Starting a Consulting Business
Starting a consulting business requires preparation. This mind map helps to structure thoughts on the things that need to be considered in advance, consulting businesses, why an organizations hire a consultant, how to start a consulting company and which tools are supportive to do so.
1. Digital consulting
1.1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
1.1.1. Inserting high-quality, relevant content on your website
1.1.2. Insuring appropriate back-linking
1.1.3. Google guideline compliance
1.1.4. Reputation management
1.1.5. Social media mentions
1.1.6. Keyword analysis
1.1.7. Proper tagging
1.1.8. Comment management
1.2. SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
1.2.1. The process of gaining website traffic by purchasing ads on search engines
1.2.2. Use of paid search
1.2.3. PPC (Pay per click advertising)
1.2.4. SMM (social media marketing)
1.3. e-commerce
1.3.1. Buying and selling of goods and services, or the transmitting of funds or data, over an electronic network, primarily the internet
2. How to start a consulting company
2.1. Start with your own skill-building
2.1.1. Increase your own knowledge and expertise
2.2. Check your experience level
2.2.1. After 5 years of full-time experience - you can call yourself an expert
2.3. Determine your Big Why
2.3.1. What is your motivation?
2.4. Determine what "success" looks like for you personally
2.5. Write a business plan
2.6. Write a marketing plan
2.7. Learn coaching skills
2.8. Choose a focus or niche
2.9. Decide if you are going to advise them, or do the work for them
2.10. Learn the problems that most business owners have
2.11. Deeply understand the seven areas of a business model
2.12. Systemize your own business
2.13. Get help with the administrative and marketing work
2.14. Get your ego out of the way
2.15. Be honest about your own areas of personal development
2.16. Choose marketing techniques that bring qualified leads to the sales conversation
2.17. Learn problem solving, decision making, project management, and time management skills
2.18. Learn from the masters
2.18.1. Learn the methods of the leading consultants
3. Business consultant definition
3.1. "An expert in a particular field who works as an advisor either to a company or to another individual."
4. An organization hires a consultant:
4.1. Because of his or her expertise
4.1.1. A consultant needs to be an expert in the respective field
4.2. To identify problems
4.3. To supplement the staff
4.4. To act as a catalyst
4.5. To provide much-needed objectivity
4.6. To teach
4.6.1. For example new software skills
4.7. To do the "dirty work"
4.7.1. When an organization has to eliminate their employees
4.8. To bring new life to an organization
4.9. To create a new business
4.10. To influence other people
5. Software for consultants
5.1. MindMeister
5.2. MeisterTask
5.3. Avaza
5.4. Scoro
5.5. Harvest
5.6. Scoro
5.7. Accelo
5.8. Corporater
5.9. Hydra
5.10. OfficeTimer
5.11. Tigerpaw
6. Things to consider before you become a consultant
6.1. What certifications and special licensing will I need?
6.2. Am I qualified to become a consultant?
6.3. Am I organized enough to become a consultant?
6.4. Do I like to network?
6.5. Have I set long-term and short-term goals?
7. Top 20 types of consulting businesses
7.1. Accounting
7.1.1. Every business needs accounting. Accounting consultants can help a business with all of its financial needs
7.2. Advertising
7.2.1. This type of consultant is hired by a business to develop a good strategic advertising campaign.
7.3. Auditing
7.3.1. Consultants who audit utility bills for small businesses or consultants who handle major work for telecommunications firms, auditing consultants.
7.4. Business
7.4.1. After computer consulting, people in this field are the next most sought after.
7.5. Business writing
7.5.1. Writing reports, memos etc.
7.6. Career counseling
7.6.1. Career counselors guide their clients into a profession or job that will help them be both happy and productive as an employee.
7.7. Communications
7.7.1. Helping employees in businesses better communicate with each other, which ultimately makes the business more efficient and operate smoothly.
7.8. Computer programmer
7.8.1. Hardware, Software etc.
7.9. Editorial services
7.9.1. Newsletters, corporate annual reports etc.
7.10. Executive search/headhunter firms
7.11. Gardening
7.11.1. Not only are businesses hiring gardening consultants; so are people who are too busy to take care of their gardens at home.
7.12. Grantsmanship
7.13. Human resources
7.14. Insurance
7.15. Marketing
7.15.1. Promoting a business, writing marketing plans etc.