Comments on: have Mac,will travel

Question: have Mac,will travel

D-ten — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:22:12 -0800

How can I get a Mac consulting gig off the ground as quickly as possible?

I used to live in a major metro area with a lot of Mac users. When my ISP-employer went belly-up, I purchased the right to service the Mac consulting clients. With this start I built up a substantial business through word of mouth.

Fast forward...I moved to another town, a smaller regional population and to make a long story short, am considering returning to my original location. My original clients are mostly gone by now, though some might call me if I was available.

Whether I stay or go, the question is...what are the secret ingredients to getting a consulting business going, what's the most important ten steps to uptime, especially marketing?

I've already done the dance, I just don't have any sense of how to get the music playing again.

Some steps seem obvious. Quality website, craig's list postings, cell phone, business cards. I'm sure there are other things to do that would help. Post in tabloids? Send out flyers...what to do?

I've considered calling a bunch of Mac consultants nationwide and just polling them on what they did. I might still do that. I'm starting here.

If you have some ingredients to offer, thanks a bunch, especially if you've been there, done that. Mac guru for hire...how do I get the word out?

By: lpsguy

lpsguy — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:01:13 -0800

I would spend some time at gatherings of creative industries where Mac usage tends to be higher than general business usage. Buy a table at your local advertising awards show ... or at a music fest ... or at an art school luncheon and position yourself as the "break glass in case of emergency" guy. Many creatives types – even if they work for someone else – work for themselves and are desperate to know they have someone to call when they're on deadline and something goes whacky. I know I am.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:50:23 -0800

Hit the phonebook and send brochures/postcards/whatever to everyone listed as Graphic Designers, Illustrators, Advertising Agencies, Printers, Photographers, etc. etc. Basically anyone who might fit into the traditional Mac user base.

By: D-ten

D-ten — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:37:24 -0800

Okay, thanks. Those are some good tips.