Small Business Computer Consulting

If you are like most who start their own small business IT consulting businesses, you probably find yourself juggling many tasks and wearing many hats to keep your business moving and growing.  But getting sustainable revenue doesn’t have to be difficult if you follow a careful business plan.

The Computer Consulting Kit offers a large number of tools and resources for small business IT consulting professionals that want to get and KEEP steady, high-paying clients and build the REAL relationships that will ensure business success many years into the future.

Let’s see how three IT consulting professionals JUST like you learned how to increase their revenue with the Computer Consulting Kit:

"Consultants are constantly losing incremental revenue. The Computer Consulting Kit offers a solution all computer consultants should adhere to."

- Trevor Estelle, The ASCII Group, Bethesda, Maryland

"Because of the Computer Consulting Kit, I weaned myself from home personal computer users. The Computer Consulting Kit provided guidance and a structured plan to focus on clients who would bring the best return.”

- Jael Faulco, Grow Biz Computing, Los Angeles, California

"The Computer Consulting Kit helps me confidently sell and sign clients to service contracts, guaranteeing monthly recurring revenue. We also now know how to approach clients at the right time. Just this alone was worth the entire price of the Computer Consulting Kit."

- Spencer Smith, Xavier Technologies, Oshkosh, Wisconsin

To learn more about how you can use the tools from the Computer Consulting Kit to help your IT consulting revenue, visit the attached link!

Blogged By:  Joshua Feinberg

Computer consultants that want to test prospects to see if they are really potential long-term clients can use proving ground projects before signing any long-term agreements.  

What Are Proving Ground Projects?

For computer consultants, proving ground projects are the first projects they will complete with new customers that are not yet clients or steady clients.  Computer consultants can use this time to prove they know what they are doing and are dependable, easy to work with and offer great value.

The customers also use these projects to prove to computer consultants that their expectations are appropriate, they are compatible personality-wise and that the customer will pay for professional IT services.

Proving Ground Projects:  Be Observant

If computer consultants have a positive proving ground project experience, they are on the way to having a steady client.  Many times, computer consultants are not observant enough while doing the proving ground project and end up starting a relationship with a client that is a real problem.  They can’t let themselves get too excited about getting a new client and must look for the following signs:

1.    Does the prospect change his/her mind all the time?

2.    Is the prospect late for meetings?

3.    Is the prospect verbally abusive towards employees?

4.    Does the prospect believe that regular rules are non-applicable?

Computer consultants can’t rush into relationships until they appropriately qualify every prospect with proving ground projects.

Blogged By:  Joshua Feinberg

In 2002, a lot of vendors decided they should try to push 802.11a wireless Ethernet products – supposedly the latest and greatest thing in wireless networking.  

Unfortunately for them, at the same time the 802.11g  was in development and should probably eventually overtake both the 802.11b and the 802.11a models.  The best idea is to recommend wireless Ethernet that supports all the standards:  802.11b; 802.11a; 802.11g.

Wireless Ethernet is an Opportunity for Your Business

Because you are an IT consultant, you should know that wireless Ethernet is a great chance for you to grow and improve your business.  But because there are a lot of already-installed 802.11b products and most 802.11a products are not compatible with the “b” products, you will have trouble if you work with an 802.11a standard at the moment.  

The Main Idea about Wireless Ethernet

Wireless Ethernet will probably take over wired services (CAT 5) eventually as the main small business networking standard.  But it’s not clear yet when or how this will happen, so computer consultants should still take advantage of wireless Ethernet as a true business opportunity.

Added By:  Joshua Feinberg

Are you interested in saving yourself significant time and effort so you can better run your computer consulting business?  Who isn’t?!  The time is now to visit the Computer Consulting Kit and check out its pre-made templates designed to make your life easier.

Many computer consultants spend significant time creating the same documents over and over again – support contract forms, service forms, sales and tech assessment sheets – for their clients when they could be relying on tried and tested templates provided instantly by the Computer Consulting Kit that will cut HOURS of time off their administrative tasks.  

As your business gets more complex, you need to have some “automated” systems that help you better manage the daily tasks of handling your important relationships with clients, partners, vendors, etc.  Your time is worth upwards of $100 per hour, and you can’t afford to waste it creating templates over-and-over again that leave you reinventing the wheel when you could be making things simple with Computer Consulting Kit pre-made templates that you can customize to fit your unique business needs!

The Computer Consulting Kit offers literally dozens of templates that you can incorporate into your business.  Simply download the Computer Consulting Kit from our secure download facility, including the templates, customize each and print!  If you don’t believe how much these templates can help you grow your business and maximize your time and efficiency, ready the testimonials from computer consultants just like you that have used them successfully in their businesses!

Visit the Computer Consulting Kit link to learn more about pre-made templates today.

Added By:  Computer Consulting Kit

When you use templates for your computer consulting business, you save time that gives you more time to focus on relationships with your clients, prospects and customers and make the most of your computer consulting business.

The Computer Consulting Kit offers positively dozens of easy-to-customize templates to use alongside marketing activities, sales, partnering opportunities, support contracts and other functions that require forms and checklists.  These many templates have been proven by consultants all over the world to take years off your learning curve (meaning no matter at what stage you are in your business development, you can get ahead TODAY), save hundreds and even thousands of valuable hours of time and add tens of thousands of dollars (or more!) to your company’s value.

