Partnering is really the only way that you can do virtual IT the right way in small business computer consulting. It provides three extremely compelling benefits.

Partnering Advantage #1: You Can Broaden Your Bench

You can broaden the skills you offer to a potential client and your existing clients, and provide a more complete solution. This is absolutely critical if youre selling to non-technical small business owners that dont put up with finger pointing.

If theyre not technical, they dont want to have six different tech providers. They dont want to have six different VARs in the Rolodex. The finger pointing and the accountability shirking will drive them absolutely nuts.

They need someone who can come in and take responsibility end to end and take ownership of the problem. Either you handle it in-house or you find the resources to get it handled. So the partnering with non-competing tech providers is going to provide a very important benefit for delivering on that virtual IT.

Partnering Advantage #2: You Will Quickly Broaden Your Sales Force

Partnering is also going to help you broaden your sales force very quickly and effectively. If another technology provider whos the incumbent on an account recommends you for a particular part of that role, youre just about sold. Thats as golden of a referral that you can get.

In a lot of ways, thats even stronger than getting referred by their accountant, because they trust the technology provider, no matter who is the generalist and who is the niche provider.

Its not about price. Its not a price-sensitive buyer. Its about your coming about as highly recommended as you can possibly get. So the second huge benefit here is you get the opportunity to get in front of your partners clients when they bring you in,

Partnering Advantage #3: One Fifth of Your Income Can Come From Partnering

But even more importantly, 21 percent of annual revenue from most of the consultants we work with is coming from partnering. So if you dont want to leave this 21 percent of revenue on the table, its time to really get serious about partnering for more profit.

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