In the Website Wilderness Series I will share my experiences and insights as I try to build a successful web site for my computer consulting company.

I’ve reached the stage in the development of my computer business where I think it’s time to start constructing a website. Over the last few weeks I’ve been tinkering around with different layouts for the site.  In doing so I realized that before I bother with the design I really need to pin down the content that I intend to include. The content will then dictate the layout and design of the website.

Some questions I’ve been considering for my website content include:

• What do I want the customers to focus on when they first visit my website?
• What message do I want to convey?
• What aspects of my business do I want to feature?

After visiting dozens of local and national residential computer consulting business websites that do similar work as I do, it appears that most of the content is pretty similar from site to site. They include a listing of services, contact information, reasons why a customer should choose that company over another, blogs/news, about/company info, etc.  However, there is one bit of information that seems to have a strict division of preference from site to site: the inclusion of rates.

It seems to me that there are an equal number of websites that have their prices displayed as those that do not.  In conducting a quick informal poll of my twitter followers I found that this division holds true for them too. Some folks say it’s okay to display rate, some say they  choose not took, while a good majority of my peers say it depends on a number of factors.

After some consideration, I’ve decided to include rates prominently on my website for two main reasons:

1. Transparency -  I feel like getting the price out of the way up front helps provide a level of transparency that will instill some confidence in the average residential customer.  Since my business is not yet established in the community, I will be an unknown entity to the typical person who stumbles across my website.  Displaying my price shows the customer that I’m not hiding anything.  They’ll have piece of mind knowing that I wont blind-side them with hidden fees or charges after the work is done.

2. Targeting - I’m targeting two types of customers in the initial stages of my business: residential computer users searching the web seeking professional, friendly, local service and those who are referred to me via friends/family/word of mouth.  My website will be specifically geared towards those customers that are seeking local service via the web.  They’ll be typing in search terms like “my town computer repair” or “computer help in my county“.  Once they click on my website in the search results, they will immediately see the price listed. There’s no guess work and no grey area.  I only want people who can afford my service to call me.  I’m not the cheapest in town, but I’m also not as expensive as most franchise and nationally known computer repair shops.  And my website will be designed in such a way so as to portray my business in a professional light, in stark contrast to the less-than-professional websites of many other local consultants.

With a part-time business, I’m seeking only residential customers.  My whole strategy would change if I were running my business full-time and/or targeting primarily small businesses.

Should YOU display your prices?

Now that I’ve explained why I decided to display prices on my website, I’d like to offer some advice and food for thought for those of you who may be facing a similar situation.

Things to consider about pricing:

1. Who are your target customers? - Are you selling to residential customers or businesses?  Displaying pricing is appropriate for residential customers because they are normally more concerned with price up-front.  Businesses, on the other hand, tend to be more concerned with results than price, especially the larger the business.  In that case, it may be more appropriate to concentrate on a results-oriented website and skip price negotiations for later.
2. Are your prices competitive? - If your price is higher than most of your competition, you may want to skip displaying them on your website.  Customers may be turned off by the high price before they get a chance to see what you are offering.  On the other hand, you also want to avoid displying your price if it’s considerably lower than most of your competition.  This guarantee that you’ll be called by people who will try to find ways to squeeze work out of you for as little money as possible.  It also gives off an unprofessional vibe, screaming “my service is not worth much!”
3. How does your rate structure work? - Charging per-service is the easiest rate structure for clients to understand.  They expect to pay $xx for x service.  This makes it easy to display on your website.  Hourly rates may seem relatively simple too, but keep in mind you may also need to explain if you charge on a pro-rated basis for any time over an hour.  Also, it might be a good idea to give an estimation of how long some common services take, so customers can get an idea of what the final price might look like.

Finally, if you plan on charging on a per-contract basis, mostly for businesses, then you’ll probably want to avoid displaying prices all together.  Contracts are usually unique business arrangements that are negotiated based on the project or work being requested.

Ultimately, the choice of displaying rates is a personal one. However there are many best practices and considerations you should take into account before making the decision to share your prices with the world.

What is your opinion on prices being displayed on a computer repair business website?  I want to hear both from seasoned consultants and regular computer users on this one!

If you’re in the computer repair business, you’ve probably heard of Daniel Hand.  He’s known primarily as the author of Computer Repair Business Lessons Learned, a book which I reviewed here previously.  But he is also very active in the computer consulting community as founder of the National Association of Computer Repair Business Owners (NACRBO) and regular participant in the forums on Technibble.

Dan shares my belief that computer consultants should not be lone wanderers guarding their secrets to success.  We all have something to share and we all have something to learn.  He’ filling this void with his many projects and products.

I asked Dan to take a break from his busy schedule to answer a few questions for Y.F.N.C.G.

Please start off by telling us a little bit about yourself and your background.

I was born in Susquehanna, PA.  Upon graduating high school I went directly into the Marine Corps and spent 20 years there. During my time in the Marine Corps I was in Communications (i.e. data, radio, etc) and then migrated over to the computer networking side of things. I completed my Microsoft, Cisco, and various other certifications prior to retiring.

Once retired I started working as a contractor for various companies in the D.C. area consisting of networking, engineering, and program management positions. During that time we also opened our business that started in our house and has since migrated to a store-front in Fredericksburg, Va.

I saw a need for this type of service in the community I lived and the resources available to people are what I considered inadequate.

Truthfully none. We put a lot of thought and documentation into starting a business prior to actually doing it. That helped us tweak it along the way so when we were ready there were no surprises.

I would like to say nothing but in hindsight I would have to say marketing. We tried a lot of things before realizing what worked and what didn’t work.

