You have the option of going after businesses of different sizes when you work in the IT consulting industry.  Beyond your sweet spot small businesses that have 10 – 50 computers and 10 – 100 employees, you have large small businesses that have 50 – 100 computers and 50 – 200 employees.

The Logistics of a Larger Small Business

The main characteristics of larger small businesses is that they have at least two servers, and typically an in-house IT manager that does a lot of generalist work.  Because they do generalist work, they will not need the same type of IT consulting services as smaller businesses will need.

You Need Networking Skills and Specialization

When you are working with large small businesses in IT consulting, you need to get deep into two or three networking skill sets and be highly specialized.  If you want to target mid-sized small businesses, you need to develop a different business model.

Going After Mid-Sized Businesses

When you start to deal with more than 100 computers, more than 100 employees and over three dedicated servers, you are in the mid-sized business arena of IT consulting.  There will typically be an entire IT department with this type of business.  In terms of IT consulting, they will only be outsourcing very deep specialty tasks.

Where is Your IT Consulting Business Going?     

If you want to get involved in medium-sized small businesses with IT consulting, concentrate on deep networking skills.  If you want to go even further than that, start concentrating on enterprise platforms like Computer Associates, IBM, Linux, Oracle and Sun Solaris.  To succeed, remember to SPECIALIZE your IT consulting skills.

The Big Picture of IT Consulting

Most small businesses are about 12 – 18 months behind when it comes to technology.  Make sure you know what your targeted businesses need before you get involved in IT consulting.

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit