Professional mobile page template for Independent consultants in Connecticut

7 Steps to Starting a Consulting Business Determine your services. While transitioning to independent work is exciting, it is a significant career and life change. Prepare your finances. Try Moonlighting First. Write a Business Plan. Find Clients. Invest in Partnerships. Create a Marketing Plan.

Take an Ownerʼs Draw To pay yourself as a sole proprietor, all you have to do is transfer money from your business account to your personal bank account. Itʼs super easy. Better yet, set up ongoing bank transfers between your business account to personal account so you never forget to pay yourself.

Here are eight effective ways to market a consulting business: Create a Google My Business Account. Develop Your Personal Brand. Write an Effective Sales Pitch. Create a Professional Website. Prove You Are a Thought Leader. Grow Your Social Network. Determine Your Target Audience. Use Video to Your Advantage.

Make your role crystal clear to your client. Youʼre a consultant, adviser, and independent business owner. Doing this will avoid confusion: your client wonʼt think that you have to do what they say, go to events that are critical to their business, or be on conference calls that donʼt require your presence.

How to Become a Consultant Identify your area of expertise. Be honest about where your strengths and expertise lie and consider strengths outside your nine-to-five focus. Set goals. Make a website. Get certified. Choose a target market. Decide where youʼll work. Create your offerings. Set your rates.

The path to becoming an independent consultant can vary but often includes establishing an area of expertise, accumulating relevant experience, cultivating a network of clients and creating an online presence, with education and training playing an important role in skill development.

How to Start a Consulting Business in Six Steps Assess your skills and strengths to choose your niche. Analyze your market needs and pain points. Develop your brand, website, and service offerings. Open your business. Market your business to attract new clients. Stay organized and scale.

Keep in mind, if the average consulting fees are around $100 per hour, your experience and track record will need to be taken into account. If you are a brand-new consultant, you may be charging closer to $50 per hour. With 20 years of experience under your belt, you may be charging $150 or even $200 per hour.