As I mentioned in a video and blog, I posted a short time ago, hiring the right consultant can be a cost-effective way for any sized business to leverage specialized knowledge. Consultants can help businesses in several key areas, so it is essential to know what to expect what they will ask in your first meeting.

Hiring the right consultant can help you succeed, but it can also hurt you if they are not the perfect fit for your business. Below, I have listed questions to expect from the consultant. This will help you be better prepared as a business owner for those questions and ways to have the consultant know you need their guidance or even help them understand your business better.

1. What is your top Goal for this year?

Asking about the client’s priority for the near future can help a consultant learn more about your business and begin thinking about how they can help you accomplish your goals. It also allows for a conversation about the top goals to help everyone stay on track.

What are business goals?

I have done a video previously on “Goal Setting”… I feel this is a very important topic, especially if you are going to be in a situation where someone is going to likely as you what your business goals are. You can find that blog on our website and the video on our YouTube channel if you are interested in learning more about “Goal Setting.”

2.What makes your business different from your competitors?

A consultant may ask you what differentiates you from your competitors to help them understand your value proposition and competitive advantage. This information is used to give them an idea of ways they can develop a unique strategy for your and your specific business.

3. What is the primary reason you’re looking for a consultant?

A consultant may ask what your main reason for hiring a consultant is. Asking this question can help them pinpoint exactly what you may be looking to get out of your relationship. This can help set goals and expectations for your work with the consultant.

4. What are your profit levers?

This is an exploratory question. They probably already have an idea of ways you make your money, but they would like to hear it from you. What are your opinions on the flow of income for your business or even the difficulties you may have regarding customers being attracted to your particular service? What are your processes for client acquisition? They may also have add-on questions like:

  1. Is your income based on foot traffic or online sales?
  2. Do you feel like you have a problem getting clients in the “door,” whether online or in the store?

5. If you feel you are having issues attracting customers, what options have you already tried?

It’s also important to know what options you’ve already tried. This way, they know which new solutions can be introduced or how they can improve upon the solutions you have already considered.

6. Describe your Ideal customer.

This is very important to understand, so you do not spend time and money trying to attract the wrong clients/customers.

7. How prepared is your organization to make a change?

Another great question a consultant may ask is how prepared you are to be willing to make a change. This question is important to gauge how willing you and your employees are to implement solutions in order to get thorough results.

8. If you could change one thing about your business, what would you change?

This is a great question…. It helps the consultant understand how you see yourself and your business and really how willing you are to make changes. This can give the consultant ideas of what specific solutions can be implemented for you to see results.

9. Is there anything else that I should know?

This general question can help a consultant gather any additional information about you. This question is important to ask because it can help catch any information that they didn’t learn by asking the other questions they asked.

10. Do you have any questions for me?

This gives you the opportunity to ask you any questions they have. This is essential to make you both get everything out of the expected conversation.

Ensuring you know ahead of time what a business consultant will ask will help you be better prepared with the right knowledge regarding their specific business. It may even be smart to invite other people that have information that you don’t have; for example, if you have another person doing your finances and money or your inflow of money is an issue… it might be a good idea to have your finance person at this meeting or if it is a personnel issue. If you have a different person working with your human resources issues… maybe invite them. With the right questions about both how they think about growing your business and how they work as a person or agency, you can find the right one to help your business and keep you sane at the same time.

Now that I have gone through what questions a consultant may ask at that first meeting, hopefully, you can feel more comfortable and be ready for that introduction.

If you have any questions about this topic or anything else to help you or your business, feel free to reach out through email or schedule a free consultation on our website.

traci@erbusinessconsulting.com

https://erbusinessconsulting.com/contact-us/

Byeeee…..