Ready for Some Outside Help? 3 Tips for Finding the Right Small-Business Consultant

After a speaking event, the founder and CEO of a 15-year-old small business approached me. The business's sales had fallen yearly, and he needed to determine why. He had tried everything – introducing new products, investing in search engine optimization and social media tactics, and increasing his sales team – but couldn't figure out how to turn things around. So he asked me to advise him and his leadership team. 

Within six weeks, I identified the business's central issue. The company's target audience was aging, and its marketing and product strategy no longer aligned with its customers' needs. I put together a plan including recommendations for new brand positioning, a suggested product feature list, and a couple of campaign ideas for the team to implement. Within one year, sales rebounded, and the company was profitable again. 

As a small-business owner, you may not have answers to every challenge; bringing in a small-business consultant can help. 

What is a small-business consultant?

Small-business consultants are field or industry experts who provide their expertise to small businesses. Some offer traditional services like strategy and process improvement, while others have more specialized offerings like customer insights, warehouse management, and artificial intelligence. They usually work on a project-by-project basis or offer their services through a fee-based retainer. 

Elisa Camahort Page, co-founder of the media outlet BlogHer and a small-business consultant in the California Bay Area, says, "An overarching aspect of any consultant's product is that you're paying for their expertise, not just their time or word count. A single hour with me is valuable because of my years of experience and study."

Unlike agencies that usually focus on execution, small-business consultants use their experience to advise and guide. Consider a company looking to replace a legacy technology system. A small-business consultant would perform a buy vs. build assessment and provide the leadership team with a recommendation on how to proceed. If the advice is to rebuild the system, the company can hire an agency to develop it. 

There are thousands of small-business consultants to choose from, but not everyone will be right for your business. 

Finding the Right Small-Business Consultant for Your Business

1. Create and share the scope of work.

Before searching for a small-business consultant, ask yourself a few questions. For example, what business challenges do you need help with? Where are your gaps? What is the desired outcome? 

Camahort Page says, "Anyone you hire, consultant or employee, will feel more confident if they know what success looks like for you. Ensure your outreach includes a clear scope of work and desired outcomes."

I want to work with someone who aligns with my values. For me, it's integrity, saying what you mean, meaning what you say, and doing the right thing when nobody is watching.

—Givelle Lamano, founder and CEO, Lamano Law Office

Once you know what you need, you can create a scope of work. Be sure to include some background on the business, the team makeup, the goals for a consulting engagement, and the budget and timeline. Then start your search by asking your network for referrals and searching the internet for experts like the authors of articles or books related to the areas you need guidance in. You may also find some consultants at an agency that offers strategy and execution services, like my Women+ insights and marketing studio, Tote + Pears. 

2. Look for someone with expertise and aligned values.

Givelle Lamano, founder and CEO of the all-women law firm Lamano Law Office, asks these questions when interviewing small-business consultants for her law firm and other business ventures: 

• How long have you been consulting?
• Can I speak to some of your current clients about the results you've gotten them? 
• Who are your core value clients? 
• What metrics do you use to measure success? 
• What are your personal values? 
• What is the average amount of time people work with you?

"I want to work with someone who aligns with my values. For me, it's integrity, saying what you mean, meaning what you say, and doing the right thing when nobody is watching," Lamano says.

You may share confidential information with your small-business consultant, so it's vital to find a consultant you can trust. 

3. Set expectations upfront, and communicate often.

Once you’ve found your small-business consultant, it’s important to set them (and you) up for success. Just as you would an employee, set aside time to review the goals for the engagement, to get status updates and address questions and remove roadblocks. 

Russell Kommer, CEO of the Microsoft Excel & O365 consulting, development and training firm eSoftware Associates Inc, believes aligning expectations up front and frequently communicating with your small-business consultant is key to a smooth transition. 

"Keep all lines of communication and feedback open so you can quickly correct course if the train starts to veer off the tracks. By establishing clear goals at the outset of the engagement and developing KPIs, both parties can work to ensure you're on the right path for success," says Kommer.

Running a business can feel like a lonely venture, but you're not on your own. Bringing in a small-business consultant is an easy way to get expert advice when and how you need it. Take advantage of the wide range of available experts.

Photo: Getty Images