Working with the top management, you can rest assured the consultant is a very highly paid individual.
Some consultants charge $100 per hour. Others charge $1,500 per day for their services, and still others work on an annual retainer fee of $12,000 to over $30,000 per year from any number of large corporations.
The number of consultants for almost any problem in life has increased by tenfold or more during the past ten years!
And the field of consultants only continues to grow. In fact, independent consulting is one of the fastest growing businesses in the country today! The need for problem solvers for business problems -among large and small businesses worldwide- has never been greater.
The ever changing moods of the buyer plus the myriad of crisis situations faced by business people almost daily, have created this "seller's market" for the alert consultant.
It's not necessary for you to have owned or operated a successful business to become a successful business consultant. Nor is it imperative that you have been in management or have held a titled position.
You will, however, need the ability to sell yourself, and an up-to-date understanding of the area in which you intend to assist others.
The first step is to make a honest evaluation of your own training and experience. You might be an ambitious tax consultant who was never recognized for your abilities.
You might be especially good in such areas as:
- System Design
- Marketing
- Scheduling
- Expediting
- Productivity
- Networks
- Computer Systems Analysis
There are consultants for people who want success with a garage sale, party planning merchandising, or even multi-level operations.
The important thing is to choose an area in which you've had some experience; an area that you have spent sometime learning about; and of course, an area of work that you enjoy.
Most people don't realize how much expertise they really have, or the probable marketability of their training, knowledge and experience.
The important thing is to:
1. Look over your educational strengths
2. Combine these with any special training or on-the-job experience
3. Offer your expertise to help others with their problems along the lines you know best
Start-up Considerations
You don't need a big, fancy executive type office in order to get started, especially if you start your consulting business on a part-time basis. A spare bedroom, a section of the basement, or even a corner of the dining room, will do very nicely.
As For Equipment
To get your business consulting service business off the ground all you'll need is a computer, with fax software, or a fax machine, a printer, phone and some business cards.
The main requirement will be your belief in yourself and your ability to market your services.
Good luck with your business consulting service business.
Until Tomorrow,
Terry
