Why Are Sales Consultants Beneficial to an Organization?

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Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves tactics for increasing website visibility through consumer tools such as Google. The idea is to generate a greater amount of web traffic; however, additional work is necessary than simply receiving an amplified number of clicks. It takes a solid advertising plan, knowledge about customer demographics, a well-designed website, and the right content to make internet marketing work for a company. Organizations can attempt to tackle the process themselves or choose the direction of professional sales consultants experienced in this area of advertising. While doing it without expert assistance could seem like a cost effective option, it actually lessens the results a company receives when moving toward Internet driven marketing.

Organizations wanting dependable results the first time should consider obtaining sales consulting services to guarantee success. The cost is minimal compared to what a business can gain when the process is done correctly. Internet marketing techniques are important as the web continues to become a main avenue for communication, research, and purchasing among individual consumers.

Sales Consulting Services Supply Dependable Results in a Shorter Timeframe

Why is it worthwhile for a company to at least consider acquiring the help of sales consulting services? The development of a full proof strategy, site optimization, content creation, social media methods, and additionally required tasks are time consuming. Most companies find out quickly that this portion of their advertising is taking away from equally important responsibilities. Internet marketing is truly a science where individuals must understand the algorithms used by search engines. Professional already have the inside knowledge to make the process work better for a company. They can apply specifically proven strategies to improve page rankings among engines. If a business decides to forego the additional help, the appointed parties will have to dedicate additional efforts to learning how engines work and what will amplify rankings. This knowledge is already known with a professional thus decreasing the time it takes to begin seeing results. An experienced provider allows an organization to worry less about this particular function and continue focusing on equally important core tasks.

Sales consultants working in this area have a defined implementation for completing set objectives. They can make alterations depending on specific business needs and use existing processes to provide a higher quality outcome. Professionals supply updates and reports to keep a business informed on current progress. Reports are typically provided to show ranking improvements being supplied by the service. An experienced sales consulting service can provide astounding results in a much faster timeframe than when a business attempts to manage this form of Internet marketing on their own.

Experts can assist with every aspect beginning with strategic planning, website design, and content creation. A chosen provider should have a longstanding background in the field with years of experience. Credibility and search engine knowledge are equally important when hiring sales consultants. The service provider should be able to develop a solid plan toward increasing web presence and be capable of showing supplied progress as they implement the steps necessary to make it happen.

What Happens If the Computer Consultant Needs a Consultant?

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I think one of the best IT Jobs available today is that of an Independent Computer Consultant. Becoming your own boss allows you to remove any limits on your potential income, you’ll have unlimited technical and professional growth potential and you can take comfort in knowing that as long as you take good care of your customers, your job will always be secure.

However, when you’re starting a small business, you have to realize that no matter how great of a Computer Consultant you may be, you’re simply not so talented that you can physically be in two places at once,. which will likely be required at some point in your career. Probably sooner than later.

Maybe one of the places you’re at is at another client whose server is down, or you’re home in bed with a stomach virus (and won’t dare wander more than 20 yards from a bathroom), or perhaps you’re on a much earned vacation. Sooner or later you’re going to need someone to give you a hand. Even if it’s to assist in solving a technical problem that you simply can’t seem to figure out.

There have been several times in my early consulting days where I’ve been at a client site and I literally was ready to say “Sorry Client. I can’t seem to get the server back up, I have no idea when it will be working again and I think I’d like to go home now.” Of course, I didn’t go home and I stayed until I got the problem resolved. I used whatever resources I knew of… Web searches, Microsoft Technet, a $250 call to Microsoft Support, tech support forums, etc.

But because I never let a client down and I always did whatever it was that I had to do to get the problem resolved, is why I’ve been able to form the solid relationships that provided the referrals I needed when starting and growing a small business of my own.

But through experience, I’ve learned that it’s just smarter to have help available before it’s really needed… and to be smart enough to call upon that help when it’s needed.

This is where I’ve come to rely on a fantastic means of both support and business growth.

Partnering.

Once you’re ready to start promoting your new business, you’ll want to research some of your larger, local IT Providers, MSPs or Computer Consulting firms. When you find several that look reputable and appear to be able to support the small business market, reach out to the owner. Business owners generally like speaking with other business owners and most will be receptive to your call and happy to speak with you.

Explain your business model. Be clear on the fact that you’re an Independent Computer Consultant and you’re looking to support a limited client base of small business customers. Explain that you’re exploring partnership possibilities and would like to see if his business would be interested in providing non-competitive support to you if you need it.

