Small Biz Tech Talk ™

Contact management systems are an excellent way to track the success of your various marketing techniques. You can put together a quick spreadsheet to track your contact data but why?  It is time consuming and with the excellent contact management systems available commercially, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.

Your primary role is business development not software development.  Rather than spending your time creating a custom contact management system, you should be out there drumming up more contacts to put into a system.

There are many different contact management systems out there.  You can spend more than $25,000 on a system if you choose.  What you spend though, is less important than the amount of time you spend and discipline you follow actually using the contact management system.  

When buying a contact management system, the off-the-shelf packages are, for the most part, pretty good.  There are two contact management systems that get a lot of attention:  ACT and Goldmine.

• Act sells for a little over $230, provides links to PDAs and has an online version.  

• Goldmine is the second most popular contact management system with many of the same features at a price point of approximately $200.

• Other notable contact management systems are Maximizer, which is similar to Goldmine, and Sales Force, which has a free online service that is very limited or you can upgrade to the Team Edition for $1000 per year.

Key features to look for in most of the modern contact management systems are:

• Import and export capability from all the popular Microsoft formats – Word,
• Excel, Outlook
• Links to PDAs
• Links to accounting software
• More robust client server online solutions

Bottom Line on Contact Management Systems
Contact management systems are great – but they are only great if you actually use them. Do some research before purchasing a contact management system and make sure you are committed to using it.  You do need to start using a contact management system so you might as well get into the habit early on – better to know what marketing techniques work right from the start rather than spending a lot of time and money on things that are not producing results.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to contact management systems. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about contact management systems, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business. 

Referral programs are becoming very popular with Solution Providers.  One of the simplest and most efficient ways to organize your referral program is to set it up on your web site.

The process starts by creating a referral program page.  You can then manage the process automatically. Here are some tips for setting up a web-based referral program:

• Create a web site referral form for your clients to fill out.

• Set up a custom thank you page for the referral source to see once they submit a form to the referral program.  

• Send an auto responder email to thank them for their tip and recap how your referral program works.  

• Send the referred lead a note advising them that so-and-so used your referral program to get you in contact with them. Here’s a sample note:

“Dear Sally, We have been helping Bob out with some of his computer problems over at the ABC Accounting office and they suggested that we contact you to see how we may help you with your computer needs.  Enclosed you will find a discount VIP voucher to help you get acquainted with ABC’s services.  I will be calling during the week of blank to make sure you have received the information and if there is any way I can be of service to you.  In the meantime please feel free to contact me at my phone number or email address at any time.”  

• Follow up your note with the appropriate enclosures.  Include a brief description of your referral program, put an expiry date on the offer, include a business card, sticker and any other marketing collateral you have.  

• Set up a system where the leads that come in through your referral program are automatically entered into your contact follow-up system.

Bottom Line on Referral Programs
Referral programs are an efficient way to get high quality leads.  Setting up a referral program on your web site makes the process even more efficient.  You can automate many of the follow-up functions and you keep tight control on what goes out and to whom.  Creating the necessary forms and pages on your web site is simple which makes a web-based referral program a low input, high return proposition.  

In this article, you’ve been introduced to referral programs. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about referral programs, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business. 

Starting a new business is one thing, actually getting paying clients is another.  Clients won’t know you’re starting a new business unless you tell them.  So you have to start telling people right away.

Here are some tips for getting the word out: 

• You should have at least 50 people on your contact list.  These are the people you are going to let know that you are starting a new business.

• Start with family members outside of your immediate family – brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, nephews, in-laws, cousin in-laws, sister-in-laws.  

• The next set of people who should know you are starting a new business are your immediate circle of friends – friends, neighbors, the parents of your kids’ friends, your parent’s friends.   

• Now think about where you spend your money.  The people you do business with should know you are starting a new business – hopefully they will return the favor.  Take out your credit card statements and bank statements.  Look at all the people you send money to on a personal basis every month.  

• Accountants
• Attorneys
• Cleaning services
• Babysitters
• Contractors
• Doctors
• Dentists
• Stock brokers
• Hairdressers
• Repair persons
• Insurance agents
• Tutors and instructors
• Veterinarians

• Your list will be more extensive, but this is a start to the number of people you need to tell you are starting a new business.

