Do you want to establish more meaningful, longer-lasting relationships with any IT contractor that you choose as a partner for your computer consulting business? Templates that help you hire, manage and screen any IT contractor using tested and proven methodologies and best practices are one click away with the Computer Consulting Kit!
What does a well-crafted IT contractor agreement do for your computer consulting business?
1. Takes care of details ahead of time so you can establish good communication and so you can work well with your subcontractors towards mutually-beneficial relationships.
2. A good template manages expectations the right way and establishes your professionalism so you can create healthy boundaries and expectations.
3. An IT contractor agreement template can save you many dollars in legal fees; you go to your attorney for a review, and you already have a good idea of which business issues you need to focus on to establish the best subcontractor relationships.
Stop wasting time and money … and get your act together with a good IT contractor agreement template from the Computer Consulting Kit.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Download This Special Report
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Computer Consulting Kit: The FAQ Telecast Audio Training
Learn how to grow your computer consulting business with the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Telecast audio training seminar from the Computer Consulting Kit!
This Computer Consulting Kit resource includes double the information with 2 hours and 10 minutes of tested and proven business development tips. You can reinforce your computer consulting business development training with this telecast, recorded live.
It covers questions on …
1. Prospecting, marketing and business development,
2. Sales calls and initial consultations (very important to your overall business strategies),
3. Support contracts/service agreements and recurring revenue,
4. Management of complex projects,
5. Partnering and subcontracting … and why you need to know this to help your business.
What else will you learn? Here are two teasers:
1. Field-tested, PROVEN techniques for “working the crowd” at networking events so you can get great prospects that will be most likely to become steady, high-paying clients for your computer consulting business;
2. The four main ingredients of your marketing collateral “recipe for success” that will attract the best, highest-paying clients in your area.
For more information on how you can get this audio training Computer Consulting Kit resource and many others, visit the attached link!
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
This Computer Consulting Kit resource includes double the information with 2 hours and 10 minutes of tested and proven business development tips. You can reinforce your computer consulting business development training with this telecast, recorded live.
It covers questions on …
1. Prospecting, marketing and business development,
2. Sales calls and initial consultations (very important to your overall business strategies),
3. Support contracts/service agreements and recurring revenue,
4. Management of complex projects,
5. Partnering and subcontracting … and why you need to know this to help your business.
What else will you learn? Here are two teasers:
1. Field-tested, PROVEN techniques for “working the crowd” at networking events so you can get great prospects that will be most likely to become steady, high-paying clients for your computer consulting business;
2. The four main ingredients of your marketing collateral “recipe for success” that will attract the best, highest-paying clients in your area.
For more information on how you can get this audio training Computer Consulting Kit resource and many others, visit the attached link!
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Computer Consulting Kit Cash Flow Templates
Do you want to improve your company’s cash flow? The Computer Consulting Kit offers resources for IT professionals that want to get even their most difficult clients to pay on time so they can better manage their own needs and stay in business long term.
Learn how to establish and manage effective credit and collections and truly control your cash flow with Computer Consulting Kit templates that can help you avoid cash flow problems and get more steady cash flow.
Cash flow templates from the Computer Consulting Kit help with these issues:
1. Learn why profit and cash are not the same thing … and why if you confuse them you risk your whole business!
2. Discover how you can be sure your growing client list doesn’t eat up your time and cash and wipe out your business.
3. Find out what the biggest cash flow mistake is for computer consulting business owners and how you can avoid it.
4. Figure out secrets to improving profit margins on sales of hardware, software, etc.
If you want cash flow secrets and many more templates from the Computer Consulting Kit, visit the attached link!
Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
Learn how to establish and manage effective credit and collections and truly control your cash flow with Computer Consulting Kit templates that can help you avoid cash flow problems and get more steady cash flow.
Cash flow templates from the Computer Consulting Kit help with these issues:
1. Learn why profit and cash are not the same thing … and why if you confuse them you risk your whole business!
2. Discover how you can be sure your growing client list doesn’t eat up your time and cash and wipe out your business.
3. Find out what the biggest cash flow mistake is for computer consulting business owners and how you can avoid it.
4. Figure out secrets to improving profit margins on sales of hardware, software, etc.
If you want cash flow secrets and many more templates from the Computer Consulting Kit, visit the attached link!
Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
Friday, June 06, 2008
Computer Consultants Case Studies from the Computer Consulting Kit Audio Training Program
Have you ever thought it would be great if you could get some insider tips from other computer consultants just like you that have been working in the field to get great clients? Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to do this, as no one really talks to each other, especially not local competitors.
If you tried to call up a competitor to get the inside scoop, you’d probably be laughed out of town or get the cold shoulder.
At the Computer Consulting Kit, as part of the Audio Training program, we give you three tales from successful small business computer consultants working in different geographical areas with different levels of experience and from totally different backgrounds.
Some Information You Can Expect to Get from Computer Consultants Case Studies
1. Which types of backgrounds, personality traits and technical skills successful computer consultants have when they start their businesses.
2. Careers successful small business computer consultants have before they start their own businesses.
3. Which steps successful small business computer consultants have to take when they first launch their businesses.
4. What successful small business computer consultants see as their “defining moments” when they are getting started. When are you really “in business?”
5. The biggest keys to on-going small business computer consulting success.
6. Much, much more!
Today we talked about computer consultants
and case studies you can use as part of the Audio Training Program from the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course. To learn more about this topic and much more, visit the attached link!
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
If you tried to call up a competitor to get the inside scoop, you’d probably be laughed out of town or get the cold shoulder.
At the Computer Consulting Kit, as part of the Audio Training program, we give you three tales from successful small business computer consultants working in different geographical areas with different levels of experience and from totally different backgrounds.
Some Information You Can Expect to Get from Computer Consultants Case Studies
1. Which types of backgrounds, personality traits and technical skills successful computer consultants have when they start their businesses.
2. Careers successful small business computer consultants have before they start their own businesses.
3. Which steps successful small business computer consultants have to take when they first launch their businesses.
4. What successful small business computer consultants see as their “defining moments” when they are getting started. When are you really “in business?”
