Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Hi Techmann,

To access the SMB market in your immediate catchment area, I would put together a nice 'package offer' based on the number of units a business needs to maintain (don't talk about hourly rates).

package 1 - Small Biz

3 to 10 PC's
Includes
List the items

Quarterly check up and emergency call out support (like a pre paid insurance).

Cost per month = $XX

package 2 -

11 - 30 Pc's

List the includes
Quarterly check up and emergency call out support (like a pre paid insurance).

Medium business Support package
30 - 80 PC's + Network and Proxy servers etc. (You get the picture)

Monthly check ups and emerg3ncy support etc.
Monthly price $XXX.

I think you get my point by now. I'm guessing the vlume of machines to be maintained but you will know better than I the market size and need.

Play around with different package offers until you find the BUNDLE that the market likes.

To sell this service, you need really nice colour printed and well designed fliers (spend the money - don't try to be cheap and make xerox copies :))

Get out and about with a sales guy and get the flyers into the hands of the small biz owners. Make house calls, offer your services.

Make sure all your service crew are armed with flyers when they go out on calls and make sure they give them out at every opportunity.

Upgrade your web site accordingly of course but don't look for sales to come from there. Sales will come from the fliers and from your sales team getting out into the market.

You will also need to work on your service contracts to match your package offers, your goal is to get SMb's to sign up for a monthly scheme where they don't really have to think or worry about there computers going down.

Yo are selling Peace of Mind - NOT services :))

Good luck.

Matthew

Dear Techmann,

You've already been given excellent advice. Do not rush towards reducing your prices. It'll ruin you.

Offer package deals, ramp up your guarantee to 12 months. Offer more value, free RAM upgrades, PC overhaul or annual once over,
all as a total care package.

Small business people want IT support that's there to help when they need it. You could branch out into website hosting, domain selling, site design, all through affiliate links, all white labeled with your brand while someone else cover the back end. You could offer packages to e-commerce, shopping carts, PLR stuff, the list is endless.

It's not difficult. Ask small business owners what they need, then find a way to give it to them.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA