Computer Consulting Kit ™ FC’s Blog

One of the things we often say at the Computer Consulting Kit is that when you’re just starting out with new clients, you will face some challenges when it comes to figuring out who needs what.  Who has an emergency that must be dealt with right away and who has IT issues that can wait a few months?  IT audits can be a good way to determine this and a great way to start a “paying” relationship with new prospects. 

Regardless of whether you call them IT audits, site surveys, or technology assessments, you need to work as efficiently as possible, so you can cover a LOT of ground in a few hours with your new client.

And that’s the reason why we at the Computer Consulting Kit have prepared a field-tested and well proven Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet that covers over 62 different inspection points, that you’ll want to go through with most of your new small business clients.

This 3-page, very densely packed, well-organized, single-spaced worksheet, and even more importantly the process and system that you’ll learn about, works regardless of whether you’re a complete beginner or whether you’ve been in business for years.

It works independent of location, including all 50 United States, 8 Canadian provinces, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and some 31+ other nations around the globe.

The Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet helps you quickly AND efficiently gather key IT asset information on your first paid gig with a new customer.

By using the worksheet and the proven methodologies that support the pre-sales process provided by the Computer Consulting Kit, the Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet gives you a MUCH better idea of what your new customer currently has in terms of IT assets and what this customer is missing so you can easily pinpoint what needs to be done right away and close a MUCH larger, MUCH more profitable sale for value-added remediation services (i.e. fixing what’s broken and vulnerable to breaking ASAP).

So if you’re even remotely serious about getting new customers who sign-up for your IT Audits to become your new steady, high-paying clients on annual support agreements, you’ll definitely want to take full advantage of the over 62 different inspection points on Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet to provide you with a logical way to survey shortcomings, potential problems and accidents just waiting to happen.

To learn how YOU can get your hands on the Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet, and its related tutorials, strategies, checklists, best practices, audio and video training PLUS the entire field-tested, PROVEN marketing, sales, and business development system that this centers around, go right now to the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course download center.

Added By:  Computer Consulting Kit

The following is an ominous scenario you might encounter presented by the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course.

It’s a little after 1p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. You stop back at the office to pick-up a CD and some spare parts on the way to another client appointment.

While you’re sitting at your desk waiting for your PDA to sync up with your desktop, you answer a call from a prospect.

You: Good afternoon. Anytown Computer Consulting.  This is Joshua. How can I help you?

Prospect: Uh hi. I was just checking out some prices.  How much does your network rollout cost?

You: [COMPLETELY befuddled and thrown for a curve ball.] Well, that all depends on what you have and what you need. I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name. Where are you calling from?

Prospect: [DIAL TONE]

Sound familiar?

You’ve just overheard a "drive-by" price shopper.

We often get similar questions like this at the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course Support Center. Fortunately our offering is a little more concrete so we can give a more decisive answer a lot faster.

So in case YOU are wondering what’s the cost of the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course? And why isn’t this information in 72-point font at the top of the Web site?

The Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course includes

14 hours of field-tested, PROVEN Audio Training Programs,

23 field-tested, PROVEN, easy-to-customize Sample Document Templates,

in-depth, field-tested, PROVEN Module-by-Module workbooks, over 700 pages in length,

12+ hours of special bonus Streaming Video Tutorials and Template Demonstration Videos

67 additional special bonus field-tested, PROVEN, easy-to-customize marketing, support contract, and financial management Sample Document Templates,

2 special bonus Critique Certificates redeemable for objective, professional Marketing Critiques, Proposal Critiques, or Support Contract Critiques

And much, much more!

The price for all of this, including the 10 special bonuses (a $4,464.00 value) is just $997 which is absurdly low considering that you can break even on your entire investment, 12 times over, when you get your very first $1,000/month retainer client signed up on one of your firm’s Annual Service Agreements.

Plus thanks to our Payment Plan option, you can get going … now. Just $347 Down, plus 2 easy $347 payments. This makes getting started now Super-Affordable, even for those who’re a little tight on cash.