I see businesses having to offer more services. I think the day of break/fix are going away and you have to be up to speed with technology services. Some things I see more and more of are managed services, backup services, and remote services just to mention a few.

Most important I would have to say are “people skills”, it’s too easy to get in a rut and not keep your people skills up. To me those skills will make or break you.  I have seen first hand what happens to those businesses where the owner/tech’s have no people skills. People have to feel comfortable with who they are dealing with and that is where these skills are invaluable.

The least important I would say is trying to learn every new piece of technology that comes out. You need to be able to determine what is going to be valuable in your market.

As a consultant I had put in for a position teaching at a community college. I got a call to come by, they wanted me to fill something out. I showed up and the person took me into a conference room with 8 people from the school there who wanted to ask me questions about teaching experience, work experience etc.  The amusing part was I rode my Harley to the school that day with jeans, a t-shirt, and boots. Not sure who was more surprised me or them.  But, all went well and started teaching the following week.

I would visit forums and other sites and see questions like “Can I get a copy of a maintenance agreement”, “Can I see what a proposal looks like”, etc. Typically the answers were all the same “You need to do your own and have an attorney look it over”, or people would basically give no replies at all. It seemed that nobody in the industry wanted to share their information with others in the same field. After seeing this go on for a few years I decided with all the notes and material I had maintained that I would write the book and attempt to give all the possible lessons I could think of for someone to start in the business and not have to search for years trying to find knowledge or documents to be successful.

I think just in the sheer fact that I deal with a lot of other owners who bought the book because they were starting out and have since remained friends. I don’t think any consultant can ever stop learning so I learn on a daily basis. I can implement those things from others into my business and continue to grow.

The National Association of Computer Repair Business Owners was established because I saw a need for an Association that the small business owner could be part of. There are other Associations out there but typically they are for the business owner that brings in revenues in the million or multi-million dollar range.

I thought with a smaller Association that more small business owners would be able to join, and reap the same kind of benefits that the larger Associations typically have. Another goal is to build a strong presence in order to reflect to customers the “trust & professionalism” that they get with using a member of the Association.

We are continually talking to vendors about their products and finding ones that match what the Associations stands for and finding those that understand the small business are willing to offer their products at a reduced rate to Association members.

We have a lot of plans for the Association in the near future. Membership is increasing and we are getting a larger presence in the communities that our Associations members service. We will continue to get the name out there and in time it will have an impact.

Be very detail oriented and organized in everything you do. Doing that will give you a sound structure to build upon.

What do you think of Dan’s approach to the computer business?

Previous interviews on YFNCG:

• Never Stop Learning: An Interview With Bryce Whitty of Technibble
• Of Mice And Freedom: An Interview With Brian Ambrozy Of Icrontic.com
• Taking Care Of Your Customers: An Interview With Eric Hamm

This is the approach I’m taking with my business and it’s great to hear about success stories of others who have gone this route.

One thing I realized after reading that post is that computer consulting fits perfectly into the bootstrapping philosphy.  In fact, other than online businesses, I can’t think of a more frugal business to start than that of computer consulting.

As I’ve been working to establish my business, I’ve learned some things about how to keep expenses low and avoid the burden of credit.  Although tailored for computer consultants, these strategies can apply to most any business start-up.

Keep A Healthy Savings Cushion - Why borrow from banks and other lenders when you can borrow from yourself?  Before you jump into running your own business full time, build up a savings account with 3 to 6 months worth of your normal take-home salary.  That way, during the rough and uncertain few months of your start-up, you’ll be able to “borrow” from your own savings account to make up for your sudden drop in income.  Don’t forget to put money back into the account when times are good, because you’ll certainly need that money again later on down the road.

I’m still working on this and I’m not going to quit my day job and start running my business full time until I have this cushion established.  Which brings me to my next item…

Be Patient - It may take you a while to get your cushion account established.  It may also take time for you to build a steady list of clients, especially if you’re bootstrapping it.  Don’t jump into high priced advertising methods or expensive equipment right out of the gate, it’s not necessary and may back-fire, leaving you in a mountain of debt with no way to pay it back. Once you get going, you’ll be able to pay for these things when you can afford them, but don’t force it.

It may be a few more years before I’m ready to run my business full-time.  I’m trying to pay of credit cards, build a cushion account, and grow my client list in the mean time.  Some may not need as much time, or some may need more time.  My point is, don’t feel like you have to have EVERYTHING that the Geek Squad has right out of the gate.

Leverage Word-of-mouth - In order to save money on advertising, try to do as much as you can with the cheapest and most effective advertising method available for small bussiness: OTHER PEOPLE.

First off, tell EVERYONE you can about your business. When people ask me “What do you do for a living?” or “What have you been up to?” I immediately mention my business, give them a few business cards, and ask them to keep me in mind anytime they or anyone they know have a computer problem.

Secondly, when you service someone, leave them with no choice but to recommend you to their friends.  Leave business cards, offer them a discount for referrals, and most importantly, BLOW THEM AWAY with your excellent service and attitude.

There are other things, like Craigslist and the old flyer-in-the-windshield stuff, but nothing beats the loyalty and targeted advertising that comes from word-of-mouth.

Buy Stuff As You Need It - I was really tempted to load up on goodies before I even serviced my first client.  I wanted pens, t-shirts, and mouse pads with my logo on it.  I wanted a bag full of computer tools, spare parts, and software.  I wanted to be ready for anything!  The truth is, you’ll never be ready for everything. Plus, all that stuff costs money, and most of it isn’t necessary early on.

