Kris Blackmon Channel Futures MSP 501 Review | Fox & Crow Group
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Kris Blackmon Fox & Crow Group Review: Channel Reach, Personal Trust, and Beating Applicant Goals on the MSP 501
Thank you to Kris Blackmon, formerly of Channel Futures, for this review of her work with Carrie Richardson, Co-Founder of Fox & Crow Group.
First Published: October 1, 2025
Last Updated: May 1, 2026
In channel marketing, there is a real difference between having a contact list and having a network. A list is a stack of names and email addresses. A network is a set of relationships. The people on it recognize you, trust your judgment, and open the email or pick up the phone because of who you are, not because of what you happen to be sending that week.
Here is what happens when a real channel network gets put to work on a marketing campaign, in this case the Channel Futures MSP 501 ranking list, one of the most established awards programs in managed services.
"Carrie has assisted the Channel Futures team for the last two years in promoting our annual MSP 501 ranking list. Carrie doesn't only have a vast network of channel contacts. She has a personal relationship with them, built and carefully cultivated from her years in this space. People trust Carrie (as they should), and therefore open the emails she sends and pick up the phone when she calls. Both years we contracted with Carrie to help us spread the 501 word among channel partners, she was an invaluable asset. Her efforts put us over our applicant goal, and we credit her work with way more than a few submissions. Carrie is easy and fun to work with, always ready with a friendly hello and quick-wit banter. She responds to emails almost immediately, and never lost her patience when I acted like a typical client and asked her for updated metrics every 12 seconds, even on the weekends. I recommend Carrie with no reservations, and am looking forward to a continued relationship that's both fun and productive. It's hard to beat that!"
A vast channel network, built one relationship at a time
Kris draws the line clearly. It is not just that Carrie has a vast network of channel contacts. She has personal relationships with the people on it.
That distinction is what separates a marketing channel that produces results from one that produces noise. Generic outreach to a contact list, even a large and well-segmented one, usually produces low engagement and high opt-outs. The recipient does not know the sender, has no reason to engage, and treats the message as another interruption.
Outreach from someone the recipient already knows works on entirely different mechanics. The email gets opened because of the sender. The phone gets answered because of the sender. The recommendation gets considered because of the sender. The content of the message still matters, but the relationship is what gets the message read in the first place.
That channel network, built and maintained personally over two decades, is one of the most valuable assets Carrie brings to MSP and IT channel marketing engagements.
Trust that turns into action
Kris writes that "people trust Carrie (as they should), and therefore open the emails she sends and pick up the phone when she calls."
Trust in channel marketing is not abstract. It shows up in measurable behavior: open rates on email, response rates on outreach, conversion rates on calls. Carrie's open and response rates run well above industry benchmarks because the people on the receiving end know her, have worked with her, and trust that what she is sending is worth their time.
That trust did not come from marketing tactics. It came from years of being useful to the people in the network. Sharing introductions. Recommending peers. Contributing to the conversations the channel was already having. Staying in touch even when there was nothing to sell.
For MSP marketing engagements that need to reach channel decision makers fast, that pre-existing trust is a competitive advantage you cannot manufacture on a campaign timeline.
Beating applicant goals on the MSP 501
The substantive outcome Kris points to is meaningful. Across two years working together, Carrie's outreach put Channel Futures over its applicant goal for the MSP 501.
Awards programs like the MSP 501 live or die on application volume. The list is only as credible as the breadth of MSPs that submit. Hitting and exceeding applicant targets is what keeps the program in its position as one of the most respected rankings in the industry.
The fact that Carrie's work was credited with "way more than a few submissions" tells you what targeted outreach to a trusted network can do for a campaign with a clear, time-bound goal. It is also a useful proof point for MSPs and channel vendors thinking about outsourcing lead generation. The difference between hitting and missing a target is often the quality of the network being put to work, not the quantity of names on a spreadsheet.
Responsiveness and patience under deadline pressure
Kris closes with comments about the working relationship: responsiveness, patience, friendly disposition. Those things matter more than they sound.
Channel marketing campaigns run on tight timelines. Application windows close. Submission deadlines arrive. Sponsors expect updates. The ability of the outsourced partner to be available, responsive, and good-natured under pressure is what makes the engagement workable rather than stressful.
The "weekend metrics requests" Kris jokes about are funny but real. Marketing leaders need information when they need it, and the right partner gets it to them without friction. That responsiveness is part of the value being delivered, alongside the network reach and the trust.
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Book a call to talk about channel outreach for your MSP awards program, event, or campaign.
FAQ: Channel Marketing and MSP 501 Outreach with Fox & Crow Group
What is the MSP 501 and why does it matter?
The MSP 501 is Channel Futures' annual ranking of the top managed service providers worldwide. Inclusion on the list is one of the most recognized credentials in the channel and gets used by MSPs in marketing, recruiting, and partner conversations.
How does Fox & Crow Group help with channel marketing campaigns?
We put our existing channel network to work on time-bound campaigns: awards program submissions, event registrations, partner program launches, and similar work where the goal is reaching the right channel decision makers fast.
Why is a personal channel network more effective than a contact list?
A personal network produces much higher open, response, and conversion rates because people engage based on who is sending the message, not just what is in it. That trust is the difference between marketing that performs and marketing that gets ignored.
How do I engage Fox & Crow Group for a channel marketing campaign?
Book a call and walk us through the campaign, the audience, and the timeline. Channel campaigns often have tight windows, so earlier conversations produce better results.
The IT channel marketing perspective Blackmon brings is one that Weyman Jones's review addresses from the vendor and partner side — both cover how MSPs position and communicate value in a channel context. Jim Turner's lead generation account takes a different angle, focused on how outreach and pipeline strategy connect in channel-driven environments.
The distinction Blackmon draws — between a contact list and a network built on personal trust — is what makes Fox & Crow's approach to MSP lead generation work differently than a standard marketing vendor, and how that same trust-based approach powers a full MSP sales process is documented in full.