In our work with many business owners and startups we often see the same repeat mistakes. Here are 4 of the biggest ones: 1. Unrealistic Financial Projections. One of the biggest mistakes made in business plans are unrealistic financial projections. The assumption that a start-up business will immediately be profitable is often a naive mistake …
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Before most companies decide on working with business consultants on a large scale project they’ll first ask for a round of business or marketing proposals from various consulting firms. This elimination process is called the request for proposal or RFP. The Problem with RFP’s While in theory this does provide you with a perfect opportunity …
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Your firm has received a request for a consulting proposal (RFP). A solid proposal will give you a good shot at getting the new project. You need to do a thorough job because if you don’t your “hungry” competitors will. Especially when you’re just staring out in the business of consulting there will be lots …
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The marketing plan for your consulting business needs to be thoughtfully charted. Begin by charting your course for a 12 month journey. This will allow you to see the bigger picture. Once you have an outline for this you can dig deeper into the details of your month to month plan. It’s important to make …
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Writing consulting proposals can be a time consuming, thankless and tedious proposition. Done correctly, however, they can be one of the very best ways you can secure new clients in your chosen target market. To give you an example, someone I know once created a security proposal for a client (who was a construction professional.) …
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As a business or marketing consultant, you have a core area of expertise. The field you focus on, and the skills and experience that set you apart from the rest. Unfortunately, while you may be the best in your chosen field, that is not really enough when building a consulting business. You need to be …
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These two interactive plans epitomize your consultancy. While both plans portray your vision and outline your path to success, these two critical plans have different purposes. In the marketing plan, the consultant articulates the company vision and establishes a marketing path to accomplish that vision. The business plan lays out the financial and operational structure …
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So your consulting marketing plan is ready and has been skillfully crafted. The plan is a reflection on your ability to assess the marketplace, structure an attack plan and follow through with the implementation. This can be tedious work. Like many consultants, you will be wearing more than one hat at all times. In 2007, management, …
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Between December 2007 and the end of November 2008, more than 2,100,000 lost their jobs. While companies are paring down their workforces, businesses are redefining their products, their marketing plans, their technology and their overall business practices. The business consulting doors are open. There is a definite and promising marketplace for consulting services. The competition …
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