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The Internet has evolved into a melting pot of various types of business activities, no longer the exclusive domain of e-commerce sites and business-to-business portals. The convenience, speed and absence of geographical limitations promote new ways of doing business such as small business internet consulting.

Anyone can consult from home (or anywhere they want!) — and on a shoestring budget. Stay at home moms, offline professionals, retirees, and the unemployed looking for regular sources of income make good consultants as most of them will have already acquired valuable skills that can be drawn upon.

The following tips will help you start your small business internet consulting venture:

Draw a list of possible clients

A good place to start marketing your services is in your network. Take out your mobile phonebook, email address book, view your social networks and start listing down names of people who may need your services or who may know someone they can refer. Start sending out brief announcements of your consulting business to them and call on people to follow up referrals or proposals. Create sales offers

Keep your sales letter simple and end it with an offer that your prospects simply can’t refuse. You need not be a good copywriter to craft a moving offer letter if you can find simple copywriting systems to teach you how. A proven technique that produces incredible sales fast is to define and narrow down your target market and direct your call to action to them.

Adopt a system for generating leads

Finding new clients should be an ongoing activity for your business even when you already have a good number of clients. Generating leads continuously can take care of gaps filled by client attrition or boosts overall income with minimum effort. There are systems developed by experts in lead generation which you can learn to do for your business.

Maintain your mindset

Most people start a small business internet consulting company with a passion that burns out quickly after monotony has set in and when they start to take the recurring consulting income for granted.

A genuine desire to help others keeps you motivated to constantly improve your service to clients, without which you may lose touch with them. Remember that in any recurring sales business, it is cheaper to maintain current accounts than to create new ones.

Take the time to setup your business correctly from the start and it will reward you with a dream lifestyle for many years to come.

It can be difficult to start a business, especially without professional help. Business development consultants can help new business owners with a variety of important tasks such as brand development and writing copy.

Business Plans

Every new enterprise needs a strong and realistic business plan. A good plan will help a business succeed, but it can be difficult to create a strong plan without the help of an expert. Development consultants can help new companies create a detailed, professional plan that establishes realistic goals, forms a proper mission statement, and decides what marketing methods to use.

Budget

A consultant can also create a budget for a business. All companies need a budget to make sure that they do not spend too much and put themselves in debt. A new business can’t afford to be in serious debt because they didn’t plan out how much they would spend for the year. Moreover, running a business is a difficult endeavor, and creating a budget can be a time-consuming, complex process. For instance, a company that makes baked goods will have to figure out how much flour, sugar, and other ingredients they will need and how much it will cost. Prices could increase over time, too.

They must calculate how much they will have to charge customers so they can get the money they need. A development consultant has the experience and skills to help businesses create a detailed budget. With a proper budget, these can avoid disasters.

Marketing

Marketing is an important way for any company to advertise their products and services. Marketing can also give businesses the exposure they need. There are many different marketing techniques to choose from, some more effective than others. New ventures that are trying to decide how to market their products and services can be overwhelmed by the many different techniques available. Furthermore, some of them might spend their entire marketing budget on one technique just to find out it wasn’t the best method for their business.

A business development consultant has the knowledge and experience necessary to find the best methods to use, and they can help companies market very effectively and stay within the allotted marketing budget.

Brand Creation

New enterprises need to create a memorable and appealing brand to increase their customer base. It can be difficult to design a unique and professional logo as well. Business consultants know what customers like, and they can guide companies to create a memorable brand. They’ll make a legible, attractive logo that a firm will be able to use for a long time.

Writing Articles

Most businesses will need to have articles written for anything from brochures to websites. Having professional articles shows clients capablity and ability to deal with them in a professional manner. Articles with several spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors can cause a company to lose many potential customers because these unprofessional pieces of writing will make customers believe the business is not trustworthy or capable. A development consultant can help these create professional articles and advertisements.

When starting an enterprise, a proper business plan and budget is needed, and a strong marketing strategy must be created. An appealing brand and professional articles are also necessary, and business development consultants can help start ups with all of this and more.

Having a balanced scorecard is a good managerial tool for your business. This is because it can help your managers or executives to keep track of the company’s performance. And since a lot of companies have been able to prove its functionality, there are even some non commercial businesses that have started to use it. The list involves the government and some non-profit organizations.

