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Joshua Feinberg Profile and Articles
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101). Computer Repair Franchises: Buying an Existing Business
Existing computer repair franchises are typically available immediately and are a good option for professionals looking to start a new business in the computer industry. Before deciding to buy a completely new franchise or an existing computer repair franchise, as a prospective business owner you must learn about all the issues involved in buying existing franchises so you don't risk being surprised by the unexpected down the line.
102). IT Consulting Firms: Helping Business Grow
IT consulting firms typically start with just a few people. And while it can be exciting at first for those people getting into the business, a few years of running the show can become monotonous and exhausting, and the need to expand becomes imminent.
Making Business Grow
Running a small business is a big job, particularly for just a few people who are required to do every aspect of the work.
103). Computer Service Business Management: Delegating Responsibility
Effective management of a computer service business is incredibly important, and the ability to delegate responsibility is a critical skill for any manager. Good delegation allows a computer service business to run more smoothly. Delegation is more than the simple process of giving an employee a task to complete. It involves putting trust and confidence in an employee and giving him the power to complete a job.
104). IT Consulting Firms: Places to Find Clients
IT consulting firms need to have a special expertise or service, and consultants need to find this niche by figuring out the kinds of jobs people will pay IT consulting firms to accomplish. Finding your specific market will help bring more clients to your business. The four major markets are government, large businesses, small businesses and individuals.
105). Starting Information Technology Consultant Projects
The first step in information technology consultant projects is initial client contact. The client's first impression of you will help him decide if he is going to sign a contract, so the beginning consultations are critical.
The Beginning
Each projects starts well before the contract is signed. You need to figure out what your goals are during initial contact with the client, and plan out the first meeting with this prospect should be well planned so that a decision can be reached quickly and favorably.
106). Computer Service Company Management Requires a Leadership Style
As a computer service company manager, you need to know about different styles of leadership and learn to use one that will motivate your employees best. The four different types of styles that can be used by computer service company management are dictatorial, analytical, opinion seeking and democratic. While most managers will want to use the democratic style, there are other times when computer service company management has to use one of the others to get a job done correctly.
107). Measuring Success as an IT Consultant
IT consultants are highly coveted these days, and it is easy for an IT consultant to believe that simply having a great number of profitable jobs will guarantee success. Succeeding as an IT consultant is about more than money, and involves several other categories, including important personal and professional factors. It is these important elements that will determine long-term success.
108). Computer Service Repair Business and Providing Customer Service During All Aspects of a Sale
Customer service is a crucial part of the computer service repair business, because computer service repair is about working with customers to solve problems. All aspects of computer repair should be focused on the customer and his problem. There are three phases of customer service, and very often the first and last are ignored. The most important phases are customer service before the repair, during the computer service repair and after the service.
109). Obtainable Projects for Information Technology Consultants
There are many jobs for information technology consultants available today, and the field can be extremely lucrative. Many projects, some that do not involve computer work are out there for information technology consultants that consider their specific strengths and find projects that fit their abilities.
Computer Jobs
Any projects that have to do with computer programming are fair game for information technology consultants.
110). Partnering: Extending Your Network
In partnering, you can look beyond other technicians for opportunities. Many times non-IT business providers like management consultants have the dilemma of needing to refer their clients to other professionals. This can either be done as a favor to a client, or set up as a form of revenue sharing.
Accountants
There are many good partnering opportunities with accountants.
111). Do You Have the Personality for IT Consultation?
The industry of IT consultation is very competitive and requires very specific personality traits of its professionals. Before you begin a new IT consultation career, you need to make sure your personality fits the trade. A good consultant is a risk-taker with strong people skills. He can handle insecurity and has a good and steady support system along with the most important personal quality of integrity.
112). Establishing Criteria for Clients in the Computer Consulting Business
In the computer consulting business there are several ways you can best qualify clients to ensure you get the best accounts to help grow your business.
Proximity
The first thing to make sure of when looking for clients for your computer consulting business is that they are close to you, at least within a 30 to 60 minute drive from your location. Having a pool of potential clients nearby will help you make the most impact at networking events or any other marketing-related functions.
113). IT Consultant: Hardware Selection for Customers
As an IT consultant that has been around for a while, you have most likely dealt with thousands of different PC hardware systems, and you have probably formed many strong recommendations for clients regarding the very best PC hardware specs. But in order to truly sell clients on the importance of your opinion as an IT consultant regarding hardware, you have to be able to communicate the benefits well.
