JKinSD
Wed Oct 15 20:49:14 CDT 2003
Hello Kara,
Good luck on your new consulting adventure.
As for the installments on Questions 1 you posted, IMHO the advertising and
marketing that we have done (starting as a two person
consulting/installation corporation) has done nothing when compared to the
word of mouth that our business has been built on. So, unfortunately, after
all the fliers, mailers, postcards, events, leg work and all the above, our
best bet was to just treat and take care of the existing and initial 2-3
clients as best we possibly could, then sit tight, learn as much as we could
during the slow time and hope that it paid off. Now we are turning away work
as a 4 man company looking for expansion and another good
consultant/technician to help out. I dunno, word of mouth is the ONLY way we
have grown.
If anything I would recommend finding a niche, ie. custom db development,
high-end graphic work, POS specialist, anything you have an interest
in...but make it a true niche. For example, installing automated backup
systems to small businesses will help but you wont live off it very long,
instead look for something like installing automated real-time off-site
backup systems of an integrated linux/ms environment...now thats a small
niche to build on. Then try and market that to SPECIFIC companies. My $0.02
on doing what youre doing and how to get clients.
As for Question 2:
Becoming a preferred reseller of a hardware provider like Dell has its
adv/dis. For us, Dell was the best choice. Here's why...
We started out building our own units, and while they were slick, fast, and
built right, after say 20-30 clients at 10-25 PC's a pop, you realize your
new profession is now a little something called warranty. I dont like or
enjoy the technician work I once did and wanted out fast. The margin
dwindled to nearly nothing, and for us to be good consultants to our clients
meant that somebody needed to get them hardware faster than I was willing to
pay for it (meaning stocking 20-30 hard drives, video cards, memory, POWER
SUPPLIES, etc...). This is where a company like Dell kills it. With 4 hr
24x7 response that client gets what they want when they need it. For the
extra $$$ it is more than worth it, if your clients cant see that, you may
not want them as a client (: Just getting started out though, I didnt see it
that way...I wanted the work and our prices showed...unfortunately, as a
result, my clients didnt get the response I feel the extra money is worth.
Its the same for your local stores, MOST clients dont want to be toting a PC
down to the local Fry's, CompUSA, or whatever and wait in line to replace a
failed drive, video card let alone wait the 1-2 days to get their
workstation back. Meanwhile an employee sits there for two full days
sharpening pencils. On the other hand, if you can find a local hardware
provider that does an excellent job while keeping things in stock and can
warranty their units for 3 years with 4-24 hr response time, then go for it.
Its been my experience that these types of providers (although worth it for
certain applications) are MUCH more than Dell.
If you are having a hard time selling a Dell to your potential client, take
them to their website, show them that the $399 computer isnt really $399
after one click into the cart process. Explain to them the difference in
products, TEACH them, then you will win and they will grow to trust you
because of it.
As for Question 3:
I have never worked with a POS program. I know there are tons out there:
http://tinyurl.com/r3k2
Heres one:
http://tinyurl.com/r3l9
Its just a matter of getting trial versions, looking at company history, get
on their users group, do a mock tech support call and see who you get on the
other line, weigh all these factors and then make your recommendations. The
best thing to do is to always let the client decide if you can, get them the
demo, set it up for them in a working environment, get them working with it
and see what they think, make them realize its a big commitment to change a
database program that runs their business, expense wise as it involves not
only upgrades, software but the most valuable asset -> employees time
Good Luck!
JKinSD
"Karanne" <karanne@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:uY6jnv0kDHA.2160@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Hello, everyone!
> Well, like a lot of people, I was laid off (from a helljob), and now
trying
> to get the consulting biz going. In addition to getting the details like
> insurance and an ISP I can trust to recommend/resell, I'm chasing the
first
> client. Preferably this would be a B2B client, but I wouldn't turn down a
> B2C at the moment. We've decided to market Computer and Network
> installations, upgrades, with staff and executive training. This has
> generated two questions so far, in addition to the marketing problem. I'd
> like to get feedback on all three, if possible.
>
> Question One:
> With marketing, so far I've:
>
> 1.) Made up fliers and posted them on the public boards in local grocery
> stores and Wal-Marts. (Hey, people gotta eat, y'know!);
> 2.) Handed out business cards to people, and let them know I pay a
'finder's
> fee' for referrals;
> 3.) Walkabout to local small businesses (mom & pop's) with flyers & cards;
> 4.) Pulled business info off the state's web site for fictitious name
> registration, dumped that into a contacts database along with #3, so I can
> send out mail merge letters.
>
> Other suggestions? I'm really in the dark here.
>
> Question Two:
> Are there any preferences between the local white-box hardware suppliers,
> Dell/etc, and something like Dell's whitebox marketing program? Someone
sees
> a Dell, etc. workstation listed for $399, they don't realize that it
doesn't
> come with an OS or something like an office suite, not to mention
printers,
> etc. This can easily rack up that $400 workstation to an $1800 workstation
> ...
>
> What are your preferences?
>
> Question Three:
> Point Of Sale terminals. Two of my potential clients are restaurants that
> right now just have the usual credit card box up front, but they'd like
> something fancier. Now, I can build them a workstation, even wall-mount a
> flat-panel display, but that doesn't get them the restaurant software, or
> the POS software that ties in to something like Simply Accounting running
on
> the manager's office machine. I know that QuickBooks offers a POS kit,
but
> you need to buy QuickBooks, then buy two copies of the POS add-on pack in
> addition. Since Intuit seems to be taking licensing and pricing lessons
from
> M$FT (<g> - Don't sue me, Bill!), I'm looking at alternatives to
QuickBooks.
>
> How do you handle the retail/restaurant POS problem?
>
> I'm cross-posting this to alt.computer.consultants.moderated, as BellSouth
> doesn't carry this newsfroup, and MS's newsserver doesn't carry the alt.*
> hierarchy.
>
> TIA,
> Kara
>
>
>
>