How to Start a Computer Consulting Business

Computer consulting is a hot business. What a consultant does depends mainly on the needs of the client and the consultant's own abilities and limits. From providing software recommendations to businesses to fixing hardware problems, a consultant is in charge of sharing his knowledge and suggestions with a client.
Instructions
1.Establish Your Business
1.Make sure you're qualified in the field. Just because you have been using a computer for a long time doesn't mean you know enough to start a business providing advice. To start a successful consulting business you should be able to understand the basic functioning of the hardware and keep up-to-date with changes in the market and industry.
2.Try to get an organization to hire you. Whether they do it on a temporary basis, to supplement their staff or as somebody called in when the need arises to identify problems, the truth is that companies pay consultants high sums for their services. Even if you have your own business with private clients, freelancing for a company can increase your income significantly.
3.Don't limit yourself. Offer your services in different ways and styles. For example, you could teach workshops to company employees, offer online or phone consultations or as the decision-maker when it comes to software upgrading and change.
4.Consider hiring a secretary or an assistant to deal with the everyday office stuff, such as answering emails, dealing with clients and filing. The less time you spend on menial tasks, the more you'll be able to network and provide out-of-office help to both companies and private clients.
5.Decide how you will charge for your services. Most consultants charge a flat fee at the start of their careers. As they become more established, it's possible to charge a monthly retainer or by the hour.
6.Establish yourself as an expert by providing talks, writing articles on computer and related subjects and by asking for letters or praise and reference from past clients. You can also put out your own newsletter (either in print or email) to keep in touch with former clients and reach new ones.

Tips & Warnings
Being organized is key to running a successful consulting business. Invest on a few tracking systems and organizational items to make sure you can keep track of clients and services efficiently.
Get the latest info on the industry by subscribing to trade magazines, joining organizations and networking with other professionals.

How to Start & Run a Successful Consulting Business

Consultants work in many different fields, such as marketing, marketing research, IT or information technology, auditing, tax preparation, writing, gardening and career counseling. You can start most consulting businesses with little investment, as the business is run mostly through personal contact and on a computer. As a consultant, you will help businesses solve problems in such areas as distribution and competitive analysis; or provide a necessary service to consumers. You can take specific steps to become a successful consultant.
Instructions
1.Choose what type of consulting services you will offer. Contact other consultants and get the going rate for the types of consulting services you are offering.
2.Set the prices for your various consulting services. Divide your services up into different functions, then price each function accordingly. Set an hourly consulting fee, for example, then tack on separate price points for surveys, reports and other end products you provide to clients. Put the services and prices in your brochure.
3.Write a business plan that summarizes the types of clients or customers you are targeting. List a specific industry in which you are targeting if you plan to specialize in a particular area. Include the characteristics of the consumers you want to attract, such as families who need investment or tax consultation. Write down your first-year financial sales and profit goals down in the business plan. List the methods you will use to finance your business in your business plan.
4.Contact your county or city administration office to determine what business licenses you need for your particular area. File for a DBA or "doing business as" which is required if you create a specific name for your business.
5.Create a website for you consulting business. Hire a web designer if you need help creating a more professional website that rivals other consulting firms.
6.Contact past business associates or agencies with which you worked. Tell them you are in the consulting industry. Call businesses in your area they can use your consulting services. Make appointments to see people that may have projects available for you. Leave copies of your business cards and brochures.
7.Advertise in the business section of your local newspaper and yellow pages. Place your yellow pages advertisement in both the print and online versions of the publication. Promote your consulting business in trade publications that your clients are most likely to read, especially if you want to expand into other cities. Place online ads in major search engines like Yahoo, Google, Lycos and Alta Vista. Join professional organizations related to your profession and offer to speak at one of the luncheons.
8.Submit a written price quote or bid for each client that needs a project completed. Tell each client, when you win a bid, the time frame for all tasks and services. Organize your schedule by specific tasks so you complete them all on time.
9.Hire employees to handle clerical work and incoming business calls as your business grows, according to Entrepreneur.com. Add employees to manage projects and keep clients apprised of their projects' status.
10.Prepare your income taxes on a semi-annual or quarterly basis. Report your profits and expenses on "Schedule C" which is published by the Internal Revenue Service. Take the home office deduction if you are regularly performing work from home.

