When you are first starting a computer business, you might wonder which types of consulting business firms are out there for technology providers. What exactly are pure consulting business firms, and how do they work best?
Pure Consulting Business Firms and Technology Providers: A Definition
Many computer consultants decide to start pure computer consulting companies because they have no interest in reselling products because they believe they will not make a profit off product margin or for some other major reason. A pure computer consulting firm is one that provides solely technology business solutions for its clients and does not bother with reselling hardware, software or peripherals. These types of consulting business firms WILL help their clients decide which products to buy and tell them which specs they should look for and where they can buy quality products.
Many computer professionals enjoy great success with this business model because of the pure profit margins and the opportunity to really get in there and provide comprehensive business solutions without having to bother with messy product sales.
Alternatives to Pure Consulting Business Firms
1. Purchasing Agents: A purchasing agent does the buying for clients and then bills them for a couple hours for this. These types of agents review quotes, place and track orders and take the purchase to the end.
2. Hybrid Firms: With this type of business model, consulting business firms will resell just some products. A lot of times this means reselling a white box PC (a PC clone), which means selling non-branded desktops, servers and sometimes notebooks.
Today we talked about pure consulting business firms and how they differ from other types of computer consulting businesses. Ultimately you should choose the business model that works best for you, but be sure whichever you choose suits your specialty and goals.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
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Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
IT Careers: 3 Tips for Computer Consultants
Those computer consultants looking for real IT careers have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to build strong businesses with steady, high-paying clients. If you are looking for IT careers, the following tips can help you organize your services and skills as you start your business.
Tip 1: Your “Ideal” Clients will Need Help with Specific Tasks
Your ideal or “sweet spot” clients will need help with some popular desktop applications; Microsoft Office; Intuit QuickBooks and Interact ACT! will be important to know if you want IT careers. They will also probably need your expertise setting up shared folder backup software and updating antivirus and firewall software. You will also most likely run into PDA syncing tasks and work with Microsoft Outlook. Generally, your clients NETWORKS will be of the utmost importance as well.
Tip 2: Remember, Differently-Sized Businesses Have Different Needs
Micro small businesses (those with fewer than 10 PCs) will usually have peer-to-peer networks and very low-end computer needs compared to your ideal clients. You will NOT need certifications to work with this group, and they are often seen as negatives by small business owners that won’t want to pay someone who is overqualified.
Tip 3: IT Certifications Are Really Only Important to Real IT Managers
When you sell to a real IT manager in a larger small business (with 50 or more systems) as part of IT careers, you will be dealing with someone that knows more about certifications and will see them as important. However, this is probably not going to be your target market as a “generalist” computer consultant because these types of buyers will be looking for very deeply-niched specialists that can fill in skills gaps.
Today we talked about some tips for building and thinking about IT careers as computer consultants. To learn more about IT careers, visit the attached link.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Tip 1: Your “Ideal” Clients will Need Help with Specific Tasks
Your ideal or “sweet spot” clients will need help with some popular desktop applications; Microsoft Office; Intuit QuickBooks and Interact ACT! will be important to know if you want IT careers. They will also probably need your expertise setting up shared folder backup software and updating antivirus and firewall software. You will also most likely run into PDA syncing tasks and work with Microsoft Outlook. Generally, your clients NETWORKS will be of the utmost importance as well.
Tip 2: Remember, Differently-Sized Businesses Have Different Needs
Micro small businesses (those with fewer than 10 PCs) will usually have peer-to-peer networks and very low-end computer needs compared to your ideal clients. You will NOT need certifications to work with this group, and they are often seen as negatives by small business owners that won’t want to pay someone who is overqualified.
Tip 3: IT Certifications Are Really Only Important to Real IT Managers
When you sell to a real IT manager in a larger small business (with 50 or more systems) as part of IT careers, you will be dealing with someone that knows more about certifications and will see them as important. However, this is probably not going to be your target market as a “generalist” computer consultant because these types of buyers will be looking for very deeply-niched specialists that can fill in skills gaps.
Today we talked about some tips for building and thinking about IT careers as computer consultants. To learn more about IT careers, visit the attached link.
