Use Your IT Degree to Start Your Own Business

The Internet is bursting at the seams with business opportunities for people who are trained in information technology. From freelance website management to reselling ready-made services, an IT degree allows an individual to build a business with no initial investment. With a little bit of ingenuity, you can use your IT skills to provide technical services to clients worldwide, from your own home.

The first step in building your IT business, is to find your strengths. If you already have an IT degree, you likely already know what your skills are. Perhaps you are good at building networks, setting up websites or creating flash animations. Whatever your skill happens to be, take the time to make sure you have a solid knowledgebase. If there is something you don’t understand, learn it now, before you start your business.

Once you have decided what services you are going to offer clients, set up a business website promoting your services. You don’t need to build anything fancy, just make sure it’s clean, readable and easy to navigate. If you are not confident about your writing skills, hire a freelance writer to craft your text. Well-written, descriptive text is essential for a successful business website. Your website is the first thing many of your clients will see and it will form the basis for their opinion of you and your company. Include a solid “about us” page, a “rates” page, a “services” page, “samples” page and a “contact” page. Your “services” page should detail what you do, while your “samples” page should provide links to finished work you’re proud of.

Once your website is up and running, you can begin to find clients. Become a member of forums focused on the specific services you offer. Take the time to establish your presence on these forums by interacting with substantive posts. Be as helpful as possible—the more helpful you are, the more you come across as an expert in the field. Use the private messaging function on the forum to contact potential clients. You’ll know who they are because they’ll be asking questions about the services you offer. Don’t be pushy, but show them you can help them with their needs and charge a fair price. Start low with your pricing and build from there.

Craigslist is another fruitful arena for finding new clients. Post an advertisement for your services, using the polished language from your website. Include a link to your site and an email address so clients can contact you directly. Be wary though, since there are a lot of scams running on Craigslist and you may receive phishing emails.

Once you have finished your first job, invite the client to write you a testimonial. Testimonials give potential clients a peek into the work you’ve done in the past. They instill confidence and demonstrate your commitment to customer service. Remember, even though you are conducting business electronically, word of mouth matters as much as it ever has.

Paypal is the easiest and most universal tool for accepting payments. Clients don’t have to be Paypal users—they can pay with a credit card via Paypal too. Send an invoice for each job you do, and be as detailed as possible. The invoice will help you file taxes, and it will be a record of the work you’ve done to refer back for future clients.

References and Resources:

Kiplinger: Starting Your Own Business
http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/starting/archive/2006/st0504.htm

U.S. Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business

Riley Guide: Steps In Starting a Business
http://www.rileyguide.com/steps.html