At Check Issuing, we work with quite a good number of consultants. A great many of our Accounts Payable clients have their own consulting businesses in a variety of verticals. Running a consulting business is a challenge, to say the least. Many people think they can just hop right into consulting so long as they have “some” experience in the trade or vocation, but that’s not always the truth.

Consulting businesses are just like any other business. You must have proper accounting (as Check Issuing and our accounts payable services provides). You might need help (outsourcing). You need skills. You need proof of your work concept. You need a trail of happy clients. Here are a few essential considerations you should make when it comes to creating a new consulting business.

Do you have any certifications? Are there any certifications needed? Often times, potential clients will ask what certifications you have that qualify you as an expert in your trade. Beefing up your education, no matter how much of an expert you feel you are, can only help you sell yourself. Online courses or even community college courses can be of great help.

Get experience. If you are brand new to the game, then it might not be a bad idea to do a couple of smaller jobs for people / companies either for free, or for a super low rate. Your main goal is to complete the jobs and add them to your portfolio. You want them happy and you want them to give you a great review. You can even ask them to write up a review of your services for your website and other social media spots (Facebook, Yelp). Potential clients like to see other satisfied customers before they commit to pay you anything.

Get organized. Consulting requires that you be mega-organized. Many companies or individuals who hire you are doing so because aspects of their business are chaotic. They aren’t looking to add more chaos, rather, they are looking to add an infusion of stability. They want you to make things make sense. Get good at planning. Make use of online calendars. Store files in cloud drives (like Google Drive) where you can quickly and easily access them. Set reminders in your smart phone. Wake up in the morning and look over your day and know what’s happening. Allot time as precise as possible for each client.

Get to Networking. If you aren’t super social, learn to fake it. Networking is the key to getting more clients. If you want to increase the scope of your network, you will need to attend business happy hours and trade shows. Creating new contacts can lead to new business. Dress professionally, avoid politics and religion in conversations and smile a lot. Making new friends can only lead to good things when your business is consulting.

Working for yourself can be one of the most invigorating experiences life has to offer. But it isn’t without work. So get busy, what are you waiting for?

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