Business

 The only way a consultant can deliver the results expected of them is if they work effectively with their clients. You can be the most knowledgeable person within your niche, but until you can get your client to act on and implement your ideas, you won’t bring any change into their lives. If your client fails to reach the goals you were supposed to help them reach, then you’ve failed in your role as a consultant. 

 While you’re typically expected to give advice and occasionally oversee new projects, your job is not only to gather data and provide analysis. You should be able to convince your client of the changes you want them to make. The most effective consultant is someone who can provide actionable solutions that their clients can immediately implement and benefit from. 

 Here are five ideas you can use to improve how well you work with your clients: 

 Understand the Client’s Expectations

 Clients usually come to consultants when they need immediate help. Early in the consultation process, have a discussion with your client regarding what they want from you. What role are they expecting you to play? Do they want you to be more hands-on? Do they want frequent updates? What role do they expect to play through the process? 

 Having clarity on exactly what is expected of you, as well as what your client can expect from you will help you deliver results that are aligned with what your client wants. 

 Understand the Client

 This is different from the client’s expectations. When a client approaches you from an organisation or even a small business, you’ll meet either one, two, or, at the most, a small group of people. You may think that the client is one person or a small group of people. However, the client is the organisation or the business they are representing. 

 This creates a unique challenge for consultants, as you may have to contend with conflicting interests within the organisation as you try to find the ideal way to help your client reach their goals. To deal effectively with this situation, you should always prioritise the needs of the ‘actual client’ over individuals and groups. 

 Develop Problem Solving Skills

 The primary role of a consultant is to solve the client’s problems. To do this, not only do you need to find actionable solutions to the client’s problems, but you also need to teach the client how to implement those ideas. 

 As an expert in your niche, you’re already well-versed in how to solve various real-world problems. Your client, however, may need to understand everything from scratch. You should be able to translate complex ideas into simple information that your client can easily digest. 

 Communicate Effectively

 Your client may expect you to provide regular updates. Providing weekly updates is the norm for many consultants and shouldn’t be skipped. Keeping your client in the loop is easier than ever before, thanks to social media platforms and instant messaging applications. 

 However, don’t limit your interactions to the digital medium. Conversing face to face is important when it comes to developing consultant-client relationships. Communicate your progress as often as necessary and ask your clients to keep you in the loop about any changes they’re making. 

 Develop Trust and Loyalty

 Strive to build a connection based on trust and loyalty with your client. That way, you’ll both be able to get your client to implement what you suggest, and you can also enter a retainership agreement with them. 

 If your client trusts you, they’re more likely to trust your advice as well. Consultants that develop relationships with their clients are more capable of leading their clients to their expected goals and outcomes. 

 The role of a consultant is to help the client achieve their desired business goals. However, you may not be able to succeed every time. Consider getting Professional Indemnity insurance as a way to protect yourself from potential risks. To learn more about professional indemnity insurance, click here. 

 As a consultant, the better you get at communicating your ideas effectively to your clients, the better the results you can expect. When your client trusts you and understands what you’re trying to tell them, they’ll be capable of following through on your advice more effectively. 

 *As with any insurance, cover will be subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions contained in the policy wording. The information contained on this web page is general only and should not be relied upon as advice. 

 Sources: 

1. Hamel, GH, ‘The Importance of Communication in Consulting’, viewed December 24th 2020, https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-communication-consulting-37337.html 

1. McLaughlin, MWM, Updated June 25th 2019, ‘How to Land Your First Consulting Client’, viewed December 24th 2020, https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-to-land-your-first-client-1201229 

1. Nikolova, NN, ‘Understanding the Client-Consultant Relationship’, viewed December 24th 2020, https://www.aesc.org/insights/blog/understanding-client-consultant-relationship 

1. Staff, November 21st 2020, ‘8 Key Consulting Skills Valued by Employers and Clients’, viewed December 24th 2020, https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/consulting-skills 

Raising your kids can be challenging but rewarding. But just because you stay at home does not mean that you cannot help with the family expenses.

People tend to rely on the Internet more and more, especially now that there is a pandemic. Hence, it is not surprising that home businesses are sprouting here and there.

In the United States alone, there are about 15 million home-based businesses. And their nature ranges from online boutiques to accounting firms.