But Fair Warning: Since most customers generally choose to purchase the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course for $997 complete, this Payment Plan option may be withdrawn at any time, without advance notice. So if ordering with the Payment Plan option is important to you, your best bet is to lock it in now, while it’s still available.

Now add a second, third, or fourth client onto one of these Annual Service Agreement arrangements… factor in renewals stretching out three, four, five, or more years into the future, and the cost is a mere drop in the bucket for serious computer consulting business owners.

In fact, the only people who don’t need the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course are those that

(a) don’t know how to value their own $100+/hour time properly

(b) or those that would rather "gamble" the equivalent amount of money on a stock they know little about, slot machines, or a sporting event… rather than putting their chips down on THEIR own company’s future! Where they are 100% totally in control of the "odds,” their environment and their destiny.

In fact, with all this in mind, the price really could EASILY be two to five times its current price and still be an EXTREMELY worthwhile investment for your company.

BUT don’t forget that the 10 special bonuses are only for early adopters. We reserve the right to take away, some or all of the special bonuses (especially the ones that are labor-intensive and Web-server bandwidth intensive), at ANY time, without advance notice, and still raise the price.

And, don’t forget that your Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course purchase is fully protected by our famous 10 Times Return-on-Investment (ROI) Performance Pledge, as it’s detailed on the main Web page – you’ll make or save AT LEAST 10 times your purchase price or we’ll purchase back your Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course AND write you a check for up to $500.00 just for giving the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course a fair shot!

And to answer your original question, why isn’t this information in 72-point font at the top of our Web site?  Because we’re SMART marketers… just like you’ll be when you’re done absorbing all of the field-tested, PROVEN strategies in the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course.

Along the same lines, you’d have to be nuts to send out a mailer to prospects, who’ve not EVER heard of your company, offering to sell them a $25,000.00 IT solution without first taking the time to qualify them and take them through some kind of a logical, well-thought-out, sequential sales process, all things that you’ll learn how to do in detail with the field-tested, PROVEN tools, resources and strategies in the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course.

So if you’re sick and tired of not knowing how to properly and effectively market and sell your consulting services and you’re tired of being forced to "bid" on price then it’s time to stop getting pushed around like a rank amateur and simply start studying, borrowing from, and adapting from the same field-tested, PROVEN strategies that have ALREADY helped other consulting firms that have used Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course tips get the best, STEADY, high-paying clients.

Added By:  Computer Consulting Kit

Whenever you’re first starting out with a new client account, one of the most challenging parts is sorting through all the clutter and weeds so you can distinguish between the "good", the "bad", and the "ugly" and so you know which IT issues are emergencies need to be dealt with immediately and which IT problems are more like candidates for "elective" surgery that could be dealt with safely in a few weeks or few months.

Regardless of whether you call them IT audits, site surveys or technology assessments, you need to work as efficiently as possible, so you can cover a LOT of ground in a few hours with your new client.

And that’s the reason why we’ve prepared a field-tested and well-proven Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet that covers over 62 different inspection points, that you’ll want to go through with most of your new small business clients.

This 3-page, very densely packed, well-organized, single-spaced worksheet, and even more importantly the process and system that you’ll learn about, works regardless of whether you’re a complete beginner or whether you’ve been in the business since the 1980’s.

And it even works independent of location, including all 50 United States, 8 Canadian provinces, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland and some 31+ other nations around the globe.  The Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet helps you quickly AND efficiently gather key IT asset information on your first paid gig with a new customer.

By using the worksheet and the proven methodologies that support the pre-sales process, the Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet gives you a MUCH better idea of what your new customer currently has in terms of IT assets and what this customer is missing so you can easily pinpoint what needs to be done right away and close a MUCH larger, MUCH more profitable sale for value-added remediation services (i.e. fixing what’s broken and vulnerable to breaking ASAP).

So if you’re even remotely serious about getting new customers who sign-up for your IT Audits to become your new steady, high-paying clients on annual support agreements, you’ll definitely want to take full advantage of the over 62 different inspection points on Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet to provide you with a logical way to survey shortcomings, potential problems and accidents just waiting to happen.

