Whether you run a multi-national corporation or a small scale organization, consulting the right consultant is very crucial every time, and may affect your business drastically. On one hand an experienced consultant may fail to get the job done and the comparatively inexperienced one may sweep the board, while on the other hand, you might regret consulting a novice consultant in the industry.

Therefore, when you plan a business deal, before approaching a consultant, you must do some ground work, which would prove quite useful in due course. First of all, analyzing the past experience, as well as the credentials, is the most important process, but that’s not the end of the story. At times, you would be caught in a dilemma of whether you are really consulting the right consultant, because despite the prior experience in field, your requirements may be quite different and that experience may not be good enough to deliver impeccable results.

Moreover, many a times you may also come across cases wherein certain consultants are known for providing great services, but at the same time they essentially delay the work by a considerable amount of time too. This may be tolerable in usual routine, however if you are counting on your consultant to get the job done within a particular time frame, and you have already planned upon further actions, then even slight delay at such crucial times may prove to be quite costly. So you must analyze all the aspects beforehand, and then approach a consultant, nevertheless you also give it a second though and weigh your options patiently too.

More often than not, consulting the right is not about what the other party can do, but rather what your needs are. For instance, when dealing with a fairly new technology you might not be able to decide upon your choice of consulting, not to mention the ambiguity of your decision whether you have really selected the right consultant or not.

A marketing consultant works with companies for implementing and creating marketing strategies. These strategies usually depend on what products and services they offer and the core of the business. A consultant helps to determine the message, create a detailed plan and identify the exact mix to get the message out. They will then follow the plan and work accordingly to implement and execute the strategy.

Results will be monitored by them to make sure that companies get best results from those strategies. A marketing consultant will be knowledgeable and skilled in marketing process and consumer behaviour. He should generate interest among the customers to buy their products by identifying the company’s target market. A great consultant must think analytically and creatively. He should have the capability to gain results from their creativity. There are some specific areas which marketing consultants often do specializations in, such as -

• Copywriting
• Online marketing
• Direct response marketing
• Social media marketing.

Marketing consultants often run their businesses either with a team or by their own and work independently. They are skilled in psychology, communications and business. At some point of time, a company wants to outsource their marketing strategies. A company often seeks out consultants for this. A consultant works with companies for implementing and creating marketing strategies.

A company can put more focus on overall operations and product development by outsourcing to a consultant. He/she can provide viewpoints and an external perspective and also help to bring in specialized expertise and skills. So, it is crucial to select the right consultant. A consultant must understand your marketing requirements, growth goals and business. He must share notable successes and achievements with you that correlate with the aims you are trying to achieve.

What does it take to become a marketing consultant?

The career of a marketing consultant is not only flexible and rewarding, but challenging as well. They can work as a contractor, independently or within a firm. Most of them start their own businesses. In order to promote a service or product, he or she must work with business to help them determine tactics and strategies. In addition to experience and general education, a consultant must be well-versed in -

• Reputation management
• Brand and image awareness
• Customer psychology and consumer behaviour
• Search engine optimization.

Therefore, if you decide to be an independent marketing consultant, you should know well how to market yourself.

Hope this content helps.

You’re having lunch with a friend. You are discussing the current state of your business and he suggests that you consider hiring a consultant. You have always run you business by yourself. Why get help? Are you getting old and feeble? No one knows more about your business than you do! What can one of these consultants do for you? Consultants aren’t cheap. You haven’t needed one before, why now?

I have heard this many times. The best answer is you hire a consultant or anyone for that matter, when you need something done you can not or do not know how to do. Think about your hiring an attorney or an accountant and why you hire them. Why did you hire that person? You probably hired an accountant to do your taxes, for example. The internal revenue gives us instructions on how to prepare returns, so why did you hire someone to do it and not do it yourself? The reasons are probably because they can do it in less time than it would take you and you might miss or misinterpret a legitimate way to save money. Accountants know things that could save you money. While the accountant is doing the tax return you could be doing something that will help improve your business. Doing your returns, will take valuable time away from your business. The amount you pay the account is worth the time you save. If you don’t think so, put an hourly rate on the value of your time. The amount of money the accountant saves you may be greater than what you pay the accountant. The elimination of aggravation in doing the returns makes paying someone else to do it well worth the expense.