Because your time is worth $100 per hour or even more when it comes to working with your clients, the templates offered by the Computer Consulting Kit are crucial.  Not only is it their investment, but it’s your revenue on the line.  

Time is always important for computer consulting business owners.  So there really should be no reason why, when offered the opportunity, a computer consultant wouldn’t jump on immediately downloadable, field-tested and very easy-to-use, customizable templates that can be used for support contracts, marketing endeavors, partnering relationships, subcontracting, etc.

Templates from the Computer Consulting Kit are immediately available.  All that is left to do after the download is to customize the template and print it out.  

For more information on how to instantly receive YOUR very own customizable templates from the Computer Consulting Kit, visit the attached link.

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

You have to properly advise clients when dealing with their IT spending.  Many clients will feel they have to make all PC purchases within a small period of time and follow a “use it or lose it” policy when it comes to their budgets.  You need to get owners when they are approachable to advise them against this mentality. 

Discourage Frivolous Spending

Those experienced in the IT consulting world and with giving advice about IT spending know that small business technology purchases are most successful when planned carefully.  You don’t want your clients to go to the warehouse club or local office supply store and buy $20,000 worth of equipment with a corporate credit card. 

When IT spending is unplanned, your clients’ support costs can actually go up.  They also might be sabotaging a progressive technology plan that helps them keep their systems more secure and dependable. 

Discuss IT Spending Before it Gets out of Hand:  Discussion Points

1.  Do your clients have written technology budgets for the year?

2. What happens if their budgets are not used up during the year?

3. What kind of planning needs to be done in order to spend on PC-related items?

4. Should you discuss anticipated support costs before recommending PC purchases?

5. Do clients’ major tech purchases typically happen after a great year or quarter?

6. Have your clients regretted hasty IT spending because it turned out to be on a really unreliable, difficult-to-support piece of hardware?

Created By:  Computer Consulting Kit

Sweet spot small businesses do have support needs such as strong desktop support skills and some LAN skills.  But which certifications are really most important for your clients?

Which Tasks will Require Support?

Sweet spot clients will mostly be looking for assistance with popular desktop applications like Microsoft Office, Intuit QuickBooks and Interact ACT!  They might also need help doing hardware upgrades and setting up shared folder backup software.  They will also need help with antivirus and firewall software tasks.  So which IT certifications will these require from you?   

The Different Needs of Micro Small Businesses

Micro small businesses with fewer than 10 PCs and with P2P networks don’t typically care at all about IT certifications because they have very low budgets.  IT certifications for this type of business mean they may have to pay for someone way overqualified for the job.

IT Certifications Are Most Important to Real IT Managers

IT certifications really only become important when you find yourself selling to a real IT manager in a larger small business (50 or more systems).  An experienced IT manager will know what different IT certifications mean and will be looking for deeply-niched experts instead of just generalists.  Typically they will need someone with specific IT certifications to fill specific sales gaps.

The Main Idea about IT Certifications

Sweet spot clients offer a different opportunity and are an area a lot of small business computer consulting firms focus.  This space – with 10 – 50 PCs – is just the space where sophisticated IT support is necessary but IT certifications do not need to be complex.

Added By:  Computer Consulting Kit

As IT specialists, you must get through to your target audience with your marketing campaign.  Researching your niche is essential to achieving this goal.  

Study What Your Niche Clients Do

If you are IT specialists working with small medical offices, you need to know about their most impactful business issues (and namely the ones that affect the decision makers).  Subscribe to industry publications, e-mail newsletters and anything else they might read.  (See the attached link for examples of these important publications that IT specialists must read!)

While the resources given are U.S.-based, there are many others you can get as IT specialists looking to do research.  Your goal is to determine what worries small businesses in your niche, what motivates their decisions, which security issues bother them and in general which IT issues are most worrisome RIGHT NOW so you can be great IT specialists for them.  

Which Solutions Should You Give Your Clients?

You need to find out how those within your niche are using technology to change their businesses and make them more efficient.  Whichever industry you are dealing with as IT specialists, you need to research the biggest trends at the moment.  You will be expected to be a real expert.  

Remember – IT Specialists are Virtual CIOs

When you go to meet prospects, you need to stand out as IT specialists and not just the firm that sells PCs, installs LANs or fixes software issues.  Analyze their specialized needs and prove you are the expert!

Added By:  Computer Consulting Blog

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

Micro small businesses frequently need to use internal gurus or free help, which is why the sweet spot is the best area for IT consulting.  Which rates are appropriate for the sweet spot (in U.S. Dollars)?

IT Consulting Range for the Sweet Spot

The rate range for the sweet spot of IT consulting (aside from for moonlighters or gurus) is typically between $50 and $125 or even up, depending on the skill set, niche and geographic service area.  However, if you want to project a professional image in the sweet spot small business industry, you should not be charging less than about $75 – $80 hourly.  

What is Your Lowest IT Consulting Rate?

$75 – $85 per hour should be the lowest you will accept for IT consulting.  And you should only charge that low rate when you have clients committing to you for a long period of time or signing service agreements.  Charging anything below this amount for your IT consulting services could find you going out of business.  

Blogged By:  Joshua Feinberg