• When you do business with companies where you have direct contact with an owner, manager or decision-maker, make sure you tell these people personally that you are starting up a business.  Visit them, call them, or send them an email at the absolute minimum.  

• Every time you pay a bill to a local company, enclose a business card with the check.  What better and efficient way to let people know you are starting a new business?

• When you receive phone solicitations don’t dismiss the caller.  Tell him/her that you don’t need their services right now but you will hold onto their information. Then proceed to tell them that you are starting a new business and ask for a referral.

Bottom Line on Starting A New Business
When you are starting a new business you need to shout it from the rooftops.  Think of everyone you know and start telling them.  Be creative in your approaches and take every opportunity you can think of to tell people about your new business.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to starting a new business. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about starting a new business, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.

Selling techniques are as varied as the people who practice them.  There are, however, some proven selling techniques for IT Consultants just starting out.  Here is a list:

• Personal visit.  This selling technique is going to get you the best results:  Highest touch, most personal contact, most effective.  

• Personal phone call.  When you use this selling technique you are still providing high touch and so it is quite effective.  The trick to getting the most mileage out of your phone call is to send a follow-up note immediately after.  This part of phone contact is often ignored and will set you apart from your competition.

• Send a note or letter.  This is not as personal or high touch but it is a popular selling technique nonetheless.  Things you can do to improve the effectiveness of this selling technique are to send a handwritten note and customize the message to make it more personal.

• Send an email.  This is a low touch and minimally personal selling technique but many people feel comfortable with this type of communication.  Make sure you spell check your message carefully and send only one email at a time.  This selling technique will fall flat if the "To:" line is full of 100+ names.

• Set Yourself a Quota.  This selling technique provides discipline.  Most new business owners will avoid personal selling if allowed.  Make a commitment to contact at least 2 new people on your contact list per day until the list is exhausted.  Then get networking and add more people to your contact list.

• Ask for referrals only.  When you are contacting people don’t go for the sale.  One of the smartest selling techniques is to ask for referrals rather than sales.  There is no pressure when you ask for a referral and this gives you an opportunity to follow up by sending some stickers or business cards for the person to hand out.  

Bottom Line on Selling Techniques
Selling techniques may not come naturally to you.  This is not an excuse to forgo trying them.  The selling techniques that are most effective are the ones that are high touch and highly personal.  The message you send out is that each person is important.  Try to use as many highly personal selling techniques as possible.  Barring that, make the selling techniques you are using as personal as you can.  

In this article, you’ve been introduced to selling techniques. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about selling techniques, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business. 

Sales calls are an art form.  Many new IT Consultants have never had to sell anything before.  For the uninitiated, sales calls are intimidating.  By gaining the right perspective about a sales call and understanding the possible outcomes, you are on your way to becoming a sales call expert.

When you are on a sales call the trick is to guide the client’s decision.  You ask them questions that almost seduce them into hiring you. This is an entirely different dynamic than when you are pushing them during the sales call. An effective sales call has the client pushing you to take them on.  

With every sales call you will have one of four outcomes (2 good, 2 bad) as follows:    

• Client needs emergency service:  many sales calls end this way.  There is something that is broken that needs to be fixed.  You fix it right away and that proves to the client you know what you are doing, you’re likable, and you’re trustworthy.  You end up with a couple of hundred dollars in revenue which proves to you this client is willing to pay for the services.  

• Client is receptive to your audit or IT needs assessment:  Here the sales call ends with a contract for further work.  

• Client is just picking your brains – this sales call is free advice in disguise. These people have typically never had professional IT service and they aren’t about to pay for it.  Be on the look out for these sales calls and cut them loose.

• Client is shopping prices:  this sales call is a solicitation for bids.  They aren’t really interested in your services, they just want to know what it might cost them to do what they need to do.  

Bottom Line on Sales Calls
Sales calls are part of business. Some will end well, others will be a waste of time.  The  important things to remember are (1) do not involve yourself in hard selling; let the client come to you, and (2) be on the lookout for the type of sales call you are on. Use this information to determine your next steps and how long you stick around.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to sales calls. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about sales calls, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.

