Contents:
Learn how to set up a professional consultancy practice!
There are eight lessons in this module as follows:
1. Determining if a Consultancy
Practice is for You
- Attributes of successful
consultants
- Advantages & disadvantages
- Codes of Conduct
- Are you ready?
2. Planning a Consultancy Practice:
Part 1
- Methods of getting into
consultancy
- Business structure & name
- Working from home or an office
- Insurance
- Financing
- Equipment
- Set up costs
- Surviving start up
- Getting assistance
3. Planning a Consultancy Practice: Part 2
- A comprehensive Business Plan & Implementation / Pro-forma
4. Knowing What to Charge
- Your costs
- Available Working Time
- Different ways to charge
- Value based fees & justifying your fees
5. Setting Up Your Consulting Practice
- Letting clients find out about you/Advertising/Marketing
- Creating a press kit
- Internet
- Image
- Networking
6. Keeping Accounts and Records
- Keeping Records
- Source documents
- The invoice
- Timesheets
- Being organized
7. How to Generate Business & Keep It
- Using agents/brokers
- Using other consultants
- Asking advice from clients & potential clients
- Asking for a reference
- Tenders
- Writing articles
- Successful client relations
- Keeping clients
- What to do if a potential client says ‘no’
- Principles of acquiring business
8. Maintaining Your Consultancy Practice
- Professional development
- Hiring staff to expand your business
- Creating passive income
- Pitfalls to avoid
Duration: 100 hours
Course Aims:
-Analyse current industry requirements and your individual needs to determine if opening a consultancy is appropriate.
-Determine the business structure appropriate for your consultancy practice.
-Produce a business plan and implementation schedule
-Determine costs involved in setting up a practice and how to set fees.
-Describe different communication and marketing techniques.
-Describe different administrative procedures including invoicing and maintaining records and accounts.
-Determine industry best practice for obtaining and keeping your customers
-Recognise responsibility towards yourself and employees in maintaining and expanding your practice, and to develop strategies to cater for increased demand.
Some of the people who have contributed to the development of this course include:
John L. Mason Dip.Hort.Sc., Sup'n Cert., FIOH, FPLA, MAIH, MACHPER, MASA
Mr Mason has had over 35 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Recreation, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. He has held positions ranging from Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) to magazine editor. John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over thirty five books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John continues to write books for various publishers including Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing).
Tracey Jones B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), PGCE (Education)
Tracey Winning B.Bus, Adv Dip Arts, Cert Mort Lend
Geoff Potter B.A. MStudPsyc.
Become a consultant and work for yourself!
Running your own consultancy business can be rewarding both financially and with regard to lifestyle. If you’ve ever dreamed about starting up your own consultancy firm, but didn’t quite know where to begin, then this course will lead the way. Having expertise in a particular area is not enough in itself. You need to know how to make a living from it. This course has been designed to guide you through the process of setting up and running a consultancy business in any profession.