114). Computer Consulting and Virtual IT
Do you own or manage a computer consulting company? Would you like to achieve greater small business success? If so, then get r
115). Computer Consulting: Don’t Market the 90’s Way
The 90’s was a time of certification for computer consulting businesses. Everyone touted what formal partnerships they had with what major corporations. “Hire us because we’re a Novell certified shop” or “Hire us because we’re an IBM business partner.”
Most consultants aren’t leading with that anymore because they don’t want to be perceived as an extension of that company sales force.
116). Computer Consulting: Prospective Client Red Flags
Is there a pattern to watch out for with computer consulting prospects that might act as a red flag or early warning detection system? Yes there is - and you’ll get better at spotting them as you go along.
It’s more of an art than a science, but if it looks like the Dilbert cartoon, it probably is going to work out that way.
Do Your Potential Computer.
117). Computer Consulting: Spread the Word
Make sure your current computer consulting clients, friends, and family know what types of companies you work with, the types of things you do, and how much you would appreciate referrals from them.
A lot of times, by asking the right kind of open-ended questions, you can be very pleasantly surprised when your computer consulting contacts start discussing something that evolves into a $10,000 or $15,000 services opportunity because they all of a sudden had a lightening bolt moment.
118). Computer Consulting: Should You Work With Micro Businesses?
When it comes to computer consulting with micro businesses, look at the margins issue. You will always have a certain amount of hours that you’re forced to eat because you can’t bill for it. When you have a larger base of computer consulting clients to spread it over, a loss is a lot easier to swallow.
"Eating" a Loss is Easier with Big Clients Than Small Ones
For example, if you have a customer that’s billing $2,000 a year with you and you’re forced to eat a $500 job, you’ve sacrificed 25 percent of your billing for that customer.
119). Computer Consulting: Diversify Your Clients
Make sure that you never get to the point that any one computer consulting client has control over you. None of them should have such supreme leverage over you that you couldn’t afford to either lose them because of something that’s either out of your control or because you want to let them go.
Spread Out Your Risk Among Your Computer Consulting Clients
This is all about diversifying.
120). IT Consultants: Don't Skimp on Hardware with Power Users
As IT consultants, whatever you do, don't let your clients skimp on PC purchases for power users who run high-end software.
While many of your small business clients’ employees depend mainly on software with modest hardware requirements, such as basic word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail and Web browsing software, there are certainly exceptions. Make sure you know who your clients’ power users are.
121). IT Consulting: What about Large/Small Businesses?
In IT consulting you have many different options in who you choose as your clients. Larger than the sweet spot businesses are the large small businesses, which provides a different IT consulting opportunity.
Large/Small Businesses Defined
Large/Small Businesses have 5-100 seats, 50-100 computers, anywhere from 50-200 employees and US annual revenue somewhere in the ballpark of 5 million up to 20 million.
122). IT Certifications: Do Your Clients Even Understand Them?
When targeting small businesses that are in the sweet spot size, what IT certifications do you typically need? One thing to keep in mind is that you are not selling to a real IT manager in most cases.
Remember Who You Are Selling Your Services To
Of course, there are exceptions to the rule in certain industries and certain types of businesses. Generally you’re selling to a non-technical, small business owner.
123). IT Consultant: Transition to Full-Time
If you are working a full-time day job and moonlighting as an IT consultant, you need to know a few things before transitioning to becoming a full-time IT consultant.
Take the following into consideration and avoid the common mistakes many IT consultants make when transitioning from part-time to full-time, self-employed consulting.
Rule #1 – Don’t.
124). IT Spending: Your Clients Aren't a PC Vendor's Science Experiment
If you’ve been in the computer consulting business for a while, you know that influencing product selection is one of the more valuable services that your firm performs for its client base.
Your clients depend on your firm to guide them toward reliable, cost-effective technology solutions. Along the same lines, your clients count on your firm to help them steer clear of "lemons", or IT support "quicksand" in their IT spending.
125). IT Consulting: Providing Services to Large/Small Businesses
In IT consulting, you can provide your services to many different sized businesses. In this article, you'll learn about how you can fit in with the IT consulting needs of large/small businesses.
Pick 2 or 3 of the networking skill sets that you need for the sweet spot. For example, you might pick advanced virus protection, firewall intrusion detection, VPNs and routers.