If you could get your prospective partner’s rate to match what you charge your clients, whenever you need help, it won’t cost you anything out of pocket. If his rate to you is higher than what you currently charge your customers, accept your partner’s charges as a necessary business expense.

Let’s say his billing rate is $25 higher per hour than yours.

You get stuck at a client. Their main server is down and they’re panicking without access to their email. You spend 2 hrs. working on the issue, yet you still have no idea yet what the problem might be… and no specific idea of how much longer it will take to find a solution.

Now, You can spend the next 4 hrs. doing continued troubleshooting, but risk making no progress, which will leave you with a client with diminishing patience and questioning their Computer Consultant’s abilities. They’ll also be stressing over the amount of time and therefore money that this repair job will ultimately cost. And depending on the final outcome, they may very well dispute a portion, if not all of the charges.

Or you can call in your partner who will hopefully bring the expertise needed, as well as additional resources necessary for getting the problem solved quickly.

Even If he spends the next 4 hours, but actually gets the problem solved, this cost you $100 (plus you “lose” the 4 hours of billable time that you would have gained if you were able to fix the problem yourself).

But your client is happy to have the problem resolved. Your client is also happy to have a computer consultant who has the resources to call in assistance when necessary and get the job done. And you’ve reinforced your relationship with your tech partner.

I’d say that’s a well-spent $100.

Another positive result that can come from a partnering with a larger MSP or Support Provider is that you can offer to refer potential business their way should a prospective customer be too large or complex for you to support yourself.

If you marketing your services well, there will be an occasion where a large company with IT Support needs is referred to you. While this might not be the type of client you’d like to support, by referring this company to another reputable provider (rather than saying, “Sorry, I can’t help you.”), you’ll enhance your reputation and relationship with both your partner and with the business associate that referred the prospective client to you in the first place.

Your partner can in turn refer customers to you that don’t necessarily fit their desired profile and are better suited for an Independent Computer Consultant. Many of my current small business customers have come from partners who felt they were just “too small” for them to service profitably. These small clients however are absolutely perfect for my business model.

Another excellent place to find assistance is through the very same channels you’d advertise your own services. A quick web search through a local directory, Craigslist or a freelance job board should turn up several progressive Independent Computer Consultants or very small IT Support Providers in your immediate area.

You could view these other providers as competition, or as your potential allies. I prefer the latter.

Contact the ones you like and that are in close proximity to you or your clients. Tell them that you’d like discuss a potential support relationship. Setting these meetings over coffee in the late afternoon is often casual, relaxed and productive (I find early morning meetings are usually way too rushed).

When finding someone to partner with, be specific on what everyone’s expectations are and put these specifications in a strong, non-compete or partnership agreement before doing any work on each other’s behalf.

Starting a small business on your own doesn’t mean you should be going at it alone. Establish strong partnerships and you’ll be strengthening your own successful business as well.

Clodura.AI, a Best ZoomInfo Alternative

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6 Reasons Customers Switch to Clodura.AI from ZoomInfo

Over the past months, we’ve seen a steady inflow of ZoomInfo clients who are now Clodura.AI clients. And, although each of them had their own reasons for looking for a better option, the overarching themes generally centered around some of these six reasons:

1. Improved Data Accuracy and Coverage

Customers who spend premium money expect high-quality goods (in this case,Guest Posting excellent data quality and coverage). Many customers are dissatisfied with ZoomInfo.

Clodura.AI outperforms in terms of quality and promises a minimum of 95 percent accuracy with its human-verified data. On top of that, we provide the most mobile numbers, which are rapidly becoming the go-to outreach channel as WFH becomes the new normal.

Before joining up, most of our clients compare our data to all other data suppliers, including ZoomInfo, and we consistently come out on top.

Request a free data sample and judge for yourself. This is our cola test!

Take a look at this client who accomplished exactly that. “From each business, we collected a data sample. We sent the identical email campaign to each set of contacts and tracked click-through rates. Clodura.AI contacts had the greatest conversion rate.”

“We conducted random trials with each of the businesses and verified them against our datasets,” said another customer. To be honest, it was much worse. The majority of them were out of date.”

2. Contracts That Are Transparent
There have been many occasions when ZoomInfo clients have felt coerced by contract terms they were unaware of. Signing on the dotted line is like entering a minefield, whether it’s the infamous advance auto-renewal or the need to erase CRM data following license cancellation.

