New tricks - marketing advice wanted

[Simon Gray]

Hello,

I run an IT services business providing support services to small businesses. It's a business that'll be 3 years old in Sept and we're doing pretty well (on paper) and are growing steadily if not excitingly (target is 25% sales growth).

We target small businesses in the local area - hoping to migrate them from competitors or to explain the benefits of having professional IT support. We have a good record of winning business once we can have a conversation with the business.

I am no youngster and have run businesses for 20+ years but this doesn't translate in to an understanding of how to grow this business at a faster rate than is provided by recommendations alone.

Obviously we have a website and have worked to build something of a brand through social media and involvement in local groups. We encourage our customer base to recommend us and this is where most of our new work comes from. We are currently writing monthly newsletters which demonstrate that we know what we're about and (somewhat counter-intuitively) we're mailing these out to local businesses as hardcopy. Part of our product offering is anti-spam so email-shots seems hypocritical.

We've got capacity to grow. We're very good at what we do. How do we start those conversations so that we get a chance to prove it?

 

[PURPLE BUBBLE]

Looking at your website I suggest adding real photographs of real people, your guys doing what they do best. What about adding case studies of projects you've worked on detailing what you did, why, and the outcome. Make it real. Sprinkle in testimonials. Add in logos of commercial clients you've worked with so it rings true with people in the local area. Photographs of happy clients shaking your hands because people buy from people. Just a few ideas.

 

[Simon Gray]

Ok, thanks. The website thing is a hurdle as in the past I've used websites we could mod ourselves, but now we have a website that we have to request changes for. It's made us less flexible, so perhaps that's a target.
Other ideas for getting content out there. We do use testimonials in the newsletters, but the newsletters aren't on the website.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Yes, sort the website out - get a call to action on the landing screen. Get access to add your own content - blogs, newsletters, news etc.

Add testimonials!

'Part of our product offering is anti-spam so email-shots seems hypocritical.' This is one of the weirdest comments I have seen in a long time, based on your business type! Make your list opt-in (approved) and you are not touching spam! Not getting emails from a tech company, only printed material (which is good) would not give the right presentation to me!

Remember, the easiest customers for you to sell to are existing ones, where you have built a relationship. Sending them an email will make it easier to find you if there is a tech issue!

 

[fisicx]

If you don't have the ability to edit the content on the site go find another provider. Having to request changes is a useless service.

The website is letting you down. It's rubbish. Join the forum as a full member to get a review.

 

[Annoying Donkey]

I haven't looked further than your postings...

I assume you have some sort of subscription/monthly fee offering...? IT support lends itself to that.

I'd suggest looking for JV opportunities. Start with your existing client base. Any existing clients have a customer list that are your prospects? Offer an exchange, you promote them to your customer list in exchange they promote you. Endorsement is most powerful.

Or profit share/commission.

Or find out what they want and get it for them.

Otherwise look for printers, secretarial services other non competing IT services, etc... maybe the CofC. Anyone who has a list of customer who are your likely prospects...

 

[Sudha]

Your current clients are your assets. When you satisfy them with good results, they will bring in their friends or they will give many of their services to you.

 

[The Byre]

If you don't have the ability to edit the content on the site go find another provider. Having to request changes is a useless service.

The website is letting you down. It's rubbish. Join the forum as a full member to get a review.

This!

The website really is pants! It is totally anodyne and almost fanatically devoid of actual content. I don't get the feeling of dealing with real people. No pictures of the staff, no pictures or stories of problems being solved and tasks completed, no prices, nothing!

For an IT company to have to get its website built for it is ridiculous! If I (a complete novice at the time) could build a simple html site back in 1998, then you should be able to do that stuff in your sleep!

Think about it! A customer comes to you, let's say one of those businesses that hate having to use IT and websites, typically a sawmill, building supplies, garage, something like that! They realise that they are losing custom to the sheds and big players and need to get up to speed in the worst possible way. That means one turnkey solution for all things, from networking, to usb extensions, central server, SSD RAID arrays, the lot. It also means the integration of the customer's website (stock levels, prices, special offers, etc.) into their in-house system.