5. The biggest keys to on-going small business computer consulting success.
6. Much, much more!
Today we talked about computer consultants
and case studies you can use as part of the Audio Training Program from the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course. To learn more about this topic and much more, visit the attached link!
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The IT Partnerships Planning Template from the Computer Consulting Kit
The Computer Consulting Kit offers many different resources for those interested in IT partnerships, including a very important planning template that can help all small business computer consultants get the most from their relationships. When you work with subcontractors and other partners, sometimes figuring out who needs to do what when it comes to a project is a challenge.
The IT partnerships planning template helps clear up who does what when it comes to large projects, before you even start the projects or even go into the first prospect, customer or client meeting about your overall plan. And, you need to understand responsibility if you want to be consistent, logical and together with your clients and keep all your credibility points!
What does the IT partnerships planning template do for you?
1. Ensures you and your partner are in the same place when it comes to goals, beliefs and approaches. Because, who wants to risk losing a mutually-beneficial partnering relationship that could last many years into the future? And when you work out big business issues in IT partnerships before you start doing projects, you avoid a lot of legal fees and wasted time.
2. The planning template also helps you ask the right questions during the pre-sales process with your mutual prospect, customer or client … because who wants the embarrassment of going into the big meeting with inconsistent ideas?
3. The IT partnerships planning document also helps you mitigate risks by avoiding common problems that can derail most partnerships.
Today we talked about planning IT partnerships with important templates from the Computer Consulting Kit. To learn more about IT partnerships, visit the attached link!
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
The IT partnerships planning template helps clear up who does what when it comes to large projects, before you even start the projects or even go into the first prospect, customer or client meeting about your overall plan. And, you need to understand responsibility if you want to be consistent, logical and together with your clients and keep all your credibility points!
What does the IT partnerships planning template do for you?
1. Ensures you and your partner are in the same place when it comes to goals, beliefs and approaches. Because, who wants to risk losing a mutually-beneficial partnering relationship that could last many years into the future? And when you work out big business issues in IT partnerships before you start doing projects, you avoid a lot of legal fees and wasted time.
2. The planning template also helps you ask the right questions during the pre-sales process with your mutual prospect, customer or client … because who wants the embarrassment of going into the big meeting with inconsistent ideas?
3. The IT partnerships planning document also helps you mitigate risks by avoiding common problems that can derail most partnerships.
Today we talked about planning IT partnerships with important templates from the Computer Consulting Kit. To learn more about IT partnerships, visit the attached link!
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
IT Sales Training to Help Grow Your Business
One of the hardest parts of IT sales is overcoming objections with prospects that can, when not addressed from the get-go be a barrier to continuing, mutually-beneficial relationships. The Computer Consulting Kit offers a special mp3 audio training session devoted specifically to IT sales, including an illustration of the five most common small business IT sales objections and a proven plan of attack for overcoming them.
The strategies presented in the audio training have been tried, tested … and PROVEN to work to show even the most questioning prospects how valuable IT solutions can be to their businesses.
Computer Consulting Kit IT Sales Audio Training Topics
1. What is a sales objection?
2. How do sales objections fit with the entire sales process?
3. Why do a lot of small business computer consultants lose the sale before they even start an IT sales call, and how can you avoid doing the same thing?
4. Which strategies can you use to handle common objections to sales?
5. How do you get prospects to tell you their REAL objections instead of just going on and on about irrelevant subjects?
The Main Idea about IT Sales Audio Training
Today we talked about some of the resources you will find in the Computer Consulting Kit IT sales audio training mp3s. To learn more about how you can get tested and PROVEN IT sales strategies to help get more steady, high-paying clients for your business, visit the attached link!
Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
The strategies presented in the audio training have been tried, tested … and PROVEN to work to show even the most questioning prospects how valuable IT solutions can be to their businesses.
Computer Consulting Kit IT Sales Audio Training Topics
1. What is a sales objection?
2. How do sales objections fit with the entire sales process?
3. Why do a lot of small business computer consultants lose the sale before they even start an IT sales call, and how can you avoid doing the same thing?
4. Which strategies can you use to handle common objections to sales?
5. How do you get prospects to tell you their REAL objections instead of just going on and on about irrelevant subjects?
The Main Idea about IT Sales Audio Training
Today we talked about some of the resources you will find in the Computer Consulting Kit IT sales audio training mp3s. To learn more about how you can get tested and PROVEN IT sales strategies to help get more steady, high-paying clients for your business, visit the attached link!
Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
Thursday, May 15, 2008
IT Marketing and the Computer Consulting Kit: The New Client Sales Call
The Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course offers many templates to help you with IT marketing and sales. One important element of computer consulting is your sales call with a new client.
While you might not think having a template to guide a phone call saves that much time, it has many benefits that can help keep you efficient and consistent with your IT marketing campaign.
Benefits of Using a Template for Your New Client Sales Call
It helps you look professional.
It keeps your sales presentation organized so you don’t accidentally get blind-sided by excessive client questions.
It helps you guide the conversation from free to fee so you can tell when you’re moving into “paid technology assessment” territory.
It creates clear boundaries for your prospects to distinguish between an IT marketing sales call and an actual professional consultation, so you can tell for sure when it’s time for them to start paying for services.
The IT marketing initial sales call template helps maintain a structure so you can stop the call from going on too long.
The Main Idea about the New Client IT Marketing Sales Call Template
Today we talked about how you can benefit from creating a template for your new client sales call. To learn more about how you can use this valuable IT marketing tip, visit the attached link.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
While you might not think having a template to guide a phone call saves that much time, it has many benefits that can help keep you efficient and consistent with your IT marketing campaign.
Benefits of Using a Template for Your New Client Sales Call
It helps you look professional.
It keeps your sales presentation organized so you don’t accidentally get blind-sided by excessive client questions.
It helps you guide the conversation from free to fee so you can tell when you’re moving into “paid technology assessment” territory.
It creates clear boundaries for your prospects to distinguish between an IT marketing sales call and an actual professional consultation, so you can tell for sure when it’s time for them to start paying for services.