To learn how YOU can get your hands on the Sample Small Business IT Audit Worksheet, and its related tutorials, strategies, checklists, best practices, audio and video training, PLUS the entire field-tested, PROVEN marketing, sales, and business development system that this centers around, go right now to the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course download center.

Now here’s how other computer consulting firms are using MUCH stronger, PROVEN pre-sales tools and the proven IT audit that gets your new clients to say, "WOW, where do I sign?"

"The templates in the Computer Consulting Kit really pointed out some often-missed items, that were previously potentially dangerous to my company. Before getting the Computer Consulting Kit, I had not EVER inquired about obsolete or unsupported software. Now that question is within the first ten I ask with a new potential customer!  The Computer Consulting Kit has also helped identify elements that are CRUCIAL in support contracts. As a result, I am now able to provide better service by channeling my time to PRODUCTIVE programs."

- Stratos Parisiou, CyberAns, Ridley Park, Pennsylvania

"Because of the Computer Consulting Kit, I used technology assessments to get my foot in the door. This gave me an ORGANIZED way to point out to the customer how their network could be better… EVEN THOUGH they didn’t realize there was a problem."

- Jason Welshonse, Ancient Geek, Bay Point, California

"Your material and information has CUT MY TIME marketing, doing contract development and designing business information document formats TO MINUTES of customizing INSTEAD OF HOURS OR DAYS of new development and design.  You have also inspired me to design new service ideas for clients. Thank you,"

- Bill Schmidt, WES Technology, Hudson, Ohio

"The templates in the Computer Consulting Kit have been an excellent source of information. The overall information has saved countless hours that I would have had to learn on the job."

- Kane Martin, Martin, Guenther & Associates, Lancaster, California

"We increased our turnover and profit by over 100%, and went from a staff of 1 to a company with 6 staff. I realised that I needed to put on more technicians to cover the demand. So I needed systems in place. The Computer Consulting Kit assisted me in getting the contract agreement in place, then the SLA (service level agreement) in place. From there, we were able to follow the systems, not my daily verbal requests to my staff. This yielded me $200,000AUD."

- Rob Morgan, Proactive I.T. Consultants, Austinmer, New South Wales, Australia

(Your results may vary. Rob’s results are not typical.)

"I just wanted to tell you that it’s been about a month since I ordered the Computer Consulting Kit and I’m extremely satisfied. The templates and reports answer some of the most important questions a typical small I.T. firm owner has. The service agreement training has made a HUGE difference. Because of the Computer Consulting Kit, I tightened up my receivables. I also used the templates to create a form that gets my company paid IMMEDIATELY for software and hardware. You’ve put an awesome product together. Thanks! Regards,"

- Carl Katz, KATZ NETWORKS I.T. Support and Solutions, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

"The Computer Consulting Kit really jump-started our thought process and helped us implement a monthly revenue stream, through the use of service agreements. We had already decided we needed monthly service agreements, but were struggling on how to convince clients why they needed them. Then we got your blueprint of a service agreement and the concept of how to market them from the Computer Consulting Kit. The Computer Consulting Kit provided the tools to quickly and easily implement a service agreement that could be adjusted according to each client’s needs. The Computer Consulting Kit also made us look more professional.  It was like a weight being lifted off our shoulders.
The Computer Consulting Kit probably saved us close to a year of trying to figure these things out on our own."

- Scott Beck, BeckTek Computer Consultants, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

"The Computer Consulting Kit gave me an insider’s knowledge to the business, which would have taken years and volumes of cash to acquire."

- Ian Cawthorne, Geeks 4 Hire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

"Just a quick note to say thanks for the valuable information included in your guide. I own a small IT consulting firm on the other side of the pond. Your tips have saved me years of wasted time and quite possibly the viability of my company. A huge thanks to all and keep up with the invaluable tips."

