November 30, 2011

While there are some business models in the IT services space that do legitimately require a second mortgage on your home, massive credit card debt, or huge leaps of faith from angel investors, starting a computer company does not need to be financial risky.

When talking about IT certifications, a small business VAR recently asked, “What’s the CCNA Security certification? Is it worth the effort?”

If you are interested in entering the IT industry as an entrepreneur but do not have lots of technical experience, a Fast-teks franchise may be just the ticket. You can use your core business experience and leadership from another industry, and with the support of Fast-teks, bring the capabilities of a top-tier, national IT services company to your local area in the United State or Canada.

On November 7-10, cloud computing enthusiasts gathered at the ninth annual International Cloud Expo in Santa Clara, California.

All too often when selling IT solutions, you’ll spend all of your time and resources to get the sales appointment and submit the proposal, but yet completely drop the ball when it comes to following up.

November 23, 2011

Using IT trade associations to network with others in the industry can be a great way for technology providers to make new connections. Maybe you’ve thought about networking but haven’t been sure where to start. IT trade associations are a great first step.

There are a number of IT marketing strategies that you can use to grow your client base, making your computer business more widely known. Although somewhat difficult, this can be extraordinarily effective.

Hollywood has created the image of the loud, back-slapping sales rep that most people equate with the profession. No doubt there are salespeople of that type earning a good living—in some markets—but not in technology sales.

Starting a computer repair business from your own home can be a great way to grow the hobby of tinkering and working on computers into a viable business.  There are computers in almost every home these days; with computers, come computer problems that need to be solved. 

SP Home Run Weekly Update Newsletter

November 16, 2011

So you have been working in IT for a year or two and are now looking to gain professional recognition. An IT certification can help you achieve that, increase your salary, and open up your network to potentially new clients. But where to start?

If your company focuses on small business technology adoption, most of your clients are likely on long-term IT service contracts. While 100% client retention is an admirable goal, it may not always be possible. Why?

There are two components of IT sales presentations – convincing the prospect of the solution’s technical merits and of its financial value. 

In this post, we’ll look at three IT security certifications that show your prospects, customers, and clients that you’re dead serious about protecting their firm’s data security.

SP Home Run Weekly Update Newsletter

November 9, 2011

Many small businesses’ IT companies make bad decisions when setting their computer consulting rates, mainly because they don’t size up the competition. 

IT support contracts are often awarded as a result of a Request for Proposal. Decoding the RFP is important to succeeding at winning the contract.

Most small business IT companies usually try to be all things to all people, mistakenly believing that "small business" is a niche. However, when your company's marketing looks just like every other IT company's marketing, it's tough to stand out, let alone command top rates.

For many IT support companies, trying to guess what your small business clients actually want, let alone need, is like trying to assemble a winning Fantasy Baseball team. You think you have all the answers, until a team like the St. Louis Cardinals defies all odds to make it to the postseason and overcomes a tremendously-talented Texas Rangers roster.

If you have been thinking about how to start a computer repair business and are unsure of all the different strategies you can deploy to market your new business, think about including a Facebook strategy to reach customers quickly.

If you sell technical support contracts to your clients, your first inclination may be to focus on your firm’s core strengths…and make those strengths the centerpiece of your program.

Build your websites, blast emails, seduce the search engines, mingle in social media, do anything it takes to drive traffic when selling IT solutions. That’s advice the experts all agree upon. 

SP Home Run Weekly Update Newsletter

November 2, 2011

10 Tips on Selling IT Solutions for Much Higher Hourly Rates

(Video Tutorial) When you're selling IT to small business clients, do you have an easy time or a difficult time establishing your value proposition? And is it easy or difficult to command higher hourly billing rates? In this tutorial, you'll learn 10 ways to improve your marketing and sales process, so that you're selling to much better clients, with a lot less sales resistance, and for much higher, premium hourly billing rates. If any of these struggles sound familiar, you need to watch this tutorial now. (And be sure to share your feedback at the end.)
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Many of the popular computer certifications in recent years (such as the MCTS, CCNA, PRINCE2, CompTIA series, etc.) can be obtained via self-study and independent preparation. This can be a credible alternative to professionally taught, instructor-led courses from either the exam provider or a partner.