Tips & Warnings
Continue advertising your business on a regular basis. Include samples of your work and testimonials on your web site. Testimonials are positive comments from satisfied customers that can impress businesses that are considering your consulting services. Make sure you have written documents of testimonials on file before using them.

How Much Does it Cost to Start a Consulting Business?

consultant is someone who provides professional advice to others. Consultants can work in many different types of industries including business, computer, mentor, law and engineering. Today, many companies in order to save money will hire a consultant instead of a full time employee. Consultants are usually experts in their fields and have a great understanding of their particular subject area. Consultants can work for a firm or on their own

Business
• Business consultants evaluate a business's current status and make recommendations to improve their efficiency. According to the book "101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women" by Priscilla Huff, the average start up costs for a business consultant range between $5,000 to $20,000. This cost covers marketing, advertising, office equipment and any required training.
Computer
• Computer consultants advise consumers and business owners on choosing the best computer systems and software to meet their needs. Services will include assisting with purchasing, installation, training and troubleshooting of computer systems. "101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women" states that the average start up costs for a computer consultant range between $800 to $1,000. This cost covers marketing, advertising, office equipment and any required training.

Home-based Businesses
• Home-based business consultants help people who want to work from home. This would include assisting people with choosing a home-based business that matches their skills. Services include providing financing options, advertising strategies and resources for products and supplies. According to "101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women," the average start up costs for a home-based business consultant is $5,000 to $8,000. This cost covers marketing, advertising, office equipment and any required training.

How to Start a Consultant Engineering Business

An engineering consultant serves organizations, and businesses meet their design and construction needs. To start your consulting engineering business, you will need a start-up plan. Consultants generally provide services ranging from mechanical, chemical, computer technology and civil engineering. Consultants generally provide project management as well as technical advice

Instructions
1.Get professional certifications. Look in the state government website that you plan to work, and find the certifications that you will need to have to perform services as an engineering consultant.
2.Name your business. Some people use their family name and some choose a name that reflects the engineering consultant industry. For example, Your Name, Civil Engineering.
3. Determine your business structure. For example, will you operate as a Limited Liability Company, or a Corporation? Write your business plan and describe this structure and who will be responsible for the business. The Small Business Administration offers free tutorials about business plans.
4.Apply for a Federal Identification Number. You can apply online through a questionnaire at IRS.gov. Register your business with the state(s) that you plan to do business in. You can generally do this online as well.
5.Write a generic proposal for your business. In this proposal, describe your qualifications, members and partners. Describe the type of services that your business will provide, and the specific duties that your business will perform. You can review a Sample Proposal by Mariusz Mazur at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
6.Bid on projects. Register with local government entities as a qualified consultant and submit bids for upcoming projects. You can find a link on most state websites. These links are generally listed as "Doing Business." You can also seek private consulting jobs. Your local business directory will have the contact information for local businesses that may need your services.

How to Start Your Health Consulting Business

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, consulting is projected to be one of the fastest growing and highest-paying industries, with employment increasing 83 percent from 2008 to 2018. This should be welcome news if you are considering starting a health-consulting business. However, before you start your business, there are a series of steps you should take to help increase your chances of a successful endeavor

