In dealing with apathy toward small business networking, discontinued technical support is another powerful counterforce, especially when you're talking about vertical, industry-specific software, such as niche applications designed for accountants, attorneys, physicians, realtors, auto body shops and restaurants.

Providing Support

After a certain point, the independent software vendor (ISV) selling vertical, industry-specific software draws a line in the sand and stops providing technical support, annual updates, and patches for older versions of their product. So, if your client is an accounting firm that needs updated tax tables, your client is forced to upgrade the tax software, which often, in turn, forces an upgrade of the server.

This results in a call to your firm to upgrade their server (and several related highly lucrative product sales and service opportunities for your small business networking firm), all as a result of the "domino effect" from an ISV calling the shots.

Let Them Know What Their Competition Is Doing

In addition to fears of unreliable systems and vendor-mandated upgrades, you can also overcome apathy toward small business networking by discussing your prospect's or client's competition (without naming names, of course).

If you work with many small businesses in the same industry, and you're seeing a software or more general technology trend that drastically alters the competitive landscape in your prospect's or client's industry, by all means call this to your prospect's or client's attention.

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