Align
Align Technology to Business Outcomes
Most MSPs use Roadmaps and budgets to plan projects and work with clients. But when they’re full of technical language and not connected to business goals, they lose impact. By changing how you create and share your Roadmaps and pricing, you can build more trust with clients — and get projects approved more easily.
In this section, we’ll cover:
- How to tie Roadmaps to business goals
- How to present budgets to gain more buy-in
6
Build a Goal-Driven Roadmap
What’s a Roadmap, exactly?
Roadmaps help MSPs organize projects into step-by-step plans. They help keep internal teams on track and clients aware of what’s happening and when. A good Roadmap connects each project to a customer’s bigger goals. It also acts as a guide in meetings — especially Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) — to show progress.
To create a strong Roadmap, you’ll want to take the Goals you uncovered during Discovery and turn them into clear Initiatives.
| Client Goal | Initiative Example | How It Aligns |
|---|---|---|
| Open a second office | Expand network and deploy cloud phone system | Supports growth and seamless communication |
| Get compliance certification | Implement MFA, endpoint protection, and backups | Meets certification requirements |
| Support hybrid work | Migrate files to SharePoint, secure remote access | Enables flexible, secure work |
Create Clear Initiatives Tied to Customer Goals
Initiatives are projects or tasks you believe will help a client reach their goals. They’re the building blocks of your Roadmap. A good Initiative should explain:
- What you’re doing (“Replace aging firewall”)
- Why it matters (“Reduce security risk and meet compliance”)
- When it should happen (“Q3 2025”)
- How much will it cost (Estimates are okay at this point)
Keep Initiatives to 1-2 clear sentences that a non-technical stakeholder could understand. They should highlight the value of the work, not just describe the task.
Task Description:
“Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)”
Showcases Value:
“Roll out MFA across all user accounts to protect sensitive data and support the company’s cyber insurance compliance”
Here are some more helpful examples:
Example #1
Cloud File Migration
What:
Migrate shared files from the local NAS system to SharePoint Online with structured folder setup, user permissions, and sync testing across teams.
Why:
Enable remote access, improve collaboration, and support hybrid work
When:
Q1 2026
Cost Estimate:
$3,800 fixed
Example #2
IT Policy Rollout
What:
Draft, review, and publish Acceptable Use, Password, and Remote Work policies. Includes a staff training session and an internal portal page for easy access.
Why:
Improve compliance and reduce the risk of human error
When:
Q2 2025
Cost Estimate:
$1,500
Smart Tip → Do Your Pitch In-Person
Don’t email customers project plans and hope for approval. Share them in a live meeting (in person or virtual) so you can explain the “why” behind each step and how it supports their goals. Share a detailed Roadmap, and adjust your pitch to match the client — the more mature and motivated they are, the more thoughtful and polished your presentation should be. Never underestimate the power of 1:1 contact to deepen your client relationship and show your commitment to being there every step of the way.
7
Add Context to Your Budgets
If you don’t connect costs to your client’s goals, they’ll just see your proposal as another surprise expense. But when you tie spending to what matters to them, it shows you’re thinking strategically.
When to Present Your Budget
Timing matters. Sharing a budget alongside your Roadmap shows you’re planning ahead — not just asking for money — and helps avoid sticker shock.
The best time to present a budget is early on, like at the start of the fiscal year or early in your partnership. This will set clear expectations and help your customer plan for the year.
Don’t worry if your first budget is an estimate. Giving your clients a price range early on is better than surprising them with the full cost later. They usually only need an estimate to do their internal planning.
Smart Tip → Avoid Customer Sticker-Shock
Instead of sending a separate spreadsheet, walk through your budget together in a meeting. Connect each cost to your Roadmap and explain how it supports their business goals. This helps build trust and shows the value behind the spend — and gives you a chance to gauge your customer’s interest (or ability) to move forward.
Here are some other points in the client journey where it makes sense to review budgets:
| Start of the calendar or fiscal year | Aligns budgeting with business planning and spending cycles. |
|---|---|
| After a Discovery, Assessment, or Roadmap | You’ve just uncovered what needs to happen — now it’s time to plan how to fund it. |
| Before a major QBR | A perfect time to present or refine the budget and gain approvals for upcoming quarters. |
| When proposing major projects | Helps frame costs in context and avoid sticker shock. |
| When renewing contracts | A good chance to bundle new projects or plan around upcoming costs. |
Make a More Descriptive Budget
Most budgets fall flat because they feel like an expense list with no context.
Instead, tie each item to a business goal and show when it will happen, according to your Roadmap.
Instead, tie each item to a business goal and show when it will happen, according to your Roadmap.
| Category | What to Look For | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | Clear, forward-looking business targets or changes the client is planning. Listen for statements about growth, strategy, or outcomes they want to achieve. |
|
| Initiatives | Opportunities for improvement or strategic growth that aren’t urgent but could add value. These may need planning or budget approval. |
|
| Action Items | Immediate, tactical items causing disruption or posing risk. These are part of your expected service delivery and usually don’t need client approvals. |
|
| Follow-ups | Unclear or incomplete areas where more information is needed. These often show up as vague answers or cross-team dependencies. |
|
Smart Tip → Don’t Let Roadmaps and Budgets Get Stale
Don’t “set and forget” your project plans or budgets. Update them regularly as business goals shift, new risks emerge, or projects are finished. Plus, staying up to date shows clients you’re proactive and focused on their success.
If you use a Customer Success Platform (like Lifecycle Manager), it’s easy to keep Roadmaps and budgets up-to-date. With a unified view of each client’s goals, projects, and spending plans, you can quickly adjust timelines, flag risks, and share updated plans during QBRs.
How This Applies to Your Segments
Change Resistors
(Segment C - High Maturity, Low Appetite)
Roadmaps should be year-long documents tied to productivity, automation, and collaboration strategies. Initiatives should support cross-departmental productivity and process change or CapEx projects. Proposals and budgets should center on ROI and mid-term outcomes, and require formal approval processes.
Strategic Gems
(Segment A - High Maturity, High Appetite)
Roadmaps should be multi-year documents tied to OKRs across multiple departments. Initiatives should focus on innovation, like AI readiness, strategic platforms, and other CapEx projects. Proposals and budgets should be polished presentations that require formal approvals to move forward with.
Tech Support Seekers
(Segment D - Low Maturity, Low Appetite)
Roadmaps should focus on short-term priorities and improving the baseline tech stack. Initiatives should center on executional projects, lifecycle upgrades, or compliance actions. Proposals and budgets should be streamlined and simple, occurring quarterly or semi-annually with little to no ongoing or formal approvals required.
Aspirational Dreamers
(Segment B - Low Maturity, High Appetite)
Roadmaps should be short-to-midterm documents highlighting key foundational projects that support business operations. Initiatives should focus on stack modernization and OpEx-focused projects, such as licenses, recurring services, or tactical upgrades. Proposals and budgets should have straightforward scopes, clear timelines, and streamlined approvals.
