One of the most important parts of becoming an IT consultant is making sure you know which type of small business clients you want to attract.
How can you find the prospective clients that will most benefit from your services long-term?
Look for companies that are big enough to need your services on a regular basis. So these potential clients are candidates for signing on-going service contracts, that bring you the steady revenue that will be the foundation of your business. Doing this success…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on October 28, 2009 at 11:36am —
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Want to learn how to become a reseller of computer hardware and software?
Good! You're on the right track, kind of, sort of.
Why only a half-hearted pat on the back?
Because becoming a reseller shouldn't be thought of in a vacuum. The days of being able to grow a successful business, purely on the basis of reselling PC hardware and software, has seen its better days.
Why? Because the profit margins on most PC hardware and software reselling run somewhere between anemic and non-existent.
Tod…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on October 21, 2009 at 7:22am —
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If you own an IT contracts business, the only way to really thrive in today’s marketplace is to focus on providing on-going support to your clients, through well-planned support contracts.
You need to help small businesses navigate common IT pitfalls and offer simple strategies that can really increase their bottom line. In a given week, you may be optimizing or installing completely new networks, operating systems, or hardware. Regardless of your projects and plans, you need to have a commitme…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on October 16, 2009 at 6:04am —
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Are you using computer repair business forms to help you run your company?
If not, you need to stop re-inventing the wheel for every customer's whim ... and start working more efficiently. This way you can focus on building long-term relationships and getting repeat business.
Many new computer repair entrepreneurs are so excited to get up and running that they don't develop streamlined documents for working with customers and clients. Then, when business picks up, they realize there really isn…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on October 8, 2009 at 9:32am —
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As a PC technician business owner, you really need to devote some time to working on more than just your technical skills. You must build relationships with your customers and clients so they will stick with you long term and contribute to your revenue.
Sending mailings to current customers needs to be part of your relationship-building activities and one of your marketing strategies.
Why?
The biggest reason is that your loyal customers already know you and believe in your skills as a PC tech…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on July 10, 2009 at 5:40am —
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If you’re going to start-up a small IT business, you need a game plan for identifying freeloaders that will threaten your business … and getting rid of them before they do any damage. Hey, I hate to be the bearer of bad news ... but knowing how to get rid of distractions is really, really important.
Freeloaders, moochers, time vampires – whatever you choose to call them – are no laughing matter, can drain you time and energy and steal your focus away from selling services to legitimately intere…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on July 9, 2009 at 9:17am —
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If you are planning to open a computer repair shop, you need to remember that “slow and steady wins the race.”
When it comes to starting a repair shop, you can’t just go in there with guns blazing on Day 1 of business and expect to get instant clients just by being aggressive and talking about how great your services are.
What can you do to build trust among your customers and really get your business started on solid footing as you open a computer repair shop?
Remember Computer Repair Mar…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on July 8, 2009 at 5:30am —
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Do you want to learn how to become a computer dealer in the small business space?
If so, you should understand an important reality -- most technology professionals that start small companies of their own don’t survive when they label themselves as “computer dealers.”
Why not? First of all, when you’re selling a commodity – in this case, a computer – you’re going to attract clients that are looking for “low, low prices,” and not anything particularly unique in the way of services.
You’ll run…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 29, 2009 at 7:00pm —
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Many computers services firm owners are great at talking to prospects … until it’s time to actually sell something, and then they crumple at any sign of doubt from potential small business clients.
Even if you have a great business model and have a strong handle on which type of business owner will be perfectly suited for your computer solutions, you’re not going to get anywhere if you can’t actually close the deal. And no matter how well you’ve set up your business, you’re going to get some qu…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 29, 2009 at 6:30am —
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If you are trying to set up profitable computer repair contracts for your small business clients, you might have some questions about their real benefits, or at least how to clearly explain these benefits to non-technical small business decision makers.
Many small business technology providers choose not to use on-going agreements and build their business around customers that have short-term needs or need immediate emergency services. If you fall into this category, you need to start thinking…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 28, 2009 at 6:22am —
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Are you looking for a more long-term, stable IT contractor job, but you’re not sure how to turn your one-time customers into a more lucrative, predictable business?
