Information technology is not meant for small business. This is the biggest misperception hovering around the IT stream. Instead, information technology is one domain that has many opportunities for all. IT not only offers you a wide variety of jobs to opt from, but is also a small business destination. The workloads are tremendous, and you should try venturing into this steam only if you are willing to work continuous sleepless nights. Getting work is not difficult, but delivering within the restricted time frames and still maintaining the output quality is what takes the toll. Another important characteristic of this business is the multi requirement. You alone with a specific skill set might not be able to satisfy all requirements, but a perfect team with a coalition of different specializations is necessary to expand. So, before advertising or planning for mass business development, ensure that you have the right personnel associated with you. Recruitment agencies could be handy or you can refer to your own educational institute’s student list for such reference names and contacts.

To grow your small business, it is important to make the target segment aware of your presence. This can be best done by procuring a few speaking slots in important conferences and sessions related to your field. You can also advertise in a few selected journals and directories in your domain; however, be cautious of your budget. Do not overspend unless you’ve roped in a few fixed clients.

Develop a website and use other online strategies such as search engine optimization to boost your presence. This suits your stream; your target customers are well educated and can be easily reached through the World Wide Web.

Another important way to get your break is by getting associated with professional consultants or AMCs (annual maintenance contractors). These people are generally looked to for technical advice. They can certainly refer you to their clients for a small mark-up fee. Another network where you need an entry to be among the chosen IT service providers is the company’s purchasing department. Look for informal referrals in this group and couple it with your professional networking. Send them your brochures and provide as many dummy runs through the offerings as possible. If they are impressed, half of the job is done.

Business development in the IT domain is not very difficult, especially if you can offer the right portfolio. So, emphasize as much as possible on your product and follow the mentioned guidelines to create the desired impact. Choose the path that is subtler, as immediate steps in this direction could mean enormous spending that might not be viable at initial stages.