How to Start a Computer Consulting Business With These Tips

This article describes how to start a Computer Consulting Business, followed by a few points to consider.

Steps to Starting a Computer Consulting Business

Researching a Computer Consulting Business – See An Inside Look Into the Business You Want To Start.
Choosing a Location for Your Computer Consulting Business For more, see Choosing The Best Location for Your Business.
Choose a Name for Your Computer Consulting Business. See How to Choose a Business Name.
Legalizing Your Business – See How to Register your Business.
Create Your Corporate ID – See A Complete Introduction to Corporate Identity Packages.
Computer Consulting Business Equipment – See The Most Recent Google Search Results Related to Computer Consulting Business Equipment.
Estimating Your Start-up Cost – See Estimating Start-up Costs: Are you Missing Anything?
Writing a Computer Consulting Business Plan – See How to Write a Business Plan.
Set up a Business Bank Account – See, How to Open a Business Bank Account.
Get the Funding for Your Computer Consulting Business – See Getting a Small Business Loan.
Software Setup – Check out Google’s Latest Search Results for Software Packages Related to a Computer Consulting Business.
Get Your Computer Consulting Business Insured – See the latest Google Search Results for Computer Consulting Business Insurance.
Computer Consulting Business Office Setup – See, Here are Considerations for The Setup of Your Office.
Create an External Support Team – See, Building a Team of Professional Advisors for Your Business
Hiring Employees – See How and When to Hire a New Employee.

Points to Consider Before Starting

The need for computer consulting comes from, as you could probably guess, the popularity of computer use. It’s becoming harder and harder to find a job that doesn’t require using a computer.

We’re at a pivotal point in the history of technology and there’s a lot of demand for people who know IT.

Computer consulting isn’t for everyone, but if you have the knowledge and passion, the market is growing every day.

Computer consulting is competitive, with each expert wanting to snag good contracts, but it’s also a booming market with a lot of room for new people, and it’s just getting bigger.

It’s important to have a real passion for everything related to personal computers, Macintosh, PCs, Tablets, and Cell Phones, Computer Peripherals, as well as a variety of operating systems. There are dozens of established ways of turning your computer knowledge into a full-fledged computer consulting business.

A popular method is to offer the services of your computer consulting business to various companies in your area. Plenty of companies are looking for computer consultants who can be on-call when a problem arises, but you can also offer workshops and courses to teach employees how to operate the software and hardware to improve efficiency and productivity in the workplace.

When you first start out, you can charge a flat fee for your services, and when you start building up a name for yourself, you can charge by the hour or, if you’re offering your services to certain companies, even create a monthly contract and maintenance plan. If you can secure a few contracts you’ll have a steady flow of revenue, you can depend on.

Tasks And Skills Needed:

Business Specific Tasks:

Here’s a list of tasks that need to be attended to when it comes to the business side of computer consulting:

Bookkeeping/record keeping.
Advertising/marketing.
Scheduling.
Managing the financials of the business.
Managing your staff.

Specific Tasks Related to Computer Consulting:

Take care of repairs for all brands of computers and peripherals whether you do it yourself or have it sent out.
Install network, whether you do it yourself or subcontract, or just oversee the installation.
Setup software for clients and train employees on the use of it.
Counseling business owners and others about what they need in the computer industry.
Staying up-to-date with the latest hardware, software, networking, web technologies, and new gadgets and innovations.

Hours of Operation:

General Hours of Operation: – Generally speaking, computer consultants work 9-5 and sometimes evening and weekend hours when there is an emergency.

Necessary Start-Up Equipment & Supplies:

Computer
Printer
Cell phone
Website
Scheduling software
Time-tracking software for each client
Bookkeeping software

Supplementary Equipment:

Equipment or helpful products that you can acquire once your business is off and running:

A Furnished office
Audio/visual equipment and/or software for giving presentations
Presentation software (slides, short videos, etc.)

