Behaving like a company

[Kanye]

I had a question I wanted to ask, and this seems like a good place to tag it on.

Is there any downside to 'acting like a company'

For instance, say my area of specialist knowledge is in programming PDP-11s in sausage factories.

If I have a website full of information about how I work with the leading sausage companies to increase their sausage production, maybe client co wanting a warm body contractor is going to be concerned that:

• I'm not their primary focus, that I am busy with 'running a company' rather than writing their code.
• That I could take what I learn and share it around the industry.

I don't think buying B2B consultancy is simply a case of a more professional approach to contracting. It's a different business entirely. I'm not sure how to cross that chasm and I think it's possibly not wise for a contractor to do it half-heartedly with a business card and a website.

[ratewhore]

Maybe my question should be revised to:

If you presently get most of your gigs through agents, what can you do to improve your marketing to get new work and more repeat business from clients?

Best way to do this is to build a sales capability, or, package up your skills and hire a 3rd party sales outfit. Either way, be prepared for your cost of sale to increase in the short term.

That's if you want to do it properly...

[The Agents View]

Website - minimal outlay, can be used for directing clients to, etc. Why wouldn't you?

Newsletter - Promote yourself! If there's a few of you in your limited company, detail new contract wins, case studies etc - get them into the marketplace and fire peoples imaginations.

Network - Local business gatherings, Linked IN group events, even simple things like never switching off to opportunity (the number of times I've given business cards out to people on the bus to football is truly ridiculous).

Form Alliances - Other contractors, previous clients, anyone who can recommend your business to their employers, or someone in need.

Work with agencies - It's free frikkin marketing, and all most of you lot seem to worry about is "How much the agency makes".

References - Ask for them - use them in your marketing material.

Remember, the line between being a one man band contractor, and being a fully blown consultancy is minimal - most consultancies started as one man bands and just grew and re-invested - you can do the same, with a simple switch in mentality. 18 months ago, one of my previous contractors, started a consultancy with two partners, in the middle of a recession. With the right attitude, re-investment, and a product that people wanted (solid, honest project management), he has grown from an initial starting point of 3, to having 16 consultants employed by his business.

[northernladuk]

Please expand - how and why ?

Yeah second that. Never had a peep out of it so not bought in to the whole concept yet.

[kaiser78]

A good Linkedin profile is essential IMO.

Please expand - how and why ?

[saptastic]

In these times of downturn I'm sat on the bench wondering about ways to reduce future bench time.

Apart from IR35, does anyone find any benefit to behaving more like a company towards clients? I'm talking about things like using business cards, having a company Website, @MyLtdCo email, company office etc

Do you find you get more work/can charge more?

If you do, can you give specific examples of how these things have helped or are the benefits intangible?

A good Linkedin profile is essential IMO.

[Bright Spark]

if you are only using your ltd for just contract work then I don't reckon
it would be worth having business cards, websites etc, only if you are running
another business using the ltd and use it as a plan b or second source of income, then it's worth it.

Example is I run SEO, website hosting, web development, affiliate marketing
and loads of other similar stuff, having a website is critical, business cards
are also useful as I hand these out to contacts I meet at everyday.

Having a physcial office is not that important but having a phone line and
getting some one to answer in your company name and keep messages
gives the right impression to prospective clients for my plan b business.

HTH

[northernladuk]

Oh sorry. I see now. Sorry, went off on the wrong tangent.

I certainly dont think anything more than a good cv and polite but firm attitude with agents is all that is required. You are the commodity to them so guess they dont give a monkies about business situation.

I used to use my business email addy when dealing with clients and agents but found it mattered so little i switched back to my personal email. Note my normal email is my full name with large popular provider. if you are cunninglinguist@hotmail.com get a business one

I got some business cards done with my details on and do give them out but bearing in mind i rarely keep them myself i doubt others will. plaint white card, two colours. you should see the crap some guys come out with, gold, shiney, velvet covered, odd shapes. nightmare.

dunno what else to suggest really so hope there is something useful in there

[MrC]

I am sorry but business cards and email are not behaving like a company IMO.

I'm not saying these things singularly make you behave like a company. I suppose I'm really referring to a more professional approach towards marketing your companies services. I would have thought that a decent business card and an @MyCo email would give a better impression and most importantly might get the client to regard you as a b2b service provider rather than just another (and rather expensive) employee.

Behaving like a company is thinking of your client as your customer and you as a providor. You need to look at your profolio of skills, understand his business. Develope a stragegy that will delivery benefits to the client and then keep in touch with him to keep him aware you can bring that benefit to him. Evenone man bands can do this. It just needs a switch from the thought process of being a coder to being a company providing coding services.

There is also the mentality to look around an existing gig and understanding whats going on in the business. Is some guy losing 5 guys headcount and can't cope? Is there an outsource project going on that is leaving many small holes that need plugging. Spot these and then approach the incumbants with your CV and how you can help them.

Yes, although very difficult for a one man band to do this when initial introductions are via agencies to fulfil a specific task. In these tough times you get the gig because your (one of) the best candidates for that specific task (you have 33 out of 33 essential skills). Yes thats a foot in the door but in all likelyhood can you really say that you're also the best candidate for another unrelated task? I doubt it.


Maybe my question should be revised to:

If you presently get most of your gigs through agents, what can you do to improve your marketing to get new work and more repeat business from clients?

[northernladuk]

I am sorry but business cards and email are not behaving like a company IMO. These are the very basics of representing yourself in whatever capacity. Meaningless trinkets that is all. Business card is a card with your number on it and email address rarely matters. I would be dissapointed if you didn't have these in just a body shopping situation.

Behaving like a company is thinking of your client as your customer and you as a providor. You need to look at your profolio of skills, understand his business. Develope a stragegy that will delivery benefits to the client and then keep in touch with him to keep him aware you can bring that benefit to him. Evenone man bands can do this. It just needs a switch from the thought process of being a coder to being a company providing coding services.

There is also the mentality to look around an existing gig and understanding whats going on in the business. Is some guy losing 5 guys headcount and can't cope? Is there an outsource project going on that is leaving many small holes that need plugging. Spot these and then approach the incumbants with your CV and how you can help them.

This line of thinking will then also make your contract much easier to understand and help you deal with getting yourself in and out of IR35.

Unfortuantely most of the contracts offered are just for a body which should be clearly in IR35 but contracts show otherwise. In this case acting like a company doesn't really offer much added value. If you are in this line of work I am not sure any of the above will be much use as you are indeed just filling a role for a set period of time

One thing you could do I guess is to keep past contacts and clients aware of what is changing by producing a professional looking email advising of changes to your contract status, new skills learnt and send that. Market yourself to them. Again I can't see why this couldn't be done as an individual but it is a company style mentality. They are your customers and you are trying to sell to them. Not a bod trying to land a gig.

[MrC]

In these times of downturn I'm sat on the bench wondering about ways to reduce future bench time.

Apart from IR35, does anyone find any benefit to behaving more like a company towards clients? I'm talking about things like using business cards, having a company Website, @MyLtdCo email, company office etc

Do you find you get more work/can charge more?

If you do, can you give specific examples of how these things have helped or are the benefits intangible?