Start and Run a Profitable Consulting Business - Brossura

Gray, Douglas

Brossura

ISBN 10: 074944309X ISBN 13: 9780749443092

Casa editrice: Kogan Page Ltd, 2004

Riassunto

Every year the demand for consultants of all kinds increases, as organisations become leaner and more compact and outsourcing more commonplace. This fully revised new edition provides essential information and practical step by step guidance on starting and developing a successful consulting practice. It contains expert advice on the process of consultancy in terms of marketing and selling activities and how to conduct assignments. Also covered is how to run a consultancy as a business, including setting up, business planning, record and administrative systems and legal, taxation and insurance considerations. Essential reading for the would-be consultant, it has much to offer the established practitioner too.

Su questo libro

Informazioni sull?autore

Douglas Gray has extensive experience as a lawyer and lecturer, and as a consultant to government, business, and educational and financial institutions. He has designed and taught numerous seminars and workshops on entrepreneurship, consultancy, and marketing professional services.

Estratto. © Ristampato con autorizzazione. Tutti i diritti riservati.

1 Understanding the consulting business

What is a consultant?

Who goes into consulting?

Why do organizations use consultants?

Regulations affecting consultants

2 Self-assessment

Introduction

Assessing yourself and your marketable skills

Keeping up to date

3 Setting up your business

Start-up costs and monthly expenses

Selecting a name

Selecting an office

Selecting a telephone system

Special telephone features

Saving money on long distance phone calls

Other communication options

Developing your website

4 Legal forms of business structure

Introduction

Sole trader

Partnership

Limited company

Choice

5 Selecting business and professional advisers

General criteria for adviser selection

Solicitor

Accountant

Bank manager

Insurance

Consultants

6 Preparing your business plan

Why prepare a plan?

Format

Estimating your start-up funds

Summary

7 How to obtain financing

Types of financing

Sources of financing

Competition between lenders

Tips on approaching your lender

Why loans are turned down

8 Keeping records

Accounting and bookkeeping

Basic accounting records

Nonfinancial records

Office systems

9 Tax considerations

Things to do at the outset

Accounting records

Self-assessment

Taxation under a current year basis

Corporation tax

Trading expenses prior to setting up

Income tax profit

VAT

National insurance contributions

Employees

10 Insurance

Obtaining insurance

Planning your insurance portfolio

Types of business and personal insurance

11 Professional liability

Contract and tort liability

Reasons for claims

How to avoid professional liability and prevent losses

Professional indemnity insurance

Practising without insurance

12 Credit, invoicing, and collection

Disadvantages of extending credit

Assessing the client

Avoiding client misunderstandings on fees

Minimizing risk of bad debts

Invoicing for services

Why clients pay late

Collecting late payments without legal action

Legal steps if account remains unpaid

Bad debts and taxes

13 Fees and estimates

Setting fees

What rate should you charge?

Estimating

Negotiating

Increasing profits without increasing fees

14 Determining market opportunities

Private sector

Public sector

Grant consulting

15 Marketing your consulting services

What you need to market your service

Marketing plan

Marketing techniques

16 The client interview and client relations

Purpose of interview

Before the meeting

During the interview

After the interview

Why you should turn down business

How to turn down unwanted business

17 Consulting proposals

What is a proposal?

Private versus public sector proposals

Solicited versus unsolicited proposals

Simple and formal proposals

Guidelines and format for a successful proposal

Presenting your proposal

Proposal follow-up

What to do if your proposal is not accepted

How to avoid giving away free consulting

18 Contracts

Essentials of a valid contract

Why a written contract is needed

Structure of formal contract

Types of contracts

Preparing your own contract

19 Time management

Key strategies

Avoiding time wasters

20 Expanding your practice

Appendix 1: Sources of information for consultants

Appendix 2; Proposal evaluation checklist

Appendix 3: Further reading from Kogan Page

Tables

1 Major consulting subject areas

2 Checklist of articles in a partnership agreement

3 Detailed contract checklist (commonly used for government contracts)

Samples

1 Start-up expense checklist

2 Monthly expense checklist

3 Personal monthly expense checklist

4 Business plan format

5 Opening balance sheet (new business)

6 Income and expense statement forecast (new business)

7 Cash flow budget worksheet

8 Personal net worth statement

9 Statement of accounts receivable

1 Prospective client sheet

11 New consulting assignment sheet

12 Time and service record

13 Detailed invoice

14 Break-even chart

15 Time estimate

16 Proposal format

17 Contract format

18 Letter of agreement (Prepared by consultant)

19 Letter of agreement (Prepared by client)

2 Statement of general terms and conditions

21 Formal consulting contract

Dettagli dell'edizione

• Editore: Kogan Page Ltd
• Data di pubblicazione: 2004
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 074944309X
• ISBN 13: 9780749443092
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero edizione: 2
• Numero di pagine: 256
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile
• Persona responsabile: non disponibile