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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.

Starting up a home based business can be not only exciting, but perhaps even a little confusing as well. Some factors come into play with a home based business startup. Determining where to start is the first step in the process.The first thing that should be done is to establish what the local regulations are regarding a home based business startup. These regulations can come in the form of county, state or federal and it is a good idea to make sure that these rules are clearly understood.Once this step has been completed, it is recommended that a non-residential address be used for the business, such as a post office mailbox, as well as a separate business phone line. Even though the business will be run out of the home, so are the residents’ personal lives. Using a non-residential mailing address and a separate phone line will help ensure privacy during closed business hours.Deciding on what type of business model to use for a home based business is the next step. It is likely that at this point the type of product or service that will be provided has already been decided; however, how to sell the products and what structure to use may be more uncertain. Some research can help clarify which model can be the most effective for what the home based business offers as well as its needs.There are different business models that can be used when starting a home business that can fit both the business and the owner’s needs. The business can be either internet based, such as using auction sites, or be a brick and mortar retailer, which allows customers to interact personally with the business. Internet auction sites provide flexibility in schedule and can be run full or part time, often times at any time of day or night. Business interactions can be done in the comfort of one’s own home, whereas a brick and mortar business may require daily attendance. Using an e-commerce model utilizes a website that promotes the business and offers sales of products or services to the consumer.Another model is called affiliate marketing. This is where others provide advertising links for a business and for each customer that visits the business’ website through the third party a commission is paid. The third party is rewarded for advertising with this commission and the business receives increased website visits. Affiliate marketing can be a very effective method of advertising and could prove to be a very useful way to increase customer exposure and sales.Home based business startup does not have to be confusing and most of the information that one would need to begin can be found through some thorough research on the internet. There are many companies that offer website development and even those that offer help in developing the business model that is desired. Knowing what product or service the business will offer will help determine which business model will be most successful.