The IT marketing initial sales call template helps maintain a structure so you can stop the call from going on too long.
The Main Idea about the New Client IT Marketing Sales Call Template
Today we talked about how you can benefit from creating a template for your new client sales call. To learn more about how you can use this valuable IT marketing tip, visit the attached link.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Thursday, May 01, 2008
IT Marketing: Get More from Those Direct Mail Postcards!
A big problem that can happen when computer consultants put together a direct mail postcard campaign as part of their IT marketing plan is a lack of urgency. Without urgency, prospects – even those with a need and interest in hiring you – will have no reason to do so right now. Your card will get filed away indefinitely.
However, if your prospect receives a postcard that says your company is offering a free system analysis to the first 25 people that respond in your greater area, there’s much more of a reason to act on that IT marketing postcard. They might think to themselves that their computers ARE really screwed up and that free system analysis with no obligation is a really great deal. They’ll be more likely to call you NOW.
IT Marketing: You Need to Limit Your Response
If you don’t want to limit the number of people that respond to your IT marketing postcard, limit the date by which they have to respond. Urgency and scarcity are critical to a high response rate. If you want someone to act NOW, you need to give them a clear deadline by which to respond.
The Experts Know Best
If you need help designing your IT marketing postcards, talk to an expert. This will be a copywriter or someone retired from working with direct response vehicles for a large company. If you ask for advice from just a general business owner, you’re not going to get very far. You need someone that comes from a mail order background, direct mail background or that does a lot of online advertising, has worked for an advertising agency or has dealt in direct selling with measured response.
The Key to IT Marketing
Remember – your direct mail postcard campaign is about creating a sense of urgency, scarcity, deadlines and having compelling headlines and a handle on a source of pain. Motivate your potential clients to act NOW or NEVER!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
However, if your prospect receives a postcard that says your company is offering a free system analysis to the first 25 people that respond in your greater area, there’s much more of a reason to act on that IT marketing postcard. They might think to themselves that their computers ARE really screwed up and that free system analysis with no obligation is a really great deal. They’ll be more likely to call you NOW.
IT Marketing: You Need to Limit Your Response
If you don’t want to limit the number of people that respond to your IT marketing postcard, limit the date by which they have to respond. Urgency and scarcity are critical to a high response rate. If you want someone to act NOW, you need to give them a clear deadline by which to respond.
The Experts Know Best
If you need help designing your IT marketing postcards, talk to an expert. This will be a copywriter or someone retired from working with direct response vehicles for a large company. If you ask for advice from just a general business owner, you’re not going to get very far. You need someone that comes from a mail order background, direct mail background or that does a lot of online advertising, has worked for an advertising agency or has dealt in direct selling with measured response.
The Key to IT Marketing
Remember – your direct mail postcard campaign is about creating a sense of urgency, scarcity, deadlines and having compelling headlines and a handle on a source of pain. Motivate your potential clients to act NOW or NEVER!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Saturday, April 26, 2008
IT Marketing: Do You Know the Decision Makers?
If you want to really grow your computer consulting business, you need to get out and do some IT marketing in the community through networking. You need to meet other people that are decision makers for small businesses.
If you’re targeting the small business owner and manager, you will meet a lot of branch managers from banks (just as an example) … but these won’t really be the decision makers you want to target. You might also meet executive directors from non-profit organizations, but they will not have very much money to spend on IT services. You might also meet people that work for Fortune 1,000 companies with branch offices in your area, but again … these won’t fit your needs.
You need to target the right decision maker with your IT marketing efforts to get the most out of the trade groups and organizations in which you participate.
IT Marketing and Partner Programs
If you want to increase your community presence, join a partner or reseller program. You can join the Microsoft Certified Partner Program, for example. But if you do, you need to be proactive, particularly as a small firm.
Find out who your local field representative is and shake hands, exchange business cards, etc. Make a connection with your field rep. by checking in regularly, sending emails every couple weeks and giving them updates. You should feel free to ask the person questions and brainstorm. Get together for coffee a couple times per year to talk to them about industry and market trends and opportunities as part of your IT marketing efforts.
IT Marketing and the Real Problems
Ask your field rep. if there are any big problems right now that are going around. Does your rep know of any ways you can help with these problems? Or are there any people that belong to channel programs that might like to partner with you? Take full advantage of relationships with local channel representatives to help you find opportunities within your community and develop a truly targeted IT marketing plan.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
If you’re targeting the small business owner and manager, you will meet a lot of branch managers from banks (just as an example) … but these won’t really be the decision makers you want to target. You might also meet executive directors from non-profit organizations, but they will not have very much money to spend on IT services. You might also meet people that work for Fortune 1,000 companies with branch offices in your area, but again … these won’t fit your needs.
You need to target the right decision maker with your IT marketing efforts to get the most out of the trade groups and organizations in which you participate.
IT Marketing and Partner Programs
If you want to increase your community presence, join a partner or reseller program. You can join the Microsoft Certified Partner Program, for example. But if you do, you need to be proactive, particularly as a small firm.
Find out who your local field representative is and shake hands, exchange business cards, etc. Make a connection with your field rep. by checking in regularly, sending emails every couple weeks and giving them updates. You should feel free to ask the person questions and brainstorm. Get together for coffee a couple times per year to talk to them about industry and market trends and opportunities as part of your IT marketing efforts.
IT Marketing and the Real Problems
Ask your field rep. if there are any big problems right now that are going around. Does your rep know of any ways you can help with these problems? Or are there any people that belong to channel programs that might like to partner with you? Take full advantage of relationships with local channel representatives to help you find opportunities within your community and develop a truly targeted IT marketing plan.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Sunday, April 20, 2008
IT Sales and Your Unique Offering
You need to offer unique benefits to your prospects, customers and clients if you want to be good at IT sales.
Proximity and IT Sales
As an example, say ABC Consulting moved to a 27-story building stocked with high-end firms and near many other buildings that are all within a two-minute walk. In this case, the obvious unique benefit would be proximity. This company would be able to respond quickly and get things done better, faster and cheaper than others that are farther away.
