From the outside, it may look like the perfect ideal that anyone wants. For example, I’ve had people tell me that I’ve got the best of both worlds; that I have a home-based business as a freelance writer and I get to be with my kids all the time. They perceive that my freelance writing career comes with no worries, there’s not much ‘running around’ to do because my home-based business is a pretty ‘straight-forward’ one and that my kids are angelic all the time.

How I wish it was all true.

You see, as a freelance writer with more than ten years of experience in my pocket, I dare say that anyone with a home-based business can tell you that it’s impossible to start a business, yes, even if it’s just a small home-based business, without some planning. Because there’s a certain amount of passion and emotion that you’re going to be pouring into this home-based business of yours, you’ll certainly be yanking all your hair out trying to make sure that there aren’t any loopholes and that it would run as smoothly as a yacht on a hot, sunny, cloudless day.

Never truly prepared for your home-based business
As with becoming a parent, you can never be truly prepared for your home-based business. That’s the sad truth about life, about a freelance writing career and also about your home-based business. What you’ve planned for your home-based business may not roll out the way you have planned it to roll out and along the way, you will discover that you could burn all those strategic marketing and online marketing plans that you’ve painfully drawn up without causing a dent in the way your home-based business works.

But does this mean you ought not plan your business at all? That if you’re a freelance writer like me, you can start pounding on every door that you see, asking to be hired as their writer or blogger?

Essential to write a marketing and business plan even for home-based businesses
Far from it, I’m afraid. As unpredictable as it is, it’s still essential for home-based business owners to write out and plan their home-based business’ marketing strategy. No ship can sail without knowing where they’re heading and if you head in blindfolded, you’d better be ready for a surprise, then. It’s ‘good luck’ to you!

And if you’re thinking, ‘I don’t have anyone to answer to apart from…well, myself, what’s there to worry?’ but that’s what the whole worry is about. This makes your whole home-based business a very direction-less and eventually a very messy one. And the worst thing is that one fine day, you would start comparing your own home-based business with others and realize that they’re doing much better much faster – where did you go wrong and then you remember the marketing plan that you burned.

The way the home-based business works will change all the time
But this is the way business works – you’ll need to change and revise all the time but it DOES NOT mean that you can do away with planning out your home-based business. There are consequences to think about, a back-up plan and a strategy that you can fall back on.

One fine day, you will revise your home-based business, work on it, see that something’s not working, revise it, work on it, do it….well, until you feel that everything’s okie dokie.

And then something goes wrong.

Believe or not, this is the way the world works…this is the way your home-based business will work as well. And you’ve got to learn how to deal with this…but not without a marketing strategy and a home-based business plan.

Running a Christian home based business means incorporating Christian values into normal business operations. When people work with you as a Christian home based business owner, they expect that you will be living up to higher expectations. Yet, just because you are a Christian home based business owner, you should not let people walk all over you. Understanding that there are Christian values in setting limits and running a successful business will help you build a strong Christian home based business.Sit down and think about what your Christian values are and how you want to incorporate them into your Christian home based business. It is okay to want to make a profit, as long as money does not rule what you do. If you looking at customer service in your home based business, you want to promote a Christian ethic of treating customers how you would like to be treated. Remember, consumers are looking for you to exhibit the best Christian values in your Christian home based business.Once you have your values listed, you also want to set your goals. Do you want to use your business just to make a living, or do you have a higher purpose? Is your Christian home based business going to be a witnessing tool or is being a Christian home based business more of a reflection on upstanding standards? What kind of profit do you want to make in your Christian home based business and how do you want to get there? Make both short term and long term goals and be sure to have a way to assess how you meet those goals.As your Christian home based business grows, you will want to find ways to manage your money effectively. Stewardship is a very important value for a Christian home based business owner to have. Make sure you have a budget that can grow with your company and you plan ahead for both the lean and surplus times in your Christian home based business. If accounting is not your strength, find a computer program or obtain professional help to make sure you are managing your finances well.Also, finding balance between your personal and business life is important. God did not mean for any person to work all the time, after all He created the Sabbath day for us to rest from work. If God created time to rest, then as a Christian home based business owner, you should find some time to live your personal life, too. Not only will it make you happier, but it will make your work seem more exciting and fresh rather than a chore.