The truth is, you’re not going to build a profitable business on a foundation of one-shot deals and quick fixes. You’re going to have to invest some real time into building relationships with your customers and turning them into clients that need your help on a regular business. You will not make a real living off your IT contractor…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 27, 2009 at 7:15am —
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Are you struggling to write a computer training business plan? Don’t give up! The most beneficial part of a business plan is usually the writing process itself.
Many avoid writing a business plan during startup because they think it is just an academic exercise, useful only in business school or college. Others believe a business plan is just for those that want to raise capital through going public, private investors or venture capital. Many of these same people find themselves overwhelmed mon…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 26, 2009 at 9:30am —
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Are you looking for computer shop software that runs your business more efficiently and profitably?
Time management is a challenge for many small business computer professionals. When you are running your own computer shop, you have a lot on your plate. You wear many different hats and handle everything from sales and marketing, to accounting and billing, to service calls and basic walk-in retail customer traffic.
If you use the right software, you can tackle many different time management iss…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 25, 2009 at 9:30pm —
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If you’re just getting started with your IT services contract program, you may wonder, “How can I live up to the promises I’m offering long-term clients?”
Many IT consultants feel overwhelmed in the beginning and wonder how they can keep relationships strong, and really deliver on the benefits that come along with offering sophisticated IT business solutions. As an example, let's say you have eight IT services contract clients that are going to bring your company at least $165,000 in annual rec…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 25, 2009 at 9:30am —
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If you own or manage a computer services business, you may be wondering about how you can consistently find high-quality clients that build relationships and provide ongoing services revenue.
Many IT companies struggle to establish the right criteria to secure great client accounts. When you fail to have a consistent process for qualifying your leads, you will find yourself scrambling to get good clients and working way harder than you need in order to stabilize your computer services business.…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 24, 2009 at 9:30pm —
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Do you have a consistent strategy for pursuing IT contract job opportunities?
If Yes, you're in better shape than most. But if not, then you need to focus on targeted marketing to reach your intended audience.
First, establish yourself as a specialist who solves problems for your niche that no other consultant in your area can solve. Then, gather important information about your niche prospects, so you can create a targeted marketing campaign that addresses the most common points of pain.
In…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 24, 2009 at 9:30am —
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Many computer contractors wonder how they can differentiate themselves from others in the marketplace so they can attract the best, steady, high-paying clients.
First, to set yourself apart from the competition and get small business owners to choose you, build a strong professional brand around a unique industry twist or a specialty.
If you really want to succeed as a computer contractor, you can’t go in flashing certifications or vendor logos and reducing yourself to just another commodity s…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 23, 2009 at 9:00pm —
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Many small business computer consultants don't fully understand the difference between an IT support contract and a prepaid time block. But which business model works better for the typical small business IT firm?
At the very least, you need to build your IT business around more than just one-shot deals. This means you need to clearly define your IT support contract package, so it delivers tremendous value and includes all of your sophisticated business solutions.
Consider the following three…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 23, 2009 at 9:00am —
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Are you wondering which of your customers and clients would want and need an on-going computer repair contract?
It's certainly not for everyone. Not everyone you meet through networking and marketing will be a prime candidate for long-term contracts. So, how do you figure out which of your prospects, customers, and clients will be interested?
Use the following 3 tips to properly qualify your prospects, customers, and clients, so you can determine which are going to be most receptive to your on…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 22, 2009 at 9:26pm —
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If you’re running a consultancy business in the small business IT space, you know that selling sophisticated IT services can be tough if you fail to prove to your prospects how valuable your solutions are to their businesses.
In the computer consulting business, dead-end solutions can be really expensive mistakes for your prospects … and mistakes that many may have made with less skilled, savvy technology providers. So, if you want to gain long-term, steady, high-paying clients that will bring…
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Added by Joshua Feinberg on June 19, 2009 at 9:30pm —
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