I've been a sub for 1 company for 6 years(been in the craft 18), but due to poor business practices I've decided to build a customer base and go out on my own own without burning any bridges. So I wanted to get the experts advice on this subject.
Thanks in advance

Well, Customers normally don't respond well to solicitation from a former employee.

Here is what I would do. Contact the Yellow Pages, Get in there. Online and Print. Don't go broke!(It's really easy)

Find these guys that compete with the LEC. Qwest, AT&T, etc. They have sales forces. Then start networking.

Good luck.

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BesTech IT Solutions
BesTechIT.com
Cisco, Watchguard, Microsoft and Novell Servers

There are several groups that network. One that has someone from each field not just telephone is BNI (Business Network International). There is a fee to join but from what I've seen it will increase your business about 40% due to the referrals. Several businessmen I know have joined and I've seen their businesses grow. Each group has 25-40 members, are salesmen and business owners. Now you become a salesman for them and they become salesmen for you. Two local groups have invited me, I know many of them, am looking at it real close.

BNI really gets your name out there. It's under $300 to join for a year. My bni chapter has 45 members and is still growing. Possibly the best investment I could have made for my business.

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| Telephone Systems | Voice & Data Cabling

What about like chamber of commerce? Anyone see any help becoming members possible in the surrounding cities?

I know that I can pull a few customers but don't want that rep following me. I want to make a name of my own terms not someone elses.

My question would be - What do you do? What products do you sell? What makes the customer need you? Once you lay that out, I think you'll get better answers to your question.

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I've Been subcontracting in business phone systems for 6 years and outside plant 10 years previous. I'm leviton cert'd, Install program and service(about 80% effectively) Nortel, Vodavi, Samsung, Avaya, Sprint, InterTel just to mention a few systems. I know I don't know everything But have various contacts that can help with support on these. just about anything paging, nurse call, certified in epoxy and mechanical fiber and splicing. Pretty much anything I can get a manual on I can learn. I have a few certs on phone systems but some non traveling.

I have been a Regional Sales Manager for some years and my advice to all interconnects is to join Networking groups like BNI (My opinion is they are the best run), join the Chamber of Commerce (Gives you excellent contacts in a market.), join your states Telecommunications Association (Believe it or not they get phone calls asking for lists of members from prospective customers), and of course you have to cold call. (I know that everyone hates this but it is the only quick way to start to get your name out there. Either pick a section of town or an vertical market {DR offices, Restaraunts, Real Estate ..etc.}and focus on that. You need to be focused otherwise it is overwhelming.) Everyone one of my most successful dealers do the above. I also agree with the post about the yellow pages just be careful about spending too much money - if you spend too much your return won't be as good as the other things I have mentioned.

Good Luck with the start of your business.

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Buy-SamsungPhoneSystems.com