Ask HN: I'm an IT consultant doing something wrong, I think, ... What is it?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2236707

by awnstudio • 15 years ago

5 8 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I am an IT consultants and I am actively looking for better ways to solicit new clients. My company provides web design, application development, voip and other general IT networking services. Any suggestions on what I should do differently on our website, http://ana.im/, or what we should try in general?

philiphodgen• 15 years ago

The website isn't the problem.

Focus is the problem.

You do a wide variety of stuff. How can you be an amazing expert in all of them? You can't.

Do one thing. Be amazing at that one thing.

/Phil.

emerglide• 15 years ago

Your network is probably the most valuable thing to have as a consultant. Work on that at all times. Go where potential clients and partners go, and go there often. Spend the money on it if you have to, it is worth it. See it as another form of marketing.

It seems like you're taking a shotgun approach on the site regarding services. Don't spread yourself thin. Focus on a small number of services and providing things like quality and value for money in order to attract clients initially - then seek out other opportunities.

Lastly, mention any good previous clients on your site.

sagacity• 15 years ago

Clickable: http://ana.im/

On your 'services' page, the 2nd headline reads:

What Were Really Made Of

Shouldn't it be: What We're Really Made Of ?

HTH

awnstudio2• 15 years ago

Thanks, it wasn't a typo but a limitation of the custom font I am using, I have made the necessary adjustments.

aquark• 15 years ago

Whatever font is being used/requested for the headings looks awful on Chrome under Windows 7 on my box. Looks like all anti-aliasing is missing.

The general layout of the site looks good, if a little busy, but the font issue really detracts from it.

eengstrom2• 15 years ago

Your web presence is really very splattered and doesn't tell me in 15 seconds that you understand the pain I'm going through and how you will go about doing that.

Websites don't work really well for niche services. Your best approach is to identify companies that need your services and then plan a campaign to get into said customer via cold calling, targeted networking and possibly even advertising.

Instead of talking about technology, talk about solutions and your personal approach to solving problems. Sell us on you first, then present a list of things you've accomplished. You want to communicate in broad enough strokes to encompass your capabilities, talents and experience generally and make a strong impression on the visitor.

If you're an individual, make your site about that - do not pretend to be a firm unless you have access to capital, partners and sources of qualified people and a reliable hiring channel.

If you have previous customers, tap them to make introductions and stay in touch with them. Most of my customers started as brief 2 and 3 week engagements that usually spanned 18 months of billable work over several years. Learn to negotiate or at least setup your next deal with a customer while delivering the first.

Another element I shouldn't neglect: if you have a repeatable practice or service, find something of high value to the customer and offer it for free or at your cost. "Assessment", "Risk Analysis", something that leverages your expertise and provides you with an opening to the customer at low risk for them and potentially high gain for everyone.

I used this for years with very high success to get started with customers; presenting a comprehensive report as an a la carte menu of solutions and opportunities.

awnstudio2• 15 years ago

Thank you for your reply, this is providing me with a great foundation for contemplation on what and how I should change my direction. The problem is that I can do a lot of things well and I don't want to limit myself by only showcasing one or two.

But I do know that too many options is usually bad (or atleast not optimal).

eengstrom2• 15 years ago

Can you work on an elevator pitch; 100 to 150 words max? Can you identify three intangible benefits you offer a customer? Can you list a few customers, or provide referring comments from past customers? Give it some thought and post here. You may find yourself able to break your web presence down into two offering specific sites.

Ask HN: I'm an IT consultant doing something wrong, I think, ... What is it?

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