Clodura.AI’s contract is completely open, and consumers receive precisely what they bought for with no hidden surprises in the small print. In fact, we often go out of our way to fulfill unusual requests in order to alleviate our customers’ worries.

Your aim as a company is to get the most bang for your money. It’s also not simply about the monetary expense. Paying a premium for a subpar product while putting up with bad service contradicts the logic of a long-term company. You do have a better option. Ask for a demo to see the difference for yourself and take the first step toward making the correct decision

3. Data updates
Data is extremely dynamic in the B2B market.

According to Experian Data Quality, data errors may result in a 12% revenue loss and affect almost 88 percent of businesses! Furthermore, inaccurate data may result in material being sent to the wrong audiences or sales calls being made to the wrong individuals. Such blunders may harm your domain’s and brand’s reputation, as well as reduce the value of your brand. Clearly, there is a rising need to maintain data cleanliness, particularly in real-time, and unlike ZoomInfo, clients have reported that Clodura.AI handles this problem directly.

Clodura’s real-time data enables salespeople to respond quickly and capitalize on opportunities that emerge.

4. Sales Intelligence
Clodura’s AI-powered sales intelligence technology provides real-time triggers on more than 25 critical purchasing signals, ensuring that sales teams never miss another opportunity.

Meaningful Buyer Engagements: Your client’s time, like yours, is precious. Clodura assists you in identifying low-hanging fruit sales possibilities and allowing you to prioritize your approach appropriately. Your sales staff may get context via actionable data insights, allowing them to create the ideal sales presentation. With Clodura’s help, you can get the most out of every encounter.

Identify Sales Opportunities: Access all essential and reliable information on a single platform. Clodura examines your Total Addressable Market in real-time, keeping you informed at all times. Your sales staff can be at the top of their game with over 25 customized purchasing signal notifications.

Maintain a Competitive Advantage: Clodura provides high-quality, actionable data to help you maximize every business opportunity. You can remain one move ahead of your opponents with real-time statistics and customized notifications.

You will never again miss a sales opportunity with Clodura!

Sign Up For A Demo 5. Outreach campaigns
Boost your sales velocity by sending the appropriate message at the right moment for sales prospecting. Unlike Zoominfo, Clodura’s killer email sequence features aid in generating more interactions and booking more appointments.

Companies have reported Saving hours from tedious work by designing and delivering sales outreach email campaigns. With Clodura, clients have reported that they can easily set up scheduled email sequences to automate their sales outreach and contact as many prospects as possible.

With Clodura, you can track and analyze email openings, clicks, and responses for every email sent. Discover which messages and campaigns have produced the greatest outcomes. As templates, re-use your most effective and favorite sales emails.

Even better, Clodura connects with the email applications you already use. Connect your mailbox and other email sending applications to stay updated on all emails sent and received.

6. Better Return on Investment – Best Price Performance
One of the most frequent complaints about Zoominfo is that it is just too costly for the value it provides. Furthermore, they generally charge a 10% yearly uplift and a slew of additional fees for particular datasets.

Clodura.AI enables clients to fulfill their data requirements, create pipelines, and expand their businesses at a significantly lower cost.

According to one of our customers who has licensed both Clodura.AI and ZoomInfo, “I only have 5 licenses of the other platform and a team of 40 sales guys. They all download the data and eventually do everything Manually. Clodura gave me 40 licenses at a cost lesser than what I was paying for 5 licenses to the other platform. Now the entire Sales team gets the benefits of Automation and I can keep a track on all the outreach being done from my desk on a daily basis. “

What Is Meant By Foodprint

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Foodprint is the amount of land, water and energy used to produce a certain item. The average restaurant has an environmental footprint that’s about 3 times larger than the average household. That means they use more resources like fossil fuels, water and pesticides. They also generate more waste per person because they serve so many people every day. However, there are ways and means by which restaurants can reduce their foodprint!

If you want to be environmentally conscious then it is important for your restaurant to minimize its foodprint by using sustainable practices such as recycling,Guest Posting composting or reusing materials where possible. Whether you are a professional chef in your chef whites and toque, or the management of a restaurant, there are several changes you can make to your daily operations in order to reduce waste products. It may seem difficult at first but with some effort, you can make a difference!