126). Computer Consulting Business: Find the Right Clients
If you really want to make a decent living and want to have a good, successful, viable computer consulting business, sooner or later you have to narrow down your focus and develop a keen intuition. Additionally, you have to become good at spotting the best small businesses accounts.
The Small Business Myriad
There are millions of small businesses in the U.
127). IT Consultants: Recommend Clients Buy Video Monitors Along with PCs
Although there are really no major compatibility issues to consider between PCs and monitors, most PC vendors offer good deals on monitors purchased at the same time as desktop PCs. In this article, we'll assume you are IT consultants who recommend brand name PC products to your clients.
IT Consultants: What Are You or Your Clients Actually Paying?
For due diligence, IT consultants should always price the PC with and without the monitor, to see what you or your clients are actually paying.
128). IT Support: Where Do Micro Small Businesses Get Theirs?
Before you even print up your business card or pick your company name, you need to know where you fit into the whole competitive marketplace of IT support. You don’t want to make a lot of expensive mistakes so you don’t take up a lot of money and time to fix later on.
Where do Micro Small Businesses Get Their IT Support?
Micro small businesses have 1-10 PC, anywhere from 100,000 to a million dollars US annual revenue.
129). PC Purchases: The Benefits of Adding CD-RW Drives
Regardless of whether your clients are considering PC purchases of desktops or notebooks, they need to consider compatibility issues with a CD-RW drive, the accompanying operating system and other hardware components.
With a notebook, you’re generally restricted to proprietary parts that only work with a particular brand, make and model of notebook.
130). PC Purchases: The Benefits of Adding Network Cards
Network cards are mandatory additions to PC purchases now that even the smallest offices now have broadband Internet access and peer-to-peer networking.
Even if the cost of later purchasing Ethernet adapters a la carte were the same as the bundled prices, your clients still should get Ethernet adapters with their PC purchases.
The Benefits of Adding.
131). Small Business Computer Consulting: Smart Marketing
In small business computer consulting, it can be easy to get yourself into money trouble really fast. Conserve your precious capital by avoiding some of the common mistakes when marketing your small business computer consulting firm.
Perform Tests
Whenever you’re doing any marketing with your small business computer consulting firm, think about being able to run smaller, measured tests before making big marketing bets.
132). IT Consulting Rates: What's Appropriate?
Since micro small business often rely on internal gurus or free help, many IT consultants find the sweet spot small business ideal for computer consulting. In this article, you'll learn what IT consulting rates are appropriate for this group. All rates are in U.S. Dollars.
The Sweet Spot IT Consulting Rates Range
The sweet spot of small businesses.
133). Notebook PC Warranties: Study Them Carefully
Over the past five years, the price points on notebook PCs have been driven down dramatically. However, lower purchase prices not withstanding, notebook PCs still have a rather unique warranty service dilemma.
If a keyboard, mouse-equivalent (tracking-stick or touch-pad) or display fails on a notebook PC, you won’t find inexpensive, third party replacements parts readily available at local retail stores.
134). IT Consulting: Steps to a Gradual Business Launch
In IT consulting, you need a step-by-step plan to launch your practice. There are 21 steps that will take you through the first 90 days of beginning your IT consulting business.
Preparing for your gradual launch will lower the risk associated with starting a business because you will have already prepared.
Step One. Overcome Three of Your Weaknesses
Pick 3 of your shortcomings to overcome them within the next 90 days.
135). IT Consulting: Signs of a Sweet Spot Client
There are no dead giveaways, but there are some signs that will let you know that a business is a good candidate for IT consulting. In this article, you'll learn some of these signs.
Is the Company Expanding?
When a business opens another office, they need PCs, other servers, and telecommunications lines. That presents you with a great IT consulting opportunity if they don’t already have someone in place.
136). IT Networking: Cost-Savings, Productivity and Security
By engaging small business decision makers in discussions about their IT networking needs, you can highlight how automating services like faxing will save your prospect’s or client’s company on manual labor, which indirectly translates into substantial salary savings over the course of the year.
At the very least, network-based faxing will free up staff to focus on higher-level activities, rather than "babysitting" an archaic fax machine.
137). IT Consulting: Networking Steps
Starting an IT consulting business requires patience and dedication. The hardest part is often getting new clients. In this article, learn some more of the steps you should take before beginning your IT consulting practice.
Step Sixteen: Get Your Networking Contacts into a Follow Up Plan
With every business card you collect, jot down the date that you met them and any relevant notes about them.
