When a legacy business expands into a sector where it has no experience in, it often has to decide whether or not to hire a consultant. Consultants often get a bad rep and with good reason. Usually, consultants charge a king’s ransom for a few weeks of work and have only a stack of documents to show for it.
But consultants can be beneficial for businesses looking to modernize or expand to a new sector. The right consultant might give the push your business needs to become more competitive.
Whether you are looking for a management consultant or a CMO for digital marketing, here are a few reasons why you should hire a consultant:
1. Fresh insights
Because consultants do not or have never worked for your company, they are free of personal and professional baggage that can influence their opinion. If you ask them to solve a problem, their solution is based on data and expertise, free of an external bias. They can also provide a fresh and neutral take in internal discussions.
2. Access to expertise
Most companies hire consultants because they need to gain access to knowledge in a certain area. Good consultants are subject matter experts in their field and know everything there is to know about their specialty. If you want to venture into something new, hiring a consultant will allow you to gain a foothold.
3. Strategic partnerships
If you are happy with a consultant and the results they provide, they can become a long-term professional partner. Some projects might need tweaking or updating long after it has been completed, and the original consultant might need to return.
A partnership with a consultant also allows for knowledge transfer. You always have someone to ask if you have questions or issues. They also know the ins and outs of your project.
4. Experience
Consultants earned their right to become one. They often have decades of experience in their chosen fields and have handled dozens or even hundreds of projects or issues throughout the years.
They probably have seen, heard, or read everything, and are familiar with all the best and worst practices. If you have a question or issue, they are the right person to ask.
5. Knowledge transfer
You can hire consultants to share the topic expertise with you or your employees. This is useful in instances when you want to keep the project planning in-house but still need access to knowledge and experience only a subject matter veteran can provide.
And during the consultancy, you are free to ask for questions and their opinions on matters relating to the project. With a training program in place, you reduce reliance on external consultants.
6. Project management
The project can be new for your company, but for the consultant, it is just one of many they have handled through the years. Chances are, nothing can surprise them at this point. They know everything to execute the project successfully: the requirements, timeline, and standard stumbling blocks.
If you want to outsource project management to a consultant, you can expect fewer hitches and delays and better results.
Consultants often carry a hefty price tag, but for good reason: they provide insider knowledge and experience critical to the success of your project. Maintaining a good relationship with your consultant will help keep the project on track and avoid delays and other issues.