Here are a few options you can start out with:

You can start small by buying local ingredients from farmers markets or reducing meat consumption on certain days by going with a marketing gimmick such as Meatless Mondays.
Use reusable dishes instead of paper plates.
Buy locally grown vegetables.
Serve smaller portions of each dish so less goes uneaten.
Compost leftover scraps into fertilizer for plants outside the restaurant
Buy local, seasonal ingredients so you can minimize the fuel used to transport your food.
Use reusable uniforms made from fabric which can be washed and worn, rather than using things such as disposable chef hats or aprons.

It is important to remember, restaurants account for a large amount of CO2 emissions so doing your part as an accountable business and helping reduce the number of emissions will make a huge difference. Also don’t forget to compost any scraps!

Chefs can reduce their restaurant’s foodprint by changing how they create their dishes. The chef whites they wear make them professionals in the food industry with very creative and innovative talents and ideas, and they can make simple changes to their way of working and the dishes they make, such as using seasonal products which means their foodprint will be lower because of the smaller amounts of resources needed to produce that product. In some cases, chefs may have to reduce the amount of meat used in preparation and only use it in moderation, this can not only lower the size of the meal but also lower its’ environmental impact.

Producing less wasteful packaging is another way to minimize foodprint, as this often means buying in bulk or cutting down on cling film or foil where possible. It could mean simply switching from plastic containers to glass ones so there is no waste after preparation either. Opting for items with less packaging like loose carrots instead of those wrapped in bags can significantly reduce waste and also save money.

Another way to reduce foodprint is by reducing the amount of energy used in cooking. This can save money on bills as well as lowering the environmental impact of the product itself. Switching from using gas hobs to electric ones or even better induction hobs, when possible, will help with this greatly. Using appliances like microwaves or slow cookers too would greatly improve the efficiency of your kitchen and make it more environmentally friendly by saving electricity.

Restaurants can reduce foodprint by growing their own ingredients and using local produce which has been grown responsibly. If restaurant owners started getting involved with local farmers then they could create a partnership where produce would be ordered in advance allowing time for the farmer to grow it, therefore cutting down on transport costs and the amount of fuel used between farms and restaurants.

Customers should be given as much information as possible when buying an item, such as the ingredients and the process of its manufacture. This should be available on the packaging or through simple steps when ordering at a restaurant, such as “How was this made?”, “Where does the ingredients come from?” and with an easy guide to what labels mean. So, remember these tips next time you’re looking for somewhere to dine out or visit in general; consider how much foodprint your meal may be leaving in its wake.

Overall, restaurants have a big impact on their community by introducing people to new cuisines and therefore making them more aware of other cultures or better acquainted with neighboring communities.

Reducing food waste should be done across all kitchens for many reasons, not only does it have a large effect on your local environment but it can also cost a business significantly due to time wasted in making meals that are thrown away, money spent buying additional ingredients etc.

In reality it must be said that there is no right or wrong answer to foodprints and that every business will have a different footprint depending on the makeup of their staff, menu and day-to-day running of their kitchen. By keeping all factors linked to your food service business under consideration you can begin reducing your food footprint!

How To Choose The Best Asphalt Paving Contractor

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An asphalt contractor in Blacktop,Guest Posting New York may be responsible for repairing asphalt damaged due to a variety of incidences. The asphalt that is laid on a driveway, sidewalk or any other public or private surface is made up of many small pieces of rock and stone. All the material that makes up the asphalt has to be perfectly set and leveled by an asphalt contractor. If the contractor doesn’t do his job right, an asphalt contractor can end up causing serious damage to the pavement or driveway.

Blacktop contractors are responsible for repairing asphalt and concrete slabs damaged by storms, utility lines, and other incidences. The job may also include cleaning up oil, grease and snow that gets tracked into the driveway. Pavers in Blacktop, New York also need to repair cracked and damaged potholes. A contractor who spends time learning about the different kinds of paper available and how they’re used will be a good contractor to trust with Blacktop repairs.

An important thing to look for in an asphalt paving contractor is experience. While you may think that a paving contractor who has been working in Blacktop for years is trustworthy, there are also contractors who only recently started working in the area. If a contractor has only just begun paving in Blacktop, New York then this can be a very bad sign because a paving job done right the first time is always a good job done right.

Another important sign of a good contractor is how the contractor carries himself. Good contractors are friendly and pleasant to work with, they take their job seriously, and they take pride in their work. If the contractor you’re talking to doesn’t seem happy with the job he’s doing then don’t hire them. It’s better to keep your money at home where it belongs – in your pocket and not on a contractor that aren’t making you happy.