I would strongly suggest getting an in-house website builder who can build databases into sites without getting a nose-bleed and giving him/her the first task of build a cracker site for the company, with all the things that one expects from a modern site (i.e. prices, pics, examples of tasks completed).

As someone who runs a business, the one thing I want to know up-front is "Quanta costa?"

Some examples of turnkey packages, including website, networking etc. would help with people like me, who only live on the Interweb. Combine that with a sexy brochure that explains what you do to all those businesses that are not on the Interweb (they are out there and more than you might imagine!) and you have a strategy.

 

[kwam-iT]

If you don't have the ability to edit the content on the site go find another provider. Having to request changes is a useless service.

The website is letting you down. It's rubbish. Join the forum as a full member to get a review.

I completely agree with this. I was in the same boat as you, although my developer gave me a few back end page to add some basic text etc. It wasn't enough. Luckily, I have a bit of a coding background and I was able work out how to do minor mods. I would recommend getting a platform where contents can easily be modded. Its cheaper and better for you on the long run.

That being said, I also think we could do some business together. I'll PM you.

Regards.

 

[HK Communications]

Another completely different idea to all the above is networking. I've recently joined a paid-for networking event and while these things are a slow-burn, you get your name out in front of more and more people. As you tend to win business from conversations, you probably need to spend some time marketing in the real world, as well as online. After all, people buy from people.

 

[Global Igloo]

Lots of great advice from everyone here.

I've seen you're just 'over the hill' from me. I thought I'd have a look in our local area and have found a Chamber member who offers more or less what you do but they have incorporated case studies, client logos, photos of real people who work there, testimonials, 'refer a friend' etc. The result is that they are much more believable.

Photography - I think you could do more with the photography to make it your own and make the pictures link more to your brand on the website. There a number of ways to do this cost effectively even if you use royalty free imagery. The same images can then also be used across other marketing material. The image of the US mailboxes look like they came with the template?

If you do take pictures of staff, invest in a photographer to do a series of head shots. No passport style pics. You can then use those again on LinkedIn, your newsletter etc. to put a face to a name. This will raise the credibility of all your communications. While you might not be in real estate or a lifestyle coach (!), a nice headshot with a consistent background will raise your game!

Newsletters - Mailchimp have a free allowance as well as being able to design them 'on brand'. I think there is still a place for hard copies of a newsletter. I suspect a printed item if relevant hangs around a lot longer than a e-newsletter!

The case studies on your website - a pub, a solicitors, a building supplies company… they all get lost amongst the other sales text on your website. Maybe separate them out somehow or on a different page in the menu so a prospective customer doesn't have to go searching. Most people don't spend much time on a website.

Website - I think your website is based on a template driven website builder. You should be able to access the 'back end' without having to pay anyone once it's set up. The designers should give you access and you can edit the content on the live website.

Running out of steam now, but before I go…

Your offer - what about a Gold/Silver/Bronze offers?

GoogleAdwords, PPC etc - Not sure if you do this?

Anyway feel fee to PM me if you want the details of the local IT company, photographer, Adwords contact etc.

All the best.

 

[Balanced HQ]

You already know about your site and have had some offers and some great feedback above. I would also, before you start looking at investing cash into the web site get some hard research done. What keywords are being used and in what volume around your services, get creative and use Reddit and Quora to see the sort of UK questions people are asking in your field of expertise.

Once you know the search volumes on line you can pick out one or two of the most lucrative and set up landing pages for those services and run PPC ads to generate leads. If you want a quick chat (next week now) about how to get going just PM me on here. I would also think about being known as the expert for a couple of your key services so your business comes to mind every time anyone asks about those in your area. Landing pages help this.

 

[ValQ]

Since you been runinig business for number of years and want higher growth of business, you need to focus on bringin new customers. Which procceses bring the most new customers? Maybe you should hire more sales people, who can make cold calls, or travel from business to business. It may seem like a big costs from start and may not bring as much business, but in long run you will start gaininig customers one by one. And if you customers are for long term, that once you have and they bring you money constantly in the future, then you need to make your sales team stronger, and focus more on that!

