First thing’s first- what are you good at? What do you have to offer to people? What skills do you have that set you apart from other consultants?
Ultimate Guide to Starting a Consultancy Business From Scratch
1. Think About What Skills You Have to Offer
This is the first step that you need to determine before you actually start your business.
Perhaps you’ve had many years of experience in a certain field, you come from a unique background, or you’ve been recognized as an expert in your field.
That’s essentially what a consultant is- someone who is most qualified to provide advice and assistance in a certain area.
You should determine what advice you can provide to people that they might not be able to find elsewhere, as well as particular areas people in your field tend to find the most challenging.
There are also four main consulting models- the solo model, the consulting firm model, the productized model, and the hybrid model, so it is important to determine what model you wish to work with.
Solo Model
In this model, you will work with clients on your own and help them with their projects by yourself. This is best for people who want more flexibility and feel more comfortable working by themselves.
Consulting Firm Model
With this model, you run the company, essentially, and work on projects. You have more responsibilities, which also include hiring more consultants.
This is best for people who want to manage others and handle all the nuances of running a firm.
Productized Model
Instead of providing consulting services on your own or with a firm, you will make products, such as a learning program or course that people can purchase.
You won’t have a heavy schedule each day, and you will have a physical product to sell to potential customers.
Hybrid Model
A lot of successful consultants will use this model due to its convenience and flexibility.
Essentially, with the hybrid model, you will mix any of the other models, and choose what aspects will work for you specifically.
2. Choose a Target Audience for Your Skills
No matter what kind of business you create, you need to determine your target audience. If you’re a consultant, you should decide what you want your ideal client to be like.
It’s not possible to market your product to everyone in the world; everyone has different interests, skills, preferences, and needs, and not everyone will be interested in what you have to offer.
Therefore, in order to make your business as successful as possible, you need to determine whom you want to market your products and services so your marketing efforts will be more tailored and interesting.
If you want to offer consulting services, this will likely be a lot easier than other business ideas because you’re likely trying to offer services to people within your own field.
3. Create Your Own Website
Once you’ve decided what your niche is, you should make your own website.
This website will serve as your portfolio and advertisement; it’s how people will get to know you and decide to go with what you have to offer.
You can choose from a variety of platforms to build your website on, such as WordPress.
Then, you should register a domain name (the name of your website), find a secure hosting provider, and use a website editor to make your website’s design flawless.
Some of the best website editors include Editor X, Wix, and Squarespace. Luckily, you don’t need to be a professional to make your own website.
Don’t forget to add all the relevant pages, such as an about me, products and services, and contact page.
4. Set Your Fees and Services
Now that you’ve decided upon a consulting model, determined your target audience, and created your website, it’s time to determine the exact services you have to offer and price them accordingly.
For this step, it might be worth researching some of your competition, such as other consultants working in your field, to gauge your prices accordingly.
You don’t want your products to be overly expensive because people won’t have any motivation to choose you over the others.
However, your services should be priced in a manner that will reflect your expertise and pay you well for your time and experience.
One of the most common ways people charge clients is through an hourly rate, although many choose a project-based or daily rate, too.
Another important thing to consider is creating packages for customers to choose from.
Maybe your client just wants basic consulting or a run-down of their specific problem, which isn’t going to take too much time.
Or maybe someone wants you to provide consulting services to their entire company and is willing to make the highest investment.
Customers will be able to choose between your packages to find one that suits them. Some consultants will also offer customizable packages so that clients can pick and choose what they need.
5. Learn How to Write Compelling Content
With a consulting business, you’re essentially advertising yourself.
You’re telling your target audience why they should choose you over other people, and why you will provide them with better results than anyone else.
If you’re not able to convince your audience, then you will have difficulty attracting clients.
That’s why it’s important to make sure that you write compelling content. If your budget allows, you can hire a content manager or copywriter, or you can take some lessons to write the content yourself.
You can also install extensions like Grammarly to proofread your content.
6. Create Pages on Social Media
The importance of having a presence online cannot be undermined, and that is especially true for social media.
You should have pages on social media where you advertise your services and engage with your audience. At the bare minimum, you should start with Facebook and Instagram.
That way, it will be easier for clients to find and contact you, as well as for you to market your business accordingly.
7. Develop a Business Plan
Finally, as for any business, you need to come up with a roadmap. Where do you want your business to go? What is your goal?
These goals should be as specific and measurable as possible, such as having X clients in X amount of time or making X revenue in X amount of time.
Conclusion
You should also come up with your budget and decide how much money you have to spend in certain areas, as well as your financial plans.
If you have an idea of where you want to go, you will have an easier time getting there, and you will be able to target your efforts more easily.
_________________________________________________________________________
Some other articles you might find of interest:
Understand how you can maximize your time to grow your business:
Time Is Money And Your Most Valuable Resource. Use it Wisely to Build Your Business
https://www.thekickassentrepreneur.com/time-is-money/
Looking for effective ways to drive and increase traffic to your startup website?
SEO Traffic Guide To Boost Your Blog Rankings
https://www.thekickassentrepreneur.com/guide-to-boost-your-blog-rankings/
Looking for effective ways to drive and increase traffic to your startup website?
3 Top Reasons Why Startups Fail and How Not to Become a Victim
