1

Greetings Team,

Currently, I am operating my own IT firm and searching for ways to expand my client base and improve on my services. My company offers the following:

  1. Web & App Development.
  2. Cloud Services.
  3. Reseller Partners.
  4. SEO & SEM.
  5. IT Support.

Anyone with experience/ideas on how to get a firm flagship/initial clients?

What of marketing/sales? How does one go about refining their way of doing it?

Warm regards,

Michael.

6 Spice ups
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I’ve never started anything like the scale you’re talking about here, but I did provide some freelance services for a while. I scouted my competition by calling and asking for quotes for same types of services I was planning to offer to get an idea of pricing and see how they promoted themselves. As for getting clients, I left business cards and flyers everywhere that would allow it, I placed ads on Facebook groups, posted on Craiglist, and took out classified ads in the newspaper. I don’t know how well that would work in your case, but it’s the best I advise I have.

3

I would start networking (and no; not the kind with RJ45’s and switches)…LOL. Talk to people! I would find your local Chamber of Commerce (usually these are setup by geographic area if in the USA). Join the Chamber and start attending evens that they have (for instance my local one has a Young Professional / Entrepenuerial club the meets monthly in addition to a LOT of other events). I would then also start regularly attending other evens in your area. Use www.meetup.com and go to User Groups (Microsoft, etc.), SpiceCorps meetups, etc. Start building your “Brand” and marketing based off the “Brand.” It takes time; you need to be visible and start marketing your services; word of mouth is great!

CK

4

Find an industry where small businesses are successful. Find out what solutions work best for their industry and make them your primary marketing target. Show them what makes you to stand out from the larger managed service providers. Eliminate the hourly clients and only sign annual contracts. Build relationships with popular service providers, solutions providers and vendors.