What I’ve done instead is focus on purchasing things only as the need for them arises.  I have a basic computer tool kit and some diagnostic software on a CD and USB stick.  When a client calls, I make sure I have the tools I think will be necessary for the job, buying anything that I don’t have.  If I arrive at the customers house and find that I’m missing something for the job, I’ll politely inform the customer that I need to run back to the shop to get something that I hadn’t anticipated needing and take that opportunity to purchase it somewhere nearby.  So far this has worked wonderfully.  The money I make from the job usually will cover the expense of the tool I just purchased.

When I’m ready to take my business full-time, I will have built up an impressive inventory of tools and software that I KNOW I will need, because I’ve used them in the past.

What tactics do you use to save money in your business?

One of the unfortunate aspects of running a computer consulting business is the paperwork. Like it or not, if you want to run a legitimate operation and protect yourself, you’ll want to document everything. Work orders, contracts, service plans, waivers, advertisements, customer and vendor tracking, it can all be a bit overwhelming, especially when first starting out.

That’s where the Computer Business Toolkit comes in. Created by Bryce Whitty over at Technibble.com, the kit is simply a collection of useful document templates that a computer consultant can customize and implement in order to run a successful business. It’s available for purchase and download at Technibble.com.  I recently got my hands on the kit and had the opportunity to check out all the goodies it contains.  Being a wet-behind-the-ears newbie computer business owner,  I was curious to find out how useful the kit would be.

What Is It?

From the Technibble website:

The Computer Business Kit is a collection of sample business forms and documents that are needed in the computer business.

Basically, what you get when you purchase the kit is a ZIP file that, when extracted, contains folders marked: In the Office,  Marketing, On The Job, and Web Development.  Also included is a folder containing files for a front-end html interface that allows you to access all the documents in a helpful UI.

Within each folder are anywhere from 2 to 11 documents of various length (in .doc or .xls format).  Each document is a ready-to-go template which you can customize to fit your business needs.  

Digging Deeper

Not all of the sections in the kit are as helpful as others.  Lets explore the different parts a little more closely so you can see if this is something you could find useful.

In The Office:  This folder contains documents that you’ll need for handling clients that you don’t bill immediately, like small businesses.  This includes quotes, invoices, and overdue payment notices.  Overall this section is pretty lean and I think it could have more in it, like example documents for tracking inventory or sample newsletters to send to your existing customers.

Marketing:  In this folder you’ll find a sample Maintenance Contract Sales Letter that you can send to local businesses to solicited business.  There’s also a marketing analysis kit that allows you to keep track of how people heard about you (though I think this might work better as a part of the Work Order).  I would have liked to see some sample fliers and phone book ads in this section.

On The Job: This is by far where you’ll find the meat of the business kit.  This section contains a slew of useful documents.  My favorites include a Backup Checklist that you have the customer sign before backing up their data to do a re-format, and a Wireless Network Settings sheet that you can leave with your customer showing all the settings you’ve entered for their network (something Verizon and Comcast very rarely do).  

Web Development: This section is a little out of place amongst it’s computer repair brethren, but it contained the most interesting documents.  I’ve done some web development work on the side here and there and I’ve always struggled with how to word my contracts and work orders.  The documents in this section shed some light on that for me.

Is It Useful?

This kit is most useful for the computer tech who is just starting his own computer repair/maintenance business.   It provides a great baseline to get started in the business.  It’s especially useful for on-site techs.  The kit may also be helpful to the established tech as a view into how other technicians might set-up their documentation.  The $49 price tag seemed a bit steep to me at first, but the kit will save you the time it might take to draft all these documents from scratch, which can easily take hours away from time spent earning money.

Conclusion

The Computer Business Kit is a great starting point for new computer business owners and a serious consideration for established techs.

My recommendation?  Use this kit in conjunction with the document examples in How to Start and Run Your Own Computer Repair Business and the online bonus content that comes with Computer Repair Business Lessons Learned.  There’s documentation in each of these resources that I’m implementing in my own business.  Mix, match, and customize the documentation provided by these three sources and you’re off to an excellent start!

This is by no means an exhaustive list.  I’d call this more of a “beginners list”;  a run-down of some useful twitter accounts that focus on tech and computers. It’s purpose is to get you started if you’re new to twitter or to round out your list if you’re already on twitter.  The list is appropriate for anyone who is interested in keeping up with technology trends.

Tech Websites/Publications

These are the accounts of some of the top technology destinations on the net.  They provide useful information for us computer professionals and enthusiasts.  Follow these accounts for the latest news, trends, and articles on all things tech.

@arstechnica - Ars Technica: The Art of Technology
@CNET News - CNET News.com
@engadget - Engadget: Official Twitter account of Engadget!
@geekforever - Forever Geek: forevergeek.com
@gigaom - GigaOM:The GigaOM bot brings you all the latest headlines from GigaOM network of blogs.
@gizmodo - gizmodo: gizmodo.com
@google - A Googler: News and updates from Google
@MacObserver - The Mac Observer: All TMO articles directly from our rss feed
@MikeTechShow - miketechshow: Podcaster
@pchere - pchere - Chief Blogger & Editor of QuickOnlineTips.com: Publishes technology news, blogging tips, wordpress hacks, web 2.0, new media
@PCMag - PC Magazine: The Independent Guide to Technology since 1982
@Techcrunch - Michael Arrington - Breaking Technology News And Opinions From TechCrunch
@Technibble - Technibble: Technibble is a resource for computer technicians to help them with their business
@TechRepublic - TechRepublic: TechRepublic is a trade publication and online community for IT professionals
@Techwatch - Tech Watch: Providing you with all your tech updates in one place! Formaly comming summer 09!
@techwatching - techwatching: This is the “Stories” feed for TechWatching.com, technology news and views minute by minute. Links go directly to stories.
@The Force Field - The Force Field: Producer and Host of The Force Field a podcast and portal for IT Service Providers
@Wired - Wired: Wired magazine and Wired.com’s twitter feed | Currently hosted by Wired.com science editor @betsymason
@ZDNetBlogs - ZDNet Blogs: Top Tech Blog Network

Tech Vendors

The official twitter accounts of some of the more popular hardware and software vendors.  These will help keep you up to date on new releases, sales, and announcements pertaining to your favorite company.

