These days, we are all looking for ways to do more with less. As a consultant, you know that being resourceful and hustling for the next piece of work goes with the territory. However, it is worth noting that things are tougher than ever out there right now. Businesses everywhere are looking for ways to tighten their belts, which means that we will have to work much harder to convince them that our services are worth paying for. It also means that we will have to work much harder to protect ourselves in case anything goes wrong and cover ourselves in the event of any slow weeks or months.
While the news cycle here in the UK may be nothing but doom and gloom right now, it is so important to remember that there are always things that we can do to optimise our businesses for success. We have put together a quick guide to help you to ensure that you will continue to be able to do your best work while keeping excess costs and risks to a minimum.
Work On Your Client Relations
One of the most important factors for consultants right now is ensuring that they have repeat business coming in. We know that things are very tough for businesses right now. You do not want to give anyone a reason to think about whether you are as valuable to their future success as you know that you are. Make sure that you are maintaining regular contact with your clients. Keep checking in with advice on dealing with some of the more disruptive changes in the market. You should also request feedback from your existing clients.
This is one of the most effective ways of identifying where your work could use a little improvement and identifying the things that stand about you so you can use them in any marketing and pitches in the future.
Protect Yourself With Insurance
We never want to think about the worst-case scenarios, but in these tough times, it is essential to look for ways to protect yourself in case of legal trouble or an unforeseen injury. Insurance may seem like an expense that you can do without, but you need to think about the many different reasons why you could need coverage. If you suffer an injury or an illness, you may be unable to work for a long time. If you lose some of your vital equipment, you may find yourself out of pocket. And if you find yourself facing legal difficulties due to dealings with a client, you will need to know that you can afford to pay for legal services. If you need professional indemnity insurance for freelancers, then talk to the team at Suited. They offer flexible, comprehensive coverage to give you greater peace of mind.
Think About Niching Down
When times are tough, there is always the temptation to try and branch out to gain new customers. It is easy to see the wisdom behind this, but if you try to expand into areas where you may be less confident, this could work against you. Having a niche is a good thing, especially if you can demonstrate your expertise. At a time when everyone is fighting tooth and nail for business, you should be proud of your USP. Think about what you can do to improve your skill set in this area, such as getting new qualifications. Once you establish yourself as the person who can handle this specific issue, you will find that your name will start getting out there more and more.
Don’t Neglect Your Website
If you are looking for easy and cost-effective ways to optimise your business, then working on your website and online presence is one of the best things that you can do. Remember that your home page should be actively driving traffic to you. If your website is just sitting there without being updated since you first set it up, it is high time to overhaul it. Work on creating SEO-friendly written content while avoiding some of the classic issues such as spam and readability. Check on the latest Google updates to see what more you can do with your content. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and show your visitors what sets you apart from the competition. Think about how you can make your site more accessible, too. If your potential clients have to go looking for the information they need, they may not stick around.
These tips are far from the only ways to optimise your business for success, but they will help to give you a more concrete relationship with your clients and protect you from many of the issues that we are all worried about right now.