Your Unique Benefit and IT Sales
You need to sell service agreements and lead with a guaranteed response time if you have the proximity benefit. You can afford to make a promise to be there within 60 minutes of a server down emergency during regular business hours and even offer something like $100 off the bill for the month if you are even a minute late. You can do this because you have no travel time and no reason NOT to be there.
How Would You Find These Businesses?
If you are in the situation like ABC Consulting, you need to identify local businesses. Do a survey that you mail to every owner or CEO in the building and in neighboring buildings. You can also offer a “bribe” of a gift certificate or something of value to get them to return the survey promptly.
Survey Questions to Help with IT Sales
1. How many PCs do you have?
2. How many employees?
3. How do you currently get IT support?
4. What do you dislike and like about your current support?
5. What is your biggest business challenge?
6. What is your biggest IT challenge?
You need to use the survey to get people to tell you what they want and also get an idea of who will be interested in your services and responsive to IT sales.
IT Sales and the People that Know People
You should make nice with the local shoe repair person, the Chinese or pizza delivery person, the mail carrier, UPS person and FedEx driver. If you know everyone, you will be able to easily network yourself into local offices through the people that see people every day. Your contacts will already be in touch with the people in charge.
Stress your unique benefit as an IT company to get more IT sales.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Proximity and IT Sales
As an example, say ABC Consulting moved to a 27-story building stocked with high-end firms and near many other buildings that are all within a two-minute walk. In this case, the obvious unique benefit would be proximity. This company would be able to respond quickly and get things done better, faster and cheaper than others that are farther away.
Your Unique Benefit and IT Sales
You need to sell service agreements and lead with a guaranteed response time if you have the proximity benefit. You can afford to make a promise to be there within 60 minutes of a server down emergency during regular business hours and even offer something like $100 off the bill for the month if you are even a minute late. You can do this because you have no travel time and no reason NOT to be there.
How Would You Find These Businesses?
If you are in the situation like ABC Consulting, you need to identify local businesses. Do a survey that you mail to every owner or CEO in the building and in neighboring buildings. You can also offer a “bribe” of a gift certificate or something of value to get them to return the survey promptly.
Survey Questions to Help with IT Sales
1. How many PCs do you have?
2. How many employees?
3. How do you currently get IT support?
4. What do you dislike and like about your current support?
5. What is your biggest business challenge?
6. What is your biggest IT challenge?
You need to use the survey to get people to tell you what they want and also get an idea of who will be interested in your services and responsive to IT sales.
IT Sales and the People that Know People
You should make nice with the local shoe repair person, the Chinese or pizza delivery person, the mail carrier, UPS person and FedEx driver. If you know everyone, you will be able to easily network yourself into local offices through the people that see people every day. Your contacts will already be in touch with the people in charge.
Stress your unique benefit as an IT company to get more IT sales.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Computer Consulting Staff: Which Skills Are Necessary?
What do you do if you or any other members of your computer consulting staff don’t have advanced technical skills? All you need to do is devote a little time to self study in order to best serve your sweet spot clients.
Break What’s Working
One technique you can do to help build skills with your computer consulting staff is to get a hold of not-for-resale (NFR) copies of products you want to sell, install and service and then work with the product in your “lab.” Go through some basic installations and broken installations with your computer consulting staff (particularly lead technicians and engineers) and get them comfortable with the software.
Installations Are Fairly Easy to Handle
In previous years, it was harder to install things like Novell small business suite or the IBM equivalent … even the 1997 introductory Microsoft Small Business Server. But now these programs are easier to install than ever, and your computer consulting staff will not have to have incredibly advanced skills in order to manage them.
Which Skills Does Your Computer Consulting Staff Need?
In order to best serve clients, your computer consulting staff needs strong PC hardware skills, the ability to deal with P2P setups, an understanding of TCP/IP, an awareness of POP3 and SMTP. Additionally, your computer consulting staff needs to know how to work with basic SOHO routers.
Make sure you share the knowledge among your employees and that everyone is cross training each other. This way, no one can ever extort money from you, blackmail you, try to get huge raises or bonuses or take your clients. Your company’s internal know-how will all be equal and this will keep everyone on your computer consulting staff happy and loyal.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Break What’s Working
One technique you can do to help build skills with your computer consulting staff is to get a hold of not-for-resale (NFR) copies of products you want to sell, install and service and then work with the product in your “lab.” Go through some basic installations and broken installations with your computer consulting staff (particularly lead technicians and engineers) and get them comfortable with the software.
Installations Are Fairly Easy to Handle
In previous years, it was harder to install things like Novell small business suite or the IBM equivalent … even the 1997 introductory Microsoft Small Business Server. But now these programs are easier to install than ever, and your computer consulting staff will not have to have incredibly advanced skills in order to manage them.
Which Skills Does Your Computer Consulting Staff Need?
In order to best serve clients, your computer consulting staff needs strong PC hardware skills, the ability to deal with P2P setups, an understanding of TCP/IP, an awareness of POP3 and SMTP. Additionally, your computer consulting staff needs to know how to work with basic SOHO routers.
Make sure you share the knowledge among your employees and that everyone is cross training each other. This way, no one can ever extort money from you, blackmail you, try to get huge raises or bonuses or take your clients. Your company’s internal know-how will all be equal and this will keep everyone on your computer consulting staff happy and loyal.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Should You Buy an IT Consulting Franchise?
How do you decide whether or not to buy an IT consulting franchise? Your decision depends upon weighing the pros and cons!
The Pros of an IT Consulting Franchise
1. You get the convenience of being part of a larger company.
2. You have an immediate peer support network as part of the company.
3. Your franchise comes with pre-set tools and resources.
4. You have people set up to help with problems.
The Cons of an IT Consulting Franchise
The biggest problem with entrepreneurs when it comes to a franchise is that there is a lot of money required for startup. On top of this amount, you need to pay a percentage of your revenue (a royalty) every month to your franchiser. And you will have some restrictions when it comes to the direction and scope of your business.