Marketing techniques are as plentiful as they are varied.  The marketing consultants, advisers, service providers, etc… all make sure that you have many different marketing technique options to choose from.  The difficulty is in choosing which ones will work the best for your business.  

Here is a list of some of the more common marketing techniques used by successful Value Added Resellers.

• The number one marketing technique is, and always will be, relationship marketing:  Marketing through networks and business organizations to generate referrals.

• The number two marketing technique is hosting seminars.  You can choose to host your own or partner with other professionals or niche technology providers.

• Third on the list of top marketing techniques for Value Added Resellers is direct mail. As long as you use a highly targeted list, direct mail can be a very effective marketing technique.

• The last category of marketing techniques are the miscellaneous activities that work well for some and not so well for others.  Here are some optional marketing techniques for you to try in addition to the mandatory three listed above.

• Entity marketing
• Government and education marketing
• Lead sharing from Independent Hardware Vendors (IHV) and Independent software vendors (ISV)
• Marketing to become a sub contractor for other businesses
• Opening a retail computer store in a busy strip mall
• Targeted cable TV ads
• Door hangers
• Canvassing and telemarketing
• Magazine ads

These marketing techniques might not have the same punch as networking, hosting seminars, and direct mail but they are worth considering in order to mix it up and attract clients you aren’t reaching through the other channels.

Bottom Line on Marketing Techniques
Marketing techniques have a distinct hierarchy.  Your most highly concentrated marketing technique should always be relationship marketing.  Follow that with hosting seminars and direct mail.  The remainder of the marketing techniques you should be considering are those that fall into the miscellaneous category.  Leave the miscellaneous marketing technique budget small but consider various ideas and try them out – you never know what might catch on.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to Marketing Techniques. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about Marketing Techniques, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business. 

Media publicity is a great way to build your professional profile and credibility.  Get interviewed, get featured, get quoted, or somehow get into the local newspaper or business journal and use this media publicity to your advantage.  

Use the media publicity you have generated when you create your business collateral. You will get more mileage out of your media publicity this way than simply relying on people to see it in print or on TV, or hear it on the radio.  

Here are some popular and simple ways to get media publicity:

• Talk to the hosts or producers of any local computer related or small business related TV or radio shows.  Convince them that your expert opinion is valuable.

• Generate media publicity by getting benefits focused testimonials from local celebrities, prominent business owners, and politicians.  Get photos with these local celebrities so you can use them in your own print and online marketing collateral.  

• Host public seminars and create your own media publicity.  Develop a reputation as an expert in your community.

• Speak at high profile local organizations and business events as a computer expert.  These events will likely be covered and you will get media publicity.

• Teach something IT related at the local community college.  You will get media publicity in their brochures and course catalogues.

• Write a computer tips column for the local newspaper, regional business magazine or a business organization’s newsletter.  This is a great way to raise your profile through media publicity.

Bottom Line on Media Publicity
Generating media publicity is an excellent means of raising your profile and building your credibility.  When you get media publicity you are automatically perceived as an expert.  This helps your computer consulting business enormously.  Think about creative ways you can garner media publicity and then use the coverage you get in as many of your marketing pieces as possible.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to media publicity. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about media publicity, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.

Networking groups often meet during the day.  This poses a logistical problem for those computer and IT consultants who have regular jobs and are moonlighting as they try to start their business.  Attending networking groups is critical for business success so you need to be able to balance the conflicting time schedules as effectively as possible.

Here are some tips on how to attend networking groups when you’re moonlighting:

• First, look for networking groups that hold their functions in the early evenings.  There should be quite a few networking groups that have this type of schedule.  This allows you to minimize your time off work.

• If you have to leave work early to attend a networking group function, try to minimize the disruption to your employer.  Give lots of notice and try to get your work caught up ahead of time.

• Consider using up personal days in order to attend the "can’t miss" networking events that crop up.  

• If you find there are networking groups that like to meet for breakfast, arrange to arrive at work late.  

• Long lunches are another strategy to use when trying to attend networking events.  These  mid day meetings tend to be the least disruptive to your work and your consulting gigs.

