Sorry for not posting on a more regular basis, but we were migrating a server for a local police department. Overall it went well except for the an issue between Symantec anti-virus and the main application that the officers use for their ticketing system. One hard lesson we learned was that if SBS 2008 takes an hour to boot up with lots of Exchange errors, it isnt exchange but rather that IPv6 had been uninstalled by accident. Thanks to a Technet article we found, this was resolved with just a few clicks.
I am going to be working on next is all sales as the funnel is running low. As for getting new business, initially word of mouth is the best way. I recommend looking into a local BNI chapter (www.bni.com) or other local networking events. My boss and I regularly attend various functions. Normally these tend to be more for the "personal services" (i.e. real estate, insurance and law firms) but in this case its not who YOU know but who THEY know. Get a stack of business cards and be prepared to hand them out. I sold a laptop and 3 hours of consulting time to someone I met in the local Panera one morning.
Another source is craigslist job openings. If you are a consultant, you might find that a company that is hiring for an internal position may be open to the idea of a consultant filling a position temporarily or on a block of hours schedule.
Im going through an online book called "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port as well.
I am planning on posting something every couple days so let me know what else might be of interest.
Brian
This will be a blog about IT consulting for small and medium businesses. I am a Microsoft Small Business Specialist and MCSE. Currently I work for a two man company called Netwide Technical Solutions, located in the South Shore of MA. Our big project right now is a small business 2003 to 2008 migration for a police department.