When you meet with a contractor you should ask plenty of questions. Make sure you get information about the contractor’s schooling, certification, and work history. Find out if they have any recommendations from the Better Business Bureau or other outside sources. Be sure to check references and make sure the person you’re talking to has a good rating with the Better Business Bureau.

There are many ways to choose an asphalt contractor. Using the suggestions above is a good start. When you find a paving contractor in Blacktop, New York that you feel comfortable with, work together to make sure that the project is done right from the beginning. If all goes well, you’ll soon be paving with asphalt that looks great and lasts for years.

Different Kinds of Maang Tikka for Your Traditional Attire

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Traditional dresses have played an important role when it comes to representing our cultural heritage, weddings, occasions, or any functions. Even Foreigners are also adopting not only Indian culture but also Traditional attire and jewellery. Traditional attire may be defined as an ensemble of garments & Best Online Fashionable Artificial Jewellery.

“Traditional fashion doesn’t mean to look after the ashes but to keep the flames of our culture alive!”

Maang Tikka is an Indian adornment that is a key element of the Solah-Shringar. The scientific reason for wearing this ornament is that it controls the warmth of the body. The Gol Chakra indicates that women and men are united emotionally,Guest Posting spiritually, and physically. Previously, only married women were allowed to wear Maang Tikka, but with the change of time, now it is worn by single women also as a fashionable accessory.

What Type of Maang Tikka Should You Have In Your Wedding Jewellery?

Here are some different kinds of Maang Tikka that will be perfect for your traditional outfit.

Kundan Maang Tikka- The origins of Kundan jewellery date back to the Rajput and Mughal era, as it is one of the oldest jewellery crafts in India. Kundan Jewellery is evergreen and can go with every traditional outfit whether it is a saree, lehenga, suits, indo-western or gown. This Kundan Maang Tikka is perfect to steal the show with its elegance. The meticulous attention paid to the craftsmanship makes it the epitome of jewelry inspiration.
Kundan Green Maang Tikka- The eclectic pairing of green beads with Kundan subtly balances and adds more beauty to the maang tikka. The double moon Kundan Green Maang Tikka is made for a woman who loves it two ways. As it comes with the two half-moon shapes which sit gracefully on the head of a woman. The beautiful double moon tikka can catch the eye of the people who will love to appreciate its beauty.
Kundan Polki Mathapatti- Beautiful Ahmedabadi Kundan Maang Tikka is a must have accessory for the bride to be. Without any doubt it will add glamour to rock your bridal look perfectly. The Mathapatti is an elaborated version of Maang Tikka which covers the full head. Mathapatti is so much trending these days and gives royalty to the bridal final look. Even most of the celebrities have worn matha pattis on their weddings to get the perfect bridal look for eg. Anushka Sharma, Deepika Padukone, etc.
Zoya Petite Mathapatti- Multiple Chand Design beaded mathapatti which adds a dash of elegance to the look and takes away everyone’s attention. From kundan to pearls or beads, this delicate Zoya Petite Mathapatti is versatile and can be made in any style.
Double Moon Maang Tikka- Indian Ethnic Bollywood Jewelry Gold Tone Bridal Maang Tikka Hair Accessories. The maang tikka is worn by Married Indian women on the forehead. Traditionally placed with the sindoor, this stunning piece of Indian jewellery reflects a regal look. The maang tikka holds an affluent history wherein famous Rajasthan queens used to don this precious ornament during ceremonial and bridal occasions. This is different because it has double half moon designs. Elevate your bridal look with this gorgeous kundan matha patti. This Double Moon Maang Tikka design will surely make you go wow because they would go perfectly with your lehenga or even shararas.
Delicate Red Maang tikka- Strung with statement making sized semi-precious stones, crystal accents & red beads added beauty to the Delicate Red Maang tikka, this is definitely a classic to own! Can be styled solo or layered with our complimenting necklaces for a fun & edgy vibe. You can style it as a Maang Tikka & Wear it with a suit or a saree, and a lehenga for an ethnic yet classy look.
Advika Trendy Maang Tikka- Another crescent moon design maang tikka, it has multi layers of pearls or beads which makes it different. This Advika Trendy Maang Tikka is perfect for those brides who don’t want to wear heavy jewellery.
Head Accessories are trending jewelry. Pick from our cost-effective Latest Indian Artificial Jewellery Designs Collection. At Advika Glittering treasures, we have women’s fashion accessories such as Artificial Necklace, artificial long necklace, hand accessories online, artificial rings online.

