I see a lot of marketers offering to scale your business.
I know a lot of these marketers.
Please be careful because they're really good at marketing and they have highly-skilled closers who are hell-bent on closing deals, even if they can't help your business.
Most businesses are doing everything they can to stay afloat right now.
Yes, some businesses are thriving during the pandemic but most small business owners feel like they're on the Titanic.
They don't have the revenue to hire more employees and implement systems to scale their business because demand for their products and services disappeared.
They haven't been able to pivot to keep the revenue flowing.
You can hear the desperation in their voices.
And I see the vultures circling these poor souls.
A handful of restaurants in my town adapted quickly and they're surviving but their revenue is a fraction of what it was before.
They're running with minimal staff and treading water. Many will survive. Many have already closed their doors.
Other businesses are thriving in this environment and maybe it IS time for them to scale.
Before you invest in hiring a business consultant to scale your business, think about this.
If you invest in scaling your business now, will there still be a demand for your services when things get back to "normal"?
We don't know what "normal" will look like.
You could invest in scaling now and make more money in the short-term.
But will you have to pivot again down the road and hope you pivot in the right direction?
Make sure you do your due diligence before you invest with a business consultant.
Look at their LinkedIn profile.
Did they become a business consultant in the past 6 months or have they been around for years?
Do they have LinkedIn recommendations or testimonials on their website?
Do they have reviews on their Google Business Page or on Yelp (yes many people have Yelp reviews for their consulting practice).
Ask them for references from satisfied clients. Of course, they will only share stellar references but it's a big red flag if they can't provide any.
Search Google for their business name and the consultant's name. Look for positive and negative mentions.
Do not pay them in full at the beginning of the project. Start with a deposit and spread the payments out through the engagement.
Make sure there is an early termination option in your contract so you don't get burned if they are not providing results.
Add milestones to the contract to make sure they are delivering what they promised. If they don't meet a milestone, you should be able to terminate the contract with no penalty.
These are just a few tips to make sure you get what you're paying for.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true...
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