Business Consulting Training

The business consulting training industry performs a wide range of services for both potential and existing companies. Many professionals, after spending years climbing the corporate ladder, put the expertise they have gained to use by jumping off the rung and into a figurative corner office. In other words, they become entrepreneurs offering expertise to others. As it has in so many other fields, the technological advances and phenomenal growth of the internet has fueled the entrepreneurial fever of corporate professionals who can open for business with little more than a website and a cell phone. Sure, the actuality is much harder than that. But entrepreneurial professionals prefer spending long workdays on meeting the objectives and goals of the business they are growing instead of slaving away for someone else. With specialized expertise, they can enjoy the rewards of assisting other companies in an area such as innovative marketing strategies or sales training consulting. Like any start-up, the entrepreneur needs to consider such important factors as starting capital, the business structure (for example, sole proprietorship, partnership, or a type of corporation), the exact services that will be offered, and marketing strategies. However, the professional armed with the proper mix of education, experience, interpersonal and other needed skills, and a well-crafted business plan should, given enough time, be successful.

Companies that are retaining the services of a business consulting training firm have a separate set of criteria to consider. Perhaps the sales team is not meeting the performance quotas that management has set for them. The sales manager may decide to send the selling force to a generalized workshop. If carefully selected, the workshop may be beneficial and result in increased revenue for the company. However, there are pitfalls in sending either one, a few, or all the members of the sales team to the same workshop or seminar. It's practically a given that the skills level of the attendees will be varied, not only those from the same company, but also from the attendees of other companies who are also in attendance. Money is wasted when each one salesperson attends the same classes, with no consideration of the individual's specific needs. The company may find it more cost-effective to engage the services of a sales training consulting firm. Though here again, the management team needs to decide exactly what they want from such a firm so that money is not wasted in retaining the services of the wrong enterprise. During the search, the team will find that different firms have various philosophies and approaches when it comes to the services they offer. The team will want to retain the services of a firm that is a good match with its own philosophies and approaches. For example, a corporation that sells luxury automobiles to a wealthy clientele will require different types of seminars than a partnership specializing in extreme adventure sports equipment.

A comprehensive sales training consulting firm will be able to properly assess the client's current procedures, processes, and systems, and also analyze the past and current sales performance. Armed with this data, the firm is equipped to design a training strategy that is relevant to the needs of the client's sales force. The recommended training will address the weaknesses that are uncovered, implement strategies and benchmarks for turning those weaknesses into strengths, and propose additional methods for reinforcing the newly learned skills. The writer of Proverbs had this to say about seeking instruction: "So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; . . . When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee" (Proverbs 2:2, 10-11). Though the writer, most likely King Solomon, is speaking of spiritual wisdom, knowledge and wisdom also can provide a firm foundation for a person's professional endeavors. Perhaps the firm discovers that less experienced salespeople have difficulty turning cold calls into new customers. The firm would address the cold calls problem by offering specific methods designed to assist the salespeople in reaching the benchmarks set by management for this issue. The firm will also assist management to set up mechanisms to measure objectives and goals and to make adjustments when expectations aren't met.

Some experts suggest that companies actually retain the services of two separate business consulting training firms. A firm may, perhaps unintentionally, focus on identifying only the weaknesses that they are equipped to address, while possibly ignoring other issues that also need attention. With this plan, the first firm performs the analysis function and provides specific recommendations for the training that is needed to address identified weaknesses. The company can then research firms that offer specialized assistance in increasing skills for those needs and retain the one that best meets the company's requirements. The management team should be aware that sales training consulting firms are not the only professionals who can offer seminar and workshops. Their other employees, such as those in the marketing, finance, and human resources departments, may also benefit from the services of specially trained consultants. Even the administrative support staff, such as secretaries and receptionists, may appreciate workshops on improving customer interactions both in person and over the phone. Entrepreneurs are starting up business consulting training firms that meet a variety of these needs by specializing, for example, in teaching computer software programs, fund-raising and grant-writing techniques, time management skills, innovative marketing promotions, finances, human resources support, and practically every other aspect of business management.

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