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jccrcomputers
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I got my first business customer because I did their membership website. Then they started calling me for computer work. I'm still trying to get them to go for a contract, but the hourly work is just about as much money.
I tried to go to several business whose owners I knew personally, but none of them was interested in a contract. Basically, even though an excellent-service-contract would only run them $75 a month they just didn't think their computers would go down enough to warrant $75 a month. They figure that .they'll just call me when something bad happens.
In the end, for me at least, getting business customers is just the same as getting consumer customers...getting the word out about my services and letting word of mouth close the deal.
One thing with business customers is they are more apt to ask/demand liability insurance. You'll probably want to carry the excellent combination of general commercial liability (in case you burn down their business with a faulty power supply) and errors/omissions insurance (in case you delete their only Quickbooks file and cause them to go out of business). Carrying those insurances is sometimes better than any BBB or ACRBO or NASBA membership.
I tried to go to several business whose owners I knew personally, but none of them was interested in a contract. Basically, even though an excellent-service-contract would only run them $75 a month they just didn't think their computers would go down enough to warrant $75 a month. They figure that .they'll just call me when something bad happens.
In the end, for me at least, getting business customers is just the same as getting consumer customers...getting the word out about my services and letting word of mouth close the deal.
One thing with business customers is they are more apt to ask/demand liability insurance. You'll probably want to carry the excellent combination of general commercial liability (in case you burn down their business with a faulty power supply) and errors/omissions insurance (in case you delete their only Quickbooks file and cause them to go out of business). Carrying those insurances is sometimes better than any BBB or ACRBO or NASBA membership.
RichmondTech
Member
- Reaction score
- 6
- Location
- Richmond, VA
The home market is great for filler work, but it's nice to have a list of business clients to help provide regular steady work. A good way that has worked for me is to join a BNI group. Building relationships with those business owners will help get you in the door to businesses. If there's a particular profession you like working with (doctors for example), see if there is a local group of doctors that get together on a regular basis and join the group.
You'd be surprised how many businesses DON'T have an IT person to help them out.
You'd be surprised how many businesses DON'T have an IT person to help them out.
When they do call in it's billable emergency service $99/hr.
Or explain it to them in a way it might be easier to understand, like breaking it down for them in savings vs. emergency calls.
Emergency calls - $99/hr
Under contract:
Emergency calls - $79/hr ($79 to $XXXX/yr
Scheduled maintenance - $65/hr ($2.50/a day ($75mo + hourly rate)
supaneko
New Member
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Detroit, MI
One way I have been successful at getting business customers is by approaching them directly or sending them mail (the letter can be typed but they love to see handwritten address labels).
All businesses should have a website and often need some form of IT support. My experience has told me that many businesses are unhappy with the support they receive and if you're able to leave testimonials or references from other businesses, your success rate will rise.
Does the business have a POS system? Do they need one?
Does the business have a website? Is it garbage? How can you repair it?
It seems like every time I have created a website for a business, they're calling me within the month because they need real computer/Windows support. And once you impress them, you're more likely to be referred to other businesses and or asked to help the owners and other employees in their homes.
All businesses should have a website and often need some form of IT support. My experience has told me that many businesses are unhappy with the support they receive and if you're able to leave testimonials or references from other businesses, your success rate will rise.
Does the business have a POS system? Do they need one?
Does the business have a website? Is it garbage? How can you repair it?
It seems like every time I have created a website for a business, they're calling me within the month because they need real computer/Windows support. And once you impress them, you're more likely to be referred to other businesses and or asked to help the owners and other employees in their homes.
RoboGeek
New Member
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Middle of a cornfield in Illinois..
Shockingly, my best client came from a craigslist ad - not a normal looking one but a really nice HTML ad with pretty pics and links and all that.
Biggest quantity of customers has come from TV ads
Radio ads failed
Yellow pages have netted me one customer in 8 yrs
I'm #1 on search engines for the keywords I want and that brings a lot of work in - people don't use phone books anymore- they google it. SEO is very important
Newspaper ads and direct mailing provided fair results. But by far the biggest is word of mouth
Biggest quantity of customers has come from TV ads
Radio ads failed
Yellow pages have netted me one customer in 8 yrs
I'm #1 on search engines for the keywords I want and that brings a lot of work in - people don't use phone books anymore- they google it. SEO is very important
Newspaper ads and direct mailing provided fair results. But by far the biggest is word of mouth
RegEdit
New Member
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Pacific Palisades, CA
LOL. By the way do you mean you had a paid ad or just a listing?
The only advertising that was a net profit for me was mailing out glossy postcards. Some people call over a year after receiving the card, but eventually it pays off.
Leaving postcards at businesses that let you leave post cards has actually brought in a lot of business for me. The problem is that there's not a lot of these types of places that allow you to leave cards.
RoboGeek
New Member
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Middle of a cornfield in Illinois..
with my biz line I got a year of a real ad valued at $34/mo. After that I never renewed it.
I forgot to add in other things - I had several newspaper articles written about my biz, and we were featured in 2 international magazines. That brought in a big surge and also led to us expanding to the Philippines
I forgot to add in other things - I had several newspaper articles written about my biz, and we were featured in 2 international magazines. That brought in a big surge and also led to us expanding to the Philippines
dipper
Member
- Reaction score
- 8
- Location
- Adelaide, South Australia
Attend some local networking events and join your local business associations.
This way you will start to mix with other business owners.
Another method I've recently started is social networking (twitter and facebook at the moment).
This way you will start to mix with other business owners.
Another method I've recently started is social networking (twitter and facebook at the moment).
livpie
Member
- Reaction score
- 8
- Location
- Northeast Ohio
I agree with trying to find a BNI group in your area to possibly join. The philosophy is to work to get good referrals for the other members and in return you will get good referrals. If you really want to help people, this is a great way to help out other members of your BNI group and to be able to have quality referrals for your customers with other needs they might have.
I really like the idea of the sending letters to businesses. I agree that many companies are dissatisfied with the current support they are receiving and if they aren't, it didn't hurt to let them know you are there to help. I think I am going to incorporate this into my model of growing my business client base.
Thanks supaneko for the great idea!
Tony_Scarpelli
Rest In Peace Tony
- Reaction score
- 26
- Location
- Wichita, Kansas U.S.A.
There are dozens of good reasons to tell you not to focus soley on the business customer. But I will just skip them.....
Spend what few resources you have on end users, home users which will also be read and seen by employees of companies and their owners and managers.
Do great work, the referrals will start to come in.
We offer a $50 gift certificate for free future service when a current customer sends in a friend or family member. I have clients who have accumulated 2-3 certificates.
Spend what few resources you have on end users, home users which will also be read and seen by employees of companies and their owners and managers.
Do great work, the referrals will start to come in.
We offer a $50 gift certificate for free future service when a current customer sends in a friend or family member. I have clients who have accumulated 2-3 certificates.
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