Tax Consultant – What Are They?

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Tax is one of the biggest expenses that a person has to make, depending on the country where he lives. You paycheck is a total amount of your salary minus taxes; the commodity that you are paying for has tax; the investments that you are going to make has tax; and the services that you need has tax. However, there is a way to get rid of all these expenses or at least minimize the amount that you have to pay. This article will be explaining to you some of the things that you need to know about hiring a tax consultant, including the advantages that you can get from it.

A tax consultant is a person who is very familiar with tax laws and rules that you need to follow when spending your money. If you are going to hire a tax consultant, you will be able to determine the things that you need to take in order to reduce the tax that you have to pay and to have more expendable money in your pocket. With the help of an expert, you will be able to reduce the amount that you have to pay without getting in trouble with the government.

There are a lot of loopholes in tax laws, but you need to make sure that you have the guidance of an expert in order to be sure that you are safe. A tax consultant is very familiar with the things that you need to do, and the loopholes that you can exploit in order to reduce the amount of tax that you need to pay. He will be explaining to you why it is safe and why it is a good option for you. This will save you from all the troubles that you may encounter whenever you are trying to minimize your tax.

Tax consultants can offer their service on a “per consultation” basis or on a monthly basis. The type of service that you need will depend on the level of income that you current have. You can also contact a tax consultant in order to determine which option would be best for the income that you have. Contacting them will also help you determine the best service that suits your needs and your budget. Just make sure that you will be talking to a reputable tax consultant to be sure with the advice that you will receive.

To Consult Or Not to Consult – That is the Question

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Ok, tell the truth. Don’t tell me you never thought of being a consultant if you are a full-time employee or unemployed. Let’s face it, consulting is pretty sexy. Many times no boss to deal with, come and go as necessary, travel to different locations, no office politics and great pay. Who wouldn’t want this job?

In this article I hope to provide some insight into the mystique of the consulting world having been both on a payroll and been an independent consultant with my own company. If I appear negative, actually just the opposite but I will point out the things you must consider first.

Question:  It seems a lot of people are making a lot of money going into consulting. I’m a little afraid to make that jump as I need a salary and benefits. What do you recommend?

Response: Having been in your position I completely understand your situation. I was independent for 10 years and the jump to that was harder psychologically than it was financially actually.

The question(s) you have to ask yourself first though are the following:

  • Do I have a truly marketable skill that people need?
  • Can I make enough money to make this financially worth the effort?
  • Do I have the ability to sell myself for my next assignment even when I’m on s or between assignments or do I am in a business that people will do this for me?
  • Do I have a financial reserve of 3-6 months for times I may not be working? e. Does my spouse or partner have the nerves to wait out the times I may not be working?

Let’s address these one at a time:

1. Do I have a marketable skill? First of all, it really doesn’t matter what you do… it can be marketed as a consultant pay by the hour or pay for performance role. I have friends that have turned their individual skills into very profitable full-time businesses; a machinist who turned his carpentry skills into a full-time flooring business paid by the job; a salesman who knew he could cold-call better than anyone else and became a fulltime telemarketer at $75 per hour; a manager who did such a good job holding people accountable he became a full-time business coach. Myself, I combined my computer, accounting and business knowledge to implement software systems and could bill over $100 per hour . It doesn’t matter what it is, it can be marketed and turned into a full-time business.

2. Can I make enough to live on? This is a trick question actually. Just as good a question is how many hours a year do I want to work or can work? The beauty of consulting is in some industries you can work 50% of the year and take off half the year. An independent haircutter though may have to work 80% of their time or starve. Remember that as a consultant you may not always have work. A carpenter may go days before the next assignment, a computer programmer may have to wait months between assignments, etc… Two things to calculate: can you live if you’re only working half the year and what hourly rate will you have to make to make this happen? If you’re not sure of either, a good rule of thumb is whatever the salary is you’d earn , then take off the ’000s and you’ll have your hourly billing amount. For instance if you’re an accountant making $60,000 per year you can probably bill in the $60 per hour range, give or take a few dollars. Now if you bill out 2000 hours, a full year, that’s $120,000 before taxes, insurance but that’s no vacations, sick days, etc. You’re responsible for all that.