• Be choosy about what networking groups you join and which functions you attend.  Identify the "must go to" events and consider foregoing those that are not as appealing. In a perfect world you would attend any and every networking group but when you are moonlighting you will have to compromise.

The Bottom Line on Networking Groups
The key thing to remember when considering how to attend networking groups while moonlighting is this:  you need to get out and attend these events.  Your business needs the contacts you will make through these networking groups.  It is up to you to arrange your schedule so you can attend the events your networking groups put on.  You might have to get creative by going in late, taking long lunches, using up personal days, asking for the day off because your hamster is sick, or having another doctor’s appointment to deal with that stubborn itch.  Whatever you do, don’t jeopardize your job but make an honest effort to attend as many networking group functions as feasible.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to networking groups. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about networking groups, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business. 

Joshua Feinberg, author of the Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit, will be speaking next Tuesday, June 27 at the Ziff Davis Media SMB Virtual Tradeshow: "The World is Flat – Using Technology to Compete on a Grander Scale".

At 5pm EDT on Tuesday, June 27, Joshua Feinberg will be part of a panel discussion on how SMBs can proactively protect their data from various threats and how to prepare for the next big data disaster.

Also on the panel are Donna Childs, Co-author, "Contingency Planning and Disaster Recovery: A Small Business Guide" and Tom Serio, Director Business Continuity Management for Office Depot. The moderator is Pam Schancupp, Executive Editor, Ziff Davis Media eSeminars.

Joshua Feinberg will also be a providing a complimentary special report to attendees on how to disaster-proof your small business computer systems.

To sign-up for "Hot Button Panel 3: You Get What You Pay For: Disaster Recovery and Continuity Strategies That May Save Your Business", visit http://smb.eseminarslive.com/ and click on the Registration link at the top of the page.

To learn more about Joshua Feinberg, author of the Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit, visit http://www.joshuafeinberg.com/
 

Training seminars provide many benefits to your computer services business.  They are one of the best ways to increase your network.  Training seminars also allow you to highlight your unique skills and abilities to a large number of people all at one time.

Sponsoring a training seminar however, takes a lot of commitment.  They are not easy to organize and execute but the payoffs are typically worth it.  When you are considering offering a training seminar it is good to be familiar with the inherent benefits they offer.    Let’s look at them in detail:

• Training seminars offer one of the fastest ways to grow your network of qualified prospects literally dozens at a time.  You are showing people what you can do and by participating in the training seminar the attendees get to know you, like you, and trust you very quickly.

• Training seminars train the audience to call you when they have computer problems.

• Training seminars train the audience to recommend you when they hear that somebody else is having computer problems.

• The combination of these two benefits accelerates the positive word-of-mouth advertising that is going around.

• Training seminars give you a valid excuse to follow up with the members of your audience. You can ask for feedback, ideas for other training seminar topics, survey them on their current computer needs, etc…

• You can use your training seminars to make special offers to the audience.  This type of incentive may be the impetus a few of them need to call you and set up an appointment.

• The people who attend your training seminars remain on your contact list long after the presentation is over.  You can contact them a few times a year and include them in your mailings, offers, additional seminars, product announcements, promotions, etc…

The Bottom Line on Training Seminars
Training seminars increase your contact list in leaps and bounds.  They create a foundation of trust and allow your name to be front and center when the audience encounters computer problems or knows someone who does. Study the benefits list above and then decide whether offering training seminars makes sense for your business – chances are your answer will be a resounding yes.  

In this article, you’ve been introduced to training seminars. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about training seminars, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.  

Direct mail post cards are one of the most popular ways to market a computer consulting business.  Networking is one of the most effective ways to market.  Let’s look at how the two marketing techniques compare to one another.  You can use this information to decide whether direct mail post cards are right for you.

• For the most part, the leads that you get through direct mail post cards are not as high quality as the ones you get through networking.  You have no opportunity to create a personal connection by simply sending a direct mail post card.

• On the other hand, it can take several calls and points of contact to build trust and credibility with networking.  Direct mail postcards are less time intensive.

• Direct mail post cards allow you to make an offer that is time lined and focused.  With networking you just have to put it our there and see what bait, if any, your contacts take.  

