Points to Remember
- Invest in Yourself First
- As your business activity picks up, it will be tempting to allow the needs of your consultancy to take priority over your professional development requirements. I encourage you to make skill enrichment and professional development a necessity. Set realistic goals so that you attend at least one or two events each year. Where possible, capitalize on volume discount arrangements in booking educational events. Look for opportunities to partner with colleagues to reduce overall costs. Make every effort to attend local events. When away, maximize the opportunity so that you accomplish several objectives. An example is attending an STC conference and meeting a writing colleague in the area.
- Insurance: Better Safe than Sorry
- If you choose to operate your business from your home, find out if your current policy can be expanded or if you need to secure additional coverage. You’ll want to make sure that you will not incur any liability if:
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- A business visitor to your home is injured
- Office equipment is destroyed or stolen
- An employee is injured on the job
- Those of us in the writing profession experience less risk regarding liability issues than other professions; however that isn’t entirely accurate. It is possible to be sued based upon what you have written. Lucy V. Parker relates in her book “How to Start a Home-Based Writing Business” about a colleague who was sued by a hospital patient she interviewed because the individual felt the article was damaging. Parker’s peer had not had the subject of the interview sign a release form so she and the hospital were both named in the law suit. So a word to the wise, consider liability insurance.
- Advertising Your Consultancy
- Attempt to reach your target markets through the trade newspapers and journals your clients read. Identify those that have an advertising section for consultants and possibly discounted advertising rates.
Developing Your Consultancy