IT Consulting: A Business of More Time than Money
Starting a regular IT consulting business will typically be a low overhead investment … but it will require a lot of time and effort! You may take up to six months (or more) to get enough contacts, prospects and projects in your sales funnel to get to a 50 or 60% utilization rate (20-24 billable hours weekly).
When Will You Get IT Consulting Revenue?
Even when you put forth substantial effort with marketing, three to six months is a good guess of how long it will take you to get some cash flow to sustain you. If you decide to have staff members with good technical expertise, you might need years.
You need capital to start an IT consulting business so you can pay your expenses. Keeping a low overhead can eliminate a lot of stress, which is why you should think long and hard about whether or not a franchise is right for you!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
The Pros of an IT Consulting Franchise
1. You get the convenience of being part of a larger company.
2. You have an immediate peer support network as part of the company.
3. Your franchise comes with pre-set tools and resources.
4. You have people set up to help with problems.
The Cons of an IT Consulting Franchise
The biggest problem with entrepreneurs when it comes to a franchise is that there is a lot of money required for startup. On top of this amount, you need to pay a percentage of your revenue (a royalty) every month to your franchiser. And you will have some restrictions when it comes to the direction and scope of your business.
IT Consulting: A Business of More Time than Money
Starting a regular IT consulting business will typically be a low overhead investment … but it will require a lot of time and effort! You may take up to six months (or more) to get enough contacts, prospects and projects in your sales funnel to get to a 50 or 60% utilization rate (20-24 billable hours weekly).
When Will You Get IT Consulting Revenue?
Even when you put forth substantial effort with marketing, three to six months is a good guess of how long it will take you to get some cash flow to sustain you. If you decide to have staff members with good technical expertise, you might need years.
You need capital to start an IT consulting business so you can pay your expenses. Keeping a low overhead can eliminate a lot of stress, which is why you should think long and hard about whether or not a franchise is right for you!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Sunday, March 30, 2008
IT Marketing and Participating in Organizations
Personal referrals are really powerful tools when it comes to IT marketing because they are pre-sold; they already trust you. When you are building an IT marketing campaign for your computer consulting business you need to know that trust is incredibly important.
How Important is Trust to Computer Consulting?
People will use similar techniques to look for computer consultants that they will use to find a good dentist, attorney, accountant or internist. Some people might go to the Yellow Pages or look in coupon packs or on billboards, but most people will put a lot of weight on word of mouth referrals from people they trust when it comes to choosing key people to advise them on important health, business or financial matters.
You Need to Be Known in Your Community with IT Marketing
You can reach decision makers in small businesses by increasing your personal and business profile in your local community with your target market. This will take some time, but is very possible.
Networking is an important IT marketing strategy that can make or break the success of a computer consulting firm, and it is all about relationships. Your business is a people business … not simply a tech business. It’s about interpersonal skills and trust.
How Do You Get MORE Recommendations with IT Marketing?
Many computer consultants wonder how they can get more personal recommendations. The answer is in knowing more people. You need to join organizations and attend events regularly. Don’t go to every single event – every networking breakfast, luncheon, business after-hours function, etc. – but you have to be ACTIVE and go to many functions throughout the year in order to meet a lot of people and get great referrals that will boost your IT marketing campaign and lead to more long-term clients.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
How Important is Trust to Computer Consulting?
People will use similar techniques to look for computer consultants that they will use to find a good dentist, attorney, accountant or internist. Some people might go to the Yellow Pages or look in coupon packs or on billboards, but most people will put a lot of weight on word of mouth referrals from people they trust when it comes to choosing key people to advise them on important health, business or financial matters.
You Need to Be Known in Your Community with IT Marketing
You can reach decision makers in small businesses by increasing your personal and business profile in your local community with your target market. This will take some time, but is very possible.
Networking is an important IT marketing strategy that can make or break the success of a computer consulting firm, and it is all about relationships. Your business is a people business … not simply a tech business. It’s about interpersonal skills and trust.
How Do You Get MORE Recommendations with IT Marketing?
Many computer consultants wonder how they can get more personal recommendations. The answer is in knowing more people. You need to join organizations and attend events regularly. Don’t go to every single event – every networking breakfast, luncheon, business after-hours function, etc. – but you have to be ACTIVE and go to many functions throughout the year in order to meet a lot of people and get great referrals that will boost your IT marketing campaign and lead to more long-term clients.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Computer Consultants: 7 Profit Secrets
As computer consultants, you will need to rely on strategies to help you maximize your profits. Focusing on profits might seem simple, but it is something that is based on business know-how and can often be a problem for computer consultants. Many owners fall in love with technology and get sucked into channel programs. But, your computer consulting company is a business, and you need to follow specific techniques to keep it running.
The following are 7 profit secrets that can send you on your way.
1. Be motivated computer consultants. You don’t want to be labeled as just a “geek,” so you need to act like a virtual CIO for hire that is concerned about his/her clients’ complex problems.
2. Dedicate yourself to constant improvement. Computer consultants need to work very hard to get the best clients, so you need to think about lifetime customer value, not just one-shot deals. Remember that your solution needs to be long term and be well-plotted.
3. Get creative with clients. Small businesses need to typically follow strict budgets. Your solutions have to work without the need for an in-house staff, which means you might have to think creatively.
4. Look at how clients’ systems are working today. You need to look both at paper- and technology-based items with your clients. Your role as a virtual CIO is to figure out how clients are meeting and not meeting present and future needs, so you have to look at everything.
5. Think about what your clients’ clients will need from them. You have to have good people skills and empathy for your clients’ business problems. But you also have to truly “get” what your clients are up against when it comes to THEIR clients.
6. Keep up to date with new versions and advances. Computer consultants need to advise their clients about which tools can best help their businesses grow. Don’t let research and development and training take up all your time, but stay ahead of the game.
7. Summarize information and share it with clients. The main point of your research and development and training should be to find out whether or not a new platform or tool will really add value to your clients’ present or future installations. And computer consultants need to summarize findings in a way their business-minded clients can understand.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
The following are 7 profit secrets that can send you on your way.