There are all kinds of consultants. They do marketing, sales, profit improvement, human resources, establish incentives for your employees and many, many more things that could possibly be of value to your company. The first reason to hire a consultant or anyone is that this person or organization can do something you or anyone in your organization can’t do. The second reason is similar to hiring someone to do your taxes. This expert can do it in less time and is more cost effective than you doing it. The third and probably the most common reason is to have someone who understands you and your organization and can help in making those difficult decisions.

A good consultant will look at the company’s issue and give a fresh and new view of the problem and potential solutions. There is a lot to be said for working with someone who has done this task many times before. A consultant can add objectivity when they look at aspects of your business. Yes, you have run this business for many years and feel you know more than anyone else about it, but at the same time it may be beneficial to have a fresh set of eyes look at the company. A consultant may help you to solve an issue faster and be less costly. Remember that technology and techniques have changed a great deal over the last year, if not the last five or ten years. Just think about what your mobile telephone now does. Albert Einstein said the first sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Even he had a problem calculating change at a Berlin restaurant.

Over the last ten years, we have watched companies take ideas from other companies and even from different industries and have seen these companies grow and increase profits with their new ways to do things. Southwest Airlines may be the best example of using techniques from another industry, race car driving. They have used these ideas to turn around an airplane and get into the air faster than any other airline. Southwest decided not to do things they way they were always done or how everyone else did it. They let others make mistakes. While you may think you know your business better than anyone else, someone outside your industry should question you on why you do something a particular way and may suggest a better way to do that task. A new approach may save money, free you up to do other tasks, and may ultimately give you a competitive advantage over your competition.

Many consultants are hired to be a sounding board for the owner. The consultant acts like the owner’s partner. You pay them; their loyalty is to you. But be careful, they will probably tell you the truth! A consultant helps broaden the owner’s perspective. Being the owner can be lonely. The employees may only say what the owner wants to hear. The owner is not questioned about a decision or a strategy. A good consultant can ask the hard questions and make sure an idea is thought through thoroughly. This process improves the probability of success in implementing a strategy. It improves the odds that a new strategy is put in place that works as the market changes and a business grows.

Hiring a consultant is not any different than hiring an employee. Make sure you have an agreement up front on what is going to be done and accomplished. Professional consultants want you involved as they work for you. You may want to put a time frame and ultimately a cost budget on the task.

A good consulting engagement can solve many issues. The consultant resolves the issue and sometimes uncovers the real problem and not just a symptom. They don’t forget the basics. Issues will usually be resolved sooner and be less costly by a consultant. The best ones add something you didn’t have before and are worth the investment.

Hiring for any position within your company or for any project your company is working on is never easy. Consultants are individuals who give professional advice in a specific area that they are an expert in. Consultants have a vast amount of knowledge on a subject matter and usually work for a consulting firm or are self employed. As a consultant you will work with a vast clientele that will be ever changing. Consultants work best for a majority of businesses because they can retain an expert in many fields without having to actually employ them on a full time basis. Consultants are specialists in their given field and of course this is what companies want to have at their beck and call.

Of course the success of a project comes from the skill level of the people you hire. Consultants are hired for many projects within a vast number of trades. In this article we will focus on Engineering Consultants. Engineering assignments are large in nature and scale so hiring consultants takes a wide range of planning and research. There are over twenty different areas of expertise within the field of engineering. The first task for any individual hiring an engineering consultant is to narrow down exactly what types of engineers are needed for your project to be completed in the most timely, professional, correct manner as possible.

The field of engineering that you decide your project falls within is the field where your research to find the best consultant will begin. Of course if you are building a bridge you aren’t really looking for a chemical engineer you will want to find a consultant in the field of Civil Engineering.

Engineering Consultants are employed to work with a firm to help them devise a plan to convey their production requirements. Civil Engineers are responsible for matters ranging from where the water waste is distributed from to designing a railway system. Engineering Consultants are hired as an expert. No matter what field of engineering, be it Civil, Electric, Chemical or Biological, they belong to the skill set that they offer will be wide. They will be able to offer analysis, design and execution from their skill set to your project.

Hire a good engineering consultant and you will find that they will adapt to the requirements of the job and save you time, money and prevent delay. Clients of engineering consultants should have obviously defined their wants and needs for a particular job up front alleviating any misunderstandings that often arise during projects with several professionals at work.

It is important when hiring any consultant, but especially engineering consultants that you come in understanding one another and the task at hand. When hiring a consultant be precise about your needs and project requirements. This will help the project run smoothly. When business professionals work together and stay on the same page in terms of any project the results are grand.