But there are some companies which are afraid to use the BSC since they do not know what to do with it. This is understandable as a lot of earlier companies started out without much knowledge of the BSC. And in order to understand it, they hire the help of an expert to give them scorecard consulting. Aside from understanding what a BSC is, these experts can successfully implement the framework into your company.

One of the biggest reasons why the BSC has been invented is so business owners can know the factors that help in achieving the success of their company. Through the BSC, businesses are able to know that the success of the company does not only rely on its financial results. This is because there are a lot of other factors which can help lead the company to success.

This is especially true if you have a large company. Since you are obliged with numerous issues to deal with, it is important to remember that everything matters. As such, you can still make a selection on what lagging and leading indicators you should choose. What this means is that you can measure your business’ performance through these indicators. These factors include financial, internal business procedures, innovation, learning, and even your own customers.

If you find it hard to create a BSC, a scorecard consulting service can be a great help to you. Chances are, you don’t know how to measure your company since you will be biased. By getting the help of a consultant, you can have an external outlook on the things you cannot see. The consultant will then help you with this and will also determine a program that your company should follow.

There are several ways scorecard consulting services can help you. One of them is to change your BSC completely. This is because there are some instances where you already have a BSC but you think it is not working. By getting the expertise of the consultant, you can get help in creating the BSC.

Another way a scorecard consulting service can help you is to improve the indicators which have already been set up in your BSC system. If you already have a BSC and you feel that it is not working, there may be something wrong with how you have implemented the BSC. This is particularly true if you do not know how to understand the scorecard and have made a self-assessment.

By getting a scorecard consulting service, you can get a fair look at how your company is currently doing and what things need to be changed. In doing so, you can realize that achieving your business’ long term goals is actually possible.

Today’s companies do not run merely on reliable people with high levels of expertise. Today’s companies run efficiently with the help of the latest technologies designed not only to update business implementation but also to make operations smoother and faster. To do this, companies avail of the best IT consulting services, to help them make informed decisions regarding how to best use the technology they have on their hands.

IT consulting services are all about how companies plan, prioritize and manage their business activities and operations related to strategic use of technology. Every small, medium or large organization invests in IT consultancy not only to get the most out of their IT infrastructure but also to maximize their investment. Companies who were struggling with their IT services before, now find that they are able to get the exact kind of help they need to accomplish all processes concerned with their current and future IT needs. And since most companies these days operate on software infrastructure and applications, getting the best IT consulting services is not a choice, but a necessity.

IT services also have extensive experience and exposure due to the many companies they assist and would therefore be in the position to give out “best practices” though it may be limited to specific situations. In addition to technology implementation, they may be also able to assist in change management assistance, developing coaching skills and strategy development.

So what do you get with the best IT consultation? For one, you get in-depth industry knowledge because expert IT consultants can give you tips and advice on how to deliver better services and products to your clients. They also have in place stable systems and proven methods of operation that are designed to conform to a company’s needs. They also provide enhanced communication that gives both employers and employees access to essential data or information needed to run the company efficiently. While the Internet offers information for free, IT services make sure that you have the same level of access to information while at the same time, making sure that information from your company database is kept private and secure.

This also ensures the company enjoys better productivity since employees have easy access to valuable information. They also do wonders with your inter-office relations with business partners because they make sure there are no server errors on your websites so that important emails may be sent and received in time and on time.

One of the things companies want to avoid most is downtime. While it is unavoidable, it can be prevented when you avail of the best IT consultancy because they are able to immediately pinpoint your system problems and fix them quickly so you can get back on your feet in no time.

And lastly, hiring IT consulting services saves you money because it eliminates the need to hire IT staff who you have to pay even if they don’t do anything the whole day. With a consulting service, you pay IT consultants only for services rendered and still be assured that you will be able to provide excellent service and maintain customer loyalty.

While, in the end, legal marketing success is very much dependent on the actions of the attorneys (or firm) involved, there are great benefits to working with an outside consultant. Not only can a marketing consultant bring you the latest ideas in the industry, they can help you focus, get you on track and put systems in place to help you create a marketing habit that will become part of your daily life. They can help you build the business relationships you need to grow your practice.