- Mike Hilton, Home & Office Computer Support Ltd, Matlock, Derbyshire, United Kingdom

"I would have replied to one of your e-mails sooner, but I have been too busy servicing the 3 new customers who have all taken the service agreement! There are two more who have now heard of my company and want to meet with me next week. I would like to congratulate you on your service agreement training materials. I have been in business here in Durban, South Africa for 5 months and I am already making a substantial profit. Many regards,"

- Craig Woodhouse, OBITS, Durban, KZN, South Africa

And if you’ve been in the business since the days of MS-DOS, floppy disks, and low-level formatting…

"I’ve heard business and marketing advice from quite a few different people who say they know what’s best for a company like mine. The reality though, is that someone like Joshua who has ‘been there and done that’ is really the only one who knows what the problems are for a business like mine. Joshua does not EVER disappoint."

- Jeffrey Sherman, Warever Computing (est’d 1989), Los Angeles, California
So if you’re fed up with having cheapskates and deadbeats cherry-pick you to death, and waste your time on sales calls that DRAG ON for HOURS and HOURS, WEEK-AFTER-WEEK and these colossal time-wasters are driving you crazy and threatening the very existence of your company, then it’s LONG OVERDUE that you do something about it!

The time is NOW for you to put your foot down and get MUCH better at staying in control of the sales process so you can use your marketing and selling time as efficiently as possible… to only recruit potential clients with the strongest possible likelihood of becoming your next steady, high-paying clients, just like Stratos, Jason, Bill, Kane, Rob, Carl, Scott, Ian, Mike, Craig, and Jeffrey have, as well as computer consulting business owners in all 50 United States, 8 Canadian provinces, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland and some 31+ other nations around the globe now with the Computer Consulting Kit.

And the best part – thanks to our immediate, secure download facility, you can start within the next 10 minutes learning how you can get more steady, high-paying small business clients now.

Also, don’t forget that your Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course purchase is fully protected by our famous 10 Times Return-on-Investment (ROI) Performance Pledge, as it’s detailed on the main Web page.  You’ll make or save AT LEAST 10 times your purchase price, or we’ll purchase back your Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course AND write you a check for up to $500.00 just for giving the Computer Consulting Kit Home Study Course a fair shot!

Plain and simple, we want you to succeed now with the Computer Consulting Kit.

So if you’re tired of feeling like you’re getting nowhere fast with increasing your number of service agreement clients and you’re fed up with wasting hours and hours of time, week-after-week, on wild-goose-chases that don’t materialize into PAYING clients and you’re ready to get AND retain more of the best STEADY, high-paying, highly profitable clients in your area onto YOUR client roster, AND make sure that you get their invaluable annual service contract renewal, year after year after year so YOU can maximize YOUR lifetime client value it’s time to stop trying to reinvent the wheel and simply start studying, borrowing from, and adapting from the same field-tested, PROVEN strategies that have ALREADY helped other consulting firms get the best, STEADY, high-paying clients now with the Computer Consulting Kit.

Here’s to helping YOUR firm impress your new clients with the proven IT Audit process that gets them to say, "WOW, where do I sign?"

Added By:  Computer Consulting Kit

Do you make these Small Business Server mistakes?

Does your consulting firm resell and install Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS)? Or have you considered adding Small Business Server to your supported configurations?

If so, then you’ll DEFINITELY want to pay close attention to these 3 often-overlooked tips for avoiding VERY common Small Business Server mistakes so you can maximize YOUR Small Business Server consulting revenue AND profitability.

Background on Small Business Server

Now just to give you a little background — over the past several years, Microsoft Small Business Server has gained traction as a pretty widely-respected Small Business Server networking suite.

As a result, many small business computer consultants, systems integrators, and value-added resellers have jumped on-board the Microsoft Small Business Server bandwagon.

However, before you go ahead and bet YOUR consulting company on Microsoft Small Business Server, consider the following three Small Business Server business tips… so you can maximize YOUR Small Business Server consulting profitability.

(1) First you need to remember that most small businesses in your area have not EVER heard of Microsoft Small Business Server.

Although there may be hundreds, if not thousands, of small businesses in your area that would be EXCELLENT candidates for Microsoft Small Business Server, don’t make the ultra-common mistake of assuming that the typical non-technical small business owner even knows what Microsoft Small Business Server is.

