When you are engaging in IT sales and especially when you are selling to strangers, you can’t lead with products! Your point with IT sales is to sell you as a solution – “You, Inc.” – and sell your expertise.
How Can You Add Value to Solutions?
You can’t just sell ordinary products and rely on them to sell others on the true value of your company. And similarly, don’t sell only to customers that want to buy products and nothing else. When you don’t bundle in solutions and value-added services with product sales, you end up competing only on price. If you want to grow your company and be in it for the long haul, you need to figure out where, when and how to add value.
How can you change your whole attitude with IT sales so you are not reaching “customers,” rather potentially very long-term, high-paying clients that will need you for an extended period of time as an outsourced IT department? The solution is not in rock-bottom prices … it’s about being a specialist and not selling yourself as a commodity.
Your Expertise Differentiates You from the Pack in IT Sales
There are a lot of generalists in your area, but not a lot of specialists. You need to be a specialist and one of the few in your area (if not the only one!) that does exactly what you do. When you can do this, you put yourself in high demand and attract those that will want to pay top dollar for very specialized solutions.
Your Experience and Niche Determine High Rates
When you no longer have to deal with price-sensitive buyers, you can add to your margins, because your clients will expect to pay more for the value of your expertise.
Stop relying on products to drive IT sales … and start selling what you know!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
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Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Computer Repair Business: Your Technical Staff Can Protect Your Business
When you are building your computer repair business, you have to be very careful about hiring your technical staff. Otherwise, you might end up training and supporting someone that will be your future competition!
A Computer Repair Business Example
As an example, let’s say that your computer repair business hires a technical employee and pays for advanced training: Microsoft; Cisco; Citrix. This employee might gain incredibly sharp skills and get great experience in the field.
But what if the staff member of your computer repair business wakes up one day and decides he/she doesn’t want to work for your company anymore? The person decides to start a home-based computer consulting company and take clients along for the ride!
Your Computer Repair Business and Forecasting Disasters
You can’t put all your eggs in one basket and rely on just one technical staff member to carry your entire company. You have to make sure you are really entrenched in the sales process and in the services delivered. You may not be the person doing all the work, and you may not have the strongest technical skills … but if you make sure to always stay involved and let everyone know you’re the boss, you can keep your clients loyal and long-term relationships strong.
Contracts are Important with Your Computer Repair Business
You need to be sure to cover yourself when it comes to you technical staff. Have staff members sign contracts – non-compete clauses, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), etc. – when you hire them (NOTE: Talk to your attorney!). Make sure you have a strong plan for your computer repair business so you can deal with legal issues and employee issues before they happen.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
A Computer Repair Business Example
As an example, let’s say that your computer repair business hires a technical employee and pays for advanced training: Microsoft; Cisco; Citrix. This employee might gain incredibly sharp skills and get great experience in the field.
But what if the staff member of your computer repair business wakes up one day and decides he/she doesn’t want to work for your company anymore? The person decides to start a home-based computer consulting company and take clients along for the ride!
Your Computer Repair Business and Forecasting Disasters
You can’t put all your eggs in one basket and rely on just one technical staff member to carry your entire company. You have to make sure you are really entrenched in the sales process and in the services delivered. You may not be the person doing all the work, and you may not have the strongest technical skills … but if you make sure to always stay involved and let everyone know you’re the boss, you can keep your clients loyal and long-term relationships strong.
Contracts are Important with Your Computer Repair Business
You need to be sure to cover yourself when it comes to you technical staff. Have staff members sign contracts – non-compete clauses, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), etc. – when you hire them (NOTE: Talk to your attorney!). Make sure you have a strong plan for your computer repair business so you can deal with legal issues and employee issues before they happen.
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
How Do You Overcome Computer Repair Business Sales Objections
If you are running a computer repair business, chances are you face challenges when it comes to overcoming client sales objections.
There are some common sales objections you might hear when you are selling networks to small business prospects, customers and clients and dealing with the ins and outs of a computer repair business.
Where Does the Problem Begin?
Typically, you start to run into objections when you talk about network upgrades and sophisticated technology services. At this point, small business prospects for your computer repair business will start to really focus on how much it’s going to cost them.
But do they understand the soft costs of not investing early in a real, advanced network? There are dangerous consequences such as lost employee productivity that results from cutting corners, downtime and service costs from computer consultants when dead-end solutions are chosen just because they don’t cost a lot of money.
Even if you do a thorough job with your initial consultation, IT audit, site survey and reports, you are going to have to face some client objections before making that final leap into a long-term client relationship.
