Re: advice needed: marketing my company

"Chandra Rajaraman" wrote:
> I have no contracts with companies in India now.

I wasn't wondering that.  What I was wondering was...

> The companies in India want me to find clients/contracts
> for them in North America.

That's what I wanted to know.  This makes it all the easier to advise.  I've
given this advice countless times here and in person to those wanting to do
a similar thing.  That advice being...

Go around to all your local computer consulting firms and offer to help them
with their work overload.  If the computer consulting firms are any good,
they'll have more work than they can tackle.  However, do NOT come in and
act as a jack-of-all-trades.  Jacks-of-all-trades are masters of none.
Pitch your specialty(ies).  In your case, these specialties might be rather
numerous, but still list them.  Single out which India company will do which
specialty and stress that they're specialists (a.k.a. experts) and not
jacks.  Third world computer programming companies have a well-deserved bad
reputation and you need to show your clients are not only different but the
best at their specialties.  Give examples of their work that proves this.
The more specialized your clients are perceived, the better chances you'll
get work for them.

Now normally I'd recommend that you not be invisible to the clients, but, in
your case, I'd recommend it.  Let the North American firms take the credit
if they want to.  Accept the man-behind-the-throne position.  I would advise
you to just get sub-contracts for your clients and not try to establish a
corporate image here in North America to potential end-use clients.
Instead, try to establish a helper reputation with computer consulting
firms.

As for how to pitch your clients to them, I suggest simply asking for a
meeting.  Tell them that you represent these India companies that want to
specialize in helping North American firms with their work overloads.  Come
in and give a quick presentation what your clients can do for that firm.
Explain how you'd work with them.  How quickly your work turnaround is.
Your cheap hourly rates.  Satisfaction guaranteed.  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.

Your goal for this initial meeting is to find out when you can regularly
check in with them to see if they've got work overload you could help them
with.  You also want to give them a one-page sheet, index cards, and
business cards with your contact information on them so they can call you
day or night to get your clients' help.

One or more of the computer consulting firms you initially approach as
outlined above might have work for you right away.  Expect it to be
something very small, quick, and unimportant.  They're testing you out.
They want to see the quality and speed of your work.  Their reputation and
the reputation of their firm will be affected by the work you do for them.
One screw-up and they never send you work again.  Always remember that.

As for who to approach, do it geographically.  Approach the firms that are
closest and work your way out from there.  You'll need to drive to them
occasionally so you don't want them across the nation ... yet.  Also, there
is a real limit to how much work your clients can do.  Your clients might
not know what that is yet.  It might be quite impressive but the limit still
exists.  By gradually growing your firm by way of in-person pitches as
outlined above, you'll eventually find out when to stop trying to approach
more computer consulting firms for your clients ... or at least until your
clients can hire more programmers to take on more work.  Naturally, all the
computer consulting firms that will be giving you their overload will want
prompt service.  However, don't over-extend your clients.  Be PAINFULLY
HONEST with the computer consulting firms when they call about when your
clients can get the work the firms are trying to get them to help with done.
Do NOT be optimistic on your time estimate.  Be reasonable.  Realize that
your clients MUST meet all deadlines YOU (that you, Chandra Rajaraman) give
.... even if it means your clients have to work weekends, vacations,
birthdays, and/or without sleep.  If your clients miss a deadline, don't
expect work from that firm ever again.  Also, don't ask for extensions.  The
firms very likely picked you over others because you said you could work
within their timeframe.  Asking for extensions messes with them and they'll
be less likely to toss work your way in the future.  Also, don't overextend
your clients.  Some of the firms will beg and plead with you to help them
get their work done "as soon as is humanly possible" and/or take it on when
your clients' workload is already full.  Do NOT take on such work!  You'll
burn your clients out, miss the deadlines, and end up emotionally and
financially worse for it ... as well as get all the blame from all the other
firms you've received sub-contracts from ... including the one that begged
you to take them on.  You've got to have the iron will to refuse work.
Simply be honest with them.  Turn them down politely but turn them down.