Instructions
1.Write a business plan. Include several important sections. Write your objectives, which describe what you hope to accomplish with your business. For example, "Gain 10 health-consulting clients by May 2012" or "Partner with local gyms to generate an additional $20,000 in health-consulting revenue." Describe your market, including demographic characteristics of the people you will be targeting with your health-consulting services and competitors in the health-consulting field. Outline how you will organize your health-consulting business. Communicate the legal structure of your business, whether or not you will have employees and how your management team will be structured. Describe the marketing strategies and tactics you will use to promote your health-consulting business.
2.Determine how you will finance your business. Create a list of all the things you will need to start, including any health licenses and training, office supplies and expenses, building costs, and exercise equipment. If you determine you don't have enough money to pay for all your start-up expenses, consider financing options like asking friends and family for a loan, business credit cards, small business loans, government grants or venture capital.
3.Obtain a federal tax identification number, also known as an "EIN." Apply for an EIN online or by contacting the Internal Revenue Service at 1-800-829-4933.
4.Apply for state taxes. Each state has different requirements for registering new businesses, so check with your secretary of state to figure out your state's requirements.
5.Apply for any necessary business licenses. Some states require specific licenses for health consultants, depending on the type of services you offer. Use the free tool on the business.gov website to search for any licenses and permits applicable to your health-consulting business in your state.
6.Start marketing your health-consulting business. There's no "right" way to begin your marketing and promotional efforts. Experiment with several tactics and keep using the ones that work. Create a brochure and business card, and then pass them out to the managers and owners of local health-themed businesses and gyms. Develop a "fan" page for your health-consulting business on Facebook, and ask your friends to help spread the word for you. Develop an email marketing campaign, and send weekly health tips and specials you are offering.

4 Tips for Starting Your Consulting Business

Thinking of starting as a consultant? Even in these tough times? Maybe you've always wanted to. Maybe some things just went wrong for you, so you have no choice; you have to.
I can help. I did consulting for Business International in the 1970s, for Creative Strategies in the 1980s, for McKinsey Management Consulting for one brief period, and for myself and my family, on my own, through most of the 1980s and early 1990s. Eventually, that became Palo Alto Software, but it was consulting first. And I learned a few things that might help you if that's where you're heading. Here's my list:
1. Get that first big client. 
Most successful consultants start with one big client. The best scenario is to leave your current job as a consultant, billing the company you worked for, for as long as you can. That happens a lot. The employer is relieved not to have the fixed cost but also to have your expertise available.
2. Focus on distinguishing differences. Build your business identity. 
Success is related to focusing on a narrow something that you do differently from and presumably better than all others. You need an angle. The first time I went on my own, it was as a computer-literate M.B.A. (back in 1983, when not every M.B.A. was computer literate) who had lived in Latin America and spoke Spanish. That gave me an angle.
Look for your own angle. We all tend to generalize and think inclusively about the different things we can do. Instead of that, think of what you can do that nobody else can (or only a few). Don't just do business planning, for example; do growth planning for retail businesses or manufacturing or something else you know. If you can make that focus be legitimately green—energy efficient but not greenwashing—that's even better.
Bill Cosby once said, "I don't know the secret to success; but I do know that the secret to failure is trying to please everybody."
3. Build it on value. 
Make meaning. Nothing drives a business more than believing that what it's doing matters to people and is important. Whether you're offering more healthful free-range organic meats (butcher), more healthful organic baked items (baker), or poverty-repelling candles (candlestick maker), believe in the value you're giving. Or get out of business.
Imagine yourself closing the office at the end of the workday. Do you feel good about what you've done all day? Is what you do for your clients good for them?
Ultimately, business success is rooted in having people who want to buy what you're selling. Are you giving them real value?
4. Keep your perspective. It's business, not life.
People get wrapped up in business and particularly in start-ups. I've been there, for sure. We spin the yarn about entrepreneurship as passion and dedication and endurance and then forget too easily that's there's that new business and then there's also the rest of your life.
I recognize that you may be in a tough spot during difficult times. Hard to get it out of your mind if you've been forced to hope you can build your own business.
But you do have to turn your mind and your worries off for a few hours a day. Listen to the people on the other side of the table at dinner; you care about them more than you realize. And get regular exercise: There will always be reasons not to, but the time you invest in exercise pays off later in productivity.

Small Business Consulting

Small business consulting is a growing field for business consultants. Like many consultation types, small business consulting overlaps the others in methodologies used and problems tackled. However, where small business consulting differs from those others is that everything they do, they finely tune to the needs of the small business.

For starters, this means cost. Small businesses obviously cannot afford the same level of expenditure that larger companies can. However, they do not need the same depth of service either. Therefore, consulting firms specializing in small business can reduce their broadness in return for fees that are more palatable to the small business.
Small business consulting firms provide services to businesses that would have no other access to them otherwise. For instance, many small businesses cannot afford to fund their own IT or HR departments. A small business consultation firm allows them to fill that gap affordably.

