It's nice to have IT certifications, but you don't need that many of them. Start small, make connections, get some billable hours under your belt, and then slowly add IT certifications.
What IT certifications do you usually need to target small businesses that are just the right size? One thing to remember is that most of the time, you are not selling to a real IT manager.
Don't forget who you're trying to sell your services to.
There are, of course, some industries and types of businesses that don't follow the rule. Most of the time, you're selling to a small business owner who isn't technical. You are selling to someone who knows a lot about his business but is not an IT expert.
So, they usually don't know the difference between a CNA and a CNE or an MCT and an MCSE IT certification. This is another situation where it's not necessary to have advanced IT certifications in everything or even to have any certifications at all.
Certification is a good place to start.
If you feel that not having an IT certification is holding you back, it might be worth it to get one or two entry-level certifications. Then you can work your way up to more advanced IT certifications in the area where you want to specialize.
If you focus too much on needing different IT certifications to market your business, you might miss out on business opportunities.
What's Really Important About IT Certification
If you've started your own business but aren't networking, following up, or making sales calls, you may be missing out on opportunities.
You don't want to spend money on classes, have no billable hours, and have nothing to show for it in terms of growing your business. It's very important to decide what's most important to you.