Every season have a barbeque and invite all of the employees of all the
firms you're trying to get sub-contracts from ... whether or not they've
given you work.  You want to get on friendly terms with them and this is a
great way to do that.  Look successful.  The more successful you look, the
more they'll want to toss business to you.  Upgrade your home when you can.
Hire an interior decorator.  Evaluate everything in your house to be sure it
speaks of quality.  Also, invest into yourself and your
spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend.  Go to the gym, hire a personal trainer for
both of you, and get fit.  It doesn't matter your age.  If you've got a mole
on your face, go to a plastic surgeon and get it removed.  Additionally,
find out at these parties what leisure-time activities they like to do.  Do
they like to play poker?  A monthly poker game is something you could host.
Golf?  Bowling?  You get the idea.  You need to keep your name fresh in
their minds and socializing with them is the best way to do this.

Also, go where the computer consulting firms go.  Is there a trade show,
professional convention, or the like going to happen?  Rent a booth there
and make yourself known.  And don't hide behind that booth.  Get out and
socialize.  Hire some knowledgeable technical people (ideally ones who are
attractive women) to stand behind the booth for you to field questions.
You, yourself, try to give a speech/lecture on an appropriate topic (like
how to use third world computer consulting firms to help handle work
overload) and, just as importantly, go out into the convention and mingle.
You'll quickly develop hunter instincts about who are the people you need to
get to know.  Seek them out like a cruise missile.  If you're trapped behind
a booth on the trade floor, you'll not be able to do this.  Also, host a
hospitality room (always-fresh buffet line, a softly-playing string quartet,
lots of comfortable plush chairs in conversational arrangements, etc.) for
the computer consulting firms you currently have a business relationship
with.  Make it visible to everyone else attending that convention.  Right
off the main trade floor with a big sign over its doorway if possible.  The
room says you treat your clients (in this case, the computer consulting
firms you want sub-contracts from) right.  Mail out passes to the
hospitality room to the employees of the computer consulting firms you
presently do business with.  If you make a new contact at the convention,
carry with you passes that you can hand out to them to so they can partake
of your hospitality room.  If there's a dance, see if you can sponsor it.
If they don't have a dance, offer to host one.  If you sponsor/host the
dance, offer a free wet bar, hire an 80's rock band (Devo would be ideal),
and hire lots of attractive women to show up and dance with the guys there.
Just call up local escort services and hire a good number of them.  You want
the women to be very social.  And by "very social" I mean you want them to
ask the guys to dance and not wait for the guys to ask them.  Think conga
line.  If the women are asked why they're there, simply tell them to say
that they working your booth and its shut down for the dance.  Oh, and be
sure to shut down your booth for the dance.  ;-)

Lastly, you will hopefully begin to establish really good relations with
some of these computer consulting firms.  Cement it with giving their CEO
and possibly VPs all-expenses-paid first-class vacations to India to meet
your clients.  Toss in some sight-seeing for them, offer to fly over their
entire family (if you'd like to really impressive them, fly them there in a
private jet), and pitch it as a nice way for them to get to know you better
and have a vacation at the same time.  Don't travel with them, but meet them
at the airport when they arrive.  Do the introductions the next day, give
them a tour of your clients' facilities, and then release them to
sight-seeing.  Once they start sight-seeing, leave them alone but be sure to
give them contact information so they can get in touch with you if anything
goes wrong or they have a problem or questions of any sort.  A local cell
phone should do just fine.

> I would be paid a share of these contracts for my services.

See if they're willing to cover the costs I've identified above.  They
should as it is to help promote their businesses.  If they say you're to
cover those expenses, I'd recommend caution on starting a relationship with
them.  They should pay your commission plus all business expenses.

> MY background is not in sales but in software development
> and testing.

That's fine.  You can speak computer talk which will help your pitches.

> But I feel that I can learn sales/marketing techniques soon
> enough for this new job.  I guess what I am asking you is
> to provide me more information about these
> sales/marketing techniques.

Sales isn't some dark art.  Sales is just facilitating the meeting of supply
with demand.  That's all.  Just dress professionally, act mature, be willing
to shake on a deal without always running to your clients for permission,
and you'll do fine.

Feel free to ask any question you have about the above or areas I didn't
touch that you would have liked me to.

Good luck!

Scott Jensen
-- 
Peer-to-peer networking (a.k.a. file-sharing) is entertainment's future.
If you'd like to know why, read the white paper at the link below.
http://www.nonesuch.org/p2prevolution.pdf