How to do it

[Betteratit]

Hi All

So i joined this forum last night after reading some great tips and also seeing that i am not alone.

I have an IT Consultant business on the gold coast. I have been getting the business ready for over a year getting my name out there getting back end systems setup and took the dive in november to get rid of my day job and jump straight into business for myself. Problem started from there. I am not the most extraverted person in the world i am your typical IT Techy i live and breath computers and the clients i do have were generally referrals.

How can i get more clients. My wife is a facebook addict and is setting me us up with a great facebook business site. The only networking group thats meeting on a regular basis seems to be BNI and i have my reservations about them.

I believe i offer a different edge to support than most IT companies out there but there IT is such a over supplied market i don't know where to begin.

What are peoples thoughts.

Thanks

Mathew

[beanonlinelately]

Hi Matthew

Welcome aboard mate and congrats on taking the leap of faith, it is very exciting when you start your own business and get those customers coming through the door.

In terms of your issues in getting more customers, if I was in your position and I guess as a small business owner I am, I would be looking very closely at your target market and finding out where they are?

Just recently I re-wrote my marketing plan, I wanted to move away from the traditional multi page document that usually sit idly by on the shelf and move to a more succinct approach, so I pulled out the microsoft excel spreadsheet and started writing my target clients down and the mediums within which I will find them.

One of my favourite sayings is 'fish where the fish are', so you have to look at where you target market is? If they are online but you're advertising predominently in the local papers then you're not meeting the market.

I noticed that you don' have a website on your signature? Do you have one? How can you use it these days with social media? What is your unique point of difference from your competitors and how will communicate that message?

Drop me a PM if you want to chat further offline, the mobile is available also through the website.

I hope I've shed some light on the situation.

Cheers, Rod.

[MarketingHQ]

Hi Matthew,

As Rod mentioned, this is the classic case of a business needing a marketing plan. You need to:

1. Identify your target market and your niche.
2. Develop a profile of your ideal customer within this target market
3. Get to know there buying behaviour and the competition.
4. Create a brand and value proposition that motivates them to buy.
5. Find out where they are and market your business to them ie fish where the fish are as Rod pointed out.

The other thing you should do is take every opportunity to create awareness of your business. You should create a forum signature for yourself in this forum so people can check out your website etc. You'd be surprised how many soloists need IT help.

Good luck.

[travelmaster]

Originally Posted by Betteratit

Hi All

The only networking group thats meeting on a regular basis seems to be BNI and i have my reservations about them.

Hi
This forum has/d several threads about BNI. But there is one thing I can tell you - the one guy who always gets referralls at BNI meetings is the IT guy.
It would be great to hear from other BNI members here if they agree and if so this could be your gauge of BNI's membership value.

But again, it's not only about referralls. It will give you an excellent opportunity to network and at least do some public speaking. It all helps.