In terms of the speed of development and the rate of increase in profits, the consulting business can be called a leader, although it takes effort to achieve success. The easiest way would be to open such a company for those who already have experience in this area. Such a person knows many secrets of finding clients and solving technical issues, which allows him to spend a minimum of time and effort on a startup. Consulting is a multidimensional activity, so it is also important to determine the areas that seem promising to you.

If you do not have practice in consulting, then to create a business you will need to either find a responsible consultant, or work personally under the guidance of a professional. The second option is preferable, because it allows you to understand the key nuances and not spend money on the services of experts in the future. For example, knowing how to define a market segment in the consulting industry and how to name a company, you can save about 25 thousand rubles (this is the average cost of consulting services). In general, you can earn money by providing the following services:

• reporting;
• solving organizational issues related to business negotiations;
• drawing up business development plans;
• selection of measures to overcome crises and improve sales;
• collection and systematization of data;
• analysis of the activities of firms and proposals for optimization.

Business consulting is now in great demand, both among large enterprises and small companies. So there is no need to be afraid of a shortage of clients, at least on condition of high-quality services and a reasonable pricing policy.

Important! If you are going to start a consulting project, be prepared for the fact that at the initial stage many responsibilities will have to be performed personally. Subsequently, this work can be transferred to the deputy.

Registration of the necessary documents

In no case should you postpone the solution of organizational and legal issues. Any consulting company must be registered as a legal entity, and the best choice would be a limited liability company. One more thing - before submitting documents, think about what name to give the consulting company. Ideally, it should be memorable, but not too long, and also accurately reflect the range of services you offer.

Attention! You don't need a license to set up a business like consulting, which significantly reduces the start-up costs. The only case when you need to get an additional permit is if you plan to do a property appraisal.

While the process of paperwork lasts, it makes sense to monitor the market. This will help you find your target audience and assess the price level, as well as identify key competitors. To save money, you can do the analysis on your own.

Nice office space

To open a consulting or any other firm, you need to take care of the premises. In this case, the choice of location is of great importance, as it forms the clients' idea of ​​the respectability of the company. It is best to buy or rent (depending on your budget) premises ranging from 90 to 150 square meters in the business center of the city or in the immediate vicinity. It is possible to use an office with a free layout, but then you will need to spend additional money on dividing the space into offices. It is especially important to zone the premises if the consulting company that you open will deal with many areas. At a minimum, your office should have:

• a room for communication with clients;
• Head office;
• room for employees.

Naturally, your office should have Internet access, telephone connections, water supply and good lighting. At the same time, at the stage of promotion, a consulting project does not require huge areas, so there is no point in overpaying.

Technical equipment

The business plan must necessarily provide for the purchase of computer and other equipment, as well as furniture. It is more reasonable to decorate the interior in a classic or modern style, because then your consulting company will seem more respectable. As for the equipment, you will need a dedicated telephone line and a modem for Internet access, as well as office equipment for employees: printers, computers, scanners, faxes, etc.

It will not be superfluous to think about the everyday comfort of workers and visitors by installing air conditioners and equipping a kitchenette with a microwave oven and an electric kettle.

What kind of specialists will be required?

The creation of a company necessarily involves the search for personnel, on which the reputation and income depend. To start a consulting business, it is important to find specialists who have not only professional skills, but also know how to communicate with clients. It is imperative that you have experts on your staff to solve highly specialized tasks. However, if you open a small company, then you can get by with 2-3 universal workers. As your business expands, your consulting firm may expand its staff to cover other areas.

Advertising

Along with high demand, such a business is characterized by fierce competition, so advertising is required for promotion. Having decided to open a company, you need to think about what promotion methods to use. Here, the specifics of the activity and the amount of money that are available play an important role. The easiest way is to invest in media advertising and install a bright sign or billboard.
In addition, you need to create a personal website with which you can inform customers about prices and contacts, as well as give free (or paid) consultations. To make your portal one of the first in search engine results, it is enough to pay 6-8 thousand for SEO optimization.

Business organization subtleties

In order for a consulting company to start generating income as quickly as possible, you need to create a base of regular customers. This can be done in different ways, for example:

• hire highly qualified specialists;
• choose a field of activity associated with increased risks;
• offer customers additional services that are not provided by competitors;
• set prices slightly lower than those of most other firms;
• conclude contracts with newly opened enterprises.

Investment and return on investment

For such a startup, in principle, huge investments are not needed - 500 thousand rubles is enough for a medium-sized business and 200-250 thousand for a small organization. The bulk of the costs of setting up a company will be spent on renting premises (20-30 thousand rubles), purchasing equipment (from 100 thousand rubles), paying taxes and arranging an office. In the future, it will be necessary to pay utility bills, wages (from 15 to 40 thousand rubles) and advertising. With proper planning and skilful management, the consulting company will begin to generate net profit after 6 months, and profit will increase from year to year as it gains a good reputation.