Approaching Energy companies or engineering ones? 2

[shahyar]

I want to start to look around to find client for my engineering services(one-man company/consultant). Should I approach energy companies(like Conocophillips, Shell etc)or other engineering companies(like Bechtel, Fluor)?
Thanks

 

[zdas04]

Think about how many unsolicited contacts an Engineer at ConocoPhillips, ExonMobil, or BP gets in an average week. When I was one of those guys I never had to buy a lunch because there were always a dozen or so large and small companies trying to get a foot in the door. I got really hard to differentiate one from another. The same is true of a KBR or Fluor.

If you are the one small company that gets in the door through a cold call, don't ever buy another lottery ticket because you've used up your lifetime supply of luck.

One technique that has worked for many small companies is GET INVOLVED. Join SPE and volunteer for an office (sections always need treasurers and web masters, etc). Offer to do a presentation at a section meeting. Get to know the people who use Engineering consultants and see if you can help them out informally (and for free) over lunch. That kind of stuff works.

All of my current clients found me through my posts on eng-tips.com. That is why I have a link to my web page in my signature. Past clients (many of whom will certainly be clients again in the future) found me in other ways, word of mouth in the early days, networking at SPE in the middle years, contacts at classes I taught after that, and now eng-tips.com.

Cold calls have never gotten me a single billable hour.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.

 

[shahyar]

Sad story but good that I learned it. I already have bunch of training classes in the city. What I am wondering is that they send me emails and asking to do some tasks free of charge. I don't mind to answer questions over the phone, but I can not teach a big chunk of knowledge in an email.
Thanks again