Ever heard of this book? No? Most haven’t. Order it right now.

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-Zachary M. Morvik

Small computer services companies are all out there vying for the attention of bigger and better clients.  One large account can cover the running costs for up to six months, and of course, enhances the esteem of the computer services company.  Something to ask youself, however, is does this fit with your business model and plan?

A simple internet search will provide any company with a baseline of their competition out there, and of course where their computer services company stands in the internet search line up.  If you can’t even find your own company, nobody else can either.

Large companies are going to fit into two basic categories.  Some will be independent large companies while others will be branches of a national chain.  It is during this process that you are going to weed out the companies that you aren’t going to market to.  Large branch companies rarely hire local help, although they sometimes do.  More over, you are going to need to determine what types of large companies your computer services company can honestly handle as a permanent contract, assuming you end up with the best case scenario.

Once you have a handle on what your competition can offer versus what your computer services company can offer, as well as what types of businesses there are in the area that are independent and in most likely in need of your particular services, it is time to start the process of marketing.  Marketing is often called a process because that is exactly what it is.  You can’t expect to begin marketing and suddenly have all the business you can handle at your doorstep. Marketing, especially to larger companies, is a process.

Your marketing campaign which targets larger companies needs to be professional, persistent, and offer something unique that your competition can’t or doesn’t.  Can you offer exceptional 24 hour, weekend, and holiday service for a reasonable fee? Do you have a whiz kid security specialist on hand?  Do you have a unique edge that can be your foot in the door?  If so, then you know how to market to your larger fish.  If not, then you probably need to get one in order to market to your larger fish.  Many larger companies are looking for the services that are offered by large national chains, such as the “Computer Geek” companies.  These chains are difficult to compete with unless you can offer them something special, guaranteed (be careful with what you decide to guarantee) or more cost effective.

By promoting your company regularly to the large companies you are seeking to gain as regular clients, you are constantly reminding them of your services and your availability.  It may take months, but there is possibility that if your marketing material makes it to the right desk at the right moment, you may receive a phone call from a panicked potential client looking for immediate service.  If you marketed yourself accurately, you will be able to take on the client, swoop in to save the day, and find yourself with an aptly sized client.  These things don’t usually happen overnight, but they can, and trust me, do happen.

-Zachary M. Morvik

You need more prospects, so does everyone. Marketing is usually very foreign to most computer consultants. If you want to build your business or even have enough income to put food on the table, marketing needs to become a focus for you. Marketing strategies and tactics tend to vary in effectiveness in different markets, so which ones work in computer consulting.

Here are a few ideas:

Write white papers

There are so many different technologies in so many different sectors in the computer world. Pick some that you are extremely familiar with and write white papers. These can then be submitted to various white paper repository sites. This will help you to establish credibility.

Join Professional Networking Organizations

Here is a small list to get you started:

1. BNI - www.bni.com
2. Local Chamber of Commerce (just google your closest city along with ‘chamber of commerce’

There are usually many more, just google ‘<your city> professional network groups’ or try without the word professional.

Cross Promote

This is one of the more powerful marketing methods for computer consultants. Does your computer consulting computer do cable and wiring services? Some do and some don’t. What if you contacted some local cable and wiring companies and offered to have them do all your cable and wiring jobs if they would promote the computer services that you offer? I have used this method many times myself and I have helped others use this method as well. It is extremely effective. Do not pass it up.

Radio/TV Spots

While these have their associated costs, it may be worth testing for effectiveness. At our local football stadium, we have one local computer technology company who has a large sponsorship. Because of a close connection I have with the team, I have seen the continuation of their contract year after year. Trust me, they are likely not losing money and continuing this contract. Make sense? It has been so effective that our local Bell company has joined in with their technology services advertising.

Newspaper Articles About Your Business

This one takes some work, but can also be very effective. You need to learn the art of press releases. Just keep sending these and refining them so that you make it as easy as possible for editors to put your press releases in their publications. Editors love statistics, so you may get more of their attention if you use these in your press releases.

There many more methods that we will cover in time, but hopefully this will get your brain thinking.

-Zachary M. Morvik

How will you obtain new clients? When you talk to a prospect, what will make him or her remember you? If you use direct marketing and cold calling techniques (which are not very effective in this business) what will you send them after initial contact?

Word of mouth seems to be, by far, the best method for obtaining new business in the computer service business. If you find something better, let me know. But, there are many other methods as well. Regardless of which method you choose, you need marketing materials. Presentation is 90% of the prospecting game. You cannot afford to look like a one-man shop at this point. You need some professional grade marketing materials.

You are going to need a logo for your corporation. Very few people are both good at computer services and also good at graphic design. Outsource this task to a qualified graphic artist/designer. You will need business cards. Again, don’t do this at home. Hire a professional. It is not very expensive. Once you have your logo, create company letterhead, fax coversheet, envelopes (outsource this to your printer), labels, and presentation folders. Naturally, you will also be expected to maintain a website. How could you possibly be a computer services company and not have a website and domain name?

Your marketing materials should all compliment each other in both style, color, and wording. Use customer testimonials, references, biographies, articles, client lists, and more in your press kit. The more you can add, the more established you will look.

-Zachary M. Morvik

Getting Started in Computer Services

I worked for a computer services company for a little over four years.  If you have the time, but not the knowledge, I would highly recommend working for a computer services company to anyone interested in this field.  The knowledge you gain in both business and this field is invaluable and you get paid to learn!  By this I mean a computer services consulting firm.  Not Best Buy or some major retailer, a dedicated computer consulting company.  Small or large, that is your choice.

Having the knowledge to fix computers is not enough to start your own computer services company.  You need to understand business as well.  I can help in this area.  There is a stigma in this industry that many of the service professionals are “geeks” and have no people skills or ability to communicate in terms understandable to non-computer professionals.

While this has been true for many years, somewhat recently a shift has begun.  When people begun to see the dollar signs associated with computer knowledge and readily available certifications promising almost double the national median income, they flocked to this industry.

It has taken the industry some time to settle, but it is getting there.  Now, this industry emerges just like many others and no longer are the service professionals all “geeks”.  In a service business, interacting with people is at least as, if not more, important than being able to fix their computers.

Are you going to start off all by yourself, or will you have employees?  Do you have financing?  Do you understand basic tax law?  Do you mind accounting/billing?  Can you market and sell?  These are just some of the question you need to ask yourself before you take the leap.  You need to be able to do many of them to some degree.  Many of the processes that you do not do well or do not want to do can be outsourced.

If you are starting a small company all by yourself, you will initially need to do many, if not all, of these functions.  How you will get business is probably number one.  Revenue is the single requirement for all other things in business.  How will you prospect and find new clients/customers?  I’m going to cover everything I can as this blog grows so stay tuned!

-Zachary M. Morvik