By:Danny Austin Have you considered getting paid for fixing near-fatal errors and turning
your PC prowess into a business? Besides coming up with a business name,
getting a business license, there are a number of things you need to do to
get started on the right foot Here are 10 tips that will help you
successfully launch and run your own PC repair business
Know your street (and hourly) value
In the early 90's, running a PC repair business centered around selling parts
and products, with service on the side Today, it's about selling hours To
determine what your time is worth, investigate what your local competition is
charging
Determine who your ideal customer is
If you're looking to sell and service computers within your local community
and remain a one-person operation, residential clients may suit you best
They're generally more responsive to advertising and marketing than small-
business owners are However, a downside to residential customers is that
your clients will tend to be more budget-conscious than if you target the
business owner
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Realize that financial stability doesn't happen overnight
It's going to be tough to juggle a day job with a side gig, especially if you'
re honing in on small-business clients But if you're not running your
business full time, you run the risk of losing clients, especially if you're
targeting the business market You'll need to build up a financial cushion--
six to nine months salary is advisable--for when you ultimately do turn in
your pink slip and become fully self-employed
Know your strengths and weaknesses
If your background is strictly technical and you aren't very business savvy,
hire bookkeeping or accounting experts to handle the busywork and keep you at
your most productive so you can steadily increase your billable hours You
can also invest in software products to handle administrative tasks
Market your business every day
While you don't have to walk around wearing a sandwich board when you're out
on the street, the phone on your desk isn't going to ring until people know
you exist And you can't rest on your past successes either
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choose direct mail, pamphlet drops, telemarketing or web marketing, you need
to come up with a marketing mix that works for you For instance, advertising
in your local community coupon book may prove to be a waste of money, while
networking at business trade organizations and chamber of commerce meetings
may pay off big
Keep your skills current
Techies can easily fall into the trap of believing they can pick up new
skills on the fly or after quickly reading a manual But if you fail to
partake in continued education and training, your knowledge base may become
obsolete
Reach out if you need assistance
There are fantastic web sites out there where you can bounce a question off
an "expert" and get a response within a few hours Learn what you can and
cannot do well, and ask for help when you need it
Customize your workspace
You'll need a clean, dedicated workspace with room for a repair bench area
for your tools and easily accessible storage shelves and bins
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t have to be too big to start out with, but it should be able to accommodate
at least two tower PCs and monitors
Don't sign on the rental line just yet
Before committing to a lengthy, expensive storefront lease, you might opt to
set a more realistic goal of bringing on technicians within a year and
opening up a space where customers can drop off their computers up the road
Hire smart
Your first hire is going to make the main impression about your company with
your customers, so be sure to screen candidates on more than just their tech
skills and certifications Your first employee should be driven and well-
versed in both technical expertise and interpersonal skills
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