The computer consulting business revolves around selling your personality, your charisma and of course business know-how.  But in the end, you’re selling time above all else, and wasting it is not an option.  You need to keep track of every hour spent, whether billable or part of your sales function, prospecting or administrative.  

How do you know whether a service call is appropriate?

Computer Consulting Emergency or Not?

If you want to find the time wasters to work better, you need to determine the urgency of the sales call from the very beginning.  It may be a server down problem that is destroying productivity at the company, which is really an emergency and something that requires immediate attention.  

On the other hand, it could just be a link not working between a PDA and a computer or something that is just a one-person problem.  This would be less of a good use of your time when you’re busy with computer consulting.

What’s the Computer Consulting Budget?

You need to know what your clients’ budgets is before you go into the situation.  If they are broke and have no ability to pay, you are wasting your time.  Don’t ignore them completely; put them on a follow-up list for three or six months and find out later if there is more money available for your services.

Computer Consulting:  Are You Being Polite?

You can’t ask outright about money issues.  Be subtle with your inquiries, and of course tactful.  Ask if the prospects currently get computer consulting support and how they have received it in the past.  If they use volunteers or moonlighters, it’s probably going to be a waste of your time because they most likely do not have a proper IT budget.  If the prospects are working with other VARs or with a legitimate competitor, you can assume there are funds.

What’s the Degree of Pain and How Badly Do They Need Computer Consulting Services?

You need to figure out what the prospects are facing and if you have a solution that can fix it.

Your time is part of your inventory and should not be freely offered.  Be careful when proceeding in computer consulting.

Added By:  Joshua Feinberg