That said, there is nothing wrong with starting an online business from home. And if you do not know where you would like to venture, here are some ideas:

Online Tutorial Classes

If you have a knack for teaching, this might be the online business idea that you are looking for.

Moreover, the current pandemic has boosted the demand for online teachers and tutors. That’s because there are schools that opted to conduct their classes online. However, not every parent can manage to help their kids with homework.

This is where you come in.

You can opt to teach a specific subject like AP calculus or US history. Another option is to handle a particular school grade. For instance, you would prefer to teach any subject to middle school students.

eBook and Online Courses

Similar to providing online classes, you might also want to sell informational products like eBooks online.

This is ideal if you want to impart knowledge to people but do not have the time or resources to hold a live class.

And what’s cool about selling informational products is that you can go niche. If you are passionate about cleaning like Mari Kondo, you can write an eBook about home cleaning.

But that also means leveraging various digital marketing tactics. That’s because you will be unable to sell your eBooks and online courses if people do not know that it exists.

Luckily, there are different digital marketing strategies for small businesses that you can also apply to promote your eBooks.

E-commerce Store

Another business idea you might want to consider would be e-commerce.

What’s cool about having an online store is selling various products without the need to have a physical store. And you can sell any products, as long as you abide by the federal and state law.

Another benefit of starting an e-commerce store is that it does not have to cost much. There are affordable e-commerce platforms that allow you to DIY an online store.

But if you are not that tech-savvy, you can hire a freelance e-commerce web developer instead.

Dropshipping

Speaking of e-commerce, an ideal venture for stay-at-home parents would be dropshipping.

What happens is that you can sell products online and forward all order details to your suppliers. From there, they will handle the product delivery.

This means that you get to sell products online without the need to rent a warehouse or worry about inventory.

And you can sell virtually any products. It is just a matter of finding a product that sells like hotcakes.

Luckily, many dropshipping guides teach you how to be successful in this kind of business.

Community Marketplace

If you have tons of items that you would want to sell, you can sell them online.

Luckily, there various online marketplaces where you can sell second-hand items. There are Facebook Marketplace and other FB groups.

You can also opt to create your online community marketplace. All you need is to find the e-commerce platform that suits your needs.

Plus, you will need to develop a screening process for potential sellers. This is to ensure the buyers’ safety and that you are not providing a platform to scammers. Otherwise, it can ruin your business reputation.

Food Delivery

Meanwhile, starting an online food delivery business is ideal if you have a knack for cooking.

As mentioned earlier, there is a growing demand for various online businesses due to COVID-19. And since not everyone can go out to buy food, food delivery is a viable option.

Moreover, there are various revenue models for starting an online food delivery business. The simplest one would be pre-ordering a meal and then delivering it on the promised day.

If you do not consider yourself a good cook, but you know someone who is, you can opt to sell their special menu to your customers. It is just a matter of having a proper revenue-sharing model.

Online Grocery

If you cannot handle being in the kitchen, perhaps you can opt to start an online grocery business.

What you can do is ask for price lists from local groceries and farmer’s markets in your area. Promote them online and collect orders from customers.

Once everything is accounted for, you can start buying the items, repacking them, and bringing the good to your customers.

What’s cool about this online business idea is that you help the businesses in your area. And this can help drive your local economy.

Niche Subscription Boxes

This online business idea is like the online grocery but for other items. A typical example would be curated beauty products.

Mind you, this kind of business has seen a whopping 800% increase in sales. Plus, it enables you to support other home businesses.

If you are into the beauty niche, you can opt to include a lipstick made by a friend. Now that there is a pandemic, you might want to curate cleaning products or personal protective equipment.

Online Selling can be a Worthwhile Endeavor

It is expected that more than 2.14 billion people worldwide will buy goods and services online. Hence, starting an online business can be a worthwhile endeavor, even for stay-at-home parents.

It just a matter of knowing what products you want to sell and how to build an e-commerce website.

Plus, you also need to learn a thing or two about digital marketing. We suggest you start with Search Engine Optimization and Pay-per-click Advertising. That way, you can promote the products and services that you sell online.

Do you want to start an online business from home? Let us know in the comments what you have in mind.