Monthly Expenses and Operating Costs To Consider:

Wages
Phone/cell phone
Internet access
Advertising/Marketing
Common Monthly Business Expenses

Special Requirements and Considerations:

Find out all you can about the trends in the industry. Know your competition, in particular, their strengths and weaknesses. This will help you identify your competitive advantage. In other words, this will help you figure out what you can give your customers that they’re not getting from the other businesses.
It’s a good idea to subscribe to tech magazines and download plenty of trial versions of new software in order to stay on top of new developments.
Patience is a plus as well as getting along well and professionally with different types of people at their level of technical knowledge.
Flexibility with time is important. Many clients may want to meet after business hours or on weekends.
The success of this business depends on the quality of service, not the number of clients. Concentrate on spending excellent time with each client and word will soon spread.
You can shine above your competition by being extremely thorough in explanations, supplying current information, and making each client feel as though they are your only one.
It’s important to become a member of networking groups in your area that highlight small businesses.
You may want to consider specializing in a specific service. Instead of consulting on every aspect of the computer industry. For example, a lot of mid-sized to large companies use specific software for operations such as Microsoft Dynamics which is an area you could specialize in if there is a demand in your area.
A good way to get your computer consulting business’s name out there is to write articles for magazines and newsletters. See if the local newspaper could use a weekly computer editorial or question and answer section. If you can become known as your city’s resident computer genius, you’re on the right track.

Pros And Cons:

The Pros of Running a Computer Consulting Business:

Perfect business for someone who likes helping people with computer solutions.
It is easily expandable.
Is not affected by the economic climate as much as other businesses.

The Cons of Running a Computer Consulting Business:

Can be highly competitive, depending on your area.
It can mean traveling in inclement weather.
Vacations can be hard to get unless you have employees to cover.
You may always be on call.
You need to always keep up with continuous changes in the industry.

Type of Customers You Need to Attract :

The majority of your first customers will be small business owners because they have the fewest on-hand resources versus large companies.

Clients include large and small companies in the private sector; institutions, such as hospitals, universities, unions, and nonprofit organizations.

Resources

In the next section, you will find a few resources that can be helpful during the start-up phase and once your business has been established.

Publications

By learning as much as you can about your computer consulting business before you start, you’ll be able to make better decisions. When you know a lot about a business, you have the knowledge to expand it and make it successful.

There is plenty of information out there, you just have to find and use it. A link to a Google search result includes a range of publications about computer consulting services, making it easier for you to locate. You can use this information as you see fit. View the newest and most popular publications by visiting the link once a week or once a month. Click here for the latest publications related to a computer consulting business.

Industry Terminology

Knowing your industry is essential for a business owner. The terminology can be picked up through experience. You can get a jump on things by checking out glossaries. Search Results Related to Terminology in the Computer Consulting Industry.

Industry Trends and Statistics

Analyzing industry trends and statistics related to the computer consulting industry can provide you with tips and insights you may not have thought about before. Click Here for the Latest Google Search Results Related to Trends in the Computer Consulting Industry.

Businesses For Sale

Consider purchasing an existing business before starting your own computer consulting company.

There are pros and cons. Pros include, the business is up and running, you start earning revenue the day you take over, and you already know if the business is successful.

An established business, however, is usually more expensive to buy and major changes could negatively impact operations. So see, Buy a business or build one from scratch for more. See the latest Google Search results for computer consulting businesses for sale.

Top Computer Consulting Businesses

When you study other businesses, you’ll be able to understand what the marketplace offers, as well as pricing and other ideas. You may come up with a unique idea or find something you’re missing in your business. Search Google for the Top Computer Consulting Businesses.

Associations

Joining an association can be beneficial. Many provide news and publications to benefit from. Many of them also host events you can attend to network with others in the industry.

Click Here To View Associations Related to the Computer Consulting Industry. You may also want to check out our page for tips and insights about Joining a Trade Association.

Consulting Tips

Whether you are experienced or not in the industry, it doesn’t hurt to check out the latest tips related to computer consulting. Have a Look at the search results for tips related to computer consulting.

Marketing Tips

Marketing is a part of running any business. As a business owner, you can market your own business by trying one technique at a time, testing, and doing more of what works and less of what doesn’t. Have a Look at the Latest Articles for Marketing a Computer Consulting Business.

Books

Books are another source of information you can use to boost your understanding of your industry. View the Most Recent Google Search Results for Computer Consulting Business Books.

Training

The more skilled and informed you are about your business, the better your chances of success. Why not take a few minutes to see the latest courses related to computer consulting? Google’s Search Results Related to training for a Computer Consulting.