As a marketing consultant for over 25 years, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful colleagues, and of hearing stories from clients around the globe about their experiences in the legal marketing field. My take? It’s all about finding the right consultant for you and matching not only personalities, but goals, strategies and even energy. Below are my best tips for hiring (and working with) a legal marketing consultant.

Do your research. Google them. Read their blogs. Order their books. Get to know their ideas and strategies. This may all sound like common sense, but you would be surprised how many potential clients come into my office with no knowledge of my repertoire. If you’re going to take advice from someone, know who that person is and how he or she gets their points across. Do you like their tone? Does what they preach make sense to you? If not, keep looking. Remember, you’re entering into a relationship.

Look into their background. Do they specialize in legal marketing or marketing in general? How many lawyers or law firms have they worked with? While they don’t need to have a J.D., it is a good rule of thumb to stick with people who have strong knowledge of and experience with attorneys and law firms. Marketing attorneys isn’t the same as selling cars or other consumer products, it is a category all its own. It’s about nurturing and building relationships. Furthermore, you may want to look at the types of firms the consultant has worked with. Someone who specializes in large firms may not truly understand the needs of a solo practitioner, and vice versa.

Evaluate their services and relationships. Look into exactly what it is you’re getting for the money. I offer clients the options of both branding (with an in-house graphic design studio) and consulting, as I believe they work hand-in-hand. Others may see themselves only as coaches. Still others may offer public relations or advertising services as part of their firm. Think about what you need and how all aspects of marketing work together. If they don’t offer a service you think is important, ask them if they have outside companies they work with regularly. My own firm has solid relationships with everyone from PR firms to printers-and because of that I can often not only offer clients special deals but also oversee those additional aspects of their plan firsthand.

Listen to what they’re asking YOU. Every client is different. Each has their own way of handling marketing and business development depending on who their clients are, what they’re comfortable doing and where their interests lie. Before embarking on a plan, your consultant has to know you inside and out. In your first few meetings listen carefully to what they’re asking you. Are they asking the right questions to understand your daily business life? Are they delving into your clients, your referral sources, and your hobbies and interests to see where growth can be accomplished? Or are they simply skimming the superficial?

Monitor their discretion. While you should always look at samples of their work (especially with regard to branding and positioning or website development), think carefully about how much these consultants value discretion. Do they have a list of clients readily available? Do you want people to know that you’re working with a consultant? Most good consultants would be hesitant to name names without the consent of their client, but be sure to take stock of the information they hand out willingly when it comes to their other clients.

Go with your gut. As I mentioned above, you’re entering into a relationship, and as with any relationship… you have to trust your instincts. Beyond the pitches and the samples and the strategy-do you LIKE this person? More importantly, do you TRUST this person with your business development future? If not… walk away. You must be completely open with your consultant… comfortable collaborating and discussing your everyday business life. You have to be willing to commit to taking advice and guidance before you can enter into a successful partnership.

Overall, hiring a legal marketing consultant can be a great boon to your business development. They can train and guide, strategize and even act as an adjunct CMO when you need one. They can motivate your staff, objectively evaluate your systems and practices, and oversee and execute programs and ideas that you may never think of. They can make your marketing and business development life easier. But simple as it sounds… it all comes down to choosing the right person.

One last piece of advice? Once you find the right person, give it time. I would say at least six months to build, formulate and nurture a strategic plan and get it going. Consultants aren’t magicians… they need time and effort from clients to help you see results.

Starting your own consultancy business isn’t as hard as it sounds. All you have to do is have an idea, a field of specialism and the gall to get up and do it. Experience is one of those things that you build up along the way. As long as you know enough about your chosen field to be able to answer any practical questions and to be able to solve your clients business problems as and when they arise, and provide solutions you’ll be able to go it alone as a consultant.

There are so many opportunities out there to be taken yet most people let them pass by. Why? Some may think they haven’t got what it takes; some don’t consider themselves experts and others simply find it too much hard work. Each and every one of us has a talent that we can specialize in, whether it’s gardening, cooking or sewing to programming. Yet starting a consulting business is far from people’s minds and is one of the most lucrative ways of drawing on your expertise and creatively making use of your skills.

