4 Mistakes That Could Make You Look Dumb In 2013

By Mike Monocello, editor in chief, Business Solutions Magazine

What an exciting time to be a VAR, integrator, or MSP! Sure, there are a lot of changes occurring — both from a technology and vertical-specific perspective — but the bottom line is that whoever is willing to adjust to the changes is going to reap the rewards. Following are some mistakes (or examples of not adjusting) that can threaten your business in 2013.

1. Not loading up your line card with services — if you're in the minority and can somehow grow your business selling hardware only, good for you. However, the reality for many is that to be the most profitable and healthy company, you should be converting everything you offer into a service that you can bill regularly. Start thinking like an MSP and build out a portfolio of services.

2. Keeping your father’s (or grandfather’s) line card — the gist is that you need to expand your thinking and linecard to address all the needs of your customers. The retail market is a great example of this. Today’s retail is interested in everything from wireless infrastructure to digital signage. Be that one-stop-shop and upsell your existing customers on the latest technologies.

3. Not keeping up with change — as I write this article, things are changing. While not new technologies, tablets, the cloud, Big Data, and “the Internet of Things” a/k/a machine-to-machine (M2M) have the ability to create opportunity for some and threats for others. You must maintain an open mind and seek to understand how tomorrow’s trends could impact your business and that of your customers.

4. Not heeding advice — the following section of this issue is loaded with advice from a variety of sources who share their companies’ visions for 2013. Use their words to help guide your plans for the coming year.