 

[Dan Muddle]

Have you ever done any networking?

If you're looking at getting through to more small businesses in the local area I would recommend joining a BNI group or attending local networking events.

 

[AndyLF]

Winning IT support clients is tough, outside of the usual referral route, but it can be done. The mentions above of networking are along the right tracks.

From the points above, you might get the occasional cold web enquiry, but not many, and certainly not enough for meaningful growth.

Your original point about you being able to sell more effectively once face-to-face is the key really. So, what you need to do is think less about selling your service and more about 'selling' a medium that allows you to get face to face. From here everything falls into place...

Create a local and regular business get-together - maybe once a month, and give it a catchy name that will connect with the attendees: 'Business Lessons from Business Leaders in Mytown' (or something better) and have it made up of local business owners (starting with your clients) where you informally meet up and have a local expert come and speak about a topic you are all GENUINELY interested in as business owners (and then discuss)...each month a different topic e.g. 'Marketing Growth Tips', 'HR pitfalls', 'Website Strategies' etc. Invite your clients first (and anyone else you know). After the first event, ask who in the room might know other people who would benefit from the group and to bring them along next time to the next topic - make them know their help is needed to keep this useful event alive.

At no point do you sell (or need to sell) your services at the events. You are the coordinator of this new group so people know who you are by default. In the informal chats before/after you will find attendees ask for your help about their IT problems... or they will go away and your name will be the only one they know when they are asked who they can suggest for an IT support company.

Don't underestimate how hard it is to keep attendees coming to the event - so make the events topics good - every time the attendees walk away from an event they should be glad they came and saying they will definitely be at the next one. Maybe give incentives to some attendees if they bring more than 2 friends. Remember, you are selling the event - which is 100% for the attendees' benefit, so you can get away with asking more from people.

As your attendees grow - start emailing them stuff that's useful AND in their interest to share with their networks. Those emails include the info about the future event dates/topics. Again, it doesn't have to be about IT - just business-related insight that they're glad to receive.

Then, as the Americans would say... rinse and repeat.

Remember, in order to grow, you don't always have to market what you sell.

 

[beasty]

Just go to existing events, you are not in the events business, why try to build one from scratch?

Start emailing them? Really, this is from a company that offers anti spam as a service

Go to existing events, offer mutually beneficial collaborations for introducers, no need to make it tough.

Please do not spam people with anti spam solutions, i will be forced to mock you

 

[Adam Petford]

Hello Simon,

Make LinkedIn a major tool for finding local business owners and engaging them - if your used to real world networking then this will be like networking on "steroids"

When you run your advanced search use post code and keywords to find suitable people - there will be hundreds of them

When you find people you want to engage DONT send them an invitation - instead send them a message via a LinkedIn group or even an InMail (if you have no other option) ask them if its ok to send an invitation to join your network - this always gets a positive response

Look at their profile and draw example of how you have helped people similar to them in the past offer to give them so genuine help if needed

Go for it! LinkedIn is the way forward

 

[AndyLF]

Just go to existing events, you are not in the events business, why try to build one from scratch?

Agreed, the OP is not in the events business. They're in the business of getting in front of people, which these kinds of meet-ups can deliver. I can only talk from experience of marketing IT support companies, but attending others' events did not generate a return for me (for numerous reasons usually relating to quality/relevance/motivations of the delegates).

@Adam Petford, for Linkedin, I would normally agree, but I think IT support is a tough sell from a virtual relationship. Worth a try though. IMO IT Support is one of those industries where customers really like to ask someone they know for a supplier recommendation rather than risk their IT (and therefore their business) with an unknown. In-house F2F events were the only activity that reliably took cold contacts through to paying customers.

 

[Adam Petford]

Hi Simon,

most things are a tough sell these days - why don't you see who your existing clients are connected to and ask for some introductions - its not a magic bullet but its likely you would be able to get some good introductions to new people you know you could help

 

[hughsie0016]

Call me old fashioned...many do...but you have existing clients so why not upsell them into a higher priced service if you have one. If not then possibly joint venture with someone who offers a complimentary product/service.

