Comments on: 7 Simple Marketing Tips for Your Computer Business

By: Mark Oster

Mark Oster — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:17:06 +0000

I started using small desktop US Flags (from libertyflags.com) — and put my company name and number on gold foil stickers on the base. I have found clients that I have done work for almost six years ago with that little American flag STILL on their desk.

http://store.libertyflags.com/american-flags—premium–stick-flags-p1359.aspx

By: myHelpfulNerd

myHelpfulNerd — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:14:18 +0000

Here’s a creative one I came up with recently: add to your work order (or whatever you leave behind with the client as a receipt) a small section requesting that they write an online review of your company if they’re happy. If even a few happy customers leave reviews for you, you’ll probably have far more than your competitors, which will help out when people are comparing you online. Oh, and be sure to have a few work orders WITHOUT the review section on hand for the occasional bad call!

By: Bill in Detroit

Bill in Detroit — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:50:47 +0000

jross … Carhart has some tough garments that look good enough to be professional, but will also take something of a beating. It’s nice to have the second pocket, too. I suspect that a quick Google will find somewhere to get a logo appliqued on the front above the pocket. TADA – uniform!

For the places you describe, that’s about as formal as you would want to get. (I’ve worked in them … but not as a techie.)

By: jross

jross — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:11:50 +0000

Great ideas.

I use stickers which I try to put on the back side of monitors when they are in a situation where a customer will be standing or sitting there staring at the back of a monitor. ALWAYS ask your client and make it clear what you are doing and where you are putting them. If they like you, they usually say yes, and then look on the back of their monitor for your number.

I use vehicle advertising also. I bartered a simple network install with a business in my area. It was money well spent. When I pull into my clients business and I know I will be there for a bit, I try to park it so it is plainly visible from the closest major road. I couldn’t decal the back of my car as it is often covered in mud, snow and ice. Wagons are bad for that. The back windows on sedans stay cleaner for rear window advertising.

While small magnets may not damage computers, it sets a bad precedent. I’ve seen car salesmen stick their dealer plate to their towers and that is definitely powerful enough to do some bad things if placed in the wrong location. Everything was fine until he spun his tower location and placed in directly across his hard drive and processor.

I struggle with the uniform thing as I seem to be working on a server one minute and crawling around tracing wiring etc the next. Many of my client locations are pretty grubby due to the nature of their work. Plasma cutters, mechanical shops, I’ve destroyed enough dress pants to fill many bags. Shirts too. If anyone had any great uniform ideas, I’m all ears.

By: William

William — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:32:07 +0000

@Marc

Fridge magnets aren’t powerful enough to damage a computer, they’re barely enough to hold on to the surface let alone damage the track of a debit card or hard drive. The Gauss is just to low.

Magnets work great, I put stickers with a unique id number on every customers tower and monitor and give them a magnet for their fridge or desk. If they want to take it off, they can, but they don’t, it’s a small Avery 5167 label and works great.

Put it this way, in 6 months when things go south on their pc, you don’t want them scrambling for your number, you want them to look in one place and find it everytime.

By: Marc

Marc — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:05:21 +0000

I shy away from the magnets, because I’ve had a few customers bring computers in with our competitors’ magnets stuck to the side of the computer tower … and of course, magnets and computer parts don’t play nice together!

I do have some peel & stick magnets that I attach a business card to ONLY when a customer asks for one and I specifically tell them NOT to put it on their computer!

By: Mathew

Mathew — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:02:44 +0000

Regarding vehicle advertising, I’d also suggest business card holders like these:

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/CUT-COIN-STORE-Money-Clips-and-more/Vehicle-Business-Card-Box-Holder.html_

I have them attached to my magnetic signs. People walking by can snag a card or two very conveniently. It’s a simple way to multiply the value of the vehicle signage.

By: Ivan

Ivan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:47:24 +0000

These are great tips. In addition, refrigerator magnets are a great tool because the phone number is right there and it difficult to lose it compared with a business card.

Also, we give discounts depending on how ofter the customer calls us to request a service.

By: Tony McKimm

Tony McKimm — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:12:13 +0000

We despise the kind of stickers that are impossible to remove in one piece, so we had magnets made instead. They cost more, but we realized that if we give one to everyone we talk to in the shop (along with an official notepad), we mention it is a fridge magnet. This way they still have access to our contact number, and everyone who visits them will see it on the fridge. We’ll probably still get some basic stickers for just the computers (ones that peel off if desired), but the fridge magnets are more visible to more people.

By: G Bains

G Bains — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:12:41 +0000

Good Tips. I would like to add some more. If you haven’t yet get some stickers made with your company details, stick em on to the clients computers. This way they will always remember you and your number will be easy to find. Also you can buy lot of cool gadgets on the net these days (e.g USB mug warmer) I always gift these to my important clients. Keeps em happy. Another idea is gifting mouse pads with your company details.