SME market

Thanks Blaster - that German company you mention is the sort of thing that I am looking at. I feel this is a good time to try and establish a 'proper' business closer to home than travelling all over the place contracting... and being at the whims of agents...

..yep that´s right, though we were very specialised in manufacturing systems at the time.

But with what you´re suggesting, a company here I go to (in Germany I might add), to have my computer fixed is expanding at the moment, doing exactly what you´re suggesting, i.e. turning up offering networking, Linux installation upgrades etc.

Thanks Blaster, sounds as if what you are saying is that IT managers in SMEs are often glad to have people ring them up... bringing solutions to their problems so to speak. A friend was arguing this a few weeks back... stating that many SMEs do not have the right mix of skilled staff themselves but cannot afford long-term contractors so the option of a local firm or boy who can, for example, install a network or give them some kind of server maintenance contract could be a life saver for them - is this what you mean?

...well good luck IsItOver. At a small company in trouble, we hit the phones to get some work and you´d be surprised how many IT managers are willing to listen; still that´s where they get their ideas from.

Thanks BGG - that is what I am going to start doing now but as a one man operation. Oh well, giant oaks and acorns and all that...

Ah, you have a sales team. Thanks for the info.

That's about it...these guys hammer the phone cold calling every day, to hundred of companies. We only need 1 or 2 a day to get a Consultancy visit, then it grows from there.

Ah, you have a sales team. Thanks for the info.

3 helpdesk,5 field engineers, 1 workshop engineer,
7 sales people, Sales Director, MD

9 salesmen, 9 techies.

Thanks BGG - out of interest, what isy our foot in the door? Cold calling, advertising in press or business publications, ad in yellow pages or a combination? How long ago did you move to this. You seem to have grown quite a bit.

Well, that is the only market sector that we actively target and I guess we must be doing something right. 40+ Clients, 6,000 client contact list, enough work for 22 personnel, (3 helpdesk,5 field engineers, 7 sales people, 2 accounts, 2 senior managers, 1 workshop engineer, Sales Director, MD)

Funny thing is, we get spinoffs from the ME's as well.

Business is booming.

How are people finding the SME market in their respective areas re direct marketing/targeting of them for maintenance contracts, etc, using a mixture of cold calling, websites, mailshots and joining local business bodies such as chambers of commerce, etc?