Home-User Market
Certifications are most important for establishing credibility, so if you are working with home-user clients, at the very least, you are going to want to be A+ certified.

Small Business Market
If you are working with small businesses, it gets a little tricky because you have many different certification options to choose from. Many software and hardware vendors offer certifications with their products. When choosing which vendors to support and specialize in, you should also strongly consider going through their certification program.

The first place to start is to begin researching the available hardware and software solutions that are out there.  Pick one or two hardware and software vendors and stick with them.  Be sure to get certified by the manufacturer because then in your marketing you can explain to clients:

“Hey. I specialize in this software. I am CERTIFIED by the manufacturer and my competition is not. This should be important to you because in order to get certified, there is a high level of qualifications you have to meet.

There are certain standards that I have to abide by that your existing IT firm isn’t responsible for. Nobody is holding them accountable.  You don’t want to trust anybody with your server who could potentially cause problems if they are not certified with that server’s manufacturer.

If your server goes down then your profits are going to go down, your productivity is going to go down, and your competitive edge is going to vanish.”

Top 9 IT Certifications To Consider

1. CompTia A+
   This certification is hands down at the top of the list for individuals looking to break into the computer biz. CompTia A+ will certify you as a computer technician in hardware, OS, and networking. It is recommended that you get a minimum of 6 months experience. There are 2 exams involved.
2. Microsoft Certified Professional
   This is the first step to getting certified with Microsoft. After the first exam you will be MCP certified and will then be qualified to take Microsoft’s more advanced certifications like MCSD, MCSE, etc.
3. Microsoft Certified Desktop Service Technician (MCDST)
   This certification requires two exams. If you like troubleshooting, than this certification will be ideal for you. It will certify you on desktop computers.
4. CompTia Security+
   Security is vital now with the sophistication of technology and the internet. It is recommended that you have 2 years of experience before taking this exam. The Security+ certification works as a prerequisite for the MCSA and CNE.
5. Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) Associates
   This internet technologies exam covers html, dhtml, networking, graphics, and internet history. After you take the associates exam you can advance to the Professional and Master CIW levels.
6. Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP)
   This is step 1 in Java certifications on the Java 2 Platform.
7. MySQL
   This certification requires just one exam. You will need a basic understanding of SQL and MySQL. If you have more advanced skills, you can take a professional level exam for a higher certification.
8. CCNA and CCDA
   These two certifications require dedicated training (especially if you are new to IT). Cisco certifications are popular and well respected. After you pass these certifications and then receive experience to back them up, you will be able to advance to higher level Cisco certifications.
9. Microsoft Office Specialist
   Microsoft provides certification on their Office products, such as Word and Excel. You will be required to take several exams and have a comprehensive knowledge of the products.

I am talking about computer repair business owners who cannot answer the question “What Do You Do?” It sounds silly, but take a look in your local yellow page book and glance over the computer repair ads. You’ll find a wonderful array of vague, boring ads that list out general facts, offer all kinds of ”off topic” services, and lack any ounce of uniqueness, intrigue, or emotional response.

You see, marketing is the art of motivating people to buy your product or service. To effectively motivate someone, you have to communicate to them in terms that he or she will relate and RESPOND to.  This involves knowing WHO you are taking to and WHAT they actually care about.

Nobody cares how about boring facts about your company. What they care about is specifically what results or benefits they will get if they buy your technology product or service. Period!  To do this, you have to properly plan and craft your marketing message in specific language that will hit home with your targeted prospects.  This is the core concept to all of the marketing I provide in my Computer Repair Business In-A-Box.

The problem that I am seeing, and it’s wasting a countless number of marketing dollars, is that too many computer repair guys are in business for themselves without doing any real work researching their target market, developing a USP, and crafting their marketing message. They ‘fly by the seat of their pants,’ and when someone puts them on the hot seat and asks “what do you do?” they can’t deliver an answer that’s memorable, sparks some interest, and generates word of mouth.

Instead of having a few powerful responses handy, the average computer repair guy is unprepared and begins to spit out boring facts about the services they offer, how long they’ve been in business, and what certifications they have, etc, etc. The problem with this type of answer is it doesn’t answer the question “What’s in it for me?” That’s really all anyone cares about when they ask “What do you do?”

When you resort to using boring facts as the centerpiece to your marketing, you are effectively making your company appear to be no different than your competitors. When you can’t differentiate yourself from your competition, prospects will assume that since your marketing is the same your SERVICES must be the same, and they will lose interest.

This is also how you get shopped on price. If you market your company exactly like your competition, than the only thing different WILL be your price. Your services become simple commodities and you give buyers no other option but to base their buying decision off of the price.

The key to preventing this from happening to your computer repair consulting company is to:

1. Focus your marketing around the results that your services provide.
2. Make a list of 4 or 5 specific benefits your clients can expect to gain after you perform your service.
3. Make a list of 7 or 8 specific aspects about your company that are unique and set you a part from your competition (e.g. – 24/7 service, free support hotline, 2 hour response time, remote desktop service work, etc.)
4. Be specific in your ads and avoid using any vague or clique terminology.

As soon as you start being specific in your ads, avoiding vague/clique terminology, focusing on results, and listing out unique aspects about your company, you will notice that your clients will immediately stop focusing on price. You will also appear to be different and SUPERIOR to your competitors. You will have instant credibility and prospects will view you as competent guru in your field.

So the next time someone asks you “what do you do” make sure you have a good answer.

For a complete ‘paint-by-numbers’ system to developing your marketing message, communicating your services, and closing more clients better and faster with actual marketing campaigns you can use today, consider my Computer Repair Business In-A-Box.