@AMD_Unprocessed - AMD_Unprocessed: Official Twitter account for AMD. CPUs, Graphics & Balanced Platforms
@ATIgraphics - ATI Graphics: Dedicated to providing the latest news, product information and contests from the ATI Graphics team at AMD
@ATTNews - ATTNews: AT&T’s Official Newsroom Twitter Feed
@BlackBerry - Research In Motion: www.blackberry.com
@buyHP - Shop at HP: Buy HP products & services (Got a suggestion - twitter @ hp.com)
@CiscoSystems - Cisco Systems: News and info about Cisco, our CEO and execs. I am John Earnhardt and am your tourguide on our official Twitter feed. Cisco Support @ http://www.cisco.com/ta
@DellOutlet - Dell Outlet: Refurbished Dell™ computers, electronics. Question/comment? Contact Stefanie Nelson at @StefanieAtDell. More Dell Twitter accounts at www.Dell.com/Twitter
@forumnokia - Forum Nokia: Driving Mobile Innovation
@googleapps - Google Apps: Official Google Apps team feed, moderated by Kevin Gough. Google Apps is software-as-a-service for business email, information sharing and security.
@HP_SMB - Hewlett Packard
@hpnews - News @ HP: Got a suggestion? Some constructive criticism? Let’s tweet! (DM @iange - Ange Embuldeniya or E-mail: twitter AT hp.com)
@HTC - HTC - Connecting with smartphone users everywhere. have a question or comment about HTC? Just tweet!
@IBMResearch - IBMResearch: IBM’s Research Division
@intel - Intel: @kenekaplan and @kfcochrane of Intel Global Communications sharing news, views and events about tech & innovation.
@motodeals - MotoDeals: The official word on exclusive deals and user tips for Motorola phones and accessories.
@MSWindows - Microsoft Windows: Your source for all things Windows on twitter.
@NEC - NEC: NEC Unified Solutions
@NeweggDailyDeal - Newegg Daily Deals: For US Newegg Deals, follow us. For Canadian Newegg Deals, follow @NeweggDealsCa
@Oracle - Oracle: Oracle News
@palm_inc - palm_inc: Stay connected with Palm and learn about news, products, tips and tricks, deals and more.
@RedHatNews - RedHatNews: Official news and announcements from Red Hat.
@Seagate - Seagate: The worldwide leader in hard disk drives and storage devices.
@sprintnews - sprintnews: Official feed for news about Sprint Nextel. For ?’s about us or customer service issues, see @jgoldsborough, @jbtaylor, @cndavis, @srdoherty, @svinge
@TigerDirectNew - Tiger Direct Now: Great Deals on Electronics!
@ToshibaLaptops - Toshiba
@vmware - vmware: Virtualization Technology
@vzwupdates - vzwupdates: Timely Updates on Verizon Wireless Phones, Network, Plans & Policies
@WesternDigital - Western Digital

Tech Security

Receive up-to-the-minute news on the latest virus and security threats from these top information security vendors.

@bitdefenderlabs - BitDefenderLabs: antimalware software - the future of security now!
@CiscoSecurity - CiscoSecurity: Cisco Security events, products, and solutions. Also, general network security news updates. (Updated for CMO Security Solutions by L. Friedman)
@fortinet - Fortinet: Consolidated security solutions for enterprises, MSSPs, carriers and more
@McafeeAvertLabs - McAfee: The official tweets of McAfee Avert Labs
@McAfeeNews - McAfee News: Get McAfee’s official news announcements by following this feed. (Not an interactive feed.)
@mssecurity - Microsoft Security: Microsoft and Windows home security bulletins
@Kaspersky - Kaspersky Lab: Leading developer of antivirus software that protects against all forms of malware with the fastest updates
@symantecnews - symantecnews: @coryedwards providing the latest news, updates and insights from Symantec on all things security, storage, and data protection
@trendmicro - TrendMicro: Trend Micro provides leading Internet content security solutions for businesses and consumers.
@verisign - Karen@VeriSign: VeriSign is the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure. Tweets by @karensnyd.
@websenselabs - WebsenseSecurityLabs: The security research team at Websense. Researchers, coders, incident handlers, across the world.
@zonealarm - zonealarm: ZoneAlarm®, a Check Point Software Technologies, Inc. Company, is one of the most secure brands in consumer Internet security.

Tech People

For opinions, links, updates, and insight from a personal perspective, follow these top tech authorities.  They run the gammut from CTO’s to podcast hosts and everything in-between.

