| The Business Assessment | | | | for your marketing efforts. |
| Otherwise known as the initial consultation, its | | | | Costs may be based on an hourly rate or per project |
| typically the first step where both businesses get to | | | | phase. |
| know each other. These are usually done free of | | | | Ensuring An Effective Working Relationships |
| charge and are a great way for the business owner | | | | The reason you are hiring a consultant is to assist |
| to understand what a particular consultant can do for | | | | you in reaching certain goals or desired results. You |
| them and of course for the consultant to | | | | should never be handing over the reigns of your |
| demonstrate their capabilities. | | | | business to a consultant and let them make |
| Once this assessment has been done the consultant | | | | whatever changes they feel appropriate as that |
| can provide idea of the work involved and what the | | | | could have disastrous results. Instead, a consultant |
| likely costs may be. This will form part of a strategy | | | | should be working along side you and your business |
| or implementation plan, with clear costs associated | | | | which may involved them getting involved directly in |
| with each step which will be discussed during the initial | | | | it or remotely from it, working as a part of your |
| meetings. | | | | business team. |
| This to watch out for here are any hidden surprises. | | | | These will also make it fairly apparent what is being |
| The more open and upfront a consultant is about | | | | done, why its being done and the expected results. |
| their fees, and the clearer the understanding you | | | | Getting A Handle On Results |
| have about what they are going to do for that | | | | The reason you are considering hiring a consultant is |
| money that control you will have over your | | | | to help your business so you need to get a handle on |
| expenditure. | | | | results to ensure its working for you. A return on |
| A phased plan, in stages will give a business hiring a | | | | investment is crucial for any financially orientated |
| consultant a chance to assess what has been | | | | organisation, so data that helps you to see what is |
| achieved and the likely return on that investment and | | | | happening and the financial gains is very important to |
| whether to proceed to the next phase, reducing the | | | | making the right decisions. |
| risk and possible over exposure of unnecessary costs | | | | Sometimes immediate results are not achievable in |
| or expenses. | | | | terms of direct profits, however other indicators |
| Costs Involved During The Marketing Process | | | | such as increases in enquiry levels, increases in sales, |
| The consultant will be focused on putting together | | | | reductions in marketing expenditure for the same or |
| and delivering each stage of the development | | | | better results can provide useful milestones as to |
| programme and in order to do that additional steps | | | | whether you are heading in the right direction. |
| such as research may be involved. When it comes to | | | | To understand this correctly you need to have a |
| the implementation, additional people may also be | | | | bench mark of your current situation, which the |
| required such as staff or contracted services where | | | | consultant can help you create so that you can |
| resources do not exist in house. Where tangible items | | | | measure performance against a known quantity and |
| need to be produced such as printing marketing | | | | therefore whether it is positive or negative. |
| collateral, getting promotional items, creating a | | | | Room To Manoeuvre |
| website or running advertising etc. these will be | | | | Bear in mend that at some stages of the process |
| considered additional expenses to the consultants | | | | trial and error may be required as every business and |
| costs. | | | | situation differs, so you will have to use your best |
| Remember, that paying for expert services will not | | | | judgement as to whether the right steps are being |
| be free so you should be prepared to invest in the | | | | taken towards making a breakthrough. If you have |
| consultant to help you deliver the maximum return | | | | the right consultant, that should not be a problem. |