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| Thread ID: 66266 | 2006-02-16 21:06:00 | Well, Thats the end of that then... | Metla (12) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 431273 | 2006-02-19 23:22:00 | Just in the spirit of helpfulness I would say with a start up business one thing you don't want to be doing is spending too much time at a forum like this helping people out for free. Fine spirit, but not conducive to business (as defined by andrew93.) :2cents: Well Mark, you probably haven't noticed but Metla gained a lot of respect from experienced and non-experienced computer users here on this forum to the extent that quite a few became actual customers of his. No doubt, due to their satisfaction, they would have provided even more customers through word of mouth so I am sure the time and advice that Metla generously gave in this forum would have been rewarded. ;) I worked for a brief time in a one-man-band computer repair "shop" (garage turned into workshop) and the owner's biggest challenges were keeping records (who has paid and not paid, who needs paying, etc) and recruiting new customers. The money was in business customers rather than home users. However, even though 80% of his clients were the latter it was the former who caused headaches when it came to keeping the cash flowing in. |
FoxyMX (5) | ||
| 431274 | 2006-02-19 23:32:00 | According to certain people, customers soon forget the cost but don't forget if you muck it up or sell them inferior products to keep the price down . So this means you can charge more and do a great job and use good products . I'm sure its not quite that simple but I am only a barely surviving sole trader so what do I know . I agree you should focus on the business market but you might need to employ some other staff as business often see one or two man bands as a risk as they might bugger off and leave them in the pooh . Then you have to wages, PAYE etc etc (oh dear) and if income has been light for a particular month, you still have to pay your staff . Anyway good luck with whatever direction you take your business . You need to find some businesses who are unhappy with their IT support and knobble them . |
dolby digital (5073) | ||
| 431275 | 2006-02-19 23:45:00 | You forgot the taffing OSH and ACC fees. | bob_doe_nz (92) | ||
| 431276 | 2006-02-19 23:58:00 | OK take all your points. Iv'e seen several one person comp shops/garages go out of business. I agree there is that (understandable) distrust of 'small outfits' because the can and do dissappear overnight. The ones that survive around here have another income, mostly the wife's. Secondhand shops are an industry in a similar fix to comp repair shops. They are closing down because you can buy whatever it is brand new in the box from the Warehouse cheaper. Repair shops don't overcharge in my estimation. As an amateur fixit artist I have spent hundreds of hours fiddling with people's comps. So maybe the gap being fixing it for a realistic price compared to getting a new one just isn't wide enough. Just biff it, get another one, like microwaves and TVs. Anyway, good luck in your new venture/s. Maybe take a break, hang in a hammock for a day. :D |
mark c (247) | ||
| 431277 | 2006-02-20 00:51:00 | Anyhow, Guess I shall just have to start charging like a wounded bull, Taking shortcuts, useing old dodgy used parts....Seems to work for everybody else. Wasnt that the way The PC Company operated? Didn't that give you plenty of work from people who had bought their products and then when they failed bringing to you for repair? I guess you could hope for a repeat of something similar? (as long as it's not your own) :thumbs: |
Cptn Hotshot (3904) | ||
| 431278 | 2006-02-20 01:25:00 | I have a friend in Oamaru who has a friend there who took up PC stuff. He doesn't have premises and apparently gets heaps of work. He does do businesses however and doesn't build - he just buys Acer. Yuck. | pctek (84) | ||
| 431279 | 2006-02-20 01:28:00 | The thing to do when you require more man power for a particular job is to hire it from somebody in the comp business, in say New Plymouth or Palmy, (just don't have their boss on the job), i . e . use them as alabour source by setting up a strategic alliance with the other party to tackle the big jobs, only and don't let them litch your best clients . That way you have a very simple contractural arrangement without the usual hassle of being the direct employer . You may even glean some useful info about business in the other centres :D Met's target marketing is not necessarilly direct marketing, but in your case that could be very effective . Ladies, click on the little x in the top right of your browser window now or, keep ya traps shut . Got any presentable and plausable ladies wgo'd be willing to wear a shortish skirt and a ever so slightly provocative top? It works, but do the ground work first, who they would need to see and who makes the final decisions, otherwise you risk causing offence (to the female head of IT or finance) . A slightly different strategy is to take the attractive offsider along as a distraction . All calls routed through a professional sounding and efficient female voice, also adds business cred . Target advertising, brochures (although they have a high risk of being filed) and, particulalry local business pages adverts, at availabilty, responsiveness, outsourcing troublesome/time-consuming issues, understanding business needs (all words), streamlining, simplifying making it easier and therfore cost effective, etc, etc, DO NOT mention consumers or retail when marketing to businesses, they want your undivided attention . A banner headline, some of the nice words and a quick list of services (bulleted) visible contact details, short and sweet, at least spot colour on a professional looking logo . If your local rag doesn't have the sort of pages you need, look to the local version of the Dom Post, you'll need to pay their outrages rates but, it'll be worth it (I only put the local rag first as I fugured you may not want to spend too much at first, giving it a toe dip rather than boot-n-all . Find out who the businesses you wish to target sponsor or what community event they are involved in, then get in as a sub-sponsor (minimal investment to get your name listed), i . e . your name will be visible, if less so, next to theirs (believe me, they'll check their ads out, while your at it, find out which pages they advertise on, try to get next to theirs) . Edit: Do not adevertise in the classifieds, it's a dead lose for targeting an audience . It's front page, rear page (if main sports page), Editorial/political and business pages in that order and pretty much in that order of cost . I'd still go with business pages for the business market though, it's more cost effective and your trying to capture the eye of businesses, so why waste your dosh elsewhere . I'd be ther in pref to dedicated IT features or pages . An advertorial as a branding exercise doesn't hurt, in fact it can be very effective, but you need to follow up with a decent run of ads though, otherwise it's money down the drain . Advertising sales people will try to plonk you anywhere they can for max dollar, don't let them . Try to get them to guarantee you a particular spot (top of page is best ut most costly, bottom left, just next to the hand that holds the paper is good then bottom right, same, without the reader hand covering it . Those positions get the most looks as readers read and pages are turned . |
Murray P (44) | ||
| 431280 | 2006-02-20 01:39:00 | hmmmm.....I was thinking more along the lines of a mail out to specific companies, perhaps 100 at a time to gague how good the strike rate is, any idea if that approach works? | Metla (12) | ||
| 431281 | 2006-02-20 01:47:00 | Was never really in favour of brochures or single pagers, for the same cost we could run a series of ads and the tend to get buried in all that *cough* junk. But that's more a letter box drop approach. Mailing to the actual people is better, it still has a high rate of filing and can annoy some people, especially if the have no recognition of what/who. Could be effective following a advertorial or ad schedule, if they have been visible, people recognition will often lead to it being read (first base). BTW, what do you do with the Dell brochures, thought so, same here, so, a letter pure and simple or with a brochure, don't treat them as another punter to sell something to, your offering them a service, a way of easing their managerial burden, you're also pandering to their vanity, just a wee bit. | Murray P (44) | ||
| 431282 | 2006-02-20 01:53:00 | maybe a better looking website might help as well ;) :D, | stu161204 (123) | ||
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