In the IT consulting world, selecting the right clients is crucial for success. Beyond the ideal “sweet spot” are larger small businesses, presenting a unique set of opportunities and challenges.
Let’s define these larger small businesses: they typically manage 5 to 100 workstations, support 50 to 100 computers, employ 50 to 200 individuals, and generate an annual revenue between $5 million and $20 million. At this scale, you’ll often encounter publicly held corporations.
These companies generally operate with at least two dedicated servers. This is where the dynamics shift significantly compared to working within the “sweet spot.” A key difference is the presence of an in-house IT manager, typically responsible for handling routine IT tasks.
These organizations don’t just have a tech-savvy employee; they employ qualified IT professionals whose skills often match or closely resemble your own. They may possess vendor certifications and expertise in various operating systems, database platforms, or even software development.
These in-house IT pros are primarily tasked with general IT support. To effectively offer IT consulting services to these larger small businesses, deep specialization is essential. You must offer expertise beyond their in-house capabilities.