Have you considered having a feng shui consultation but you just didn’t know where to start or what to expect? It’s hard to know how to choose or what makes a consultant qualified. Feng shui is a fascinating field and draws to it very interesting, and often very nice, people. But are they really qualified and do they know their stuff?

This is Personal

Many people seek feng shui help when they are looking for help with very personal issues that range from romantic difficulties, to health problems, to money concerns. That makes choosing a qualified feng shui consultant even more important. When you choose a consultant, you are opening up your home to this person’s influence, so you want to be able to trust that the information from this consultant is trustworthy, accurate, and supports your personal goals.

The Genuine Article

Finding someone who is knowledgeable and trained is a first step when you’re looking for a consultant. Considering that you are looking to bring about a shift in your life, it is worth taking the time – and the expense – to find someone who will give you your money’s worth.

Be aware that many practitioners do not make the time or investment in their training. Those that do, often expect, and rightly deserve, higher fees. In particular, traditional Chinese feng shui takes time and training in order to practice it effectively. Be wary of anyone who has only performed personal study; that is, read a couple of books and then hung up their shingle.

So, consider choosing well and wisely when selecting a consultant. The tips below will help guide you in finding the right one for you.

8 Tips Help You Choose a Feng Shui Consultant

1. Consider the type of feng shui practiced.

You should always ask what school of feng shui the consultant follows. If it is one you are comfortable with, i.e., traditional or western, that will probably be the one you should go with. I personally prefer traditional because this is the “original” feng shui that has evolved over the past 5,000 years.

2. Level of education.

The next critical question is “Where did you learn feng shui and from whom”? You will want someone to have attended a certifying class from a reputable teacher or master.

3. How long has the consultant been in practice?

Just so that you are informed, it is important that you know how long a consultant has been practicing. If the consultant is a novice, you should expect fees that are relative to the level of experience. Likewise, if the consultant is very experienced, you should expect a higher fee.

4. What do their clients say?

Testimonials are a great way to get a feel for what a consultant will do. Friends who refer you to a consultant are a wonderful way to choose a consultant with confidence. Get references or testimonials from the consultant’s clients.

5. Have they asked for your floor plans, birthdates, and possible directions?

If so, you have someone who knows their “feng shui stuff.” This is someone who most likely practices traditional feng shui and will take an objective approach to your space. If the consultant comes into your home and points at the figurine of the poodle on your piano and tells you that is the source of your problems, then end the session. You should expect to receive a well-thought out and thorough analysis of the whole house.

6. What does a “consultation” consist of?

Sometimes, it is better to consider what a consultation doesn’t do, than what it does. For instance, you might get advice on location of certain elements, but a feng shui consultation is not an interior design consultation. You should not expect for your home or office style to be critiqued. This is not the purpose of a consultation.

The consultant should advise you on the orientation of your home, the environmental impacts (such as hills, trees, water flow, etc.). Your consultation is not about how much intention you place on improving your home, it is an assessment of your space and the placement of important rooms, such as bedrooms, living room, bathrooms, kitchen, etc. Colors, design, and other aspects are still a part of the consultation, but they are secondary to the actual layout and orientation.

This basic assessment is then factored in with your personal feng shui based on your date of birth, and also, possibly, flying star feng shui that locates the water and relationship stars – the location of critical energies – that provide the greatest benefits.

Lastly, you should be told up front what you should expect to receive following and/or during the consultation. Will the consultant tell you then and there what should be changed or enhanced? Or, will the consultant send you a report that outlines the various strengths, weaknesses, and impact of your space? Know before you commit to an appointment.

7. How much will the consultation cost?

Consultations vary. However, if you have a smaller home, you should not pay an exorbitant amount. In my opinion, the size of home or office should be relative to the cost. If you have a 7,000 square foot home, you should expect a higher fee than someone in a 2,000 square foot home.

8. Is your consultant successful?

Consultants are giving you financial, relationship, and career advice. They should be successful in these areas, too. Think about it…you wouldn’t go to an athletic trainer who was grossly overweight and out shape and expect to get good advice about exercise. So, if your consultant drives up in a beaten up car and lives in a tiny shack, you probably won’t feel confident that this person will be able to tell you how to improve your wealth or business opportunities. Select with care.

If you’re ready to move ahead in your life, find out what’s holding you back by having your own consultation.

Feng shui is more than a technique for enhancing your home. It is a valuable DIAGNOSTIC TOOL that can help you see where your home could use help or help you to understand WHY you feel the way you do in your home or office. Schedule a consultation and find out HOW your home is affecting your life.