• Direct mail post cards can run on autopilot after a while.  Networking requires continual effort.

• Networking is very time intensive.  You spend about 35-40 hours a year going to functions for each organization you belong to.  You have to continuously focus on maintaining relationships you have built.  With direct mail postcards, once you have designed your copy and done your printing and posting that is it.  

• Your response rate with direct mail post cards depends on how targeted your mailing list is.  Of 10,000 cards you might, if you are really lucky, get a 1% response rate  – it is more likely to be one quarter to one half of a percent.  Your success rate with networking is much higher.  

• The cost per lead acquisition with direct mail post cards can be as much as $2000 to $5000.  Networking might cost $1000 per organization per year.  

The Bottom Line on Direct Mail Post Cards
When you compare direct mail post cards to networking you will find trade-offs for both.  There are pros and cons on each side.  The only way you will know which method works best for you is try both direct mail post cards and networking and then track your results over a period of time.  Once you have some baseline data you can make an informed decision about whether to use direct mail post cards or not.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to direct mail post cards. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about direct mail post cards, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.

Direct mail campaigns are a great way to reach many prospective clients in one shot.  There are many tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of your direct mail campaign.  Rather than having to learn the hard way, we’ve assembled some of the most effective techniques for maximizing the return on your direct mail campaign efforts.

Direct Mail Campaign Secrets

• If you are going to mail more than 1000 pieces, consider testing two headlines to see which one draws more inquiries.  

• Also remember to test which one of the headlines in your direct mail campaign converts more inquiries into customers.  

• Consider putting your name and photo on your direct mail campaign post cards.  

• Include a one sentence or so full feature, benefit centered testimonial from a local small business owner.  

• Use a two-step selling process with your direct mail campaign. Offer qualified small business owners something free and irresistible.  This way the business owners have to fill out a qualifying questionnaire as the first step in the direct mail campaign. Good free items to offer include:

    Booklets
    CDs
    DVDs

• Rather than offer a free product in your two-step sales process, offer a free needs analysis appointment or initial consultation.  Make sure you keep this appointment to a maximum of  30 – 45 minutes.

• Use your free offers to build trust.  Whether your direct mail campaign offers a free product or service, prove your trustworthiness by always following through with your free offer.

• Consider offering a seminar.  Seminars should be part of your overall business strategy so use your direct mail campaign to kick start your schedule.

• Always set a deadline date for the free offers.  Giving 14 to 30 days to respond to a direct mail campaign is an adequate time frame.  If you prefer, you can also limit the quantity offered to the first x number of customers.    

The Bottom Line on Direct Mail Campaigns
Direct mail campaigns are impersonal so you need to be very creative when trying to entice people to contact you.  Including personal information, adding testimonials, and making free offers are all excellent ways to improve the outcome of your direct mail campaigns.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to direct mail campaigns. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about direct mail campaigns, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.   

Small business development is a make or break activity when starting out as an IT consultant. You need to get your name out there as much as you can.  Business won’t drop into your lap – you need to use proactive small business development techniques to get things moving.

The foremost method for small business development is reaching out to business organizations.  You should try to blanket your entire region. To get this kind of coverage, your small business development takes time.  

Plan to get out to 8 to 12 events of all sorts in any given month.  To be effective, in your first year of business you should be spending a minimum of 15 to 25% of your time on small business development.  If you work a 40 hour week (which is more like a 55 hour week) you should be spending one to two days a week on small business development activities.  

Other small business development activities include:

• Follow ups
• Highly targeted direct mail campaigns
• Seminars
• Networking

In the first few months, before you have regular clients, you will likely spend 50 – 80% of your time in small business development.  You can cut this down once you are on your feet.  As your client base improves you can pare your small business develop down to four to six events a month and eventually get down to two to three.  

Small business development is more important than your administrative duties and your IT training.  You will have plenty of time to take care of those things after you have built up a pool of regular, long-term clients.

The Bottom Line on Small Business Development
Small business development is your job.  If it is not most of your job when you first start out then something is wrong.  As you get more and more clients your small business development will get progressively less but it should never get to zero. This is the life-blood of your IT consulting business so give it the attention it deserves.   

