The conventional wisdom says that anyone can “hang out a shingle” and start an advisory or consulting business. I think that “wisdom” is nonsense.

Sure, you can attract some clients to your business by relying on your existing network of contacts, and you should do that. But if you want to build a business that consistently attracts new clients, you’ve got to do more than just get a business license and call yourself an expert.

Smart Start is a one-on-one consultation program for people who are starting or are in the early stages of launching a business. Whether you want to enter the business for the long-term or view consulting as an interim step in your career, SmartStart will help you convert your business concept and skills into an expertise-based business.

The goal of the program is to accelerate your initial practice growth by focusing on key activities, like how to create a high-value service offer, get your message into the market, and land clients.

Depending on your situation, we’ll work on some, or all, of these questions:

• Which of the services that you can offer have the strongest demand, client value, and profit potential?
• What prospective clients should you target in the short and long term?
• How should you position and market your business?
• How will you reach your prospective clients?
• What should you charge for your services?
• What capabilities and technologies do you need to support the business?

During our work together, we can also address day-to-day issues you’re facing, including how to manage a specific sales situation, design a winning client proposal, or negotiate your fees with a particular client.

This program usually lasts 4 to 8 weeks and, in that period, we’ll meet on a weekly basis by phone, typically for 60 minutes each time. In those meetings, we’ll focus on developing and implementing your strategy.

Between meetings, I will be available by phone or email to discuss new issues, answer questions, or to clarify something we discussed in our meeting.

Click here if you want to learn more about how SmartStart and our other programs work.