safety.

People do not just want the right technical solution. They want to feel comfortable making the decision. They are often asking themselves, consciously or unconsciously: if something goes wrong, who do I want to be dealing with?

That question is highly relevant to MSPs.

Clients need to trust that their provider will be calm, responsive, respectful, and helpful under pressure. If they like the people they are dealing with, the decision feels safer.

This means liking can reduce perceived risk. It changes how prospects view your expertise, your reliability, and the experience of working with you.

Cooperation Builds Liking

Another powerful driver of liking is cooperation.

People are more likely to like you when they feel you are on their side. If the interaction feels collaborative, rather than transactional, the relationship changes.

For MSPs, this means moving away from being seen as simply a supplier who fixes things. Instead, the MSP should aim to be seen as a partner helping the business run more securely, smoothly, and confidently.

This can be reinforced through language. Phrases such as “let’s look at this together” or “the best route for your business is likely to be…” feel more collaborative than hard selling.

The more a prospect feels you are working with them, the more likely they are to like and trust you.

Liking Must Be Genuine

Liking does not mean being fake.

In fact, fake liking often has the opposite effect. People are usually good at sensing when interest, warmth, or enthusiasm feels forced.

The goal is not to pretend to be someone else. It is to be genuinely interested in the person or business in front of you.

That means listening properly, understanding their priorities, asking better questions, and communicating in a way that works for them.

For MSP owners, this is important. Prospects do not want to feel processed through a generic sales script. They want to feel that their business, their concerns, and their goals have been properly understood.

Combining Liking with Other Principles

Liking becomes even more powerful when combined with the other persuasion principles already covered.

An MSP may first give something useful, such as a guide, checklist, or audit. That is reciprocity.

The prospect then engages by downloading something, attending a webinar, or speaking to the MSP. That is commitment and consistency.

They see that other businesses like them have succeeded. That is social proof.

They recognise the MSP’s expertise through clear advice and confident explanation. That is authority.

Then, if they also like the people involved, the whole decision becomes much easier.

At that point, the prospect is not simply asking whether this is the right technical solution. They are thinking that these people understand them, they trust them, and they would like working with them.

That is a very different decision.

Examples – Both MSP and Non-MSP Related

Three Well-Known Examples

In sales, likeable representatives often outperform technically knowledgeable but cold communicators because buyers feel more comfortable with them.

In politics, voters frequently respond not only to policies, but to whether they feel a candidate is relatable, trustworthy, and “like them”.

In everyday purchasing, customers often return to local shops, tradespeople, or advisers not only because the service is good, but because they like dealing with them.

Three MSP-Specific Examples

An MSP wins a new client after a discovery call because the prospect feels listened to, not lectured. The MSP asks clear questions, reflects back the client’s concerns, and explains the next steps simply.

An MSP builds a stronger relationship through regular, helpful communication. Over time, the prospect becomes familiar with the MSP’s tone, advice, and approach before ever becoming a client.

An MSP improves retention because clients enjoy dealing with the support team. They feel respected, understood, and reassured, which makes the relationship feel valuable beyond the technical service itself.

Why Liking Supports Retention and Referrals

Liking is not only useful for winning new business. It is also one of the reasons clients stay.

People do not stay with a provider simply because the service works. They stay because the relationship feels positive, easy, and valuable.

When clients like working with an MSP, they are more likely to trust advice, accept recommendations, renew contracts, and refer others.

This means liking has commercial value beyond the first sale. It can support retention, referrals, loyalty, and client lifetime value.

Final Thoughts

Liking is about building genuine connection.

It is about being relatable, clear, helpful, and easy to work with. For MSPs, this is critical because clients are not just buying a service. They are choosing a long-term relationship.

If prospects like you, they trust you more. If clients like you, they stay longer. If they enjoy the relationship, they refer more.

When liking is combined with reciprocity, commitment and consistency, social proof, and authority, it becomes part of a much stronger persuasion process. You give value, earn engagement, demonstrate proof, show expertise, and create a relationship people actually want to continue.

Used properly, liking does not replace technical ability. It helps people feel safe choosing it.