A Glimpse Into DIY Small Business Marketing
With Business Owner, Kristofer Luck
We spoke with Kristopher Luck, owner of managed services provider, Quest Network Services, to get a snapshot of how a small business markets itself.
How long have you been in business for yourself?
I’ve been in business for 31 years. (Quest will be 32 in May of 2026).
What made you decide to go down that path?
I decided to get into the IT world from a passion I had going all the way back when I was a kid. I always loved tinkering with computers, seeing how they work, and how to fix them. Ultimately, I love helping people with their computer needs and solving problems that people have when it comes to technology.
How did you get your first paying client?
The first paying client was back when we had a computer repair store front. It was someone that just walking in from the street. As far as our first business client, my father introduced me to someone he worked with that had started his own roofing company that was going to need someone to help with their computer systems and network.
What’s a marketing channel, platform, or agency that has worked really well for you?
Lately we’ve been getting our marketing materials from The Tech Tribe, this includes things like posts for social media. They are based out of Australia and exclusively help managed service providers (MSPs) like us. We also use Powered Services, which offers landing pages, forms, AI chatbots, and automated emails, and get ideas from TruPeer, which is a peer-to-peer program where we meet over Zoom. Both of these are services provided by Kaseya, which is another platform similar to The Tech Tribe.
How have you adapted your marketing strategy over time?
Our industry is always changing, and we have to adapt all the time. We have to adapt to the trends that come up, like lately AI is a huge deal. We have to pivot and incorporate AI now into our marketing strategy and get our website “AI friendly” for what is about to come with search engines switching over to AI for their searches.
We have a personal touch and build relationships with our clients that in many cases lasts for years.
How do you differentiate yourself from competitors?
We tend to take an approach to checking in with our clients frequently to make sure they are well taken care of. We have a personal touch and build relationships with our clients that in many cases lasts for years.
What’s been the most difficult aspect of marketing?
Staying focused when you have a million things going on. Making the time to make sure you are consistent on sending out materials.
Have you tried a marketing tactic that didn’t work at all? What did you learn from that experience?
We tried sending out paper newsletters in the mail to clients. We found that most of them just thought they were junk mail and threw them away. In the world today, digital marketing seems to go a long way as apposed to the old fashioned paper media.
How do you stay motivated when demand slows?
We get a plethora of marketing materials from our vendors that become very helpful. A change in materials keeps me motivated to stay consistent in our marketing.
What’s the best marketing advice you’ve received so far?
Stay focused, stay consistent.
What are some pointers you would give someone starting a one-person business?
- Don’t use your credit cards to invest in starting your business.
- Make sure you put a business plan together.
- Stay focused on the value your business brings to your clients.
- Keep your books in order, and don’t procrastinate.
- Don’t let clients take advantage of you, learn to say “no” sometimes.
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About Kristofer Luck
Kristofer Luck is a native of Chicago and the owner of Quest Network Services. His passion for computers came at an early age. He first became interested in mathematics from his grandmother which led to an interest in computers. He enjoy solving problems and fixing computers. Working within the IT field provides him with the opportunities to meet other business owners, learn about them, and help them grow their businesses. He enjoys the challenge of solving problems that comes with working in IT.