138). IT Consulting: 3 Steps to Success
Before starting your IT consulting business, take the steps that will lead to your success. In this article, learn about three steps you should take before beginning your IT consulting practice.
Step Seven: Arrange Your Telecom Services
Get a business telephone number or a mobile phone or something that you can answer with your IT consulting business name so you sound professional.
139). Small Business Networks: Are Your Clients Using the Right Tools?
Since the vast majority of small business prospects and clients that you encounter will likely be running some version of Microsoft Windows, it is a good idea to educate small business managers on the differences between the "current" versions of Microsoft Windows.
Versions of Microsoft Windows
Are your clients using the "right" version of Microsoft Windows? Below is some lists of different versions of Microsoft Windows your clients may be using in their small business network.
140). The Computer Consulting Business: Overcoming Client Risk Aversion
In the computer consulting business, risk-averse small business owners are very similar to small businesses that are apathetic about moving forward with your proposed small business network.
Apathetic small business owners know they have a need, but they’ll just keep putting the project with your computer consulting business on the back burner; indefinitely, if you let them!
Understand Client Fears
Risk-averse small business owners also keep shuffling your proposal to the back burner, but for totally different reasons.
141). Computer Consulting Services: Protecting and Auditing Sensitive Client Information
As a provider of computer consulting services, you will want to communicate to prospects and/or clients that anyone, even with the most rudimentary PC skills, who has physical access to a peer-to-peer server, usually has access to every file and folder on that server.
Although many people mistakenly think that the Microsoft Windows 9x/Me logon dialog box provides protection, they are wrong and that misperception can be extremely dangerous.
142). Potential Clients - Evaluation Criteria
Potential clients need to be evaluated for their ability to become steady clients. It's ok to pick up clients who you will see once or twice a year. When you are starting out, however, you need to build up a clientele of steady customers. These steady customers will provide steady income.
Potential clients qualify as potential steady clients when they generate $500 or more per month in revenue.
143). Computer Consulting Services: Protecting Client Data
As a provider of computer consulting services, you should communicate to your clients that a dedicated server generally can enforce strong user passwords. This means your clients can:
• Force users to change passwords at predetermined intervals
• Prevent recycling of previously-chosen passwords
• Eliminate the use of blank passwords
• Enforce selection.
144). Benchmarking and Best Practice - Utilization Rates
Benchmarking and best practice is a way for you to measure your success against others who have made the leap into computer consulting before you. By measuring your own performance against industry benchmarks you get an idea of what you need to work on to be successful.
A key element in your benchmarking and best practice is to look at utilization rates.
145). Business Startup Funding - Are You Ready?
Business startup funding is always a worry. Do I have enough money to start? Can I quit my job to concentrate full time? Will I be able to cover my monthly expenses?
When the time comes to actually launch your business you must have done your homework regarding your business startup funding needs. You need to be prepared so that if the opportunity to accelerate your launch presents itself, you're ready.
146). Legal Issues at Start-Up
Legal issues at start-up are often confusing. Mary times this will be your first foray into the business world. There are two main places where legal issues should be explored with an attorney.
Legal Issues With Business Type
Before starting you business it is wise to discuss all of the legal issues surrounding the type of business you decide to open.
147). Business Journals - A Strong Business Planning Tool
Business journals, or diaries, are an excellent way to record your business growth and progress. Business journals are extremely valuable in providing you with some amazing insight. By recording what you have done you can reflect and see where your time is going, where your growth spurts have occurred, what’s working and what’s not.
Plotting your course in a business journal lets you see opportunities with ease and clarity.
148). Selling Products - Is It For You?
Selling products as part of your computer consulting business is an option you should consider. Products can offer an additional revenue stream but you must determine if the extra expense and overhead associated with selling products are a good fit for your business model. You need to sit down and think long and hard about whether you want to be a reseller or if you want to be a pure consultant.
149). Unique Selling Proposition - What's Yours?
Unique selling proposition is a marketing concept that refers to the one element that sets a firm apart form its competition. Your unique selling proposition is what differentiates you in the market place . Every business needs to have a unique selling proposition because that's what you use to convince people to buy from you as opposed to the other guy.
150). Start Up Business Plan - The Benefits
Start up business plans are developed because the process of writing them creates huge benefits. A lot of people resist writing a start up business plan. They are under the false notion that start up business plans are an academic exercise that people are made to do in college or business school.
Another common misconception is that start up business plans are only needed if you are going to raise capital through pubic share offerings, taking on private investors, or looking for angel investors.
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