If
you are like a lot of other computer consultants, you might not
understand how important having a solid IT marketing plan is to the
future of your business. You might think that your friends,
family, colleagues and others in your circle will be a never-ending
source of clients that will bring needed revenue to your business.
However, eventually your well of friends and family
members will run dry, and if you haven’t established a set IT
marketing plan with clear steps and diverse strategies, you will find
yourself in a pretty big jam. The truth is, marketing is an
on-going process that should never end, no matter how many prospects or
clients you have. You can never stop thinking about forging new
relationships if you want to run a successful IT company.
In this article, we’re going to look at 5 IT marketing
plan tips proven to attract clients to your computer consulting
business, so you can be assured of setting the stage for keeping enough
prospects, customers and clients in your sales funnel.
1.
Pick a Launch Date for Your IT Marketing Campaigns. Even
before you make any definitive marketing plans, you should pick a launch
date for your campaigns and write it down. Put it up in a place
where you will have to look at it every day. While you may have to
adjust as the process moves forward if you hit any legal snags or other
unforeseeable delays, having a set date in mind can help you prioritize
what needs to get done and when. When you know you have 5, 10, 12
or any other number of weeks instead of an indeterminate amount of time
(I’m partial to planning IT marketing 13 weeks out, or a quarter-year
at a time), you will find yourself more motivated to do things
efficiently and in a logical order.
2.
Update/Print Your Business Cards. Your business cards are
one of the most basic – but also most important parts of your IT
marketing materials. You never know when you’re going to meet
someone that might be a good candidate for your services, even in
unexpected, casual networking situations. You might meet people at
your church or synagogue, at your children’s school functions, in line
at the movies, at the gym … anywhere and everywhere could be an
opportunity for you to talk to someone about what you do. Having a
business card to hand out – the most basic of marketing materials –
helps you show you are serious and professional. Don’t worry if
your contact information or company name changes as you grow or refine
your direction. You can always get more printed, but you need a
business card to show that you are in fact “in business”.
3.
Tell Everyone You Know about Your Business. You need to let
all friends and family members know, “Hey! I’m starting (or
re-launching) a computer services business!” as part of your IT
marketing plan. You also need to get the word out into the
community so people get to know you and associate you with what you do.
Create a “buzz” about yourself by talking to those you meet in the
community, again at church or synagogue, at the gym, at your
children’s activities, in line at the movies, etc. Chances are
you will find interesting networking opportunities everywhere you go.
You never know where you might meet a great potential client!
4.
Get Some Reference Accounts. A common question computer
consultants have is, “How do I get a reputation when I don’t have
any clients, and how do I get clients when I don’t have a
reputation?” You need to get some reference accounts in the
beginning to get the ball rolling and grow your business and your IT
marketing plan. There are many ways to do this. Of course,
you can do some work for friends or family members and have them write
you a testimonial, or be interviewed for a case study, to add to your
Web site and other marketing materials. But often an even better
way is to volunteer for a respected non-profit organization in your
area. Doing a set project with a well-defined beginning and end
(because you don’t want to give too much away for free!) with a
non-profit organization in your community about which you feel
passionate will go a long way to building your credibility and making
you visible. At the end of the project, make sure you ask for a
testimonial, or for an interview for a case study, to show others the
good work you do in someone else’s words besides your own.
5.
Get Referrals. Referrals are a really important part of a
good IT marketing plan because they are based on relationship marketing
… and strong relationships are at the heart of any great computer
consulting business. A reference from someone you know, like and
trust is trustworthy and often pre-qualified, which can help you find
better prospects and leads and save valuable time. Train your
friends and family and any clients or trusted business advisors what to
listen for when they are talking to their clients, friends or
co-workers. Perhaps your accountant has been getting complaints
from his/her clients about computers not working, systems crashing or a
variety of other technology issues. This is a perfect time for
your accountant to say, “Hey, I think I know someone who can help
you” and then pass along your business card and information.
Those in your network of trusted business advisors, friends, family and
clients can become your extended sales force and take some of the work
of IT marketing off your plate.
In this article, we talked about 5 critical IT marketing
steps you need to take to develop a strong plan that will attract great
clients for your business. This way, you can make sure you have enough
prospects, customers and clients in your sales funnel. To learn more about
how to get great results from your IT marketing campaigns, go sign-up now for the free
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