How to Start a Consulting Business Online

Posted 3 years ago by Max Komonov

Considering how to桂start a桂consulting business can be桂both difficult and桂daunting, but it桂doesn�셳 have to桂be��

Starting a桂consulting business, as桂trying as桂it桂may be, can be桂incredibly lucrative and桂fulfilling. However, the桂trick lies within formulating a桂process from which you can propel yourself from start to桂finish (your end goal). Before you start a桂consulting business, you must have a桂full understanding of桂the桂process. Luckily, this five-step process is桂incredibly easy to桂understand and桂implement.

Many people struggle to桂start a桂consulting business while working full time. It桂can be桂difficult to桂split your time and桂work on桂the桂side. Thankfully, this five-step process is桂applicable to桂anyone, of桂any桂background, in桂any桂situation. These simple steps will not only help you start a桂consulting business, but also teach you the桂key facets of桂becoming a桂business owner and桂what your duties will entail. By桂following these steps, starting a桂consulting business will be桂what it桂should be: exciting!

Let�셲 get started.

1.桂Choose a桂Business Model

In桂the桂industry of桂consulting, there are a桂variety of桂business models. The key steps toward building a桂recognizable and桂memorable brand are understanding what distinguishes you, understanding what model you fall under, and桂determining how you�셝 like your brand to桂be桂viewed based on桂your values, principles, and桂morals. The following are just a桂few examples of桂the桂different consulting business models��

Solo consultant model

Solo consultants work closely with their clients and桂manage their needs while completing all project work themselves. The solo consulting model is桂great f늡곶桂individuals who love to桂work alone, and桂work best when they are the桂ones who are solely responsible f늡곶桂the桂outcome.

This model is桂also a桂great fit f늡곶桂those who seek a桂profitable, lean, and桂flexible consulting business. However, this model will not be桂the桂right fit f늡곶桂those who intend to桂sell their business, 늡곶桂intend to桂stop and桂pick back up桂again later.

Consulting firm model

Those who operate within the桂parameters of桂a桂consulting firm model are responsible f늡곶桂running the桂firm rather than just working on桂client projects. The consulting firm model works great f늡곶桂those who don�셳 want to桂be桂focused on桂the桂day-to-day work, and桂f늡곶桂those who want to桂build a桂business that can operate without them.

To桂that effect, this makes the桂consulting firm model much easier to桂sell one day. However, this model may not be桂the桂right fit f늡곶桂those who either don�셳 like 늡곶桂are uncomfortable managing people.

Productized consulting model

In桂this model, one essentially turns their knowledge of桂consulting into a桂productized service. A桂productized service is桂a桂repeatable series of桂steps that deliver a桂predictable outcome f늡곶桂clients. This model is桂simply turning your expertise into a桂process that is桂reliable f늡곶桂customers, and桂is桂often effective only f늡곶桂those with proven consulting experience.

This is桂a桂great model f늡곶桂those who wish to桂build a桂scalable business, and桂to桂remove themselves from day-to-day work. This model is桂not ideal f늡곶桂those uncomfortable with managing others, those wanting to桂work on桂new projects daily, 늡곶桂those without relevant years of桂experience.

Hybrid consulting model

The hybrid consulting model is桂a桂combination of桂the桂three aforementioned models. You essentially pick and桂choose what you like about each model and桂ultimately make it桂your own.

This model is桂ideal f늡곶桂those with years of桂experience as桂a桂consultant with the桂expertise and桂management skills necessary to桂start a桂consulting business.

2.桂Be桂Clear on桂Your Ideal Client

As桂in桂any桂industry, understanding and桂having a桂clear picture of桂your target audience is桂crucial to桂success. Ask yourself who your consulting business will serve? Why will you serve that group in桂particular?

Many people underestimate this step 늡곶桂simply skip over it桂entirely while thinking that anyone could use their service. That�셲 a桂big no-no! Overlooking 늡곶桂ignoring this step can make it桂very difficult f늡곶桂you to桂attract clients via the桂right marketing strategy. Ignoring this step can also result in桂losing many potential projects. In桂short, you�셪l need to桂know who your ideal client is, and桂why!

3.桂Create &桂Price Your Consulting Offer

Whether you set up桂a桂lemonade stand as桂a桂kid 늡곶桂sell NFTs, understanding pricing and桂profit are essential to桂a桂business�� success. The same goes f늡곶桂starting a桂consulting business. Remember, you possess a桂unique set of桂skills that can resolve the桂issues and桂problems which your client seeks you out to桂resolve.

Your offer is桂a桂culmination of桂the桂services you offer to桂create your client�셲 desired results. Due to桂this, pricing your offer can vary across the桂board depending on桂the桂client. The end goal is桂to桂land upon a桂price that is桂universally derived from your level of桂experience, expertise, and桂the桂services that you can offer.

You should always consider how important the桂result is桂f늡곶桂the桂client, and桂base your offer on桂how intense their need is. From there, consider whether 늡곶桂not your fee is桂hourly-based 늡곶桂project-based. The best way to桂approach a桂client with an桂offer is桂by桂having options ready.

Be桂sure to桂emphasize the桂differences in桂structure between each offer, and桂the桂services provided as桂well. Remember, as桂a桂professional consultant there is桂a桂reason that your services don�셳 come at桂a桂bargain rate!

4.桂Create a桂Marketing Strategy

Having a桂sound marketing strategy in桂place is桂key after you�셶e determined your model, understand your ideal client, and桂have pricing accounted for. Now it�셲 time to桂find your clients! Hopefully, you have already considered where your target audience is桂easily reachable, be桂it桂LinkedIn, Facebook, Indeed, 늡곶桂even people you may know already.

Crafting copy and桂content that captures your audience within their specific demographic is桂key to桂ensuring that you garner interest in桂your service. This step is桂often accomplished through some hard work and桂long hours drafting messages, emails, content, etc.

However, many of桂those working with how to桂start a桂consulting business often rely on桂a桂third party f늡곶桂their marketing.

5.桂Fire Up桂Your Website

Once you have all of桂your ducks in桂a桂row, it�셲 time to桂fire up桂your website!

Be桂sure to桂incorporate the桂aesthetics of桂your brand and桂clearly voice your values and桂standards f늡곶桂clients. Clients love relatability, trustworthiness, and桂conviction, which shouldn�셳 ever come as桂a桂surprise.

Be桂sure you have a桂solid layout and桂road map in桂place when you�셱e ready to桂create your website.

Do桂You Want to桂Start a桂Consulting Business?

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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