How best to market IT consulting skills?

Question

I'm thinking of taking on solo indie projects, like helping people set up networks, servers, troubleshooting computers, making web sites, customing MS Office apps in VBA, writing 3-tier software, backend work. You name it--I can do it. Not to brag, but I am very good at it and people know it. As an aside, I'm bad at other things like dancing and chemistry. But I am a serious computer whiz.

Isn't there some way I can spread the word and start doing jobs for people, then finally hire other people to work for me?

Marketing seems to be the problem here. I might know computers, but I have no idea how to market. I've tried using friends/word of mouth, but it just seems like a dud. Any ideas?

I don't want a consulting job. While that seems like an obvious answer, I just don't want to depend on others like that. I want to get in the driver's seat here.

Answer 1

First, congratulations: you have made the critical analysis that marketing is the key to your success.

I'm an IT consultant, as well as being a marketing geek (interesting combo, huh?).

There are a number of good "kits" out there, all following basically the same model, and if you do what they tell you to do, you will succeed.

First I'd recommend you visit their sites and sign up for their info packets and mailing lists. Simply by analyzing how they market (they are consultants, after all) you can learn some useful things.

http://www.technologymarketingtoolkit.com/
http://www.computerconsultingkit.com/consulting.htm

Perry Marshall is best known as a Google Adwords guru, but his first, core product was a technology sales kit. He really understands the B2B and technical buyer mindset, and how to position and sell in that market.
www.perrymarshall.com

David Frey is more generic, but I bought his kit and have used it successfully.
http://www.market-your-services.com/

Dan Kennedy's Magnetic Marketing system is basically the "godfather" template that all these other guys copied. His stuff is generic, as Dan would say, your business is not different - the same rules apply. Also check out his consulting kit.
www.dankennedy.com

Most important, is to become a student of marketing, just as you have been a student of the IT world. Think of it as getting another certification, except this cert will give you way more hard dollars income than all of your others put together.

Good luck, I think you will succeed.
Scott

Answer 2

I am not that expert but maybe u can start to have your website as one of the marketing tools. Get your domain name and webhosting from here: http://www.website.ws/powercontrol You can fully use this facility as u are an expert. My website is built from the same source but it's too simple as I have no IT knowledge at all. u can see them here: http://www.silverroad.ws

All the best to u!!
carmeehoon

Answer 3

I'll take some time (don't know how long) and get back to you on this,i'll have to study your Q/A's for greater insight-ktf.x