Take The IT Marketing Client Attraction Quiz

1. Do you follow up with prospects who don't commit during the first meeting?

Yes, until they become customers or tell me to get lost.

No, why should I? I'm the best. They'll chase me.

While you certainly don't want to become an obnoxious pest, those small business technology providers with a better follow-up system than yours will eventually steal your clients, without really even trying. Stop looking at yourself in the mirror. Stop updating your Web site. And start making sure that your hottest qualified leads hear from you at least once a month.

Explanation

While you certainly don't want to become an obnoxious pest, those small business technology providers with a better follow-up system than yours will eventually steal your clients, without really even trying. Stop looking at yourself in the mirror. Stop updating your Web site. And start making sure that your hottest qualified leads hear from you at least once a month.

2. Do you have a logical, step-by-step sales process?

Yes.

No, I just wing it and hope for the best.

Again, just as with lead qualification, you can't expect to consistently attract the best small business clients if your sales process is a joke or nonexistent. Serious owners and managers of small business technology providers systematize their sales processes until their sales processes run like well-tuned, highly-optimized machines.

Explanation

Again, just as with lead qualification, you can't expect to consistently attract the best small business clients if your sales process is a joke or nonexistent. Serious owners and managers of small business technology providers systematize their sales processes until their sales processes run like well-tuned, highly-optimized machines.

3. How well do you qualify your leads?

I do no lead qualification whatsoever.

I ask whatever comes to mind and go with my gut feeling.

I have a standard set of questions to separate the true prospects from the "no-ways."

Simple, consistent lead qualification is the key to selling more efficiently and attracting the right kinds of new clients. Those who skip or ignore lead qualification waste enormous amounts of time and resources...and may ultimately put themselves out of business.

Explanation

Simple, consistent lead qualification is the key to selling more efficiently and attracting the right kinds of new clients. Those who skip or ignore lead qualification waste enormous amounts of time and resources...and may ultimately put themselves out of business.

4. How many hours per week, in an average week, do you allocate to IT marketing, sales, and business development?

Less than 4 hours per week

4-8 hours per week

More than 8 hours per week

Unless your firm is large enough to have dedicated IT marketing, sales, and business development staff, most owners of small business technology providers are severely under-invested in the amount of time that's realistically required to grow and maintain a healthy client list. Sorry, the tooth fairy won't put the client list under your pillow either. So, you need to have a solid IT marketing plan and you need to execute.

After you've taken care of your existing paying clients as if your company's survival depended on it (because it does), your #2 goal must be all about acquiring new clients who'll be your company's future.

Explanation

Unless your firm is large enough to have dedicated IT marketing, sales, and business development staff, most owners of small business technology providers are severely under-invested in the amount of time that's realistically required to grow and maintain a healthy client list. Sorry, the tooth fairy won't put the client list under your pillow either. So, you need to have a solid IT marketing plan and you need to execute.

After you've taken care of your existing paying clients as if your company's survival depended on it (because it does), your #2 goal must be all about acquiring new clients who'll be your company's future.

5. How many different ways do you have to get new customers besides word-of-mouth?

0

1-3

4+

Word-of-mouth marketing is not really marketing. Rather, word-of-mouth is a bonus or dividend you get for doing everything else correctly with your IT marketing, sales, project management, and customer service. In other words, you can't expect word-of-mouth IT marketing to be effective completely on its own.

In addition, when it comes to IT marketing, you definitely don't want to put all your eggs in one basket. As a result, make sure your marketing plan includes at least four ways to get the word out about your firm and its value proposition.

Explanation

Word-of-mouth marketing is not really marketing. Rather, word-of-mouth is a bonus or dividend you get for doing everything else correctly with your IT marketing, sales, project management, and customer service. In other words, you can't expect word-of-mouth IT marketing to be effective completely on its own.

In addition, when it comes to IT marketing, you definitely don't want to put all your eggs in one basket. As a result, make sure your marketing plan includes at least four ways to get the word out about your firm and its value proposition.

6. Do you have a written IT marketing plan or IT marketing calendar?

Yes

No

While it certainly doesn't need to be an elaborate document from an agency or MBA, all small business technology providers need some form of a written IT marketing plan or IT marketing calendar, even if that plan is as simple as a one-page Microsoft Word document or Microsoft Excel worksheet.

Explanation

While it certainly doesn't need to be an elaborate document from an agency or MBA, all small business technology providers need some form of a written IT marketing plan or IT marketing calendar, even if that plan is as simple as a one-page Microsoft Word document or Microsoft Excel worksheet.

7. How much service revenue does your average small business IT client generate each year (annually)?

<$5,000 (or the local currency equivalent)

$5,000-$11,999 (or the local currency equivalent)

>$12,000 (or the local currency equivalent)

It can be very difficult to profitably acquire new small business clients who are either too small or not serious enough about IT. If your small business clients aren't each consistently spending at least $500 per month (or the local currency equivalent) on IT services, consider refining how you target your IT marketing activities and lead generation.

Explanation

It can be very difficult to profitably acquire new small business clients who are either too small or not serious enough about IT. If your small business clients aren't each consistently spending at least $500 per month (or the local currency equivalent) on IT services, consider refining how you target your IT marketing activities and lead generation.