Many small businesses spend their short lifetimes, struggling and floundering, before they finally go belly up. While the average person tends to support small businesses and will claim that they prefer ‘mom and pop’ stores, the fact remains that few can compete with the large market chains that are quickly spreading across the country. What many fail to realize, however, is that business consulting offers these small companies a chance to fight back.

“What can business consulting do,” you might ask? Sadly, most small businesses fail for what would seem the most obvious of reasons; poor marketing techniques, poor accessibility, and a simple game of not being able to keep up with the Jones’. Business consulting offers an outsider’s view and a professional critique; just as a good writer often relies upon the assistance of a skilled editor, the business consultant uses experience, taking a good idea and making it great.

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If you’re new to small business consulting, you may think there is no such thing as a prospect or client being too enthusiastic about jumping headfirst into a major IT project. Enthusiasm is a good thing when it comes to signing your firm’s small business consulting contract, right? Well, not always.

Manage Clients’ Optimism

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If you run a business consulting service then you realize there is almost an unlimited amount of business out there, but most of it is very hard to get in your industry. This is because it is hard to convince people to hire outside consultants and some companies just won’t do it. Meanwhile we also know that unless you are known in the industry think no one will seek you out for your consulting services.

This is where good public relations and industry goodwill come in handy. A little bit of publicity will not hurt either and it pays to be an expert in your field and your customers or potential clients need to be able to see your name in print in the trade journals and read about your research.

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How do you get more paying customers?

This is the single most often asked question of me, hundreds, if not thousands of times over the 35 + years of my telecom career beginning in 1964 in Canada, and USA.

More recently, over the past 5 years while building a full time internet marketing business on line, these are the kinds of questions that have dominated in spite of the information overload of our technological times.

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The Small Business IT consulting community is a dynamic and exciting community to be active in at this time. Many different opportunities are gaining some serious momentum in this underserved marketplace in Canada. The Small Business marketplace will be the fastest-growing segment in the information technology market. Currently, approximately 97% of the businesses in Canada have five hundred employees or less, which equates to a fantastic market to specialize in.

Microsoft launched their Small Business Specialist program in the summer of 2005 at their annual partner conference. Since that time, a number of information technology consulting firms have taken advantage of this program to commence their consulting practice. The Small Business Specialist program is designed to promote Microsoft’s offerings to small business. It establishes SBSC members as leaders in the small business IT consulting marketplace that has been thrust into the spotlight for growth potential.

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When working in small business consulting, your clients may ask, “Why do I need something as big and powerful as the network you’re recommending? We’re just a seven person company and our network works great, at least most of the time.”

“Sell” Fear

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A small business consultant can be a viable asset to a young company. As you begin your journey into entrepreneurship, there is no doubt that your efforts would be aided by the advice of an experienced professional who can assist you with areas in which you are not well versed.

Most often, the person starting up a business has one particular area of expertise. You may, for example, be a talented accountant or a skilled systems person. Though your knowledge of your trade has given you the confidence to go out on your own, you will find that running a business requires far more skills to be successful.

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The Internet has not only turned the world into a global village, but has improved the world of business and knowledge, in general. No longer, do we need to spend hours in libraries, to research a topic. No driving around for plumbers or other professionals are necessary. Just type in what you need in a search engine, and voila, problem is solved.

People have yet to acknowledge the benefits of Internet banking. Like other technological advances (cell phones), it is only missed in its absence. Recently on a holiday trip, I ran out of cash. Banks were closed. I was in a secluded town, but was very fortunate to locate an Internet café. Now I understand Internet café’s are not advisable for Internet banking transactions, but this was an emergency. I used the café and transferred cash into my personal banking account from another. I walked down the street, and withdrew cash from the nearest ATM, 10 minutes later!

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