@acedtect - Tom Merritt: Host of CNET.com podcasts and videos, as well as East Meets West and Sword and Laser podcasts. And as always, Coffee achiever
@arrington - Michael Arrington: TechCrunch founder. Dog Lover.
@bobbiejohnson - Bobbie Johnson: journalista and navel-gazer
@charleneli - Charlene Li: Co-author of Groundswell, thought leader on emerging technologies
@danoliver - Dan Oliver: Journalist and editor of .net magazine. These are my views, not those of Future Publishing. Mmm’k.
@davezatz - Dave Zatz: Geek blogger, sailing the seas of cheese.
@DCoT - Tim Fehlman - Chief Technology Officer, blogger, IT expert, Daily Cup of Tech author, tech guru, entrepreneur, hacker, maker, public speaker, author, Internet safety advocate.
@enderle - Enderle: Analyst
@erickschonfeld - erickschonfeld: Co-editor of TechCrunch
@ev - Evan Williams: CEO of Twitter
@gcluley - Graham Cluley: Senior technology consultant, Sophos. Viruses, spam, computer security, that kind of stuff.
@guykawasaki - Guy Kawasaki: RSSurai with Annie Colbert, Gina Ruiz, and Bill Meade
@harrymccracken - Harry McCracken: Technologizer founder. Boy journalist. Bon vivant.
@inafried - Ina Fried: http://news.cnet.com/beyond-binary/
@jasonhiner - Jason Hiner: TechRepublic Editor in Chief — I use Twitter to share links, observations, and professional upates. I read every @ reply but can only respond selectively.
@jasoncalacanis - Jason Calacanis: Founder of Weblogs, Inc., TechCrunch50 and Mahalo.
@jemimakiss - Jemima Kiss: Guardian writer and interwebber. I live, therefore I Tweet.
@joshuatopolsky - Joshua Topolsky: Editor-in-chief of Engadget.com, reformed producer, lover of creepy movies.
@jowyang - Jeremiah Owyang: I work at Forrester Research, however these opinions are mine. How I use Twitter http://tinyurl.com/24lv65
@jsnell - Jason Snell: Editor of Macworld, writer, primate, skeptic
@kevinrose - Kevin Rose: Founder of social media site digg.com. Random ideas, entrepreneur, climber of rocks, video blogger, & tea drinker.
@labnol - Amit Agarwal: Technology columnist & professional blogger
@lance - Lance: I am a technology entrepreneur and currently a Venture Catalyst at Georgia Tech. I help launch and build technology companies.
@leolaporte - Leo Laporte: I’ve experiments to run, there is research to be done, on the people who are watching TWiT Live.
@mattcutts - Matt Cutts: Head of webspam team at Google.
@mikkohypponen - Mikko H. Hypponen: CRO at F-Secure
@mollywood - Molly Wood: Host of the Buzz Report, Mailbag, and Gadgettes on CNETTV.com. 4WD epicure
@nataliedelconte - Natali Del Conte: http://www.natalidelconte.com/
@om - Om Malik: Founder of GigaOM & a Venture Partner at True Ventures
@padmasree - Padmasree: CTO of Cisco
@rafe - Rafe Needleman: Writes wacky web 2.0 weviews
@ryanblock - Ryan Block: I’m an editor and technology critic in the midst of founding a new web startup: gdgt.
@sarahcuda - Sarah Lacy: i’m a reporter/author in silicon valley
@saschasegan - saschasegan: I’m mostly the cell phone guy for PCMag; my other car is a travel writer.
@scobleizer - Robert Scoble: Geek and technology enthusiasm from a blogger who grew up in Silicon Valley.
@teksquisite - Bev Robb: Southwest NH small business It consultant and Cheeky-Geeky opportunist with a strong interest in computer forensics and social media.
@THErealDVORAK - John C. Dvorak: http://www.dvorak.org/blog/
@thurrott -Paul Thurrott: Paul Thurrott is the guy behind the SuperSite for Windows. Way behind.
@veronica - Veronica Belmont: Host of Tekzilla on Revision3 and Qore on PSN. Also, a geek.
@zephoria - danah boyd: Academic or activist? That is the question. (I study youth practices, social media, and cultural dynamics.)

Bonus: My Tech Buddies - These are folks whose name you may not recognize, but with whom I’ve had valuable personal interactions with on Twitter.  Check them out, you wont regret it!

@cbucholdt - Christian Bucholdt: Independent consultant - Applying Requirements Engineering, agile methodology (Scrum) and IT Service Management in a pragmatic manner = creating customer value
@EricHamm - Eric Hamm: Wordpress designer/consultant, online entrepreneur, multifaceted blogger and creator of the frugal Wordpress Theme. www.frugalTheme.com
@MathieuB - Mathieu Bourgie: Blogger/Consultant @ Hardware Revolution, a blog where I offer various computer system designs, ideas and tips on how to help you cut down on computer costs!
@meekprize - mike perez: some dude
@josephmunizjr - Joseph Muniz Jr: An IT Tech trying to stay current on technology.
@philmcdonnell - philmcdonnell: Web developer, designer, consultant, techno-guy, business owner, animal lover and proud parent.
@rglauser - Rhett Glauser: Loud talker for Service-now.com, the only enterprise service desk (ITSM) via SaaS.
@theitskeptic - Rob England: The IT Skeptic: writer, commentator, life balancer.
@timmyjohnboy - Tim Lenahan: http://timmyjohnboy.com/

And, of course, yours truly:

@YFNCG - Matt Rodela: Small business owner, computer guy, blogger @ Y.F.N.C.G., Data Center Systems Analyst for midsize pharma company

Who did I miss?  Let me know in the comments and with your help I’ll continue to update this list!

Sources:

1. Twitter directory to enterprise IT and network companies
2. http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/40030
3. The 10 best techies worth following on Twitter
4. The Most Interesting People To Follow On Twitter

It’s a great ice breaker and conduit for face-to-face conversations about your business to potential customers. It’s an extremely portable advertisement for your business that people can take with them and keep in their wallets/purses.  Nothing is more basic than the business card, providing the most important information about your business and nothing more.  Finally, there’s no denying that it’s much cheaper than an ad in your local paper or phone book, saving you money in those critically cash-strapped first years of business.

