Reasons & Steps You Must Consider Before Going Into Consultancy Business

Reasons to Become a Consultant
Although money is sometimes a key factor when someone decides to become a consultant, there are a few other reasons why more people are choosing this profession:

• You are not living your dream -- Maybe your dream has been to work on your own, and to be your own boss. As a consultant, you are responsible for your career; not anyone else.
  
  
• You are about to lose your job -- Job security is becoming a thing of the past, and for people who are about to get laid off, becoming a consultant is a viable way of earning a living and using their expertise.
  
  
• You have a talent people will pay money for -- Whether you are an expert as a fundraiser, computer wizard or marketing guru, once you discover your talent, you will find an audience who will pay you to do what you do best.
  
  
• You believe you can make a difference -- Many people become consultants because they know something in a particular field better than anyone else. And they use that knowledge to make a difference, either in the corporate or nonprofit world.

Steps to Becoming a Consultant

If the above information has you ready to say "yes" to becoming a consultant, congratulations, but take some time to create a plan before you hang out that shingle and start looking for clients. In other words, there are steps you should follow before launching your own consulting business, including:

1. Assess your skills and talents -- People who want a career as a consultant should be aware of both their strengths and their weaknesses. Be honest when making a list; if you are not, you will end up with problems down the road.
   
   
2. Decide on your specialty -- Do not make the mistake of deciding to become a consultant in a "hot" field just because there is a demand right now. Think carefully about where your interests lie, and how dedicated you believe you can be in serving other clients.
   
   
3. Research your field -- If you want to become a computer consultant, carefully research everything about that field. Who uses computer consultants? How much money can they make? Will it be easy to find clients?
   
   
4. Define your target audience -- No matter what type of consultant you have decided to become, you must define your audience. For example, will it be companies and large corporations, or individuals? Will it be nonprofit organizations or politicians?
   
   
5. Take the plunge -- If you truly believe you are ready, then take the plunge and launch your consulting business. Be sure to obtain any local or national licenses that you might need, as well as paying careful attention to any zoning laws, especially if you will be operating your consulting business from your home.