Turning one consulting client into many

Sometimes we plan deeply and then take concerted action to build a computer consulting career. At other times, good fortune just seems to fall into our laps. That said, it doesn’t mean that you can’t learn something from my good, if somewhat accidental, fortune.

It is a natural part of any consulting business that you often make clients of people who once worked for you. In my case, a contractor who remodeled part of our house has hired me several times over the last few years to maintain his office and home computers. When he launched a new endeavor, running a high-end photo studio, he called me in once again.

As it happened, this studio was connected to a property management company that owns both residential and office properties. In fact, they were remodeling part of the photo studio building into office suites which were rapidly filling up. Before I really knew what had happened, I became the de facto computer consultant not only for the photo studio and the property management company, but everyone who rented from them. Through this one connection, I have added 3 new clients in the last 2 months. Even better, they are all at one location, so I can make one visit to handle a number of problems. Sweet!

Of course, while I really wasn’t trying to gather up a flock of new clients, I see now that anyone can actively pursue this particular method. In past Career Opportunities columns, I have written about the possibility of becoming the on-site computer consultant for local resort hotels. Connecting with property management companies is very similar. The goal in both is to maximize your client relationships so that they start working for you. Imagine the possibilities — Can you set up a meeting with the owners of that high-rise office building on the corner? How about the small set of office suites above the dry cleaners? How about that 5-star resort in Beverly Hills, Sedona or Las Vegas?

Be aware of the possibilities when dealing with your clients and their clients might just be your clients, someday.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 1st, 2007 at 8:56 pm and is filed under Consulting, Douglas E. Welch, FiT Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dan White

All very true words indeed. We run an IT support company in London(UK) and we can pretty much trace the vast majority of our clients we've ever dealt with and mostly kept (I can't give the number right now, but we're looking around 100+) all the way back to one client. His referrals, and the referrals from them etc.

I belive that word of mouth and dealing with people fairly and honestly goes a long, long way.
Douglas E. Welch

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I, too, have a small collection of peers that can cover for each other whenever we take a vacation or need other time off. Great advice.

Douglas
JonnyRo

Awesome article. I've wanted to start an official computer consulting business for a long time, but have long enjoyed the supplemental income that doing a bit of consulting here and there provides.

That being said, I would add one other suggestion to your article. If you start getting too much work, don't try to handle it all yourself, maintain a network of consultants in your area that you can pass the work off to. When they get busy they will often return the favor.