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Demystifying Consultants
By Karyn Zoldan, Bridge Marketing
Fear of the C-word
Have you ever
considered hiring a consultant but were afraid of getting burned? Does the idea of the "C-word" make you wonder exactly how much it's going to cost? About 75% of private business call upon consultants to solve
problems, recruit new employees, and provide fresh perspectives. Remember you may own the business but you don't need to do every task from within. Here are some reasons why to hire a consultant:
- The necessary skills are not within your organization
- In-house employees don't have time
- Consultants can step back and provide a second opinion that someone too close to the problem cannot
- Consultants are objective because they are not influenced by office politics
- Consultants may be faster and more cost-effective than in-house staffing
- There is no long-term obligation
Consultants sell their expertise and their time. It's perfectly okay to ask the consultant for references or to view their portfolio.
Consultants work from a letter of agreement or a contract. This protects both the client and the consultant. As the client you want to verify that you're getting what you pay for, when you pay for it. You want no
surprises. And the consultant wants to clue you in on the process and outline terms of compensation and expenses.
What are your objectives?
Before
hiring a consultant be clear of your objectives. If you don't know what your objectives are, your consultant will be muddled too. The consultant may need some history on the company.
Let's say your objective is to start a fresh marketing/advertising/promotional campaign. Your company has been doing the same
advertising formula for the past five years and sales are slipping. Explain the current advertising strategy and any specific goals/budget/audience/etc., that you have and allow the consultant to do what they do
best. A good consultant will return with ideas, a plan, and a program to boost your sales.
When hiring a consultant, you have to be ready to make changes. Chances are a consultant will have new ideas and hopefully that's
why you're hiring her/him.
Demystifying Consultants is Copyright © BridgeMarketing.com 2000
Karyn Zoldan is owner of www.bridgemarketing.com. Please visit our site for a free online
consultation.
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