Small Business Computer Consulting

Current events, such as outbreaks of viruses and worms can help your marketing efforts when mentioned in the news.  Small businesses that are your targets will probably be feeling the pain of major outbreaks and be hyper-aware of what you can do for them. particularly with IT audits.

When small businesses see important technology current events in the news, they might notice they need power protection and orderly shutdowns or backup generators to protect themselves.  Worms and virus clean-up will have serious security risks attached and will be a perfect opportunity for you to conduct IT audits.  

IT Audits and a Marketing Plan

You can compile a fixed price IT audits package and deliver it to prospects.  Go in with an inventory checklist and discuss physical system security, virus protection, licenses, firewalls and if they are regularly checking tape drive and storage systems.

Almost all small businesses will offer you a very big cleanup opportunity as new accounts.  Businesses believe they are more well-protected against malicious forces such as viruses than they actually are in reality.  IT audits will allow you to inform them of necessary updates to antivirus software and other systems.  

IT Audits and Data Backups

When you question prospects about data backup, they may look confused or tell you what they think is right rather than what is real.  Typically systems are not kept current without a good tech provider or in-house IT department.  

IT audits present great opportunities to uncover weaknesses in small businesses and try to hook long-term clients.  IT audits allow you to present prospects with an organized attack plan that includes items such as upgrades, training, replacement and other important business elements.  

Added By:  Computer Consulting 101

Attorney General of California Bill Lockyer announced on Friday that he cannot tie computer business Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd to any crime.  The computer company has been under investigation for activities in 2005 that suggested the company was using illegal means to determine the source of security leaks to the media.

Lockyer stated that the investigation would look at those at the top of the computer business’ corporate chain.  However, Lockyer reported to sources that he has no evidence yet that the CEO of HP is in any way attached to the crimes.   

Hurd has been closely watched since reports were published earlier in the week suggesting he was involved more in HP’s probe than was initially suspected.  Major news sources announced that Hurd was the one to approve the sting operation to rat out a reporter that released security information about the company.  

If Hurd is involved in the scheme, he may follow the lead of computer business’ HP executive Patricia Dunn who will resign in January because of her involvement.  Hurd was set to discuss the issue late Friday.  The company continues to insist that it used outside investigators.  These outside investigators used false identities in order to get phone records from employees, board directors and journalists involved with HP.

Lockyer says that his office is still in the midst of the investigation of the computer business, but that the conclusion will come hopefully in weeks or even days.  

Blogged By:  Joshua Feinberg

During a direct mail campaign, you need to know your target audience so you can come up with the right message.  You might feel frustrated when you think about all the IT marketing tasks you have to do; instead of trying to do everything at once, list the four or five most interesting and work on those each quarter.  You should have several IT marketing tasks going on simultaneously.

Innovative IT Marketing Concepts

You can conduct outbound telemarketing, postcard mailings with a certain number sent to a certain group and plenty of follow-up.  You can also go to trade shows in your area, expos or even hold your own seminar.

Diversity of IT Marketing Techniques is Key

You should touch on different areas in IT marketing and find out a way to measure and track them.  You need to know how much time and money you can put into each task and figure out leads you will get from time and money you are investing.  Once you discover what works, you can focus on that instead of what is not as successful.

IT Marketing Evaluation

Once you choose an IT marketing technique, make sure to stay with it for two or three months to see how it succeeds or fails.  Once the quarter ends, stay with the IT marketing strategies that worked, get rid of those that were unsuccessful and add some new ones to the pot.  IT marketing is about constantly refining techniques to grow with your business.

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

Recent news for IT consultants is that the revenues obtained through the sale of security software increased by 15 percent in 2005.  Market researchers claim that this percentage increase was motivated by developments within the antivirus market.

In 2004, the revenues were $6.4 billion, whereas last year they rose to $7.4 billion.  Antivirus software purchased by IT consultants and business owners on its own produced a revenue of $4 billion, which was 54.3 percent of the total.

Organizations continued to spend money on security in 2005 and analysts expect that the industry will grow significantly in the next few years as IT consultants help businesses comply with government and other regulations.

The security field was led by Symantec last year, and the company was responsible for over 32 percent of the revenue globally in 2005.  Similarly, the company was responsible for about 54 percent of sales in the antivirus sector.  McAfee was next in line with a market share of 12 percent, followed distantly by Trend Micro at 8.5 percent, CA at 6 percent and IBM at 4 percent.  The security field continues to be a hot market for IT consultants. 

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting 101