Yes it’s a popular field to go into but there are so many areas which you could specialize in, it is nearly impossible to saturate a niche market – and potentially very lucrative for would-be business owners. The consulting industry is worth billions globally and a good consultant could earn up to £500 per hour depending on the field of expertise, location and credibility.

Many people enter the consulting field from all different backgrounds and easily find their niche. If you are ready to become your own boss and set yourself free from the 9 – 5 slave trade then start by following the few simple points below to get started.

BUILD YOUR REPUTATION BEFORE GOING IT ALONE
Spend a little time in your niche helping others establish their needs. i.e. if you are going to be a business consultant start by helping local, small businesses get on their feet. Don’t charge for your time initially, as word of mouth and a good reputation will serve you well in gaining new clients. Always remember that any expertise that you have gained in your field is not wasted, if you put it into practice what you know by helping others.

PARTNER WITH OTHER BUSINESSES
For some, building their company or brand name is of utmost importance, they can’t see themselves credible without it. If name recognition is more of an issue than expertise is for you, start by looking for a local and established company to partner with. This partnership will allow you to build your name, define your services and reach clients that you wouldn’t ordinarily have access.

MAKE A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN YOUR SERVICES AND THOSE OF SIMILAR COMPANIES
One of the most important things to remember when setting up a consulting business is that it is important to call yourself a consultant from day one. So many people do not set themselves up as consultants from the beginning which means that potential customers may not find you or your services credible once you start to call yourself a consultant. Be very clear about the services that you can offer, if you offer business consultancy, don’t advertise non related services to your customers or on your site. If you start off calling yourself anything else than a consultant of XXX services from the start, your potential customers will be confused as to what you are all about.

Make sure your business and your services are clearly defined. If you want to reap the full benefit of being a consultant and for what you are offering, you must only see yourself as a consultant. Consultants earn more money than contractors or a freelancers, it’s as simple as that.

If you are interested in starting up your own business as a consultant make sure that you invest in yourself first. Nothing in this life or industry is rewarded by inactivity. Learn as much as you can, do as much as you can and revise what you’ve done on a regular basis. There’s always room to grow and expand and that’s where you will grow in expertise and confidence. It’s also how you will find your customers, from the need to grow.

There are many great advantages to management consulting jobs. They involve a lot of travel, a lot of meeting new people, and a lot of new challenges. Management consultants are highly skilled in an area of business, have great interpersonal skills, who are adventurous and want a fulfilling and lucrative career.

The management consulting field is not regressing with the current recession. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that this is one of the fastest growing fields in the country. Many companies are opting to contract out to management consulting firms to take the place of the executives and managers they are laying off. Although the hourly billing is usually higher with a consulting firm, it can be relatively cheaper than the additional employment costs of having a full time employee, for example providing health insurance, dental insurance and vacation days. On top of that, using consulting firms reduce the cost of overall human resources infrastructure. Additionally, management consulting firms are more merit-based and usually provide a better historical track record than individual employees in a given area. If a consulting firm isn’t performing, they can easily go on to the next one. If an employee in the same area is not performing well, as the movie Up In The Air shows, it can be a lot more difficult and costly to fire or lay off an employee than to fire a consulting firm.

Working for a management consulting firm can be very exciting and refreshing, especially for those who have worked in a traditional employment setting. In addition to the opportunity to make a lot of money in management consulting jobs, they have a lot of perks that normal traditional jobs do not have. Traveling is one of these fun components to this type of job. In Up In The Air George Clooney plays a character who travels extensively as a management consultant that flies around the country to fire people on behalf of companies. Some consultants travel so much that they spend more time on the road or in the air and in a different city than they do at home. Additionally, some consultants don’t even have a home. They travel so much that it’s unnecessary. They just live in hotel rooms out of their suite cases.

Management consulting jobs are also good for those who get bored easily. If you’ve never been able to hold down a job for more than a year, not because you don’t perform well or because you constantly show up late to work, but because you get so bored you have to get out of there, then management consulting might be for you. Most consulting contracts never last longer than 2 years and consulting engagements can be as little as a couple of hours of offering advice. You are constantly doing new things, in new places, with new people.