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Suggestions for Self Employed Electronics and Computer Technician

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Hello all,

I want to start a little business as Self Employed Electronics and Computer Technician in Sheffield.

Can I get some recommendation about how should I do efficient advertising ?

Regards,

Teo.

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I would categorise your business in the same category as a plumber and electrician...a distress purchase i.e. people do not choose to use your service, they have to use your service at a time when they have a problem.

 

And that is the key issue for you, how do you advertise to a potential client at the time when they are going to need your service?

 

Answer? Search Engine Optimisation

 

So you are going to need:

 

1. A website to promote your service

2. A website that is optimised for search engines

3. A Google adwords account

4. A chat with a company that knows more about this stuff than me (however to educate yourself about what is involved, buy 'SEO for Dummies')

 

Good luck with the business.

Edited by steveroberts
typo

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To minimise your startup costs and give you an introduction to the work, there are national computer support businesses that require local agents to support their clients. They provide you with a work radius and then call you when a job comes up. You get an hourly rate and mileage and can be challenging with the different faults. I can't remember the names of any though.

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Hello all,

I want to start a little business as Self Employed Electronics and Computer Technician in Sheffield.

Can I get some recommendation about how should I do efficient advertising ?

Regards,

Teo.

 

WHO are you going to target?

 

Small/home office (very crowded market)

 

Home user (loads of hassle and expect everything for free)

 

I have always thought "Small corporate" - small firms on split sites - is the sweet spot for this type of business.

 

Before you start with time and money on "advisors" - work out WHAT PROBLEM you are going to solve and PAIN you are going to take away.

 

Tip - hang around on mumsnet and other womens forums - they are remarkably open with what problems they have.

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Thank you all for your responses, I got some really useful informations.

 

I have always thought "Small corporate" - small firms on split sites - is the sweet spot for this type of business.

 

That's a good point, but they are quite hard to spot and there are competitors.I have some experience as an IT Administrator, so I know what is actually needed around the offices.

My advantage is that I have general technical skills, so I can stick my hands in a lot of things.

 

You are right with home users too, they are also very selective and unpredictible, and is a pain only till you convince them that you can handle the job.

 

The problem is that I have limited founds and will be a huge loss for me if I will start to invest in unreliable advertising methods.Is quite complicated with advertising today, and I hate the idea to put stickers in store windows or send advertising letters by post.

 

I think a website is on the road however.

Edited by hutheavy

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To the OP, I get the impression that English is your second language?

 

If so, I'd certainly employ a web developer to create your website. You are selling IT services (which is about attention to detail), so if your website look amateurish, you will not get business from it.

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Thank you all for your responses, I got some really useful informations.

 

 

 

That's a good point, but they are quite hard to spot and there are competitors.I have some experience as an IT Administrator, so I know what is actually needed around the offices.

My advantage is that I have general technical skills, so I can stick my hands in a lot of things.

 

You are right with home users too, they are also very selective and unpredictible, and is a pain only till you convince them that you can handle the job.

 

The problem is that I have limited founds and will be a huge loss for me if I will start to invest in unreliable advertising methods.Is quite complicated with advertising today, and I hate the idea to put stickers in store windows or send advertising letters by post.

 

I think a website is on the road however.

 

Being a generalist is a bad thing to market on - because you are competing against everybody. You would just be adding to the noise.

 

If we run with the professional firms on split sites idea for starters - what's the ONE MAIN PROBLEM that they have?

 

Let's say it's server crashing or whatever.

 

Turn that into your slogo or strapline

 

"I am the guy who stops your server from crashing which means you get more done/less stress whatever"

 

means they will find you rather than you just shouting and rawping (same as everyone else)

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I used to have a few TV and video repair shop around Sheffield I did quite well at the time but the problems I had with shops was the the rip off council tax and and all the other charges the council seem to heap on a small business,for a computer repair business you are best with a small lock up shop where you will get pasing customers,if you have a web site and run from home you will have to call to the customers houses.I found that way of business a bit of a bind as people who are working never seem to be in their houses during the day so you end up driving around a night looking for peoples houses to do the work in their house,I tried working from home from my shed in the yard as a workshop,it cut costs down but I found it hard work getting the equipment out of customers houses.a small lock up shop in the right area would be far better I have a mate who has a small computer repair and selling business in Darnall he seems to do OK and he seems to make decent living out of it,I think it depends on how you want to run your business, I always preferred to deal direct with my own customers rather than relying on sub contract or other business work being passed on to me.

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There are a lot of free advertising platforms out there, facebook, twitter, linked in, Pinterest, Google+ for a start. Your online presence nowadays is very important so like the above said get a very good website which looks amazing, theme Forrest, shopify etc have great templates just need a developer to add your content. Networking is also another way of generating business, have a look on the Internet for events in Sheffield.

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