The IT business is usually run on one of three pricing models, hourly, pre-paid blocks and computer maintenance contracts. Although hourly can be the most lucrative, a savvy computer guy will lock his clients in with a contract to assure his financial future. When times are slow, a contract still pays out but an hourly guy will take a beating as his clients cut back on service calls.
Finding new clients for a computer service business can be difficult. Some IT businesses depend on the phone book or their website to get them business and most depend on word of mouth. No one wants to walk into an office with their business card and give a 30 second sales pitch to the office manager. When I first started, this is how I acquired some of my first customers, but word of mouth is the best method once you have a few clients. That’s what I thought until I discovered a new technique.
Many companies are using wireless networks these days and many of them just purchase a wireless router, plug it in and they never touch it again. I find that these businesses don’t change the default passwords, the wireless channel is almost always on channel 6 and their wireless network is left open for anyone to use.
Now, when I go into a clients office, I use an app on my iPhone to scan the other offices in the area for wireless networks and test their security. Is the network open? Did they change the router password? Are they on channel 6 like every other office? Armed with this information, you can walk into an office and tell them you were at your client’s office down the hall and you noticed problems with their wireless network and you can then list their issues. Hand them a business card and let them know your company handles these types of security issues.
Getting new clients for a computer business is all about trust and that is why you will acquire most of your clients by word of mouth, but using the wireless network approach is a good way to get your foot in the door. You’ve explained that you already work for another business in the building and you told them about their security flaws, so you have established trust with them in the first few minutes of your conversation. They want someone they can trust to handle their office equipment and they will be more willing to enter in a computer maintenance contract if they trust you.
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