When you’re developing your IT consulting business plan, you need to consider how you’ll develop relationships with other trusted business advisors. Why does your new consulting business really need these kinds of partnerships? Because these trusted advisors already have their own established customer base, which with any luck, they’ll soon introduce to you and your new company.
There are many potential partners for an IT consulting business to consider. However, as a starting point, the following three categories of business partners are an excellent addition to the marketing section of your business plan.
Accounting Professionals
Accountants who service small businesses are a great source of new client referrals for an IT consulting business. Reach out to the accountant that supports your business first to see if he or she is open to making client referrals to your business. In addition, your accountant may also know other accountants who may be interested in having an IT consulting business they can refer their clients to.
Management Consultants
Management consultants are also an excellent source of new business for IT consultants. Be open to white-labeling your business, meaning that your company provides services under the other companies’ brands. This works well when partnering with management consulting firms, since they often will want to bundle your IT services into existing service offerings to clients.
Other IT Support Companies
If you or members of your team have expertise in a specific segment of IT support, then partnering with other IT companies that are not proficient in those areas is an excellent way to meet new potential clients. If your focus is Linux or Mac OS, then find a company that only supports Windows. A willingness to share clients is also a plus when reaching out to companies in a similar industry. As long as the partnership is structured appropriately, it can be a win-win.
In order for your IT consulting business plan to succeed, you need to plan for building partnerships and decide who to partner with, especially accountants, management consultants, and other IT support organizations.
Have you ever set up business partnerships with other trusted advisors? What types of implementation challenges have you encountered when developing partnerships? Please share your thoughts in the Comments area below.
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