Why Does Your Computer Repair Business Have to Overcome Objections?
One minor concern can ruin a whole sale, so you have to have great business development skills to help you overcome any objections. When you have the right strategies, you will be less apt to get emotional, defensive or annoyed. You will be more focused and able to figure out how to best solve complicated prospect problems and close your sale so you can get paying clients.
Sales Objection 1: Apathy
If small business owners are apathetic about networks, you might face weeks, months or years before they feel urgent enough about their computer repair business needs to hire you. But, when you know the roots, you will be able to push the process along. (For examples, visit the link to the corresponding article at the end of this blog entry!)
Network Reliability Can Overcome Sales Objections in the Computer Repair Business
PC/LAN network reliability might be questioned when a P2P server randomly shuts down and restarts because a specific software setup program decided to reboot.
P2P networks do not protect data. If it isn’t protected with fault tolerant hard drives, a tape backup drive, a server-class UPS and regularly updated virus-protection software, a P2P network can be a real disaster. Sometimes this can work to your advantage when you are facing apathy by when some divine intervention happens and a lightning storm, blackout or other disaster happens to show prospects just how unreliable their current setups are.
Catastrophic Data Loss Can Be Your Best Friend
Catastrophic data loss is a horrible situation for prospects and clients, but can really motivate them to overcome their apathy and hire your computer repair business to help them with sophisticated server solutions. All of a sudden, the people that were wavering about accepting your help and solutions will be really interested in your suggestions about networking which features centralized security and data protection (the very thing that could’ve prevented their catastrophe).
Discontinued Technical Support and Your Potential Computer Repair Business Clients
You can also overcome apathy-related sales objections by talking about discontinued technical support, particularly when it comes to vertical, industry-specific software: niche applications designed for accountants; software for attorneys, physicians, realtors, auto body shops, restaurants, etc.
Eventually, an ISV selling this software will stop offering tech support, updates and patches, and then what? You can be the person that solves these problems for them by being the person that will take over that sort of maintenance and support.
The Main Idea about Overcoming Sales Objections and Your Computer Repair Business
If you are working with computers and small businesses, you need to have great sales skills to overcome sales objections.
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
There are some common sales objections you might hear when you are selling networks to small business prospects, customers and clients and dealing with the ins and outs of a computer repair business.
Where Does the Problem Begin?
Typically, you start to run into objections when you talk about network upgrades and sophisticated technology services. At this point, small business prospects for your computer repair business will start to really focus on how much it’s going to cost them.
But do they understand the soft costs of not investing early in a real, advanced network? There are dangerous consequences such as lost employee productivity that results from cutting corners, downtime and service costs from computer consultants when dead-end solutions are chosen just because they don’t cost a lot of money.
Even if you do a thorough job with your initial consultation, IT audit, site survey and reports, you are going to have to face some client objections before making that final leap into a long-term client relationship.
Why Does Your Computer Repair Business Have to Overcome Objections?
One minor concern can ruin a whole sale, so you have to have great business development skills to help you overcome any objections. When you have the right strategies, you will be less apt to get emotional, defensive or annoyed. You will be more focused and able to figure out how to best solve complicated prospect problems and close your sale so you can get paying clients.
Sales Objection 1: Apathy
If small business owners are apathetic about networks, you might face weeks, months or years before they feel urgent enough about their computer repair business needs to hire you. But, when you know the roots, you will be able to push the process along. (For examples, visit the link to the corresponding article at the end of this blog entry!)
Network Reliability Can Overcome Sales Objections in the Computer Repair Business
PC/LAN network reliability might be questioned when a P2P server randomly shuts down and restarts because a specific software setup program decided to reboot.
P2P networks do not protect data. If it isn’t protected with fault tolerant hard drives, a tape backup drive, a server-class UPS and regularly updated virus-protection software, a P2P network can be a real disaster. Sometimes this can work to your advantage when you are facing apathy by when some divine intervention happens and a lightning storm, blackout or other disaster happens to show prospects just how unreliable their current setups are.
Catastrophic Data Loss Can Be Your Best Friend
Catastrophic data loss is a horrible situation for prospects and clients, but can really motivate them to overcome their apathy and hire your computer repair business to help them with sophisticated server solutions. All of a sudden, the people that were wavering about accepting your help and solutions will be really interested in your suggestions about networking which features centralized security and data protection (the very thing that could’ve prevented their catastrophe).