So it goes without saying that the first thing any new small business owner should do is get some business cards made.  And that’s exactly what I’ve done.

However, before I could send my order to the printers, I needed to completed a few start-up steps so I’d have something to adorn the face of my card.  Namely a business name, website url, logo, and phone number. Now that those things are complete, I can proudly display all of that on my business card.  After all, this will be my primary advertising method for the next year or so as I try to build a small, part-time client list.

I’d like to share with you some of the things I took into consideration when designing my business card.  The most important thing to take from all this is that your card will be an extension of your business philosophy and image, so make sure to do them justice.

Information

First and foremost, you need to figure out what information to put on your business card.  This is a balancing act.  Although you want to tell your potential customers as much as you can about your business, you also don’t want to clutter the card with too much information.

First and foremost you should list all the ways that customers can contact you.  I think it’s a mistake to list only your phone number or only your email address, list both.  I personally don’t understand why people still list their fax number.  Does anyone fax anymore?  Finally, it’s probably a good idea to throw in your website URL, that’s where people can go if they’re interested in finding out more information than the card provides.

Next, you want to include your name.  This personalizes the card and gives the card that human element.  It makes the receiver feel “special”, like they are receiving a personal invitation from you to contact your business.  This is what separates the business card from traditional ads.

Of course, don’t forget your business name and logo.  These keep your company brand in the minds of your potential customers, helping them remember your business.

So far all of these things are pretty obvious.  What about extra information like a run-down of your services, the area you service, your motto, your specials, etc? Well, this is all purely optional and it’s up to you if you feel you’ll need to include any of this stuff.  My advice, and this is what I tried to follow with my own card, is to keep things short and simple.  Give just enough information so people know what you’re about and then they can refer to your website for specifics.  Nothing is worse than a cluttered business card.

Layout

By layout, I’m not only thinking about on what part of the card you put certain information, but also what colors and font you use.  This is a matter of personal preference and there are an infinite number of possible ways to lay out your card.  But here are some personal guidelines I tried to follow:

1. White Space is OK- Don’t feel like you have to fill every square inch of the card with info.  Cluttered cards not only look bad, but it’s hard for your customer to find the information they need.
2. Keep Things Consistent - Try to stick to two or three colors and fonts on the card.  If everything is the same color, that’s boring.  The opposite is if you make every line of text a different color and font which will begin to look unorganized and chaotic.
3. Consolidate Similar Info-  It’s probably a good idea to keep all your contact info together on the card.  If your website is in one corner, email in a another, and phone in yet another, your customer might miss the info they’re looking for and move on to the next card in their stack.

Appearance

Finally, there’s the overall appearance.  These are some questions you’ll probably want to ask yourself before ordering your cards.

Glossy or matte?- This is a matter of preference, but I personally prefer matte finish for two reasons: 1) I like being able to write extra info on a business card if I need to and it’s much easier to write on a matte finished card.  2) Glossy finish just looks less professional to me for some reason.  But you may find you like glossy finish better.  It certainly makes the colors pop out a little more if that’s your goal.  Take a look at some business cards that you’ve received in the past and see which finish you prefer.

White Background? - My personal preference on this one is to keep the card white.  Again, I think it’s not only more professional looking, but it allows your logo and text pop out and be the focus of attention.

Flare? - Some printing companies offer options such as foil printing and raised lettering.  I think options are nice if you can afford them.  But don’t break the bank on such things that probably don’t make a huge difference in the long run.  Concentrate more on making the things that cost the least look the best.  And keep in mind that even with these fancy features, moderation is important.  Unless, of course, you’re promoting a night club in which case the more glitter the better!

Info on the back? - Most printing companies also allow you to have something printed on the back of the card for an extra fee.  This is a perfect opportunity to add a little extra something that you couldn’t put on the front face of the card.  You can include a complete list of your services, client testimonials and media quotes, or include a coupon or discount for people who present the card to you during service, which is the route I’ve taken.

Traditional or funky? -Lets face it, business cards are boring.  Some people choose to take the business card to the next level by breaking the mold and offering alternatives to the rectangular peice of card stock we’ve all come to know.  Here are some of the more creative examples I’ve encountered on the web:

http://www.quicksprout.com/2008/09/20/creative-business-cards-that-make-you-look-twice/

http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/inspiration/50-awesome-and-creative-business-cards/

http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/01/22/30-memorable-and-creative-business-cards/

Now, while these business cards may be awesome to look at, and no doubt memorable, I wouldn’t use them for my business.  First of all, I normally put business cards in my wallet when I receive them.  If the card is oddly shaped or too bulky, it may end up in my pocket and eventually lost.  Secondly, the cost to benefit ratio for these cards is very questionable.  Yeah, you may gain the attention of a few more people, but are they going to translate into new customers? And are those new customers going to make up the difference in the amount of money you spent to have these custom cards created?  Maybe.  But I’d rather rely on my good service and personable approach to gain new customers at first…both are free.

Show us the Money!

So with all that said, here is the design I’ve chosen to go with for my first batch of cards: 

Simple and professional, I think these cards provide just enough information to my potential customers.  Only the first batch will have the coupon on the back, a small reward for my early adopters. 

What kind of business cards attract your attention?  Are you more inclined to contact someone with a flashy business card?  What do you put on your card?

I’ll leave you with a couple humorous looks at what happens when you take the whole business card thing a little too far (although I’m not sure the first guy is being funny on purpose)!

Your Business Card is Crap

American Psycho Business Card Scene

A podcast, for those of you not in the “know”, is basically a digital radio show that can be streamed to your computer or downloaded onto any number of digital listening devices, including the ever popular iPod.  Podcasting is now more popular than ever thanks, in part, to two factors: 1) the popularity of the iPod and other portable digital listening devices and 2) the reduction in price of quality audio broadcasting equipment. 

This increased popularity means that there are a lot of podcasts sprouting up around the net.  These podcasts range in quality and produciton value from a kid with a cheap microphone in his parent’s basement to a nationally syndicated radio show.  

I’ve fallen in love with podcasts recently after buying a car with an auxiliary input that allows me to listen to my iPod on the road.  This enables me to hear pertinent, relevant, interesting stuff on my 45 minute drive to and from work.  Better than radio, podcasts allow me to choose WHAT I listen to and WHEN I listen to it.  Kinda like Tivo for audio broadcasting.

As a computer guy or gal, listening to tech-related podcasts regularly will help you keep up with the latest trends in computer consulting and the IT business in general.  You can listen at home or in your shop while working on a computer or in the car on your way to your service calls.  There are quite a few tech-centric podcasts out there.  This list provides you with the podcasts that I personally enjoy and in which I find the most value as a computer guy.

So here, in no particular order, are my top 10 podcast recommendations for computer techs:

Buzz Out Loud - This is a daily podcast  produced by the folks at CNET that provides news and commentary on the latest tech trends.  I like it’s combination of knowledgeable hosts and the laid-back friendly vibe.  Although they don’t get too heavy into technical stuff, they provide a breath of fresh geek air to start your morning.

Mike Tech Show- Featuring the musings and advice of Philadelphia area computer consultant Mike Smith, Mike Tech Show is a weekly podcast with a very homegrown feel to it.  But that’s not a bad thing.  Mike not only comes a cross as a genuinely nice guy, but he provides helpful information “from the trenches” to computer techs, which makes for a winning combination in my book.

PodNutz- A weekly (almost) computer repair podcast by Steve Cherubino.  He regularly interviews a wide variety of computer techs and business owners bringing good insights into how other techs approach their niche.

Small Business Trends Radio- Not a tech podcast per-se, but a very valuable tool for those of you who run your own business.  Being an independent computer consultant means being a small business owner, CEO, marketing guru, accountant (among other things) as well as an excellent computer tech.  This show will help you become better at those first four things.  Each week Anita Campbell and co-host Steve Rucinski interview a different small business owner/expert that shares their experiences and insights.

Windows Weekly - This podcast is a member of the TWiT.tvtech podcast network.  This network, founded by radio tech guy Leo Laporte, offers very professional broadcast-quality podcasts featuring mostly tech-related subjects.  Windows Weekly is one of my favorites, providing me all the juicy windows tidbits I need to satiate my Microsoft munchies in digestible weekly portions.

The Force Field- Brought to you by Rick Savoia, The Force Field podcast covers a wide variety of computer consulting topics with news, reviews, and interviews.  This one is part of the TechPodcasts.comnetwork, which is home to a smorgasbord of geek-friendly podcasts.

Computer America- The nation’s longest running nationally syndicated radio talk show on computer.  The podcast is a direct copy of the radio show, but usually not available for a few months after the show airs live.  Craig Crossman and Carey Holzman provide mostly consumer-level tech news and information, but the wisdom and experience of these guys proves very beneficial.

The Tech Guy- This is another offering from TwiT.tv, hosted by the man himself, Leo Laporte.  This is his XM radio show without the commercials.  Very entertaining and informative covering general tech.

Security Now - Steve Gibson, a major player in the security software game, brings a weekly podcast of computer security news, tips, and trends.

Cyber Speak - Two former federal agents discuss computer forensics, cybercrime, and computer security.  Can be dry at times (since this is not my main area of focus), but stick with it, you’ll learn some interesting and useful stuff!

Many of these podcats also include forums, chat rooms, and live participation with the hosts.  So check them out and tell ‘em Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy sent ya!

What podcasts do you listen to?  What other podcasts should I include on the list?

Choosing a phone number for your business may seem like another one of the many tedious steps standing in the way of you and your dreams.  Your phone number, much like your business name and website URL, are calling cards that will most likely stay with your business indefinitely.  Although not a deal breaker, an easy to remember phone number is one that will help make it that much more convenient for your customers to reach you.

As my regular readers already know, I recently set-up VoIP phone service for my computer consulting business.  I learned there are a few things that should be considered in order to get the most value out of your number.

Toll Free or Local? - The first thing you’ll need to decide is what category of phone number you’ll be choosing.  Do you want to do business with customers in different area codes?  Will they have to call long distance in order to reach you on your local number? 

Not only will a toll free number allow customers to call you from any location without incurring long distance charges, but it also gives your business a professional boost, making it appear on par with the national chains.  That may or may not be the reputation you want to project.

I’m starting my business out with a local number for two reasons.  One, I want my business to have a local ”neighborhood computer guy” feel to it.  Two, I don’t plan on doing business outside of my local county for the foreseeable future.  If I ever plan on taking on customers from other areas, I may consider adding a toll-free number to compliment, not replace, my local number. 

To Spell or Not to Spell - One of the easiest ways to make your phone number memorable is to make it spell something, like 1800flowers.  This costs extra and the word you want to spell may not be available in number form.  This becomes important when you’re trying to build a national brand with your business. 

It may be fun and tempting, but I’d argue that this isn’t entirely necessary for local or small business.  Unless your business name is one that’s well known to your potential customers, they’ll probably forget your number, even if it DOES spell something, since they’re not familiar with your business name to begin with.  If you do go with a number that spells something, at least include the number by itself as well to avoid confusion.  There have been a few businesses that I’ve avoided calling in the past because I wasn’t able to see the letters on the tiny number buttons on my cell phone.

