You may be a programmer now, but once you start your own business, you are now a businessperson first, and a programmer second. This is a critical change of state that you must make. Like almost everything else, you shouldn't count on anyone telling you anything. You are no longer someone's employee. You must initiate the finding of all "how to's".
You are correct in believing this is the biggest obstacle. Without customers, you are dead. With them, you can solve almost any problem you have.
As far as getting them, you can (and should) try just about anything. Some of my experiences:
Wow, the responses went way off map on that thread ;)
All my computer work, including job-type jobs I've held, have all come through networking. But that's really just a truism I guess, in that all work will/must come from networking. Which I take as your point...
What's interesting to me is the way one's personal network, seems to grow; like the facts of networking are stranger than fiction in an organic "Connections (BBC)" sorta way.
(Been watching old connections episodes on my G1 off youtube, while the inet is out at my house. Great show.)
I would also add that I use LinkedIn very effectively in this area. Keeping in touch with all your past colleagues / bosses serves you well. When someone updates their status, and you see they moved to a new company/position, it may be time to ping them and see what they are up to -- perhaps they are looking to hire contract work. Time and place...
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Where does it tell you how to get customers? I always saw that as the biggest obstacle.
Where does it tell you how to get customers?
You may be a programmer now, but once you start your own business, you are now a businessperson first, and a programmer second. This is a critical change of state that you must make. Like almost everything else, you shouldn't count on anyone telling you anything. You are no longer someone's employee. You must initiate the finding of all "how to's".
You are correct in believing this is the biggest obstacle. Without customers, you are dead. With them, you can solve almost any problem you have.
As far as getting them, you can (and should) try just about anything. Some of my experiences:
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=182489
Wow, the responses went way off map on that thread ;)
All my computer work, including job-type jobs I've held, have all come through networking. But that's really just a truism I guess, in that all work will/must come from networking. Which I take as your point...
What's interesting to me is the way one's personal network, seems to grow; like the facts of networking are stranger than fiction in an organic "Connections (BBC)" sorta way.
(Been watching old connections episodes on my G1 off youtube, while the inet is out at my house. Great show.)
ok, here is a first draft of what works for me, I'll be fleshing it out further still.
http://jacquesmattheij.com/be-consultant/finding-keeping-cus...
I would also add that I use LinkedIn very effectively in this area. Keeping in touch with all your past colleagues / bosses serves you well. When someone updates their status, and you see they moved to a new company/position, it may be time to ping them and see what they are up to -- perhaps they are looking to hire contract work. Time and place...
Very good. How did you decide whom to offer referral fees to? How did you decide the amount? How did you approach people with the offer?
I offer a referral fee to anybody that brings a job from a customer that I do not yet have a billing relationship with.
The amount is a fixed percentage of the invoices during the first year, 12% is my current percentage.
I spot someone that has a very fat rolodex and I tell them I'm willing to pay a referral fee.
It's quite effective.
One way to get customers is through open source (for eg memcached) http://danga.com/