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Question

How do I make my Computer Business successuful?

Jul 2, 2017 6:57AM PDT

Hi everyone,

I have been interested in being a computer technician all my life. In the recent year, I have been following a senior computer technician YouTuber named Carey Holzman. He taught me a lot of things in running a Computer Technician service business. However I tried to start up one in the Greater Boston area in March but closed it in May because I didn't get a single customer. I advertised on Facebook which my page only got 11 Likes, I had a website and I made flyers to give out to friends, but nothing. I plan to give it another try, but to prevent it from failing, how do I advertise myself better to home users and small businesses?

Thanks everyone for your time!

Zelena

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Small world.
Jul 2, 2017 7:21AM PDT

I moved out of the Boston area about 7 years ago (Marlborough) and know the area. The problem is exacerbated by falling hardware prices and the move from desktop to laptops and now to smartphones.

A dear friend didn't see this coming and stuck to custom desktops and now is lucky to score a few sales a month. As to service you may have to forget the shop front and go mobile only to cut costs to the bone.

As to adverts, I have no good news there. Newspapers are dead, flyers are something you must keep doing and I've yet to use a business because they had a FB page. Maybe that tech position at Best Buy is how it's done today.

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To my understanding...
Jul 2, 2017 8:08AM PDT

Hello,

I plan to work from home anyways and reach out to the area.

So the best way to make a profit is to work with laptops and smartphones/tablets?

So advertising would be best by posting flyers in stores and mail post cards to homes and businesses?

Zelena

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I wouldn't say that.
Jul 2, 2017 8:31AM PDT

I thought I'd share that my dear friend "stuck" with selling custom desktops and went from selling maybe a few hundred a month to a handful. He had to close the doors to his office and now has an office which is half a room in another company. This story repeats as I encounter folk that were in that business.

Look around and see what folk are using today. Smartphones sadly are either disposable or time consuming on support. You have to be a very special person to work smartphone issues but even then the carrier gets the support work most of the time.

I'd stick to the flyers and business cards since postage is going to hammer your wallet.

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Devices
Jul 2, 2017 8:40AM PDT

So if I sell a few custom pcs like what you describe a few times a month, would servicing Laptops work since so many people use them? Also I plan to be a service technician for small businesses that don't have their own technicians.

I'll definitely do flyers and business cards.

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That I can't answer.
Jul 2, 2017 9:19AM PDT

While we know there is call for laptop repair the problem is that the prices crashed and for very cheap I can get a refurb for less than it costs to repair most laptops. Sure you may find a few that need a drive or other part but just last week my niece brought me her laptop. It needed a HDD, keyboard and fan. She was not going to pay me so I told her I'd use some HDD pull I had on hand and to order a keyboard and fan (I even supplied the Amazon.com links) but she ended up getting a new laptop instead of fixing the old one.


This story is sadly typical and my bet why folk replace rather than fix.

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3D Printing Revolution
Jul 2, 2017 10:32AM PDT

I heard that 3D Printing is a huge revolution right now. I seen some laptops that were custom built. The case was made via 3D Printing, they used a Rasbery Pie Motherboard and the other required parts were bought through Amazon. I might go into that.

Also I'll go into building custom mini PCs which is another big thing on the radar right now.

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Sadly, if a person wants Pi they have the skills
Jul 2, 2017 10:52AM PDT

To build or buy such. Amazon.com has plenty of Pi choices and here's a killer 99 to 129 dollar Pi type laptop.

https://www.pine64.org/?page_id=3707

Can you compete with that 14 inch 99 dollar laptop?

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Actually
Jul 2, 2017 12:11PM PDT

That's kind of a cool little comp.
I've been looking for a little toy like this or maybe a cheap little Windows while recovering at my Sisters house.
Play Time ?

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recovering?
Jul 2, 2017 12:35PM PDT

NT

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(NT) Check your email James
Jul 2, 2017 1:26PM PDT
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got it
Jul 2, 2017 4:10PM PDT

God be with you and recover quickly.

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Answer
Re:
Jul 2, 2017 9:46PM PDT

Hey, Zelena.

Sorry to hear that your first try didn't work out as much as you hoped it would. But, you can always try again. Before setting up another shop, you may want to scout competitors in the area. What are they doing differently?What do you think you can do differently? You can also focus on bulk repairs or bulk orders. Schools, start ups, small shops. It also pays to focus on laptop and smartphone repair services.

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Answer
Business
Jul 4, 2017 6:29AM PDT

Print up some business cards.
Post them on free bulletin boards, barber shops, super markets, etc.

Visit some local businesses, speak with the manager/owner.
Introduce yourself, tell them what your doing, answer any question, give them a business card.

When someone calls answer your phone.
If your using voice mail check it often and return the call.

If you make an appointment be prompt.
If something happens and you can't be on time give them a call.

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Answer
failure
Jul 4, 2017 8:15PM PDT

You do not have to avoid fear of failure. Dare to cope with it and success will come to you. Act so much and success will come to me