Many small businesses are experts in their field and know their own business inside and out. However lots of small business owners lack the time or expertise required to implement certain projects. That’s where a small business consultant can step in and help.

In order to achieve a successful project it’s important to be clear about what you want your consultant to be able to do for you. Just as important is selecting a consultant with the right skills for the job, but how do you make sure you don’t get off on the wrong foot?

Here are some things to consider:

1. Are you looking for a research/diagnostic approach or do you need help with implementation?

Firstly are you looking for someone to take a diagnostic approach to a business problem you are facing? For instance, which market segment should you enter? Or what product line should you sell? Or is your business need about implementation? For instance, you’ve identified that you need to be on Social Media and need a marketing consultant with the expertise to make this happen.

The two needs are different and some consultants are better in one area than the other. To find out whether your prospective consultant prefers to work on implementation projects or research projects ask them. Don’t be afraid to ask them for specific examples of projects they have worked on and how they have tackled projects similar to yours in the past.

2. Ask prospective consultants how their clients are better off after they leave.

What sort of outcomes were they able to achieve for their clients? Look out for wishy-washy answers. Look for specific examples and outcomes. Does this fit with the sorts of outcomes that you would like for your business? Where they able to increase website traffic by a certain percentage, reduce staff turnover by a certain amount or generate more business for the client?

Picking the wrong person for the job might end up feeling like you are pushing water up a hill with a rake. Not only will the results be less than optimal but it may end up being a costly and stressful experience also.

3. Be careful of wanting champagne on a beer budget.

Do you want fast, cheap or talented? You must pick two out of the three. There is a triangle trade off here. You can get premium talent, faster results or a cheaper cost but Taylor Swift won’t teach your team how to sing tomorrow for free if you see what I mean.

Often a small business owner will set a budget and then begin the search for the best talent and/or fastest result within that budget. From my experience a budget-driven approach can often compromise results. Your best approach is to establish your desired outcome, then judge each potential candidate by how likely they are to be able to achieve that outcome.

4. Look for a solid “About Us” page.

Ask consultants about their qualifications and their approach. With so many so-called ‘experts’ out there it’s really important to identify who is qualified and able to do the job for you. Ask prospective consultants questions about their skills and experience to determine whether they are fit for the job. Are they methodical in their approach? Do have a history of achieving quality results for clients? This will help you to avoid being mislead by organisations with few processes, a glossy website and no real qualifications or experience.

5. Ask yourself whether you think you will be comfortable working with the consultant.

Do you think they are going to be the right fit for your business? Can you see yourself and your team working well with them? Sometimes it’s less about the exact industry experience they have had and more about their ability to get results.

6. Think about goals and outcomes first.

Don’t pick a technical specialist to do a job when you really need someone who can deliver a sales outcome. Think about your goal first, what are you trying to achieve? For instance, if it’s conversions and leads from your website then perhaps what you really need is a marketing consultant to advise on the layout of the website rather than just a technical person to do the build. A technical person can definitely build the website for you, it will function beautifully, but will it achieve your goal of converting traffic to sales?

7. Be wary of small business consultants who are all things to all people.

A good consultant will be honest about what their speciality is and will not simply be a ‘yes’ man or woman. They will push back on projects, ideas and suggestions that they don’t think are right for your business or are beyond their area of expertise. Look for a consultant with backbone not someone who lets you steer the project without alerting you to the danger that lies ahead because they are too afraid to question your judgement or afraid they will upset you. I’d rather have an expert question me and make suggestions than sit back and watch me sink the ship!

So whether it is a marketing consultant or a small business consultant you are looking for, many of the same rules apply. Identify what you need and look at it from an outcomes perspective, work out who has the expertise to help you achieve your goals and whether or not you are comfortable working with them. Look for someone who is genuinely interested in working with you and passionate about what they do.