Why Companies & Organizations Hire Us
Is it time to hire you as my consultant?
I often am asked this question. With today's shrinking resources at media companies and non-profits, it's a good question. It's also a good time to align with an individual or group that has a track record of growth, can embrace and lead change, and is available.
The most common reasons for hiring a consultant are:
You need specialized skills.
You need new ideas.
You need third party objectivity.
You have a large, complex and/or politically sensitive project.
You need a task or project done, but you do not have the staff to do it in-house.
Hiring a business consultant, specifically for revenue change and growth is an important part of today’s modern media business culture. Hiring consultants and outside experts can save you valuable time and money. It also can increase your competitiveness and professionalism.
Here are a few more reasons why you might want to hire us as your next communications consultant:
Deliver a “short-cut” to know-how, knowledge and information that does not exist in the organization
Provide a professional service that does not exist in the organization, or that is needed for a specified period of time
Provide solutions to specific challenges and situations
Validate ideas that have already been created in the organization Analyze, diagnose or criticize (constructively)
Facilitate the search for ideas and solutions with existing team members
Facilitate, create and implement methodologies and systems that enhance efficiency and organization
Bring in an experienced “outsider’s” evaluation and point of view
Present, teach or implement “new” business ideas and procedures
Enhance your team on a temporary basis and work around permanent hiring freezes.
Deliverables:
Accountability for results, schedule and costs to achieve an answer -- this translates into significant economies when compared to in-house efforts.
Proven, yet flexible, methodology appropriate for the task.
No cost of training or “experimenting” on how to complete the assignment -- focused on achieving results.
Objectivity -- no “sacred cows”.
Anonymity -- the ability to gather data within ethical limits but without revealing the ultimate use.
Established “data-mining” methods, utilizing the full breadth and depth of available data.
Experience in interpreting public data, to gather more than is on the surface.
Creativity drawn from a wide experience base.
You’ll get the best results if you know what you are seeking and have clearly defined projects or objectives. It is one of the most important steps the client must take before engaging the consultant on the project. There are, of course, circumstances in which the client has difficulty in defining the problem, in which case it should consider retaining a consultant for that purpose. In defining the task, factors to be considered include:
The precise goals of the project
Its technical, political, and administrative parameters
The division of labor between company personnel and consultant
The product desired
The timetable for completion
The total project budget
Expected problems and constraints
Developing a good definition of the task is difficult. If the task definition is too specific, it may limit the creativity of the consultant. If the definition is too general, it may result in the consultant producing something that constitutes satisfactory professional work but that does not resolve the problem. If the hiring manager is uncertain how to define the task, it can provide a background description of the problem or issue as a context for scope process.
Defining the respective roles of consultants and staff is also important. In many cases, the company already has much of the data that will be necessary to complete a project. In other cases, little or no reliable data exists. Gathering data is expensive. Thus, a clear definition of what data the company can provide from its own files or from other local departments and entities is very important in helping the consultant define the tasks. It is also important to define the level of support and review that local staff will provide for the project.
Most important is to have a clear sense of what your business goals are and how you’ll go about determining if you’ve achieved them. This can be measured as strictly ROI, along with other measures equally as valuable.
Fees & Services
We can work with most any budget and will estimate the costs to meet your needs. Learn more about our capabilities or reach out to Bill Cummings.
Bill Cummings is a Sales & Marketing executive with extensive experience catalyzing rapid revenue growth while controlling multimillion-dollar program budgets. Sharp advertising and marketing acumen across national publications, niche markets, classified verticals (autos, real estate & employment), legal and private party segments. Collaborative communicator continually focused on building relationships and positioning high-performance teams for unprecedented success. He is available to speak at workshops or meetings; lead off-sites; conduct rate analysis; forecast where your next sale will come from; coach your leadership team (advertising, management, content) and is available as an expert witness or M&A subject matter expert. For more ideas and information, email: bcummings@nerus.net or call (949) 293-0280.