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Monday, June 16, 2008
IT Proposals: Should You Write Them for National Service Organizations?
To put it bluntly, do NOT write IT proposals for national service organizations … unless you want to spend inordinate amounts of time getting certified and learning the latest and greatest platforms and technologies. Hardware repair is a commodity and a very low-margin business, and it’s becoming a real commodity as we move into the future.
Why are IT proposals for national service organizations a waste of time for small business computer consultants?
1. Computers are replaceable! When you’re dealing with a $600 consumer-grade PC (or even lower these days!) – which is what you can expect from national organizations on a budget – do you really think you’re going to get a call to repair it that is going to net you a huge amount of money from IT proposals. How much would anyone spend on this? It would be more advisable for these people to simply buy a new computer.
2. There are low labor allowances with national organizations for IT proposals. National service organizations in particular are going to be dealing with very inexpensive hardware, so they will not have a large labor allowance, especially not on a $1,200 notebook. So, you can’t expect much in the way of revenue for your efforts.
3. Consulting contracts and IT proposals sent to national service providers will NOT be profitable. If you are a subcontractor for a national service provider, you’re not going to be able to run a good consulting business. You’ll be in eight different offices every day and you won’t get to bill out $100-$150 an hour for high-end computer support.
Today we talked about why IT proposals to national service organizations just won’t work for the typical small business computer consultant. To learn more about this topic, visit the attached link!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Why are IT proposals for national service organizations a waste of time for small business computer consultants?
1. Computers are replaceable! When you’re dealing with a $600 consumer-grade PC (or even lower these days!) – which is what you can expect from national organizations on a budget – do you really think you’re going to get a call to repair it that is going to net you a huge amount of money from IT proposals. How much would anyone spend on this? It would be more advisable for these people to simply buy a new computer.
2. There are low labor allowances with national organizations for IT proposals. National service organizations in particular are going to be dealing with very inexpensive hardware, so they will not have a large labor allowance, especially not on a $1,200 notebook. So, you can’t expect much in the way of revenue for your efforts.
3. Consulting contracts and IT proposals sent to national service providers will NOT be profitable. If you are a subcontractor for a national service provider, you’re not going to be able to run a good consulting business. You’ll be in eight different offices every day and you won’t get to bill out $100-$150 an hour for high-end computer support.
Today we talked about why IT proposals to national service organizations just won’t work for the typical small business computer consultant. To learn more about this topic, visit the attached link!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
4 PC Maintenance Contract Tips
When you are starting to build your own business based on the concept of the PC maintenance contract, you probably will get pretty overwhelmed with the amount of information you need to digest to get organized.
To get things started right with your computer consulting business and incorporate the PC maintenance contract into relationships with clients, think about the following tips.
Tip 1: Pick a Start-Up Date
Picking a launch date for your business seem really simple, but it’s something that many professionals fail to do and then stick to when they’re just starting up. You need to choose a real date for starting your business that is accurate TO THE DAY and write it down. No matter when it is, look at it regularly as you are managing your business and organize everything around it.
Tip 2: Narrow Down To-Do Lists
You need to have manageable to-do lists when you’re building a business based on having a PC maintenance contract with each client. Narrow down the list to just the top 10 priorities and start to do them in order. For example, you might have things like meeting with an accountant, getting a business resale license, opening a distributor account, etc. or things that seem simple like choosing a company name, coming up with a rough business card, etc. Manage your list before launch, and you will be more likely to complete them on time and successfully.
Tip 3: Organize and Order Your List
Once you get the top 10 things you need to do before launching your business based on the PC maintenance contract, rank them in chronological order and work on a manageable one or two per week. You can do this in Microsoft Excel or Word.
Tip 4: Get Together a Timeline
Think about it – if you’re launching your computer consulting business five weeks from now and you have 10 things total that are an absolute priority to get done, you’d want to do about two things each week. When you think of your tasks on a timeline, they will be much more manageable.
Today we talked some tips to get started building a business around the idea of the PC maintenance contract. To learn more about this topic, visit the attached link!
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
To get things started right with your computer consulting business and incorporate the PC maintenance contract into relationships with clients, think about the following tips.
Tip 1: Pick a Start-Up Date
Picking a launch date for your business seem really simple, but it’s something that many professionals fail to do and then stick to when they’re just starting up. You need to choose a real date for starting your business that is accurate TO THE DAY and write it down. No matter when it is, look at it regularly as you are managing your business and organize everything around it.
Tip 2: Narrow Down To-Do Lists
You need to have manageable to-do lists when you’re building a business based on having a PC maintenance contract with each client. Narrow down the list to just the top 10 priorities and start to do them in order. For example, you might have things like meeting with an accountant, getting a business resale license, opening a distributor account, etc. or things that seem simple like choosing a company name, coming up with a rough business card, etc. Manage your list before launch, and you will be more likely to complete them on time and successfully.
Tip 3: Organize and Order Your List
Once you get the top 10 things you need to do before launching your business based on the PC maintenance contract, rank them in chronological order and work on a manageable one or two per week. You can do this in Microsoft Excel or Word.
Tip 4: Get Together a Timeline
Think about it – if you’re launching your computer consulting business five weeks from now and you have 10 things total that are an absolute priority to get done, you’d want to do about two things each week. When you think of your tasks on a timeline, they will be much more manageable.
Today we talked some tips to get started building a business around the idea of the PC maintenance contract. To learn more about this topic, visit the attached link!
Added By: Computer Consulting Kit
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
IT Marketing: It's about Diversification!
When you think about IT marketing as a computer consultant, one of the most important words is “diversification.”
What does this mean? You need to make sure you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket; don’t rely on just ONE IT marketing technique to get leads, prospects, customers and clients … instead throw out a very targeted net in different directions to cover all your bases.
IT Marketing and “Targeting”
For example, when you do a direct mail campaign, you need to know exactly who you are trying to reach and come up with a very targeted message for this particular person or group of people. You can’t just send out a stock, generic message about your computer consulting business and expect to get results; you need to know the unique problems and business needs of those you are trying to reach and speak to these issues through your IT marketing message.
Diversification Can Be Overwhelming
If you are just getting started with your computer consulting business, you will probably feel a little overwhelmed when you find out there are about 30 IT marketing tasks you can do. DON’T do them all at once, by any means … instead pick four or five that look appealing and start working your way through the list a quarter at a time. The main point is, you need to have a few IT marketing tasks going on simultaneously to get the best results.
Some IT Marketing Tasks
Here is just a list of some IT marketing tasks you can try …
1. Outbound telemarketing;
2. Postcard mailings;
3. Follow-up mailers;
4. Direct mail letters;
5. Trade shows;
6. Seminars.
The Main Idea about Diversification
No matter what you do with your marketing, make sure you are hitting different areas and measuring and tracking your successes and failures.
Today we talked about IT marketing and how you can get more from diversification. To learn more about this topic, visit the attached link!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
What does this mean? You need to make sure you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket; don’t rely on just ONE IT marketing technique to get leads, prospects, customers and clients … instead throw out a very targeted net in different directions to cover all your bases.
IT Marketing and “Targeting”
For example, when you do a direct mail campaign, you need to know exactly who you are trying to reach and come up with a very targeted message for this particular person or group of people. You can’t just send out a stock, generic message about your computer consulting business and expect to get results; you need to know the unique problems and business needs of those you are trying to reach and speak to these issues through your IT marketing message.
Diversification Can Be Overwhelming
If you are just getting started with your computer consulting business, you will probably feel a little overwhelmed when you find out there are about 30 IT marketing tasks you can do. DON’T do them all at once, by any means … instead pick four or five that look appealing and start working your way through the list a quarter at a time. The main point is, you need to have a few IT marketing tasks going on simultaneously to get the best results.
Some IT Marketing Tasks
Here is just a list of some IT marketing tasks you can try …
1. Outbound telemarketing;
2. Postcard mailings;
3. Follow-up mailers;
4. Direct mail letters;
5. Trade shows;
6. Seminars.
The Main Idea about Diversification
No matter what you do with your marketing, make sure you are hitting different areas and measuring and tracking your successes and failures.
Today we talked about IT marketing and how you can get more from diversification. To learn more about this topic, visit the attached link!
Added By: Joshua Feinberg
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