Discontinued Technical Support and Your Potential Computer Repair Business Clients
You can also overcome apathy-related sales objections by talking about discontinued technical support, particularly when it comes to vertical, industry-specific software: niche applications designed for accountants; software for attorneys, physicians, realtors, auto body shops, restaurants, etc.
Eventually, an ISV selling this software will stop offering tech support, updates and patches, and then what? You can be the person that solves these problems for them by being the person that will take over that sort of maintenance and support.
The Main Idea about Overcoming Sales Objections and Your Computer Repair Business
If you are working with computers and small businesses, you need to have great sales skills to overcome sales objections.
Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
Monday, March 10, 2008
Making Others Aware of Your Computer Repair Business through IT Marketing
If you want to sell services with your computer repair business you need to build awareness of a problem. And once you define the problem for prospects, you need to make them aware that your computer repair business is the right one to solve that problem through skillful IT marketing.
Seminar Marketing
Seminar Marketing is a great way to get prospects in touch with the philosophy of your computer repair business because it makes them aware of what you are offering very efficiently. Instead of having to go out on sales calls and spend a lot of time talking about basics with individuals, you get a room full of prospects all in one place at the same time and at attention.
No Pressure!
Seminars with IT marketing are a much less intimidating way for your prospects to learn about your computer repair business. If you set up proper registration and follow-up procedures, properly qualify prospects and invite effectively you can get a lot of business through seminars held surrounding key technology issues for your niche.
IT Marketing and White Papers that Build Awareness
When you publish a white paper or an e-zine, you can also get great lead capture and follow-up results. If you are running a direct mail campaign, you can offer a white paper or an e-zine with a high value. You can develop the white paper yourself, outsource to a freelance writer or adapt something from a reseller program. If you do regular seminars, you can just offer an edited transcript of this seminar as part of your computer repair business IT marketing strategy.
IT Marketing and Building Awareness!
You can advertise your white paper through display ads or direct mail pieces. It will give prospects a reason to call your computer repair business, go online and request something. And then you can capture information.
The Main Idea about Building Awareness of Your Computer Repair Business
In order to show how valuable you are to prospects, make them aware of the problems they have and that you are the best person to solve it. Use seminars and white papers as part of your IT marketing campaign.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Seminar Marketing
Seminar Marketing is a great way to get prospects in touch with the philosophy of your computer repair business because it makes them aware of what you are offering very efficiently. Instead of having to go out on sales calls and spend a lot of time talking about basics with individuals, you get a room full of prospects all in one place at the same time and at attention.
No Pressure!
Seminars with IT marketing are a much less intimidating way for your prospects to learn about your computer repair business. If you set up proper registration and follow-up procedures, properly qualify prospects and invite effectively you can get a lot of business through seminars held surrounding key technology issues for your niche.
IT Marketing and White Papers that Build Awareness
When you publish a white paper or an e-zine, you can also get great lead capture and follow-up results. If you are running a direct mail campaign, you can offer a white paper or an e-zine with a high value. You can develop the white paper yourself, outsource to a freelance writer or adapt something from a reseller program. If you do regular seminars, you can just offer an edited transcript of this seminar as part of your computer repair business IT marketing strategy.
IT Marketing and Building Awareness!
You can advertise your white paper through display ads or direct mail pieces. It will give prospects a reason to call your computer repair business, go online and request something. And then you can capture information.
The Main Idea about Building Awareness of Your Computer Repair Business
In order to show how valuable you are to prospects, make them aware of the problems they have and that you are the best person to solve it. Use seminars and white papers as part of your IT marketing campaign.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Use Your Computer Consultant Business Experts to Conduct Data Backups
Many small business owners use their computer consultant business experts to conduct data backups, but a lot do not. Computer data backups are something everyone knows they need to do, but not all do them.
Not backing up can be really dangerous, which is why enlisting the help of a computer consultant business in your area is very important. You need advice about how to choose and maintain your computers and backup procedures. Without a full-time backup person, you need to make sure you have a good idea of what is involved in the process.
Make Sure to Monitor
You need to make sure, even without your computer consultant business experts watching, you test computer data backups and monitor log files. For maximum effectiveness, they need to be automated so every job is launched consistently and correctly. The computer data backup system also has to be monitored so it keeps working correctly.
Don’t “set it and forget it” when it comes to your computer data backup system. Make sure you follow advice from your computer consultant business and test now or cry later!
Test, Test, Test!