1. Be motivated computer consultants. You don’t want to be labeled as just a “geek,” so you need to act like a virtual CIO for hire that is concerned about his/her clients’ complex problems.
2. Dedicate yourself to constant improvement. Computer consultants need to work very hard to get the best clients, so you need to think about lifetime customer value, not just one-shot deals. Remember that your solution needs to be long term and be well-plotted.
3. Get creative with clients. Small businesses need to typically follow strict budgets. Your solutions have to work without the need for an in-house staff, which means you might have to think creatively.
4. Look at how clients’ systems are working today. You need to look both at paper- and technology-based items with your clients. Your role as a virtual CIO is to figure out how clients are meeting and not meeting present and future needs, so you have to look at everything.
5. Think about what your clients’ clients will need from them. You have to have good people skills and empathy for your clients’ business problems. But you also have to truly “get” what your clients are up against when it comes to THEIR clients.
6. Keep up to date with new versions and advances. Computer consultants need to advise their clients about which tools can best help their businesses grow. Don’t let research and development and training take up all your time, but stay ahead of the game.
7. Summarize information and share it with clients. The main point of your research and development and training should be to find out whether or not a new platform or tool will really add value to your clients’ present or future installations. And computer consultants need to summarize findings in a way their business-minded clients can understand.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Get Going with Computer Consulting!
As you are getting ready to get started in computer consulting, you need to exercise careful planning. Pick a company name, get your business cards printed, think about which types of customers you want to chase and where you will meet them. How can you accomplish all this?
Business Cards
When you are starting out in computer consulting, you need to print business cards. They probably won’t last you forever, because you may decide to change your company name, phone number or address. Just get them reprinted! But having business cards in the beginning can motivate you as you pass them out to all your friends and family members.
Talk about Your Computer Consulting Business
When you are out and about and meeting people at kids’ soccer games, church, synagogue or simply standing on line at the movies, you may have the opportunity to talk about your computer consulting business and hand out business cards. These informal networking opportunities can give you future business as these people can become a part of your extended sales force.
Get Involved!
You need to get active in local organizations designed for small business owners. Look at three or four trade groups and start attending meetings. Examples: chamber of commerce; user groups; trade groups; industry-specific trade groups.
Computer Consulting: What Do You Know?
A lot of times it makes sense to choose a specialty in computer consulting that matches your background. You can always expand your services as your business grows, but if you start with a niche you already know, you will be competent and increase your credibility. You will also be more likely to develop a strong marketing message and be memorable to prospects. You will not be like everyone else your prospects might find in the phone book or anywhere else.
Are There Enough Prospects?
You need to make sure there are enough prospects in your computer consulting niche before you start to market to it. As an example, if you have a nursing background, you may focus early activities on small doctor’s offices. Just make sure there are 500-1,000 prospects within an hour of where you are located. This will help you target your message and get attention.
Think about branding your company with your industry focus by putting it in your computer consulting name, i.e., add “health care systems,” “medical office systems” or some other hybrid as part of your company name.
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
Business Cards
When you are starting out in computer consulting, you need to print business cards. They probably won’t last you forever, because you may decide to change your company name, phone number or address. Just get them reprinted! But having business cards in the beginning can motivate you as you pass them out to all your friends and family members.
Talk about Your Computer Consulting Business
When you are out and about and meeting people at kids’ soccer games, church, synagogue or simply standing on line at the movies, you may have the opportunity to talk about your computer consulting business and hand out business cards. These informal networking opportunities can give you future business as these people can become a part of your extended sales force.
Get Involved!
You need to get active in local organizations designed for small business owners. Look at three or four trade groups and start attending meetings. Examples: chamber of commerce; user groups; trade groups; industry-specific trade groups.
Computer Consulting: What Do You Know?
A lot of times it makes sense to choose a specialty in computer consulting that matches your background. You can always expand your services as your business grows, but if you start with a niche you already know, you will be competent and increase your credibility. You will also be more likely to develop a strong marketing message and be memorable to prospects. You will not be like everyone else your prospects might find in the phone book or anywhere else.
Are There Enough Prospects?
You need to make sure there are enough prospects in your computer consulting niche before you start to market to it. As an example, if you have a nursing background, you may focus early activities on small doctor’s offices. Just make sure there are 500-1,000 prospects within an hour of where you are located. This will help you target your message and get attention.
Think about branding your company with your industry focus by putting it in your computer consulting name, i.e., add “health care systems,” “medical office systems” or some other hybrid as part of your company name.
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Using Small Business Server
Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) has gained real momentum in the small business world in the past decade. Because of this, a lot of computer consultants and IT professionals have decided to push Small Business Server as an integral part of solutions for clients.
But before you start to rely on Small Business Server, think about three important tips to help maximize your profits:
1. A lot of small businesses, if not most have never heard of Small Business Server. There may be hundreds or even thousands of small businesses in your area that could benefit from the program, but don’t assume they know what it is! Make sure you pitch solutions and not commodities. Pitch your unique expertise before you start talking about Small Business Server.
2. The money that can be made through Small Business Server is not reselling the product itself. It comes from selling a relationship with small businesses. Stress your existence as an outsourced IT department for your clients. No small business owner will decide he/she NEEDS Small Business Server. So you need to focus on relationships and sell it later.
3. Microsoft is not totally sold on the value of computer consultants. What does this mean? Well, the truth is, the first version of Small Business Server was planned in 1996 to release in 1997 and was code named “SAM” because it was meant to be sold without the help of computer consultants at Sam’s Club warehouse clubs. The product team decided to make the product so simple that any non-technical small business owner could buy Small Business Server at the warehouse and have it running without outside help by day’s end. While this seemed effective, Microsoft eventually realized that reaching small business owners with Small Business Server was better accomplished through resellers. Microsoft is not thinking so much of its consultants when it tries to sell Small Business Server. So you can’t sell the product … you need to focus on the relationships that are integral to your business!
