| If you own a computer service or repair business, you | | | | your typical client will not have a clue what different |
| might think that very technical PC repair training is | | | | levels of training and certifications mean. They will |
| needed to do a great job with clients. While you | | | | expect you to help them maintain and support their IT |
| certainly need some level of technical expertise to | | | | infrastructure, and solve their IT business problems by |
| work with your clients, even more important than | | | | showing them how to use their computer systems to |
| training and certifications is being able to be an | | | | their best advantage. |
| effective project manager, so you can build solid | | | | 3. Make Sure You Are Selling to the Real Decision |
| business partnerships and client relationships. | | | | Makers. You need to know who you are talking to |
| The truth is, to be successful at running a computer | | | | when you are selling your computer repair services to |
| repair business, you need to be great at building | | | | small business prospects. Sometimes the small |
| mutually-beneficial relationships with your clients. When | | | | business owner will not necessarily be the primary |
| you get steady, high-paying clients that rely on you to | | | | decision maker for the company. A lot of times the |
| manage their IT assets, you go beyond the basic | | | | person you really want to sell to is the internal |
| break/fix mentality that comes from focusing too | | | | computer guru - some times the office manager, |
| heavily on PC repair training and become a true asset | | | | controller, vice president, owner's spouse, etc. You |
| to your clients' businesses. | | | | need to know who is interested in the true bits and |
| If you want to start building relationships with great, | | | | bytes of your prospects' businesses and who cares |
| long-term clients, take to heart these 4 tips, so you can | | | | how much it will bottom-line cost. If you are proposing |
| focus your business on total IT solutions, and stop | | | | on-going services to anyone but the person that |
| obsessing over PC repair training and certifications. | | | | understands the needs of the small business, no |
| | | | amount of business skills or PC repair training will |
| 1. Adopt a Real Marketing and Sales Plan. In order to | | | | matter, as you will be met by the ears of someone |
| go beyond just advertising your PC repair training | | | | that doesn't care about or know anything about the |
| credentials and certifications, you need to a real | | | | type of solutions you are proposing. |
| marketing plan for reaching prospective clients. | | | | 4. Understand Small Business Hot Buttons. Knowing |
| Because small businesses are often resistant to | | | | the real hot button issues of small businesses in need |
| change, you need to effectively and persuasively | | | | of computer repair services has absolutely nothing to |
| explain what you will offer them as part of an | | | | do with PC repair training. You need to really find out |
| on-going, long-term relationship. You need to explain | | | | what worries your clients about running and growing |
| why they need to go beyond just hiring you to fix | | | | their businesses if you are going to design the best |
| things that break and move towards adopting a whole | | | | solutions. And this often has nothing to do with training |
| new proactive, results-based, ROI-driven technology | | | | at all. Take the time to talk to your prospects and |
| plan. Devise a plan that speaks to prospect hot | | | | understand what drives them to make investments in |
| buttons, so you can overcome objections and truly | | | | technology and business solutions. When you meet |
| explain how working with you will help prospects grow | | | | with clients, make sure you get them to tell you about |
| their businesses and better serve their own clients. | | | | their top three to five IT business problems. Also find |
| You need to adopt a real marketing plan and find a | | | | out what bothers them most about their existing |
| sales style that works for you, even if you initially hate | | | | technology or former technology provider. Get to the |
| the idea of selling. | | | | heart of small business challenges if you really want to |
| 2. Analyze Your Prospect, Customer and Client Needs. | | | | provide effective, on-going technology support. |
| The bottom line is, your clients don't necessarily need | | | | In this article we talked about 4 tips that can help you |
| you to have fancy certifications and extensive PC | | | | build important soft skills so you can best serve your |
| repair training to meet their business needs. In fact, | | | | small business clients. |
| when you are working in the small business market, | | | | |