Have a question you’d like featured? Let me know.

First off, (since this is my first post of 2021), Happy New Year!

Now, let’s get into this month’s question.

This month’s topic is an umbrella question based on several emails I’ve gotten over the past few months.

I’ve blogged about this here and there over the years, particularly in my Keeping Your Sanity As a Solopreneur series, and since I’m getting more emails and social media DMs about, I thought it would be useful to share my advice in a more broader way as this may benefit more people.

A Google search of any variation of the question “How do I get into consulting?” will yield hundreds of links.

In short, consulting involves using your knowledge and expertise to help someone or some entity become more efficient and knowledgeable in their practices by addressing a problem they’re facing. How this looks may depend on your chosen profession.

How consulting looks for me depends on the project or study I’m working on. In some cases, I may be reviewing someone and offering insight or suggested changes. In others, I may be more practitioner-focused by working with my client or partner in completing tasks (which can include developing and implementing trainings, developing research or evaluation questions, implementing evaluations, analyzing data and developing themes and recommendations, facilitating meetings, etc.)

So, how do you get into consulting? Here’s some things to keep in mind:

What do I want to consult in?

Before you get started on marketing yourself as a consultant, get clear on what you want to consult on and fine tune your niche. Some questions to ask yourself:

  • What am I passionate about?
  • What comes easily for me?
  • What do people ask me about?
  • What trainings, education, certifications, do I have?

Who is my ideal client?

Identifying your ideal client helps to tailor your offerings and content creation, aid in knowing exactly who you want to work with, and helps you market yourself accordingly. Some questions to consider:

Note: Your ideal client is the person that pays for your services; however, sometimes a benefactor is involved. The ideal client directly benefits from your services. The benefactor however, has the ability to pay for your services. An example of this is creating a consulting service around teaching high school students to prepare for and score high on the SATs. While some high school students may have the ability to pay for your services, they most likely will have to check with their parent/guardian (the benefactor) first.

Another note: This can also be reversed. For example, my ideal client is able to pay for my services, but the benefactor (women and girls of color) are directly affected by the work my clients do in the communities they serve.

How do I want to offer my services?

From being hands-on to offering insights and advice, there’s a variety of service delivery models to choose from. A simplified way of looking at this include:

  • Done for you: You’re delivery the service yourself
  • Done with you: You’re working with the client/partner to provide the service
  • Done with others: You’re working with a group of experts to advise the client
  • Advising/coaching: You’re advising the client on what to do
  • One to one: You’re working with one person at a time
  • One to many: You’re working with multiple people (this is useful if you want to do group coaching, online course development, speaking on a panel, etc.)

How should I set up my business?

My business is a Limited Liability Company (LLC), but there are several business structures based on your needs. Here’s a breakdown from LegalZoom.

Also, check into:

  • Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (if you’re in the United States. If you’re not in the U.S. or plan to do work outside of the U.S. or your country, check the business information in your country).
  • Look into any certifications, special licenses, or professional affiliations that you may need (Ideally, you will not be starting a business in something you have no knowledge in. Plus, this helps you to keep up to date on your industry trends and changes).
  • Open a business checking account. (Most banks will do this if you have Articles of Organization prepared and submitted to your location)
  • Have a way to invoice and receive client payments (From Freshbooks and QuickBooks to PayPal, there are many ways to make sure you get paid for your services)

Who is doing what I want to do?

Unless you go to school specifically for business marking, most academic programs teach you to market yourself in order to work for someone else.

One of the biggest lessons learned for me was in figuring out how to market myself. To do this, I naturally sought out individuals who were doing what I aspired to do (consulting, running a business, and engaging in prospective clients). Some I knew personally, while most I admired from afar. I broke them down as:

  • People who focus on the technical aspects of running a business (anything from client lead engagement, business owner mindset, innovative ways to engage current clients, time management, goal setting, online marketing, to building systems for leadership and staff, etc.)
  • People whose skillsets closely matched my own

The interesting thing about following and connecting with people whose skillsets (and client base) are more aligned with yours is that, in the beginning stages, you’re mostly observing them. Everything from observing how they engage their audiences and their marketing frequency, to their website design and social media aesthetics. You may even sign up for their classes or attend their talks or webinars. It isn’t intended to copy what they’re doing; however, this should serve as inspiration for where you can take your consulting business.

Authentically engage with them on their platforms. Ask specific questions. be intentional about building relationships. These individuals could one way be partners. Another things I’ve learned is, instead of viewing people as competitors, see them as collaborators and partners.

How will I make myself stand out?

From websites to social media, there are a variety of ways to make yourself stand out. Here are some to consider:

  • Create a website (Your website doesn’t need to have multiple pages or tons of bells and whistles, but it does need to be easy to navigate, promptly features your services, what prospective clients can expect when working with you, and include a way for clients to contact you)
  • Showcase your expertise (From blogging to creating videos and podcast to being responsive in online message board and listservs, play around with different avenues to draw in your ideal clients). The key is to hone in on your ideal clients’ pain points to address them and show them how to solve the problem. This is considered free content, but my free content has been viewed and shared with thousands of people, and has gotten into the hands of people who eventually became paid clients)
  • Build an online presence (Identify the social media platforms where you believe your ideal client will most likely go to search for someone like you). Here’s my rule for using social media to market yourself.
  • Have a more intimate way for ideal clients to connect with you (I have a newsletter where I share personal behind the scene happenings in my business and personal life. You can also create a private subscriber podcast, a Patreon, private group on Facebook, or other platforms such as Mighty Networks.

What is my “proof of concept”?

A “proof of concept” demonstrates and verifies that your product or service is actually something people will pay for. I created my proof of concept by conducting informational interviews with people who got my client profile, doing some pro bono work and gathering feedback and testimonials, and creating online content documenting what I did in that work and what I knew overall. This process varies depending on the work you want to do.

How can feel confident in being a consultant?

“Imposter syndrome” is a psychological thought pattern that causes us to doubt our accomplishments while also being plagued by an internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud”.

Most articles on impost syndrome focus on how to get rid of it, but I’ve found that feeling like an imposter will continue come up in various stages as you advance in your consulting career.

As you move through your consulting career, you’ll be faced with multiple challenges that will allow the imposter feelings to come up. Unless you’re building a consulting business in something you don’t have any education, training, or experience in, you’ll be fine. Continue to seek out resources, trainings, and other educational opportunities to expand your knowledge.

Key takeaway

While this post isn’t intended to be a robust guide on becoming a consultant, I hope this serves as quick advice on what to consider as you build out your consulting practice. As you build and gain more experience, you’ll develop a process that works best for you. Best of luck!

Raise Your Voice: What steps are you taking to build your consulting practice? What insights and lessons learned have you experienced? Share below in the comments section.