3. Do I have the ability to Sell myself? Another trick question as part of this is can I get represented by a good agency who will sell on my behalf while I’m employed? If you can sell yourself directly and have a large enough customer list to do this you’ll make your full rate. If you don’t have time to sell, hate to sell or have no customer list, figure you’ll be cutting your rate anywhere from 30-50%. That takes you back to #2 above. This is the biggest killer of consulting careers… technical specialists who think everyone will want their service but they don’t realize they have to go out and find the business first until enough people know enough to buy their services.

4. Do I have a financial reserve? Face it, you probably wouldn’t be thinking of it if you didn’t have a job lined up already. The question is what happens when that ends and you end up in a recession, or glut of people with your skills, or your skills get outdated, or a new administration changes the laws making you vulnerable? You may have 3 – 6 months before you work again.

5. Is my spouse/partner supportive of this career? Some consultants travel, some don’t. Some work from home some have to drive long distances daily. Many hours in their free time are being spent doing the accounting, sales and paperwork that a full time salaried person would be able to be watching a movie. Besides the financial gyrations, the independent life takes a toll on personal work hours as well. Is it worth it? It very well could be or you may realize that your lifestyle goals don’t support the life of a consultant.

Think it through, read the many books, websites and attend industry groups on the subject. Once you decide to make the leap you will want to figure out your business structure; you will want to talk to an accountant about the tax benefits and consequences, how to invoice, how to set up bank accounts, etc…; you’ll want to make sure your family is on board and set time for each other; speak with an attorney about liability and insurances, and many other things. This is all another topic though.

No matter what your choice, you will find it a thrilling self-discovery and possibly financially rewarding experience that I think everyone should try at least one in their lives. A great by-product of having gone solo no matter what the result, you never fear losing your job again and that’s a huge mental advantage when you work for someone else.

My final advice on this: If you’re going to make the jump, it’s safer to keep your day job and do this part-time and grow it first. If that’s not possible, make sure there’s some kind of net to break your fall in case the jump doesn’t go as smoothly as you initially imagined.

Management Consulting Key Success Factors

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Recruiters of management consulting firms hire applicants who they think will become successful in the field of management consulting. However, though the process they follow is effective, real success of consultants can only be determined at the workplace.

Potential Success Determined during Recruitment Process
Since consultancy is a heavy responsibility, recruiters ensure that they hire the most qualified candidate for their vacancy. They usually receive thousands of job applications per year, and it is their duty to determine who among the aspirants can do the job well by thorough screening.

1. Preliminary Screening
Recruiters primarily assess the knowledge, skills and ability of candidates through cover letter and resume screening. Knowledge includes evaluation of general educational background, GPA and grades on major subjects, and for experienced hires, their technical know-how and the tangible results they achieved. When they assess skills and abilities, they go through extra-curricular activities and achievements enumerated on the job application.

Management consulting

2. Tests and Interviews
Some management consulting firms, such as McKinsey and Bain, weed out applicants through testing. Some administer verbal and numerical reasoning tests but others include personality tests, too.

In the management consulting field, there are two types of interviews: behavioral (or fit) interviews and case interviews. In the former, interviewers ask situational questions to gauge the applicant’s interpersonal, communication and stress management capability. At times, this is done through phone interviews. Case interviews aim to find out if the applicant is capable of doing the main roles and responsibilities of a consultant. They are given vague problems to resolve within a limited period of time.

Indicators of a Management Consulting ‘s Success
While recruitment process is helpful in determining who will do well in the industry, firms only know the real score as soon as the newly hired starts working. In all cases, consultants are considered successful if they value integrity.

1. Quality of Recommendations
Consultants take the role of an expert. So much decision making hinges on the recommendations they give to the company. They cannot afford to make mistakes, so their advice must be factual, proven and customized to client’s needs. They know it is unprofessional to give packaged plans or solutions to companies who are undergoing similar problems. They must develop customized, executable and sustainable plans and recommendations.

2. Commitment
People do management consulting always place the interest of their client before them. This is the reason why they spend long work hours to meet deadlines, conduct research studies, brainstorm ideas and prepare presentations. They strive to deliver what’s expected from them by doing all possible means. If clients are satisfied with their output, they have a good reputation. They start making a name for themselves and for their firms. More companies will keep availing their services.

X Open Hub Review

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“X Open Hub (XOH) is a liquidity and trading technology provider who has earned the trust of several brokers, since 2010, due to its high efficiency. This European firm is also authorized and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
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