If you want to maximize your consulting profitability and avoid commodity price wars, you’re MUCH better off leading with a pitch for something that’s more universally recognized, such as getting rid of computer viruses, preventing computer security breaches or fixing whatever computer problems are currently driving them nuts.

(2) Second, unless you own a time machine and can transport your consulting firm back to the long-gone yesteryear of 1999, you need to sell your small business prospects on YOUR company and YOUR brand first.

The real money in Small Business Server is NOT in reselling the Microsoft Small Business Server software licenses, certainly NOT as a lead product. The real money comes from selling the RELATIONSHIPS with local small businesses. So your company essentially becomes your clients’ outsourced IT department.

Remember, no small business owner is going to wake up in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat, craving Small Business Server. However, small business owners DO constantly lose sleep over what will happen to their companies if their computer systems fail them.

So your company needs to become the solution to this more primal, survival instinct and you’ll get plenty of chances to sell Small Business Server, once you’ve established a SOLID client/consultant relationship.

(3) Microsoft doesn’t value their really small non-certified computer consultant "partners" as much as it sometimes portrays.

(However, Microsoft has done a MUCH better job generating the "warm and fuzzies" among small resellers than most other software and hardware vendors.)

Little known fact: the first version of Microsoft Small Business Server, planned way back in 1996 and released in 1997, was code-named "SAM", because Microsoft’s goal was for Small Business Server to completely bypass their value- added-reseller channel and be sold at "Sam’s Club" kinds of warehouse clubs (Costco, BJ’s Wholesale, etc).

So the product team had the mandate to make the Small Business Server product SO simple that a non-technical small business end user could purchase Small Business Server at the warehouse club and have the Small Business Server suite running in their office that same day.

Shortly after the first-version shipped, Microsoft realized that the most cost-effective way to reach small businesses with Small Business Server was through the value-added reseller channel. And since then, Small Business Server resources have flowed toward the channel.

However even today the mixed-message still lingers, as you can find 5-user versions of Microsoft Small Business Server in some retail stores.

So the point: Microsoft isn’t putting all its Small Business Server "eggs" in one basket, so why should you?!?

You need to look out for YOUR firm’s bottom line first and foremost, which brings us back to points one and two.  Most non-technical small business owners aren’t actively shopping for a Small Business Server. So instead of "selling" a Small Business Server per se, you’re MUCH better off selling a small business on YOUR company first, BEFORE you sell Microsoft Small Business Server.

To learn how you can generate the highest-quality leads that will be natural candidates for Microsoft SB, ad learn how you can most effectively QUALIFY those leads, to avoid wasting your time on cheapskates and ingrates, and to learn how to shift your mindset away from degrading "bidding" processes and time-consuming "price quotes" toward a more consultative approach, so you can get the professional hourly billing rates that your firm deserves, and to learn how you can PROFITABLY structure projects with new customers and how you can ultimately turn those new customers into STEADY, high-paying clients,  head on over right now, and read through and listen to, the really critical field-tested, PROVEN business development training tips from the Computer Consulting Kit.
 
Now here’s how other computer consultants are finding the best, STEADY, high-paying small business clients in their areas:

"Dear Joshua, The Computer Consulting Kit has turned my reseller/consulting business, with the emphasis on ‘reseller’, into much more of a consultative approach … where we actually get ‘paid’ to pick the products, which we then ’sell’ to the customer… in addition to being ‘paid’ to develop and supply a service agreement, with even more revenue. The Computer Consulting Kit has turned a losing proposition into a serious winner! Thanks,"

- Walter M. Erla, WME Information Systems, Wayne, New Jersey

"Dear Joshua, The Computer Consulting Kit has helped us realize we have no real business value unless we have recurring revenue. Just the idea of catering to Sweet Spot Clients(tm) was worth the entire price of the Computer Consulting Kit."

- Spencer Smith, Xavier Technologies, Oshkosh, Wisconsin

"I’ve been in the computer business for about five years and I knew that there was a way that things could be done better and certainly more organized. I just did not ever have an idea on how to start on that.