However, the usefulness of the small consulting firm to the small business begins long before IT and HR departments are a consideration. The consulting firm can provide a financial consultant that will help the small business owner-to-be develop a business plan and to get the funding from the bank or other investor sources.

Once the small business owner (SBO) has defined and then established the business, he or she can leverage the consulting firm to help it grow. The firm does this via marketing strategy consulting and Internet marketing consultant. Even local-only businesses can use the Internet effectively to increase their market presence. The consulting firm will use their technology consultants to build the business' web presence. If this is a business that can take advantage of a broader market, such as a store, the consulting firm can build the online shop.

Over time, a firm will build a network of connections in the area where it does business. A lack of connections is one the great roadblocks for many new SBOs. This network is perhaps the greatest benefit that a consulting firm gives to its small business client. A consulting firm can build profitable relationships between the new business and vendors in the area.

SBOs carry a lot of weight on the shoulders. New SBOs in particular can be unprepared for the stress of their new lifestyle. Top small business consulting firms do prepare for this and they offer their clients a wide range of services as individuals. Therefore, in addition to business coaching the SBO is receiving life coaching and the tools necessary to manage stress and other difficulties.

Consulting Firms
Consulting firms provide valuable advice for your business and operations. Finding the perfect match between consultant and business can be a daunting task. Consider all the factors involved that make a consultant the right fit for a particular business. A business requires a person with a high level of expertise. In addition to this expertise, the consultant must possess a stellar reputation and proven experience in the appropriate industry.

The consultant must offer all of the services that the business requires and there has to be some flexibility involved here. Many times the business cannot be aware of all the services needed until the consultation process is underway.
The reputation that consultants and firms develop is the best tool that a business has at its disposal. When choosing a consultant, a business should select at least five consultants or firms that provide the general services that they are seeking. Then the business can thoroughly research that short list. Research should encompass speaking with businesses in the same industry that have employed the consultant that the business is considering. The value of reputation in the consulting business cannot be overstated.

When researching a consultant/firm, a business should ask:
• Did the consultant fully honour the contract?
• Did the project achieve its goal and meet the expectations of the business?
• Were the consultant's expectations realistic?
• Did the consultant alter the initial plans substantially in order to complete the project?
• Were regular reports clear and helpful? Were there any surprises?
• Did the consultant arrive at reasonable findings, conclusions, and recommendations?
• Did the project progress smoothly, without miscommunication?
• Did the consultant work well with the business' owners and/or employees?
• Did the consultant have to perform the services underfunded?
• If applicable, how long did it take the result to cover the cost of the process?
• Did the consultant provide useful information?
• Was the consultant able to teach your employees effectively?
• Would you hire this consultant again?
• Would you recommend this consultant to another business?
Take advantage of other sources as well. For instance, many consultants publish industry articles as a form of marketing. Reading these articles can give a business great insight into the consultant or firm that they are considering. If the consultant has been a part of any high profile projects, there is often a great deal of media available, both print and online, that speaks to their accomplishments.

After research, the next step is the interview process. The process of interviewing consultants is similar to the process of interviewing potential employees. Consider both personal manner and professional style in addition to the substance of the answers. Discuss financial arrangements and ask for a proposal and references. Then begin the second phase of research using those references before making a final decision.

When interviewing a consultant/firm, a business should ask:
• How would you describe the challenges we face?
• Have you worked on project where you faced similar challenges?
• What did you learn from the experience?
• What would you do differently if you could repeat the experience?
• What are the initial problems you anticipate as we begin to work together?
• How can we best address these problems early on?
• What experience do you have working with a business similar to ours?
• Describe your work process. How will you integrate with our employees?
• What strengths do you possess that will prove particularly effective for this project?
• Are the other members of the consulting team? Who are they? How do you propose to divide tasks among the team members? When can we interview them?
• How can we evaluate your success in solving our problem?
• What is your availability to complete this project in the specified period?
• Will you be using other consultants or subcontractors?
• Approximately, how much will this cost?
• What should we know about you and your experience that we have not asked?