What types of businesses do you guys find the most successful?

[Velvis]

I am expanding my business this year and going to actively find new business clients to provide managed services (ideally) and break/fix work for.

The past 3 years or I have been blessed to have a handful of good Managed Services clients, each bringing in decent money for 6-12 employees per company.

Each of these companies are very different in what they do, (Church, Non-profit philanthropy, staffing consulting, healthcare.) so I was wondering if any of you have found good types of businesses that need our type of support and would be good targets.

Many small businesses only need a router, laptop, and cell phone so there really isn't much work there. While offices with more advanced needs (say a doctors office) may already have support provided by a hospital IT team that the Doctors office is associated with.

It seems like there would be a middle area and I was wondering what types of businesses you guys find yourself supporting.

For instance, does a local Century 21 Real Estate office generally have IT support from Century 21?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Healthcare....especially visiting nurse/hospice types, and nursing homes, dental offices. Heavy remote use...such as laptops that replicate, vpn, terminal server, etc. Heavy on security and good money making with disaster recovery/business continuity products.

Larger accounting firms....frequent software updates.

Larger construction firms, they'll have frequent graphics workstation needs, remote access needs from construction sites, large storage needs.

 

[Amanda]

Used Car lots. Staffing agencies. Photography studios.

One of our most consistent clients is a used car lot. We have set them up with two offices now. Great clients who are extremely loyal.

I'm a photographer in my (limited) spare time and always have other photogs asking IT questions. They need servers, external HDs... the works. Get a hold of some local photographers... once you get in good with one, they are sure to talk you up to their friends and clients.

 

[ArtemusComputerTechnology]

To me, churches. The few I have worked on for have computer labs, computer training, and presentation needs. Recently, I set up a new computer lab for a church. It was a great project. I was involved from the purchasing all the way to the setup. The pastor is a really cool guy to let me work on my own time before the deadline date. Simple lab rules, all the computers are the same make and model and I have 1 image for them all.

The church have a very solid commitment to their needs. They are great clients and have bought alot new clients to me.

 

[Rosco]

Larger construction firms, they'll have frequent graphics workstation needs, remote access needs from construction sites, large storage needs.

never really thought of this yntil about a year back. A kitchen design firm need a beedy new computer to render 3d preview. Really nice company(actually my favorite client) now i am spread all over with the granite people and lumber yards.

I am a huge fan of day traders. They need it fixed right away and are willing to pay. I got in good with one now i have 2 or 3. Excellent clients i have found

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

never really thought of this yntil about a year back. A kitchen design firm need a beedy new computer to render 3d preview. Really nice company(actually my favorite client) now i am spread all over with the granite people and lumber yards. found

Yeah...the big ones are great. We recently picked up a sweet one...good for about 5 sometimes 6 grand a month.

Hospices are great too....also can be good for at least several grand a month in regular support...plus every year or two a huge server project.

 

[Velvis]

Great suggestions. Do you guys find it hard to sell them on an msp program? Or do they prefer break/fix?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Not hard to sell MSP....the bigger places that like things to run updated and reliably...know that such a package will cost money. Budget wise...a fixed monthly price is preferred by some clients. Especially non profits. I have a couple of non profit clients that, even though their network isn't huge...they are fine with a thousand bucks a month fixed cost.

One client my colleague has....they schedule him to come in and be there every Wednesday for 6 hours or so...even if there is not a long list of "stuff" for him. They prefer that he's there at least once a week for the day...even if he is just twiddling his thumbs.

 

[Velvis]

Anyone have any experience with small private schools? There are a number of local private elementary schools (k-8) but I wasn't sure if they may already have full time IT.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Anyone have any experience with small private schools? There are a number of local private elementary schools (k-8) but I wasn't sure if they may already have full time IT.

Yes...I take care of one out on an island...k-12 and <60 students total.
My colleague takes care of a "country school"...a school for troubled kids.

Generally not big money makers...biggest jobs I've done for the school I take care of is the wiring for the network, the switches and Untangle firewall (yearly subscription), I put in an HP ProCurve wireless network, and yearly antivirus renewal.

The computers themselves for the school are purchased direct through programs for schools that I can't get in the middle of.

 

[ComputerPro]

We used to service 2 school districts back in 2002 when the state had money to spend on schools. I think they brought in $10,000 each school for which we had to provide remote support but also place a tech there one or two days a week. Times were great back then lol Now all the schools around here just use the ISD for all their support needs.

Nowadays for us its Medical, local government, then regular small businesses ie law firms, retail shops, manufacturing etc.

If you learn to support different brands of EMR software and get known for it, you will usually find it easy to get referrals for small medical offices.

 

[andcorptech]

For me the top of the list is Real Estate agents, wineries/vineyards, lawyers, travel agents, schools, restaurants and accomodation.

Pubs on the other hand are the worst. Aside from one pub which Is owned by a friend, all the others in town have given me problems over the years.

 

[drahcir_16]

I'm still starting out and need I still finding my niche market. This thread is helpful in determining which industries I should focus on.
What kind of marketing do you guys do to get their businesses?

 

[Yayyeahh]

I'm still starting out and need I still finding my niche market. This thread is helpful in determining which industries I should focus on.
What kind of marketing do you guys do to get their businesses?

Have you tried looking at small schools or private schools? Or places that seek one IT person for an office. You could probably pass angle a pitch of why have one guy vs MSP.

 

[JamarRW]

For me the top of the list is Real Estate agents, wineries/vineyards, lawyers, travel agents, schools, restaurants and accomodation.

Pubs on the other hand are the worst. Aside from one pub which Is owned by a friend, all the others in town have given me problems over the years.

Thanks great info. I am planning to send out Sales Letters to bring in more business with a list I am compiling. Sector by Sector. Starting with Real Estate Agents.

 

[JohnKennex]

I've found that construction, manufacturing, print shops (like vista print type places) are pretty good. Anyone with CAD / Solid Works or any company that has large scale data requirements like proofs are always good.

 

[allstarit]

for me - Accounting Firms are great- also get alot of referals from their clients too.
Construction Companies too - i have about 6 of them so far