Thankfully, since coming across your products truly by accident, it’s allowed me to take some of the points you have captured, along with the knowledge that I’ve already gleaned while being in the industry and allowed us to grow our revenue by almost 450% over the last two quarters.

This has really proved to be valuable in the sense of leaving the stuff behind that didn’t work and moving on to something that does work. Thank you."

- Charles Bryon McLeod, PC Paramedix, Portland, Oregon and Hampton Roads, Virginia

"Thank you for all you guys are doing. Much of the marketing information that I have gleaned from the Computer Consulting Kit has been very useful. We are continually reusing the excellent ideas you have presented with fairly good success.  Many of the ideas you have presented were strategic little things that I would have probably not EVER thought of.  Very good stuff!"

- Jason Harrison, Harrison Technology Consulting, Nashville, North Carolina, in the computer services business since 1990

"The Computer Consulting Kit is a great jump start to a professional image and gives very clear, concise guidance on what to put in place in order to attract clientele seeking routine computer consulting services."

- Thomas L. Forrester, Red Pepr Computing Solutions, Middleton, Wisconsin

"Your sample documents alone are worth the entire price of the course, even factoring in the U.S./Canadian $ conversion rate. I can’t even tell you how perfect the match is. My partner and I have been struggling for weeks to create a professional document structure and have been making little progress. We found your package and we feel like our lives have been saved! Thanks again and be well!"

- Michael Benadiba, MBC Computer Solutions, Richmond Hill (Toronto), Ontario, Canada

"The Computer Consulting Kit has helped grow my business.  Just since starting out last month, I’ve gone from billing 0 hours/month to billing over 80 hours/month!!! I truly believe that it was the model documents, the marketing advice, and the networking advice that has helped make this happen. You’ve got a customer for life in me. Sincerely,"

- Phil Blende, President/Co-Founder, ITEK Solutions, Redlands, California

"Joshua, the Computer Consulting Kit has helped me become better focused… and better able to provide pertinentinformation to my potential clients."

- David Dutton, LRD Systems Ltd, Knutsford, Cheshire, United Kingdom

"I’ve heard business and marketing advice from quite a few different people who say they know what’s best for a companylike mine. The reality though, is that someone like Joshua who has ‘been there and done that’ is really the only one who knows what the problems are for a business like mine. Joshua does not EVER disappoint."

- Jeffrey Sherman, Warever Computing (est’d 1989), Los Angeles, California

"The Computer Consulting Kit is a worthy investment thatwill EASILY return your initial outlay, and also raise your level of professionalism."

- Nick Harvey, Boogie Paws IT Services, Melbourne, Australia

"The Computer Consulting Kit has helped my business tremendously. It’s helped me set up much healthier client relationships. I no longer give away ‘my store’ to new clients. And they in turn respect me for that. And they know exactly what they can expect. And this all helps everything go much better. I’m now able to sell service agreements or blocked-time arrangements that make sense for EVERY ONE. Needless to say, now my business is much more profitable, stable… and it’s a LOT more fun! So thanks for everything. You are doing an awesome job."

- Geoffrey Parrish, Digital Geek Computer Services, Baltimore, Maryland

"One year ago, I bought the Computer Consulting Kit and started swinging my customers to a monthly model. I often quote you when I say professionals need to charge enough to be here every day and that justifies the price. Now a year later, I do zero hourly work. Every one is under contract. I started in 1989, and my life now is better than it ever was! Thanks,"

- Derek Anderson, Rocky Mountain Data Networks (est’d 1989), Lakewood, Colorado

So if you’re tired of selling Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) like a rookie and rank-amateur and you’re ready to capture the best, STEADY, high-paying small business clients in your area by using the same field-tested, PROVEN strategies that have helped Walter, Spencer, Charles, Jason, Thomas, Michael, Phil, David, Jeffrey, Nick, Geoffrey, and Derek, as well as computer consulting business owners in all 50 United States, 8 Canadian provinces, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and some 31+ other nations around the globe get more steady, high-paying consulting clients now at the Computer Consulting Kit download center.  

Added By:  Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit