Comments on: Can having information public hurt consulting business ? http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/ Percona's MySQL & InnoDB performance and scalability blog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:45:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Josh http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-306956 Josh Sat, 31 May 2008 02:13:44 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-306956 Most people would rather be taught to fish than given a bite to eat. I'm a bit geeky in nature and decided long ago it was easier doing for clients rather than teaching. 4 years later and a ton less help calls ... I am definitly wrong. Teach the masses to google, it saves gray hair. Most people would rather be taught to fish than given a bite to eat. I’m a bit geeky in nature and decided long ago it was easier doing for clients rather than teaching. 4 years later and a ton less help calls … I am definitly wrong.

Teach the masses to google, it saves gray hair.

]]> By: peter http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-296541 peter Thu, 08 May 2008 00:20:37 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-296541 Thanks Joel, It was pleasure to visit you. Thanks Joel,

It was pleasure to visit you.

]]> By: Joel http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-296396 Joel Wed, 07 May 2008 16:24:54 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-296396 From someone who has used their services (Peter), I can say that the blog and the consulting practice are complementary and not cannibalistic. Our company derives tremendous value from their consulting and their blog. The "Mysql Performance Blog" is required reading around here and we plan to regularly use their consultants. We consider ourselves very knowledgeable with Mysql and have been using it since Isam was the only table choice but these guys definitely added value to our installation. Cheers, Joel From someone who has used their services (Peter), I can say that the blog and the consulting practice are complementary and not cannibalistic. Our company derives tremendous value from their consulting and their blog. The “Mysql Performance Blog” is required reading around here and we plan to regularly use their consultants. We consider ourselves very knowledgeable with Mysql and have been using it since Isam was the only table choice but these guys definitely added value to our installation.
Cheers,
Joel

]]> By: peter http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-294100 peter Mon, 05 May 2008 07:08:56 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-294100 Thanks Steve ! I think many consultants understand this these days, though some still think they are giving away some secret sauce by sharing the knowledge :) Thanks Steve !

I think many consultants understand this these days, though some still think they are giving away some secret sauce by sharing the knowledge :)

]]> By: Steve Friedl http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-293675 Steve Friedl Sun, 04 May 2008 21:10:24 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-293675 Giving away free information like this is a tremendous sales tool - it's the best form of advertising there is. The primary message that free technical content conveys is "These are smart and helpful guys", which is exactly what you wish to be known for. Sure, many who have small problems will just use the tips and fix stuff themselves, but what you're looking for are customers with big problems and money in their pockets. They have a lot of choices for hiring consultants, and many will opt for the smart and helpful guys over the ones with the slick salesy websites. I've been giving away Tech Tips on my website for years, and I've never regretted giving it away. Giving away free information like this is a tremendous sales tool – it’s the best form of advertising there is. The primary message that free technical content conveys is “These are smart and helpful guys”, which is exactly what you wish to be known for.

Sure, many who have small problems will just use the tips and fix stuff themselves, but what you’re looking for are customers with big problems and money in their pockets. They have a lot of choices for hiring consultants, and many will opt for the smart and helpful guys over the ones with the slick salesy websites.

I’ve been giving away Tech Tips on my website for years, and I’ve never regretted giving it away.

]]> By: jeffatrackaid http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-292393 jeffatrackaid Sat, 03 May 2008 02:25:27 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-292393 I had this debate a few years ago when Cobalt RaQs where popular. We had started building add-on packages for the RaQ. Many of our competitors charged for these. We soon realized the same thing you point out: "these people are not likely clients on the first place" The people downloading the free packages where not the people that would pay for services to begin with, so we just put them up on our site for free and only charged for installation assistance. I think the key value of a good sysadmin is the aggregate knowledge in their head. Someone could spend hours digging out the same info found on this site or you could just pay someone that has that info to fix the problem. Often, you will find the more cost-effective option is to pay the expert. I had this debate a few years ago when Cobalt RaQs where popular. We had started building add-on packages for the RaQ. Many of our competitors charged for these. We soon realized the same thing you point out:

“these people are not likely clients on the first place”

The people downloading the free packages where not the people that would pay for services to begin with, so we just put them up on our site for free and only charged for installation assistance.

I think the key value of a good sysadmin is the aggregate knowledge in their head. Someone could spend hours digging out the same info found on this site or you could just pay someone that has that info to fix the problem. Often, you will find the more cost-effective option is to pay the expert.

]]> By: peter http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-291353 peter Thu, 01 May 2008 16:36:06 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-291353 Thanks Arjen, Sheeri I know you both share the same vision and publish and share a lot of your findings :) Thanks Arjen, Sheeri

I know you both share the same vision and publish and share a lot of your findings :)

]]> By: Sheeri http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-291258 Sheeri Thu, 01 May 2008 13:46:55 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-291258 I completely agree. We all can't do everything ourselves, which is why we [mostly] don't grow our own food, sew our own clothes, etc. So we buy products that experienced and skilled people produce, and we buy services from experienced and skilled people for those things we cannot (or do not want to) do. I completely agree. We all can’t do everything ourselves, which is why we [mostly] don’t grow our own food, sew our own clothes, etc. So we buy products that experienced and skilled people produce, and we buy services from experienced and skilled people for those things we cannot (or do not want to) do.

]]> By: Arjen Lentz http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/comment-page-1/#comment-291248 Arjen Lentz Thu, 01 May 2008 13:26:07 +0000 http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2008/04/30/can-having-information-public-hurt-consulting-business/#comment-291248 Quite so! Quite so!

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