Marketing a Computer Repair Business | Running a Computer ...

The following is a guest post from a computer repair business owner.

Are you sitting in your shop or home office chair, wondering how in the world you are going to make it through the next few months and keep the cash flowing in? Things aren?t going like they used to, your phone isn?t ringing off the hook, your bench is bare, and your techs are looking at you for the next set of orders on what to do next. Maybe you were unaffected by the latest Google hunt.

Perhaps you really haven?t gotten off the ground with your business and are looking for ways to get started on that crazy idea about wanting to start an IT support company. Well, I?m going to go over a few solid marketing principles that may help you out a little no matter which side of this topic you find yourself on.

Before I give you the gold, let me share a little bit about myself with you.

Internet and search engine marketing, along with my website, has enabled me to build a legitimate local computer repair business over the last year and a half. I now have a store front shop and two contract technicians that I can use to provide services in West Palm Beach and Broward County. This was all done on a credit card with a 5k limit and a very rough and ugly piece of web-estate I built myself about 16 months ago. Well, all that and Google of course. But Google just pulled the rug out from under the feet of over 60% of the commercial website owners on the Internet over the last few weeks ? and yes, it even affected me pretty badly. Most people know Google has been the lifeblood of many businesses across the world, but recently it has shed the blood of many it helped to grow and flourish.

So, what do we do now?

Is there any way to market an IT support company other than the Internet and Google? Well, yes, absolutely. Search engine marketing is still very powerful, and will always be a very effective way to market your business, especially in the IT industry. However, my suggestion to you is to make sure you implement a balanced marketing strategy that covers online and offline techniques in your campaign.

Here are the marketing platforms that you will want to explore in building your local computer business:

• Direct mail marketing (this still is one of the most effective forms of marketing)
• Email Marketing and List Building
• Google Plus+1 Business Listing
• Newsletter Publishing
• Search Engine Marketing
• Social Media Marketing
• Reputation Management (This is responsible for 80% of my business)

1. Direct mail marketing

Believe it or not this method still works. The right medium, the right headline, and the right offer, to the right target market will produce leads for you GUARANTEED. Remember if you send to 20 people/companies that you have laser targeted through market research and profiling and get 15 new clients, it is better than sending to 2000 and getting the same or a few more. Postage isn?t free and neither is your time. The right offer is something outrageous not 15% off but 25% off. Do you have enough confidence in yourself that if you can get one in the door it may turn into 2 or 3 by word of mouth? Then don?t think twice!

2. Email Marketing and List Building

If you are not collecting emails from your clients and prospects in the beginning stages of your contact with them, you are missing the boat. A list of targeted email addresses for current or potential clients is invaluable. With the right copy, bribe, and auto responder series, you can turn a dead lead into a sale, and up sell a current or past customer on new services or a lateral market.

3. Google Plus+1 Business Listing

If you don?t have one of these, you probably aren?t a real business. Make sure you fill out your profile and claim your listing. Google Places has migrated to Google +1 Business listing. Build out your circles and promote your business. Google has something up its sleeve here and they know how to get what they want.

4. Newsletter & Press Release Publishing

If you offer a newsletter subscription through a form on your site, it will help to build your email list. If you put quality content in the newsletter, your subscribers will share the letter among their email list, and you potentially have the opportunity for something to go viral. Submitting press releases will help to establish you as a real company. There are many ways to use them to create a buzz about your website and draw traffic to it. Some press release services have the ability to syndicate your news to over 3k websites. Some of those are news sites. You will gain credibility in your local market the same as a juicy newspaper gains a following. People will learn you are the authority in your market. So be creative and write some content that can create interest in what you are doing. (You can hire a writer; if you need one, let me know.)

5. Search Engine Marketing

This is here to say no matter what. The game has gotten trickier and more costly. The old tricks do not work anymore, now Google is commanding quality unique content that will contribute something of value to the index, and ultimately your visitor. The days of $300 a month SEO companies promising front page results are over. Invest in your web-state with someone who understands Google whom you can trust to advise you properly. SEO + conversion optimization is sure to make your phone ring. Word to the wise? do not go out and throw a bunch of back links to your site, it will only do it harm.

6. Social Media Marketing

Social signals are a huge factor for one of Google?s new indicators of freshness. If someone is haring your content through their social media accounts, then something new and fresh must be going on with your site. And obviously there must be something of value ? otherwise, it wouldn?t be getting shared. Social media is also a great indicator that your company is not going away anytime soon, and also gives your customers an opportunity to see your personality. After all it?s all about developing relationships for longevity and customer satisfaction.

7. Reputation Management

Customer satisfaction is really where the gold is here. 80% of my clients tell me they picked my company because of the reviews on my website. I love the call when I hear them say ?I have got to bring my laptop for you to fix?? They don?t even ask me how much my services cost, but practically can?t wait to hand off their problem to me. Collect reviews, collect reviews, collect reviews. Put them on the front page of your website in a visible easy to read place. In your face is the idea here. Collect them on your Google +1 page also. Develop a strategy where when you are getting paid for a job well done that you ask them to leave a review. Offer them a perk for their time and you?ll be sure to build a great reputation that will sell itself in no time.

Like I said in the beginning, if you implement a balanced strategy including all of the above, you are sure to steadily grow your bottom line, year after year. If you ever in West Palm Beach and need computer help or simply want to say ?Hi?, visit us here at A Plus Computer Support 2300 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. #101 West Palm Beach, FL 33409.

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