In this article, you’ve been introduced to small business development. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about small business development, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.

Business relationships are hard to build when you are in a position where you don’t know anyone yet.  Perhaps you are new to town, don’t know the area, or haven’t joined a business organization yet. Although it seems like a chicken and an egg scenario, the only way to develop business relationships is to get out there and do it.

As a new computer solution provider you might not have been thinking pro-actively about the importance of business relationships.  Once you realize how critical business relationships are to your business though, you simply need to dive in and get started.  

Accelerate Your Business Relationships
If you want to accelerate the business relationship building process there really is no quick or fast cure.  There is no magic pill you can swallow and overnight wake up with a strong network of business relationships.  

Business relationships are a time game and a numbers game.  You have to spend significant time to get reasonable numbers.  Not surprisingly, the 90/10 rule applies to business relationship development.  For every 10 hours of discretionary time, you should spend nine of those working on your business relationships and the remaining one hour, keeping up with IT technology.

If you really want to accelerate your relationship building, think about putting in a consistent 8 to 10 hours per week joining business organizations and getting active in them.  Instead of going to 2 or 3 events a month with 20 or 30 people, go to 2 or 3 events a WEEK instead.  If you do this you will meet 80-100 people and your odds of creating strong business relationships will increase greatly.

The Bottom Line on Business Relationships
Business relationships aren’t born overnight.  Not knowing anyone or being new to an area are not justifiable excuses for not developing business relationships.  The people won’t come to you so you need to commit to go to them.  The more active you are in your community and in business organizations the higher your chances of making high potential business relationships.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to business relationships. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about business relationships, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.

Performance metrics need to be tracked diligently.  This is never more the case than with networking activities.  Many computer consultants know they should be tracking specific performance metrics but fail to have a system to actually do so.  

A Profit and Loss type method for tracking performance metrics works quite nicely.  By setting up a PNL statement you can use your defined performance metrics to track and measure the performance payback from each of the organizations you get involved with.  

PNL and Networking Performance Metrics

• Set up a separate statement for each organization you are involved with.

Track the expenses on one side:

• Record the dates and meetings/events you attend
• Record the time and money you spent on each event
• Record how many new kinds of contacts you made
• Record how many existing contacts were strengthened
• Record how many people you met again for the second or subsequent time shook their hands, talked to briefly and reactivated that contact

Track the paybacks on the other side:

• Record the date and the name of qualified leads that entered your prospect funnel
• Record the name of the meeting or event that generated that contact
• Record any service revenue that you ultimately received from that contact
• Record service revenue you received as a direct referral from that contact

Once you have recorded your key performance metrics over a period of 3 – 6 months you can begin your analysis. You need to track these performance metrics for a sufficient amount of time because it takes a few months to complete a sales cycle.  You should start to see some trends after 3 to 6 months.  

Because of the sales cycle and the prospect’s stubbornness to change, sometimes you’ve got to wait a little more than 3-6 months to see definite trends. You are measuring key performance metrics to get an accurate picture of what is going on. Don’t cut off your analysis too soon and risk dropping a good organization because you haven’t used a long enough time horizon.

The Bottom Line on Performance Metrics.
Using performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of your networking activity is a critical business activity. Using a profit and loss type scenario is a quick and easy way to determine where you are getting paybacks and where you aren’t.  Use that information to make the changes required.  Performance metrics are the best and truly objective way to gather this information and make these decisions.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to performance metrics. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about performance metrics, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business. 

Follow up is a critical activity for maximizing your lead potential.  Whenever you meet anyone you should immediately send a follow up letter, postcard, phone call – anything to keep your name in their mind.

You go to meetings and business networking events to make contacts.  The contacts you make might not be interested right away but if you do a good job of follow-up, when they are ready they know who to call.  Good follow up activities include:

• Postcards
• Emails
• Phone Calls
• Letters
• Flyers
• Seminar invites

You don’t want your follow up to be overwhelming.  Typically sending your contacts something every few months is sufficient.  You should aim to provide some sort of follow up four to five times per year.

