IT Marketing Proven Client Attraction Tips

If you are like a lot of other computer consultants, you might not understand how important having a solid IT marketing plan is to the future of your business. You might think that your friends, family, colleagues and others in your circle will be a never-ending source of clients that will bring needed revenue to your business.

However, eventually your well of friends and family members will run dry, and if you haven’t established a set IT marketing plan with clear steps and diverse strategies, you will find yourself in a pretty big jam. The truth is, marketing is an on-going process that should never end, no matter how many prospects or clients you have. You can never stop thinking about forging new relationships if you want to run a successful IT company.

In this article, we’re going to look at 5 IT marketing plan tips proven to attract clients to your computer consulting business, so you can be assured of setting the stage for keeping enough prospects, customers and clients in your sales funnel.

1. Pick a Launch Date for Your IT Marketing Campaigns. Even before you make any definitive marketing plans, you should pick a launch date for your campaigns and write it down. Put it up in a place where you will have to look at it every day. While you may have to adjust as the process moves forward if you hit any legal snags or other unforeseeable delays, having a set date in mind can help you prioritize what needs to get done and when. When you know you have 5, 10, 12 or any other number of weeks instead of an indeterminate amount of time (I’m partial to planning IT marketing 13 weeks out, or a quarter-year at a time), you will find yourself more motivated to do things efficiently and in a logical order.

2. Update/Print Your Business Cards. Your business cards are one of the most basic – but also most important parts of your IT marketing materials. You never know when you’re going to meet someone that might be a good candidate for your services, even in unexpected, casual networking situations. You might meet people at your church or synagogue, at your children’s school functions, in line at the movies, at the gym … anywhere and everywhere could be an opportunity for you to talk to someone about what you do. Having a business card to hand out – the most basic of marketing materials – helps you show you are serious and professional. Don’t worry if your contact information or company name changes as you grow or refine your direction. You can always get more printed, but you need a business card to show that you are in fact “in business”!

3. Tell Everyone You Know about Your Business. You need to let all friends and family members know, “Hey! I’m starting (or re-launching) a computer services business!” as part of your IT marketing plan. You also need to get the word out into the community so people get to know you and associate you with what you do. Create a “buzz” about yourself by talking to those you meet in the community, again at church or synagogue, at the gym, at your children’s activities, in line at the movies, etc. Chances are you will find interesting networking opportunities everywhere you go. You never know where you might meet a great potential client!

4. Get Some Reference Accounts. A common question computer consultants have is, “How do I get a reputation when I don’t have any clients, and how do I get clients when I don’t have a reputation?” You need to get some reference accounts in the beginning to get the ball rolling and grow your business and your IT marketing plan. There are many ways to do this. Of course, you can do some work for friends or family members and have them write you a testimonial, or be interviewed for a case study, to add to your Web site and other marketing materials. But often an even better way is to volunteer for a respected non-profit organization in your area. Doing a set project with a well-defined beginning and end (because you don’t want to give too much away for free!) with a non-profit organization in your community about which you feel passionate will go a long way to building your credibility and making you visible. At the end of the project, make sure you ask for a testimonial, or for an interview for a case study, to show others the good work you do in someone else’s words besides your own.

5. Get Referrals. Referrals are a really important part of a good IT marketing plan because they are based on relationship marketing … and strong relationships are at the heart of any great computer consulting business. A reference from someone you know, like and trust is trustworthy and often pre-qualified, which can help you find better prospects and leads and save valuable time. Train your friends and family and any clients or trusted business advisors what to listen for when they are talking to their clients, friends or co-workers. Perhaps your accountant has been getting complaints from his/her clients about computers not working, systems crashing or a variety of other technology issues. This is a perfect time for your accountant to say, “Hey, I think I know someone who can help you” and then pass along your business card and information. Those in your network of trusted business advisers, friends, family and clients can become your extended sales force and take some of the work of IT marketing off your plate.

In this article, we talked about 5 critical IT marketing steps you need to take to develop a strong plan that will attract great clients for your business and make sure you have enough prospects, customers and clients in your sales funnel.

To learn more about how to create a solid IT marketing plan, sign up for free IT marketing proven client attraction tips now at http://www.ITMarketingKit.com

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