Your existing clients love you already and trust you so sell more to them.

 

[Dan Muddle]

@hughsie0016 That is also a great idea to try and gain more revenue. There is always more money than you think sitting with your existing client base.

I also have just recently undergone and activity where I contacted everyone I have ever quoted. Just to determine whether they where worth investing in monthly marketing (newsletters) from contacting these customers which I had previously considered as dead weight I managed to gain £3500 worth of business.

So I guess the moral is to always look at what you've already hot sitting in your database.

 

[Phil Slorick]

@Simon Gray - the ideas from @hughsie0016 and @Dan Muddle here are gold. Always start with the lowest-hanging fruit: upsell existing customers, go back to unconverted leads. Don't get caught up in a chase for new customers until you've exhausted the options with your existing customers & contacts. And use as many different ways of reaching them as you can - email them, write to them, call them - and make it personal.

 

[GwenCooney]

Hello,
I would suggest marketing/advertising. The more people know about you, the more clients you will have. It seems obvious, but there are numerous ways you can let the community know about you - not only online. Flyers, posters, TV commercials and so much more. And online...well, we all know about Facebook, G+ and Pinterest.

 

[AnnaDanishek]

Call me old fashioned...many do...but you have existing clients so why not upsell them into a higher priced service if you have one. If not then possibly joint venture with someone who offers a complimentary product/service.

Your existing clients love you already and trust you so sell more to them.

Hm.. it is the first time when I have heared such idea

 

[lloydsolutions]

Never under estimate your client bank.

 

[MarekBober]

Have you ever done any networking?

If you're looking at getting through to more small businesses in the local area I would recommend joining a BNI group or attending local networking events.

True, also it is worth to consider have a right tools in hands to make small business competitive towards big platers. How to do this- save time and money due XML exchange mechanisms, monetise your network due loyalty plans and tools.

Marek

 

[MarekBober]

True, also it is worth to consider have a right tools in hands to make small business competitive towards big platers. How to do this- save time and money due XML exchange mechanisms, monetise your network due loyalty plans and tools.

Marek

use ready to go Idosell features, sometimes it is good to look around but take solution which is proved on market, which saves you time and limit possibility of human mistake...

 

[MarekBober]

Never under estimate your client bank.

Cash your customer base by http://www.idosell.com/uk/shop/marketing/ this will not do your job but let you be on top of it.

 

[MarekBober]

Your current clients are your assets. When you satisfy them with good results, they will bring in their friends or they will give many of their services to you.

Let me recommend professional tools to provide the best service for demmending customers: all included into service.
http://www.idosell.com/uk/shop/marketing/
Remember to prize those who bring you traffic, happy reccomenders are your the best sales team.

 

[MarekBober]

Call me old fashioned...many do...but you have existing clients so why not upsell them into a higher priced service if you have one. If not then possibly joint venture with someone who offers a complimentary product/service.

Your existing clients love you already and trust you so sell more to them.

Keep them happy and they will bring you friends relatives.. simply the best recommendation.

Happy to share
Marek

 

[vanleasing]

Your current clients are gold dust. A new business would die to have existing customers, remember that.

Get some reviews on your site, Trustpilot or Google reviews.

Call to actions as-well remember users are lazy.

 

[MarekBober]

Your current clients are gold dust. A new business would die to have existing customers, remember that.

Get some reviews on your site, Trustpilot or Google reviews.

Call to actions as-well remember users are lazy.

Remember to moderate before publishing- no ethic? all sellers does this same way... moderate and publish the way it does the job for them.

Happy to help
Marek

 

[vanleasing]

Remember to moderate before publishing- no ethic? all sellers does this same way... moderate and publish the way it does the job for them.

Happy to help
Marek

Remember to grammar check before you post

 

[MarekBober]

Remember to grammar check before you post

This is why automation lowers human factor influence and help to remain high service standards.
Idosell Shop is perfect solution for humans keeping you on top of your business.

Happy to share
Marek