Follow up will lead to business.  That is why you must follow up with everyone. Do not discount any lead.  Perhaps you lose out to a competitor the first time.  The person who hired your competitor may leave, the competitor him or her self may move on; you never know what will happen.  By continuing your follow up, you are in a position to step in should the opportunity arise.  

The Bottom Line on Follow Up
Follow up is extremely important.  You need to keep your business name in the forefront of people’s mind.  This way, if/when they need your services they will be more inclined to call you than a random number from the phone book.  The cost to follow up with your leads is minimal and the rewards can be huge.  

In this article, you’ve been introduced to follow up. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge of follow up, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.

Service agreements will raise your monthly income and help your clients see you as a business partner rather than a technician. Know your time is money, and consider how to structure your time so you get the maximum ROI of your time. 

Read on to find out how one of our computer consultants was able to benefit by service agreements and the professional mindset that come with them:

“Mentally I progressed from a one man band working out of a garage to professional business to business technology solutions provider working as part of a client’s organization. I have had the Computer Consulting Kit for 6 weeks or so and it told me things I already knew but never realized I knew it. It therefore gave me belief in my product which has meant I can comfortably add value to my services and charge for time I was giving away before. It’s too early to put a dollar figure on related revenue though I have, however, amended my contracts and have had 2 takers so far which restructures my time, which in turn will generate more income.”

Nigel Webb, Xytec Services Ltd
Sittingbourne, Kent, UK

The Bottom Line about Service Agreements

To learn more about service agreements, click here now to get access to free tips and an audio training excerpt on service agreements.

Service agreements will raise your monthly income and help your clients see you as a business partner rather than a technician. Know your time is money, and consider how to structure your time so you get the maximum ROI of your time. 

Read on to find out how one of our computer consultants was able to benefit by service agreements and the professional mindset that come with them:

"Mentally I progressed from a one man band working out of a garage to professional business to business technology solutions provider working as part of a client’s organization. I have had the Computer Consulting Kit for 6 weeks or so and it told me things I already knew but never realized I knew it. It therefore gave me belief in my product which has meant I can comfortably add value to my services and charge for time I was giving away before. It’s too early to put a dollar figure on related revenue though I have, however, amended my contracts and have had 2 takers so far which restructures my time, which in turn will generate more income."

Nigel Webb, Xytec Services Ltd
Sittingbourne, Kent, UK

The Bottom Line about Service Agreements

To learn more about service agreements, click here now to get access to free tips and an audio training excerpt on service agreements.

Service agreements can even out your cash flow and allow you to hire additional staff without worrying how you’re going to pay them. Start with your current customers and ask them to sign service agreements, then begin to make it a part of your business procedure to encourage new clients to sign them immediately.

Read on to find out how one of our computer consultants was able to grow his business by implementing service agreements:

"We convinced more existing clients to sign up for service agreements and became much more comfortable with selling the service agreements up front. This increased our average monthly billings related to service agreements, which smoothed out our cash flow, enabled us to hire a senior level consultant without the worry we would go months without enough cash and increased the overall value of our business. The Computer Consulting Kit contains all the information a company needs to start implementing service agreements once an attorney reviews the contract to make sure it conforms to local law."

Patty Laushman, The Uptime Group, Inc.
Lakewood, Colorado

The Bottom Line about Service Agreements

To learn more about service agreements, click here now to get access to free tips and an audio training excerpt on service agreements.

One key component of a computer consulting business is moving from a break/fix mentality to a consistent revenue stream. Service agreements can benefit your customers and your business.  

Read on to find out how one of our computer consultants was able to substantially add to his billing by using service agreements and some other business tactics:

"This year I have realised that I need to have certain important tactics in place to be profitable and have cash flow. These include: Reduction of terms from 30 days to 7 without complaint or loss of business; Increase of billing rate by 15% without complaint or loss of business; Selling proactive services than reactive services. I hate fixing viruses and Spyware! It taught me more on how to sell value and ROI rather than break/fix services and hardware."

James Harbidge, Small Biz IT
Leicester, Leicestershire, UK

The Bottom Line about Service Agreements

To learn more about service agreements, click here now to get access to free tips and an audio training excerpt on service agreements.