In any field it is tough to start out with a new business. Competition can be stiff and it is often very difficult to get your foot in the door and establish a customer base that can contend with the big dogs or even make enough to stay afloat. In no sector is this more clearly seen than in information technology. The large established competitors have name recognition, loyal clients and a large base of employees to deal with the needs of these clients.
Fortunately there is no reason why smaller IT companies cannot go up against and compete with these big firms. It may be more difficult getting going but once you land one solid client things get a lot easier. The best part is that all you really need are a few dedicated employees to address the needs of even the largest company. It will take a strong effort but it will pay off in the end. In fact some larger businesses may see your relative smallness as an asset.
People tend to like dealing with the same person repeatedly. With smaller IT companies you know that at each time you call you will be able to speak to the same person. This means that if you have a recurring problem the person you speak to will already have the history and be able to help without needing to consult a file or ask a bunch of questions.
A good way to start getting your name out there is to join some business networking groups. BNI often has morning breakfast meetings to connect people. Look to the local rotary club or even post your services on Craigslist. You may be surprised how many people need IT companies and when you are just starting out you have the luxury of picking and choosing who you work for. Plus you never know when word of mouth from one of your smaller clients may make it to a larger firm that needs your services. That is the beauty of being just making it in the world is you have the time to connect with the people in your area whereas larger IT companies don't have time or energy to meet with local businesses.
Even larger firms prefer the human touch and especially when there is a technology problem that needs to be solved quickly. That is why they want to call and have someone answer the phone and be willing to give them the help they need. They don't want to be redirected or put on hold. They want help and they want it fast so they can get back to getting things done. IT companies are in great demand today and so there is no reason that someone starting out should not be able to make it. The key is just to be diligent and work hard to establish yourself in the field and in the long term it will no doubt payoff. You just need to hold out until you land a fulltime gig with a larger company.
Source: ezinearticles.com