Whether you’re starting a new company or growing a current business, there comes a point in every business when the owner realizes they need advice. This is when they wonder and ask themselves, “Should I hire a consultant?” Hiring the right consultant can be a cost-effective way for your small business to leverage specialized knowledge. A small business owner needs to understand the role of a consultant in their business, and to learn how and when it is cost-effective to hire one.

What does a small business consultant do?

Simply put, a business consultant is an outside professional you hire to solve an internal business problem. They are a great source of specialized knowledge. An excellent business consultant brings knowledge, skills, experience, and process to improve the client’s situation.

Business consultants have their own schedules, may have various clients, and are hired on a contract/project basis. Depending on the consulting firm, consultants may work independently or may bring their own team.

A business consultant can help with marketing and sales development, business expansion and improvements, and even carrying out the task of their ideas and recommendations.

Here is what the consulting process consists of:

1. Pre-consulting: Before you begin the work, you and your consultant set out the terms and limits, and agree on the “consulting agreement”.
2. Consulting period: The consulting period consists of discovering, researching, and final presentation of recommendations that achieves the project.
3. Post-consulting: You and the consultant can either choose to continue your agreement or move towards exercise on your own.

Why do people hire small business consultants?

Small business owners hire consultants as a cost-effective way to bridge a gap in knowledge and skills within their company. Consultants are also hired to bring a fresh, objective, and professional outlook to the company.

Here are the three most common reasons why clients hire consultants for help:

1. To find the problem(s). Often, a business may be experiencing problems such as a decrease in sales, or cash-flow issues. Their internal management is unable to find the source of the problem. In this case, a consultant can be brought into your operations to examine, research, and find the root of the problem.
2. To create the solution(s). You may have a goal for your company and you are unable to achieve it internally due to a gap in skills. Hiring a good consultant can save time and money. It can also produce a better result.
3. Development. Perhaps your company grew very fast and there are a lot of things you could be doing better and you don’t even know where to begin. A consultant can bring in some fresh perspective. They can evaluate all areas of your business, and figure out the processes and procedures to increase productivity levels.

A small business consultant can definitely help you run your business, by planning your business strategy and in some cases even executing it. Hiring the right consultant can be a cost-effective way for your small business to leverage specialized knowledge. There are many positive effects in small business consulting and it can bring great success to your company.