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
But before you start to rely on Small Business Server, think about three important tips to help maximize your profits:
1. A lot of small businesses, if not most have never heard of Small Business Server. There may be hundreds or even thousands of small businesses in your area that could benefit from the program, but don’t assume they know what it is! Make sure you pitch solutions and not commodities. Pitch your unique expertise before you start talking about Small Business Server.
2. The money that can be made through Small Business Server is not reselling the product itself. It comes from selling a relationship with small businesses. Stress your existence as an outsourced IT department for your clients. No small business owner will decide he/she NEEDS Small Business Server. So you need to focus on relationships and sell it later.
3. Microsoft is not totally sold on the value of computer consultants. What does this mean? Well, the truth is, the first version of Small Business Server was planned in 1996 to release in 1997 and was code named “SAM” because it was meant to be sold without the help of computer consultants at Sam’s Club warehouse clubs. The product team decided to make the product so simple that any non-technical small business owner could buy Small Business Server at the warehouse and have it running without outside help by day’s end. While this seemed effective, Microsoft eventually realized that reaching small business owners with Small Business Server was better accomplished through resellers. Microsoft is not thinking so much of its consultants when it tries to sell Small Business Server. So you can’t sell the product … you need to focus on the relationships that are integral to your business!
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Sunday, March 02, 2008
How Can a Computer Repair Business Help Your Small Business?
A lot of small businesses rely on a local computer repair business when they need help with something that has broken. However, there is a lot to be said about having a long-term, proactive relationship with a local computer repair business.
Get Advice!
A local computer repair business can give great advice about how your technology assets can be better used to help improve your business. It can also help you with a specific computer-related problem. If information technology (IT) and computer systems are really important to you, outsourcing computer needs to a professional on a regular rather than an occasional basis is often a good idea.
Hiring a Computer Repair Business
Many computer consultants specialize and end up becoming important to your specific niche. These types of computer repair businesses will often know as much about your industry and its unique business challenges as you do.
Multi-Tasking is Fine … But Don’t Get Blinded!
Occasionally a small business might know exactly what its computer-related needs are when calling in an outside computer repair business. There are a lot of reasons to bring in a professional instead of just dealing with someone who just acts as an occasional repair person:
1. A computer consultant is an expert in the field;
2. You will get access to an expert for much less than the cost of hiring that level of professional full time.
3. A computer repair business will be able to troubleshoot a problem better (more quickly and efficiently) than any of your internal employees.
A New Perspective
A computer repair business will be able to bring a new perspective to your business. You will get a fresh set of eyes to look over your IT infrastructure. Over time, your non-technical employees will start to see the same things over and over again within their own companies. A good computer consultant will see things in a light and move beyond the norm to visualize the future.
How Can a Computer Repair Business Help?
A good computer repair business will do many things to make your company do well with its technology. It will often provide personal coaching, training, strategic planning meetings and many other things that resemble what a CIO (chief information officer) would do.
A really great computer repair business will not come in with a set plan. It will work with you to cater to the needs of your unique company.
Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
Get Advice!
A local computer repair business can give great advice about how your technology assets can be better used to help improve your business. It can also help you with a specific computer-related problem. If information technology (IT) and computer systems are really important to you, outsourcing computer needs to a professional on a regular rather than an occasional basis is often a good idea.
Hiring a Computer Repair Business
Many computer consultants specialize and end up becoming important to your specific niche. These types of computer repair businesses will often know as much about your industry and its unique business challenges as you do.
Multi-Tasking is Fine … But Don’t Get Blinded!
Occasionally a small business might know exactly what its computer-related needs are when calling in an outside computer repair business. There are a lot of reasons to bring in a professional instead of just dealing with someone who just acts as an occasional repair person:
1. A computer consultant is an expert in the field;
2. You will get access to an expert for much less than the cost of hiring that level of professional full time.
3. A computer repair business will be able to troubleshoot a problem better (more quickly and efficiently) than any of your internal employees.
A New Perspective
A computer repair business will be able to bring a new perspective to your business. You will get a fresh set of eyes to look over your IT infrastructure. Over time, your non-technical employees will start to see the same things over and over again within their own companies. A good computer consultant will see things in a light and move beyond the norm to visualize the future.
How Can a Computer Repair Business Help?
A good computer repair business will do many things to make your company do well with its technology. It will often provide personal coaching, training, strategic planning meetings and many other things that resemble what a CIO (chief information officer) would do.
A really great computer repair business will not come in with a set plan. It will work with you to cater to the needs of your unique company.
Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Challenge Your Computer Repair Business Staff
You should encourage your computer repair business staff to constantly improve themselves and learn about more complex solutions. Higher-end solutions are going to be worth more per hour. Most of your computer repair business staff will already know how to set up small LANs, do troubleshooting duty and basic cleanup jobs and desktop rollouts. But you need to encourage and challenge them by booking up some of their time to work on more sophisticated, long-term projects.
It’s about Professional Gratification
When you put your staff on more advanced projects, its members will get more professional gratification. Those with technical minds and a love for technology like to work on tech projects that are challenging and test their knowledge. Your computer repair business staff will get incredibly frustrated working on simple, repetitive tasks day in, day out.
If you Challenge People, They Will Stay with You!
When your computer repair business staff is experiencing gratification working at their technical peak and getting more challenges with each project, you will have a better chance at keeping their interest for the long haul. When you keep technical staff working on projects beneath their knowledge, you might start losing them to competitors.
Try Sophisticated Networking Projects for Longer-Term Client Relationships
When your computer repair business staff is able to take responsibility for creating long-term client relationships, its members will be much more gratified. Staff members will get to work with clients over a period of time and get to know clients very well. They get to be actively involved in building the relationships that sustain your computer repair business. They get attached and if they are loyal can be a great asset to your company.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
It’s about Professional Gratification
When you put your staff on more advanced projects, its members will get more professional gratification. Those with technical minds and a love for technology like to work on tech projects that are challenging and test their knowledge. Your computer repair business staff will get incredibly frustrated working on simple, repetitive tasks day in, day out.
