IT Consulting Companies Need to be Ready to Pivot Focus

IT consulting companies need to be flexible; is yours ready to pivot when needed? “Pivoting” is a new buzzword in business planning. Reid Hoffman, a founder of LinkedIn, devotes a chapter to the topic in his new book, The Start-up of You. He writes that pivoting does not mean abandoning your original strategy, but capitalizing on what you’ve learned.

An article on the ReadWrite.com website offers some tips on trend-tracking. Three of those tips, from Author Rieva Lesonsky, a nationally recognized expert on entrepreneur strategies, can be used to spot those prevailing tides if you need to change course:

1. Look for countertrends – Lesonsky points out that for every customer that wants streamlined solutions, there will be one that wants the personalized approach. This advice is very appropriate for IT consulting companies.

2. Watch for demographic differences – Keep in mind that while 20-somethings want everything mobile, many baby boomers will likely want something different.

3. Go global – Big cities are a good place to look for trends. Surf the Internet to see what’s going on in London, New York, Tokyo, or Los Angeles.

IT consulting companies can follow Hoffman’s advice to both follow a plan and stay flexible by keeping aware of trends in their market.

If you’ve made a successful pivot with your company, tell us how in the Comments section below.  

And to follow-through on the tips introduced in this short article, be sure to download your free copy of the special report on How to Start a Computer Consulting Business: 6 Proven Ways to Build Your Initial Client Base.

Creative Commons Image Source: flickr Hey Paul Studios