Free IT Consultant

[PhilipDixon]

Hi,

We are a new IT company based in Nottingham called Advanced IT Services.

Currently we are trying to expand and offering free IT Consultancy work for local businesses.

I have two questions:
1 If anyone wishes to take us up on our free IT Consultancy
2 If offering free help is worthwhile or should I concentrate on advertising in a different manor?

 

[edmondscommerce]

i'm not a believer in trying to advertise by working for free..

you won't end up with the right kind of clients

 

[PhilipDixon]

Indeed that was our major concern. However as of yet we haven't had any takers.
Out of interest what have you found to be the most cost effective form of advertising?

 

[FireFleur]

The problem with free is you just devalue your work, and the perceived value is quite important in IT.

IT agencies are the best bet, and you can take their approach as well, which is generally a cold call. There are other models, and those are really about networking and getting contacts with places that often get approached for IT projects, but don't have the in-house team to cover it.

A web site, is a start nowadays, but it is very competitive online for IT, but at least then you can start to work the online network.

If you are short of work, then instead of free work, build up systems that your business may need, what often happens is you build something and people inquire from there.

The recession is lifting and more opportunities are starting to show, so don't get too discouraged just because the recession was on, people just weren't hiring fresh faces they were just making do with what they had.

 

[PhilipDixon]

The problem with free is you just devalue your work, and the perceived value is quite important in IT.

IT agencies are the best bet, and you can take their approach as well, which is generally a cold call. There are other models, and those are really about networking and getting contacts with places that often get approached for IT projects, but don't have the in-house team to cover it.

A web site, is a start nowadays, but it is very competitive online for IT, but at least then you can start to work the online network.

If you are short of work, then instead of free work, build up systems that your business may need, what often happens is you build something and people inquire from there.

The recession is lifting and more opportunities are starting to show, so don't get too discouraged just because the recession was on, people just weren't hiring fresh faces they were just making do with what they had.

Thanks for this... A very useful post. I probably should have explained a little more.. Advanced it services is actually run from within a school. (George Spencer school).

Now to drum up some potential clients I sent around a flyer emails etc in the seance of a free IT health check to local schools businesses etc...

What I am looking for is advice on how to encourage potential customers. we have lots of resources and we can offer serious competition. (often find we are by far the cheapest for many solutions). We have designed and built unique products ranging from SAN storage, phone systems, dedicated hosting. we have a lot to offer but no customers.

 

[edmondscommerce]

for me personally SEO works the best

also targeting a specific niche and focusing on that

 

[PhilipDixon]

for me personally SEO works the best

also targeting a specific niche and focusing on that

currently having our website redesigned for e-commerce and making it as google friendly as we can..

 

[FireFleur]

A free IT Health Check is one of those things which a lot think is a good idea to get the foot in the door, but the potential client sees it as something they have to devote time to, or take systems offline to be done.

And if they cannot see a problem, then out of sight out of mind for most businesses when it comes to IT, even though things could be improved.

You tend to have to match wants to solutions, until a relationship develops, then you can see if they want other elements you offer. That is the moment when an IT health check is most appropriate and you will generally get paid for it, because you will have a better idea where optimisation can occur for that particular business.

 

[PhilipDixon]

True but how do you get the foot in the door.. I realise this is the million dollar question.

flyers? word of mouth? They the only ways of quickly growing a client base?

 

[FireFleur]

Personally I don't think flyers work too well for IT services generally, but I am sure at times they may do. If you have a hardware product though flyers might work well.

Cold call; contact page, letter, phone or drop an email is probably the most effective nowadays, and of course having a web site will help. It depends who you are targeting, and some of the business networking places could be appropriate as well.

Word of mouth tends to work better when dealing with smaller clients, but you will generally be offering quite good rates there, less time and spend in marketing though.

At the top end, you may have to build a pitching machine, and put in tenders, so it all depends really. cold call stuff is the most common though along with prior relationship. A website is certainly something you want, if just to get a presence online.

 

[PhilipDixon]

Appreciate the help. Will try ringing round local businesses tomorrow.