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Adding consulting to your business

contract30901439.jpgSeveral hats are worn by a small business owner, one of which is learning how to be a consulting expert. Hiring a consulting firm to do this hard work for you is a good idea, but it isn't always feasible with budget restrictions. Before you decide to add consulting to your business, consider the following:

1. Do I have previous consulting experience? Do any of my staff members have consulting experience?
2. How many clients are asking for consulting help from our business?
3. Is there a need in our industry that has not yet been exploited by other businesses?
4. Can we find the resources to start consulting?
5. Do I have employees that can take on a bigger workload and can handle the extra responsibilities?

If you go through these questions and you can come up with logical answers, adding consulting to your business may not be such a bad idea. In the beginning you are going to make some mistakes, learn from them. You are going to have customers that become frustrated with your business, talk to them and iron out the problems so you can find solutions. Now if you are ready to try your hand at consulting, here are some basic guidelines:

  • Research. You cannot become a consultant overnight. It takes most business owners years to learn how to become good consultants so you too need to take your time to learn all about the consulting world. Start with a small amount of clients to make sure this is an extra responsibility you can handle and that it is something you want to do and then once you have achieved success you can start to move forward.
  • Hire new employees. If you don't have talented staff members that can branch out into the consulting world, hire some. This is a new niche market you are dealing with and you need to have the right people in your business that can do the hard work. Hire at least one former consultant that can help train your staff and move forward with this new venture. A person with experience is going to do wonders for your company and can help you tap into this new market.
  • Be organized. In order for consulting to work, you need to stay organized. You must be able to pay attention to details and provide your clients with information quickly. An unorganized company will only destroy itself and you will lose clients and possibly your business if you don't take the time to do it right.
  • Patience. It is going to take a long time for your new consulting business to start running like a well-oiled machine. You must remain patient with it and do your best to learn from mistakes. Trust and credibility only come with time and this is something you will need to learn as you move forward with your consulting efforts.
  • Network. A great consulting firm is able to network. You need to be comfortable in your new job title and you must be able to go out on a limb from time to time. Networking is one of the best ways to build relationships in the industry that will be able to help you. Keep a business card with you or another handout that you can give to new people that will help your business. This will go a long way to get your name out there and to build great relationships.
  • Be aggressive. Now that you are in a new industry, you need to be aggressive. Keep your eyes open and jump on new opportunities before your competition can. Always follow up with your previous clients to keep a strong bond with them. This will help you attract new clients and it will build a nice reputation in the industry.
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