Patterns and Rhymes - An alternative to the number that spells something is the number that includes patterns that make it easy to remember.  Repeating numbers can be very helpful, like 443-4443 or 444-5555.  Also, repeating patterns like 123-1231 or 121-2121 are good to consider. 

Another thing to look for is the possibility of the number rhyming with your business name.  As a ficticious example, I could use the number 868-5463 in a slogan for my business, Jiffy-PC.  It would go like this: “Call Jiffy-PC at eight-six-eight fifty-four sixty-THREE”.  “Three” rhymes with PC.  Mother Goose would be proud!

Although I’m not going to publish my number here, I did employ a few of these tactics in my own number, specifically repeating, in order to help it “stick” in the minds of my customers.

Now go forth and choose a number that’s memorable!

If you’re online and looking to have your finger on the pulse of the latest in technology and web trends, Twitter is where you need to be.   Why?  Simply put, it’s the best way to get up-to-the-minute information on topics relevant to you.

I’ve been using Twitter as YFNCG for a few months now, following people in the tech industry, along with small business advocates, a handful of bloggers, and some friends.  I’m picky about who I follow.  I want to make sure that they are providing useful information that I can benefit from.  I also try to pass on the best of the informaiton I find to my twitter followers.  It’s tough to keep up with it all sometimes, but the beauty of twitter is that you don’t HAVE to keep up.  You just jump in the stream when you’re ready, soak up the info of the moment, contribute a bit of your own, and jump out when you’re done.

If you’re a computer tech and you doubt the usefulness of Twitter, allow me to present 5 ways in which you can gain significant value from this FREE tool.

1. Latest Tech News - Follow folks like @techcrunch, @CNETNews, @Wired, and most any other technology new source you can think of to see a constant real-time stream of the latest tech happenings.
2. Relevant Timely Opinions From Your Peers - Follow other computer geeks on Twitter to see what have to say about what’s going on in the world.  Most of the time, they’ll give insightful opinions, post relevant links, or share useful nuggets of knowledge.
3. Deals On Gear - Vendors like HP, NewEgg, and TigerDirect tweet their latest deals, specials, and limited offers.  Dell takes top prize, however, with a whole page of twitter accounts!!
4. Get Answers - Computer problem got you stumped?  Want to test out an idea?  Once you’ve gathered a decent list of followers, conduct a mini-poll by asking a question and waiting for responses.  There are a lot of intelligent folks using twitter and you’ll be surprised at the insights you can gain.
5. Learn to be succinct - This is an often overlooked skill that can be developed by tweeting often.  You learn to summarize what you need to say with 140 characters.  It’s tough at first.  Learn to translate this skill to your clients to help avoid over complicated tech-speak that will normally confuse the average customer.

Find out how to harness the power of twitter now, because I only see it growing in the next few years.

Who do YOU like to follow on Twitter?

Over the last few weeks I’ve been looking for a low cost VoIP solution for my home office based computer consulting business. You can catch up on the series by reading the last two articles here and here.

After much consideration, I finally settled on a provider that I think will fit my needs as my business grows.

And the winner is…

Skype for Business

I must be honest, I had reservations about Skype at first.  It’s overall vibe seemed too casual and cutesy for my tastes.  I didn’t see it as a serious business-class solution.

But after weighing my options I realized that I really didn’t NEED a business-class service.  All I needed was a cheap and convenient way to make and receive calls, retrieve voicemails, and forward calls to my cell phone.  As my business grows and the need for more features arises, Skype seems to have the flexibility to accommodate.

Then there is the price.  Initial sign up is easy and free and within minutes I had a brand new local phone number and credit on my account to make and receive unlimited calls, all for less than $10 a month.

Other benefits of the service include robust online administration which provides a slick interface to do anything from paying bills to assigning phone numbers to changing my voicemail messages. Along with that, the Skype API is available for 3rd party developers, which means if Skype doesn’t provide some kind of functionality that I need, I can probably find an application out there that does.

Finally, I’m really impressed with the customer support so far.  I was wary at first because they don’t provide an obvious phone number to call for assistance.  But I had the opportunity to contact their online support and was pleasantly surprised.  I had registered a phone number for my Skype account and, after about an hour, realized the number was not very user friendly or marketable (no repeated numbers, awkward to say out loud) so I contacted support to ask if it was possible for me to replace my number with a new one.  Within a few hours I received a response that they had taken the liberty of refunding my money and de-activating my number, no quesitons asked.

The thing I really like about Skype is it’s very open ended.  I can use only the features and services I want, most of which are free.  I can also choose the kind of phone I want to use.  Many of the other providers I evaluated forced you to use their phone or adapter.  With Skype, I can use any phone I choose, or skip the phone altogether and use headphones and a microphone on my computer.  I’m going to opt for a regular cordless phone connected via a phone adapter, all for about $40.

The Future (aka my readers rock!)

Before I started writing this series of posts, I had a vague idea of what VoIP was and why I thought it was the best phone service for my business.  After writing that first article, my readers stepped up and offered some great suggestions.  One of the coolest ideas was the option to use open source software like Asterix to build my own VoIP server!  I hadn’t heard of this possibility before, but it looks very interesting.

I think my tentative plan will be to use Skype for now, while my time is limited to running my business part time, and eventually set up an Asterix box to tinker with and prepare to use when I take my business full-time.

That concludes my VoIP series here on Y.F.N.C.G.  I hope you’ve learned something, I sure know I have!  If any of you are using  Skype, let me know so I can add you to my Skype contacts list.