When Clients Embrace AI and Why Marketing Needs More Heart Than Hype

👋 Welcome to the grind

I’m John Harden, and after years in the MSP world, I’ve got a few thoughts—and I’m not shy about sharing them. You might’ve seen me breaking things down on LinkedIn. This newsletter is where I connect the dots: fresh posts, honest takes on what’s really going on in the industry, and clips from recent webinars and livestreams. If you're building an MSP, navigating change, or just want a voice that gets it, you're in good company here.

Coffee Chats Recap: Why Authenticity, Feelings & True Connection Are the Real Marketing Superpowers (with Katie Vreeland)

Ready to cut through the vendor noise? Katie shares how real connection, emotions, and authenticity, not just flashy tactics, build unbeatable marketing trust. Take action from her wisdom below:

(Watch the episode)

🔍 What we learned:

Katie emphasized that the soft side of marketing… feelings, curiosity, and authenticity. This side of marketing does more to break through market noise than traditional hard pitches. Instead of leading with features or generic messaging, Katie advises founders and marketers to put themselves out there, share true opinions (even if they’re counter to the status quo), and connect on a human level to build trust and lasting brand relevance.

💡Biggest Takeaways:

1. Trust is Everything: Buyers gravitate to founders and teams who show up as real people, not just logos or taglines. “If I trust you as a founder, I’ll trust your company,” Katie shared.

2. Authentic Voice Wins: Don’t be afraid to have an opinion, even if it’s not universally popular. As Katie put it, “I say things all the time that people don’t agree with, but I speak to it because it’s authentic.”

3. Emotion & Curiosity Drive Action: Powerful, sticky messaging asks curious questions or evokes an emotion, which is far more memorable than a list of features.

4. Personal Brands Matter: In crowded markets, the founder’s and team’s presence (on LinkedIn, blogs, podcasts) is as important as the company’s main brand.

✅ Recommendations:

• Start posting your thoughts and stories on LinkedIn or your blog; imperfect but authentic and consistent beats polished but bland. “Just write something and put it out there… take an action and just do it,” Katie said.

• Approach others in your industry for conversation; nearly everyone is approachable and open to sharing wisdom. “Go talk to people, 99% of this space is friendly and will help you.”

• Build messages that tap feelings, thinking, or actions: ask curious, psychological questions that stick, not just product facts.

• Research your audience’s real pain points using Reddit, forums, or direct conversation, and reflect those back in your messaging.

Huge thanks to Katie for championing the human side of marketing and showing why feelings, curiosity, and honest conversation don’t just cut through noise but also build real trust and long-term brand equity. If you’re a founder or marketer aiming to stand out, start with your truth, your story, and your questions. More actionable Coffee Chats with fresh voices coming soon… what do you believe is the real X-factor for authentic marketing in your industry?

Your Clients Adopted AI While You Weren’t Looking. Here’s What We’re Doing About It

Here’s the truth: AI adoption isn’t a trend coming down the road, it’s something that already happened. Your clients didn’t wait for your QBR. They didn’t hold off until your roadmap was polished. They cracked open ChatGPT in a browser tab, dropped in a customer spreadsheet, and just… started fiddling.

It’s not even sneaky anymore. It’s just real.

According to Gallup, 40% of U.S. workers used AI at work last year, and most did it without any IT involvement. That means Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are now faced with a strange new reality: you’re not leading AI adoption. You’re catching up to it. And here’s the kicker: that’s okay, as long as we move fast.

Shadow IT? Meet Shadow GenAI.

During the talk, we looked at how GenAI is the new flavor of Shadow IT. It’s not just rogue Dropbox accounts or sneaky SaaS signups anymore. It’s people pasting sensitive data into AI tools that no one’s approved, using models that may or may not hallucinate their way into bad business decisions.

So What Now?

If you missed the session, here’s the short version: we broke it down using the DOMAIN Framework. It’s a playbook to help MSPs not just catch up, but lead.

D – Differentiate with fluency: Understand what GenAI is (and isn’t). Train your team. Build AI literacy like you would cybersecurity hygiene.

O – Operationalize AI internally: Tag AI-related activity in your PSA. Ask AI questions in onboarding. Pay attention to where it’s already creeping into your workflows.

M – Map AI in client environments: Use DNS logs and SaaS scanners to find out what’s already being used. Spoiler alert: it’s more than you think.

A – Apply policy & guardrails: Give clients editable AUPs. Offer “lunch & learns.” Talk to teams, not just leadership.

I – Inform with empathy: Don’t lead with fear. Lead with understanding. AI didn’t sneak in because people are reckless. It snuck in because they’re trying to do their jobs better.

N – Nurture trust & long-term value: MSPs who win won’t be the fastest or cheapest. They’ll be the ones clients want in the room when big decisions are made .

Final Thoughts

I left ChannelCon feeling like we’re standing at a turning point. AI isn’t just another tool in the tech stack, it’s the stack for a lot of SMBs now. But they still need guidance, structure, and trust. And that’s where we come in.

If we stop chasing the adoption and start shaping it, MSPs can go from being the cleanup crew to the strategic advisor. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be present, fluent, and ready to meet clients where they already are.

And hey… if you ever want to talk action figures, airplane selfies, or data governance memes, just know we covered all that too.

🎙️ I’m Live Next Week

Serving with Purpose 101: So You Joined a Board (Thursday August 14, 9am ET)

Join me in a lively, unscripted conversation with Vicky Bruns, Co-Chair of CDAC and member of the Global Leadership Council at GTIA, as we dive into what it really means to serve with purpose on a board today. Whether you're considering your first board seat or hoping to refresh your enthusiasm in a current role, Vicky shares invaluable insights and humorous anecdotes that will both educate and entertain.

What we’ll cover:

• The reasoning behind board service: What truly motivated Vicky to join her first board? Was it duty, curiosity, or something unexpected?

• Navigating your first board role: What initial surprises and misconceptions did Vicky encounter, and what advice does she have for newcomers?

• Achieving meaningful service: How does Vicky keep her board involvement purposeful despite challenges, and what's her advice for maintaining productive meetings?

Thursday, August 14th, 2025 at 9:00 AM EST on LinkedIn Live. Bring your coffee and your questions!

Join the dialogue by commenting, sharing your boardroom experiences, or tagging someone who’s interested in board service.

🎧 Register here 

🔗 Stuff Worth Clicking

• How to Build a Cybersecurity Training Program That Works

• OpenAI's GPT-5 is here with up to 80% fewer hallucinations

• Why AI Adoption Is an MSP Opportunity — and a Wake-up Call (oh hey it’s me!)

📬 Hit Me Back

This week Katie Vreeland reminded us that the best marketing isn’t just about tactics—it’s about trust, truth, and telling it like it is. That hit even harder after seeing how fast AI is changing client behavior behind the scenes. So let’s open it up:

🧠 What’s the most authentic thing you’ve said (or posted) that actually resonated with your audience?

🎤 Where are you still holding back a strong opinion or story because it feels too vulnerable?

🤖 How are you balancing real, human connection with the speed and pressure of AI-fueled expectations?

Whether you're building brand trust, coaching clients through AI chaos, or just trying to post something that actually matters, we’d love to hear your take.

Speak from the heart. Skip the polish. Let’s talk real marketing.