Thursday, April 2, 2009

How to Become a IT Consultant and Attract Great Clients

Are you trying to figure out how to become a IT consultant, but you’re not at all sure where to start?

Before you run out to chat up every friend, family member and former colleague or print out fliers and take out ads in your local phone book, think carefully about who you want as clients. You also need to get ready for a lot of hard work pounding the pavement and honing your people skills.

Becoming a IT consultant can be very rewarding, but it’s not necessarily easy. You aren’t going to get your clients handed to you on a silver platter, no matter what your business model is or where you are located. Of course if you have several hundred thousand dollars or more in working capital, you could buy an existing IT consulting business. But there'd be no guarantees that you'd be as successful as the previous owner. And that option just simply isn't practical for 99.99% of those reading this article.

You also aren’t going to immediately attract great clients just because you have a real way with technology, or a deep roster of close friends that know, like and trust you.

The following 4 pieces of advice can help you understand why you need to engage in targeted marketing activities if you really want to learn how to become a IT consultant, attract great clients, and build a solid business.

1. Don't Get Complacent About Building Relationships and Keeping Your Sales Funnel Full. Many new IT consultants make the mistake of assuming that just because they have enough business today, they will have enough tomorrow, next month and next year. This way of thinking can be the death of even the most seemingly thriving IT business. You need to be diligently and regularly meeting new people through networking organizations and targeted marketing activities so you are prepared if one or more of your clients suddenly jumps ship, goes out of business or simply can’t work with you anymore. Make time for marketing activities and follow-ups... now.

2. Don't Rely on Co-Workers, College Buddies, Relatives or other Close Acquaintances. If you want to become a IT consultant, you need to be prepared to meet new people. You can’t rely exclusively on contacts that have taken years, decades or even a lifetime to cultivate as you build your business. While these people can be helpful in the beginning, they will not build a stable foundation for your business. Branch out and focus on continuously building your network of potential clients and partners.

3. When You Don’t Market, You're Threatening Your Company's Survival. Unless you have a never-ending supply of former bosses, former co-workers, college buddies, cousins or other relatives, you will sooner or later have to confront a harsh reality – you to be able to confidently and effectively market to strangers. You need to develop skills that will help you relate to people that don’t know you yet so you can continue to build a network that extends beyond just those that already know you.

4. Know the Great Results of Targeted Marketing. Be very aware of which types of clients will help you succeed at starting your own business. Develop a marketing message that speaks to those that will most need the IT solutions you are providing. When you can do this well, you will find targeted leads that will have the best possible potential of becoming your next, steady high-paying IT consulting clients.

In this article, we discussed 4 tips on how to become a IT consultant. Learn more about how you can attract great, steady, high-paying clients as you become a IT consultant now at the attached link.

Copyright (C), BecomeAnITConsultant.com, All Rights Reserved

0 comments:

Post a Comment

 
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Sweet Tomatoes Printable Coupons