If you Challenge People, They Will Stay with You!
When your computer repair business staff is experiencing gratification working at their technical peak and getting more challenges with each project, you will have a better chance at keeping their interest for the long haul. When you keep technical staff working on projects beneath their knowledge, you might start losing them to competitors.
Try Sophisticated Networking Projects for Longer-Term Client Relationships
When your computer repair business staff is able to take responsibility for creating long-term client relationships, its members will be much more gratified. Staff members will get to work with clients over a period of time and get to know clients very well. They get to be actively involved in building the relationships that sustain your computer repair business. They get attached and if they are loyal can be a great asset to your company.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Sunday, February 17, 2008
IT Sales Means Getting Past the Gatekeeper
If you want to make IT sales, you have to connect to the person that can get you an “in.” But getting past gatekeepers to find this person is not simple.
IT Sales Cold Calls
Cold calls are not easy, and you are probably not going to get past a gatekeeper/call screener that just takes your name and number but says she/he is not interested. Your best bet is to try a new method of gaining clients. But if you have to make cold IT sales calls, you need to get beyond the brush off.
Techniques for Successful Gatekeeper Circumvention
1. Call before the gatekeeper leaves or gets in (the person probably works from nine to five, eight to six or eight to four).
2. Send an e-mail.
3. Send a fax.
4. Mail a letter.
5. Send a postcard (this works fairly well because it is already an “open” piece of mail and will have a better chance of being seen).
6. Send a Fed-Ex marked “personal/confidential.”
While these “gimmicks” can sometimes work, they have been around for a while, and a lot of people will see through them.
IT Sales: What’s Even BETTER than “Gimmicks”?
The best way to get attention and get past the gatekeeper to the important people is to make a name for yourself in your area. Get to know other professional services providers like accountants and deeply-niched solution providers. Speak at events, hold your own seminars, volunteer and invest real, quality time in networking.
When you earn a reputation in your local community for being good at what you do and paying attention, you will gain the “know,” “like” and “trust” necessary to make IT sales. Trickery is not going to get you the long-term relationships you need to build your business.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
IT Sales Cold Calls
Cold calls are not easy, and you are probably not going to get past a gatekeeper/call screener that just takes your name and number but says she/he is not interested. Your best bet is to try a new method of gaining clients. But if you have to make cold IT sales calls, you need to get beyond the brush off.
Techniques for Successful Gatekeeper Circumvention
1. Call before the gatekeeper leaves or gets in (the person probably works from nine to five, eight to six or eight to four).
2. Send an e-mail.
3. Send a fax.
4. Mail a letter.
5. Send a postcard (this works fairly well because it is already an “open” piece of mail and will have a better chance of being seen).
6. Send a Fed-Ex marked “personal/confidential.”
While these “gimmicks” can sometimes work, they have been around for a while, and a lot of people will see through them.
IT Sales: What’s Even BETTER than “Gimmicks”?
The best way to get attention and get past the gatekeeper to the important people is to make a name for yourself in your area. Get to know other professional services providers like accountants and deeply-niched solution providers. Speak at events, hold your own seminars, volunteer and invest real, quality time in networking.
When you earn a reputation in your local community for being good at what you do and paying attention, you will gain the “know,” “like” and “trust” necessary to make IT sales. Trickery is not going to get you the long-term relationships you need to build your business.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Computer Repair Industry: What Are Your Responsibilities?
You have a lot of different responsibilities when working with clients in the computer repair industry. Which should you include as part of your services?
Coordinate Telecommunications
When working with sweet spot clients in the computer repair industry, you will most likely be working with the local telephone company, whether a CLEC or ILEC in order to get a leased line for your clients. You will have to research which connections you need to use and probably even dial-up networking recommendations. You may also have to work on tech support with ISPs.
The Computer Repair Industry and Testing
Your firm will probably end up working with vertical industry applications. You might bring these in or else just test the application out for your clients before they make the final investment. Your client will want your firm, as part of the computer repair industry to figure out how to fit in vertical applications with a network.
Train the Guru and Other Users
Your firm, as a representative of the computer repair industry will have to be involved in training (even if you don’t like it!). You may do some formal end-user training where you take small groups aside to teach about a new application. You might also engage in more informal training with the internal guru (the person within a small business that everyone comes to with questions). The guru can then train others on more routine aspects of applications.
There Will Be Some Disasters
When you work in the computer repair industry, you will be involved in disaster recovery planning, testing out data backup systems, antivirus software, power protection and general security. You also need to engage in proactive maintenance.
The Computer Repair Industry and Responsibilities
You will have the most value to your customers when you exhibit excellent problem-solving and strategic-planning skills. You need to be able to deal with clients’ IT needs, put them down on paper, organize solutions and figure out which need to be done right away and which can wait until later.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Coordinate Telecommunications
When working with sweet spot clients in the computer repair industry, you will most likely be working with the local telephone company, whether a CLEC or ILEC in order to get a leased line for your clients. You will have to research which connections you need to use and probably even dial-up networking recommendations. You may also have to work on tech support with ISPs.
The Computer Repair Industry and Testing
Your firm will probably end up working with vertical industry applications. You might bring these in or else just test the application out for your clients before they make the final investment. Your client will want your firm, as part of the computer repair industry to figure out how to fit in vertical applications with a network.
Train the Guru and Other Users
Your firm, as a representative of the computer repair industry will have to be involved in training (even if you don’t like it!). You may do some formal end-user training where you take small groups aside to teach about a new application. You might also engage in more informal training with the internal guru (the person within a small business that everyone comes to with questions). The guru can then train others on more routine aspects of applications.
There Will Be Some Disasters
When you work in the computer repair industry, you will be involved in disaster recovery planning, testing out data backup systems, antivirus software, power protection and general security. You also need to engage in proactive maintenance.
The Computer Repair Industry and Responsibilities
You will have the most value to your customers when you exhibit excellent problem-solving and strategic-planning skills. You need to be able to deal with clients’ IT needs, put them down on paper, organize solutions and figure out which need to be done right away and which can wait until later.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
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