Marketing new it services company

Polden-it

Hi

After many years contracting I have decided to start my own business providing computer repairs and IT support for home users and sme.

Just wondering how to market my company???

Also if you have a computer problem, how would you go about finding a computer repair company??

Google/Internet
Yellow pages/local directory
Ask friends/relatives

Any help would be appreciated

Brassedoff

Polden-it wrote: »

Hi

After many years contracting I have decided to start my own business providing computer repairs and IT support for home users and sme.

Just wondering how to market my company???

Also if you have a computer problem, how would you go about finding a computer repair company??

Google/Internet
Yellow pages/local directory
Ask friends/relatives

Any help would be appreciated

Firstly a good website and domain (collection of)

Then if you wish to keep the cost down from people like me who charge your mortgage for work 😏, go to the full set of directories, complete all your profiles as much and as full as you can, using regular terms & technical terms.

Then set up good social media pages, Facebook, Twitter, four square etc. (I have my full website on my Facebook page.

Get yourself and do a check in Google for your area. So do a Google list

Offer to do a Q&A article in the local newspaper where the local readers write in with their computer problems. This gives instant kudos

That's a cheap way to do it, there are another 20 odd things too that will give you a massive presence locally, but you may have to buy the advice from someone local, or do a bit of research.

Good luck

motorguy

Polden-it wrote: »

Also if you have a computer problem, how would you go about finding a computer repair company??

Like the vast bulk of people, i wouldnt be looking for a computer repair 'company'. I'd be

(a) seeing if a relative can fix it for free.
(b) asking friends or relatives for a recommendation on someone who can fix it cheap.
(c) check notice boards in local shops or chippys to see if anyones advertising.

Have a read at this...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/701077

Given that PC's are a dying breed as far as home users are concerned, can you

(a) repair laptops / netbooks?
(b) tablets?
(c) phones?
(d) networks?

As these now exceed PC's as a means of internet access.

Also, if you are aiming for SME's be aware none of them have any money to spare and few of them will value a PC support contract, they'll rather take their chances when something goes wrong.

Personally, its a tough market to crack, as you'll be competing with Unemployed Joe down the road who has been a computer geek since he was 12 and thinks hes Richard Branson because he gets a fiver an hour in his hand.

motorguy

Brassedoff wrote: »

Offer to do a Q&A article in the local newspaper where the local readers write in with their computer problems. This gives instant kudos

Whilst the rest of your advice is bang on, this is sooo 1980s.

Who these days writes to their local newspaper when they have an IT problem?

Brassedoff

motorguy wrote: »

Whilst the rest of your advice is bang on, this is sooo 1980s.

Who these days writes to their local newspaper when they have an IT problem?

It still happens. You ave a generation who do not know where to turn, but, it establishes a reputation without having to have been established for years.

As for repairing PC's, it's a dying art, the product is for most of the market a throw away item, especially the fact that what most people use them for, can be dome from a tablet. (This response and most of mine are done from my tablet!)

motorguy

Brassedoff wrote: »

It still happens. You ave a generation who do not know where to turn, but, it establishes a reputation without having to have been established for years.

Not convinced - every family tends to have some computer literate person who will have a go or who knows someone who can, so even grandad in the corner will probably turn to a family member first, rather than putting pen to paper, and i'm not sure its something your local newspaper will want to dedicate column inches to, but i guess theres no harm in asking.

Brassedoff wrote: »

As for repairing PC's, it's a dying art, the product is for most of the market a throw away item, especially the fact that what most people use them for, can be dome from a tablet. (This response and most of mine are done from my tablet!)

Yes, totally agree.

jenniemiller177

Definitely get a good website. Then for home users I would do a leaflet drop around your local area. For SME's build up a social media profile, link with businesses. Build up a mailing list and send out offers.

Mista_C

motorguy wrote: »

Like the vast bulk of people, i wouldnt be looking for a computer repair 'company'. I'd be

(a) seeing if a relative can fix it for free.

Which is where I get a good number of my customers from. A relative/friend who thinks they're a tech because they once swapped a graphics card takes a look, "fixes it" for free and a week or so later it turns up to me. Best case scenario the original problem persists, worst case the relative or friend has done something that's completely screwed it up.

To be frank, if people didn't go looking for a free fix from relatives and friends, many of the repairs I carry out would cost a lot less but by the time I sorted the original problem as well as whatever "fix" has been carried out by the relative or friend it's taken twice as long.
Well, that and those people who are too embarrassed to admit they did something silly.

On the OPs original question, while Yell might do what you want they'll also hound you to death. I had to tell them to remove my listing because they were calling me several times daily to try and sell me additional packages and actually caused disruption to my work.

If it hasn't been mentioned already have a look at freeindex.co.uk. People with computer problems submit their problem to the site, you then have a chance to 'bid' on the job. A few of those and you'll have yourself regular customers and a good "word of mouth" network base.