Whenever you install a new data backup system, you can’t just assume everything will work. You need to make sure you use your computer consultant business expert to help you restore folders and files from your backup media and make sure the data backup system is still working.
If you include a verify run with each backup job as part of your routine, preferably once a week, you will be able to make sure you keep important information protected.
Moving Parts and Open Design
If you are purchasing reliable, business-class computer backup systems, you may be wondering why all these precautions are necessary. The fact is, anything with moving parts is more prone to mechanical failure. Also, your backup device is open instead of sealed, so the inside of a computer backup data system may attract dust buildup very quickly.
Sample Restore Jobs and the Importance of Cleaning Your Tape Heads
You need to test a tape for a sample restore job and simultaneously clean the heads of the backup drive when necessary. Restoring 200-300 MB of data to a scratch directory and running a head-cleaning tape will take you 15-30 minutes and is invaluable. Make sure you restore data to an alternate server folder path so you don’t disrupt shared folders.
Make a Checklist
When you have a crisis, the most important thing to ensure is that you get the data back onto your system undamaged very quickly. When you build your computer data backup system, you need to be sure to keep records of your test procedures in the form of checklists. Documentation can also help with cross-training and to prevent panic during emergencies when stress levels are high. This can help your computer consultant business work more effectively.
Watch Your Log Files
On top of running test restore jobs you need to look closely at your computer data backup system log files regularly. When your backup system is installed, you need to familiarize yourself with log files when everything is working. That way, when something goes wrong, you and your computer consultant business can figure out the problem quickly.
Make Remote Monitoring and Tape Backup a Reality
Many computer consultant business experts set up log files so they automatically are emailed to small business owners daily. That way, consultants can keep track of potential problems with the data backup system. Even without the help of experts, you should be monitoring proactively at both a centralized business location and other remote locations.
You can set up an e-mail alias to make the computer data backup system e-mail log files to you automatically or sent to a second-in-command as well as an external computer consultant so everyone is on the same page.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Not backing up can be really dangerous, which is why enlisting the help of a computer consultant business in your area is very important. You need advice about how to choose and maintain your computers and backup procedures. Without a full-time backup person, you need to make sure you have a good idea of what is involved in the process.
Make Sure to Monitor
You need to make sure, even without your computer consultant business experts watching, you test computer data backups and monitor log files. For maximum effectiveness, they need to be automated so every job is launched consistently and correctly. The computer data backup system also has to be monitored so it keeps working correctly.
Don’t “set it and forget it” when it comes to your computer data backup system. Make sure you follow advice from your computer consultant business and test now or cry later!
Test, Test, Test!
Whenever you install a new data backup system, you can’t just assume everything will work. You need to make sure you use your computer consultant business expert to help you restore folders and files from your backup media and make sure the data backup system is still working.
If you include a verify run with each backup job as part of your routine, preferably once a week, you will be able to make sure you keep important information protected.
Moving Parts and Open Design
If you are purchasing reliable, business-class computer backup systems, you may be wondering why all these precautions are necessary. The fact is, anything with moving parts is more prone to mechanical failure. Also, your backup device is open instead of sealed, so the inside of a computer backup data system may attract dust buildup very quickly.
Sample Restore Jobs and the Importance of Cleaning Your Tape Heads
You need to test a tape for a sample restore job and simultaneously clean the heads of the backup drive when necessary. Restoring 200-300 MB of data to a scratch directory and running a head-cleaning tape will take you 15-30 minutes and is invaluable. Make sure you restore data to an alternate server folder path so you don’t disrupt shared folders.
Make a Checklist
When you have a crisis, the most important thing to ensure is that you get the data back onto your system undamaged very quickly. When you build your computer data backup system, you need to be sure to keep records of your test procedures in the form of checklists. Documentation can also help with cross-training and to prevent panic during emergencies when stress levels are high. This can help your computer consultant business work more effectively.
Watch Your Log Files
On top of running test restore jobs you need to look closely at your computer data backup system log files regularly. When your backup system is installed, you need to familiarize yourself with log files when everything is working. That way, when something goes wrong, you and your computer consultant business can figure out the problem quickly.
Make Remote Monitoring and Tape Backup a Reality
Many computer consultant business experts set up log files so they automatically are emailed to small business owners daily. That way, consultants can keep track of potential problems with the data backup system. Even without the help of experts, you should be monitoring proactively at both a centralized business location and other remote locations.
You can set up an e-mail alias to make the computer data backup system e-mail log files to you automatically or sent to a second-in-command as well as an external computer consultant so everyone is on the same page.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
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