Franchise Consultants – Your “Free” Expert Guide

There are only four ways to go into business. You can start a business from scratch. You can buy an existing business. You can become a consultant. You can buy a franchise business. The latter, buying a franchise, is the option which allows you to buy a pre-established operating system that reduces the risk.

What if I could tell you there is an expert available, that will help you identify your business objectives, guide you through the selection process, provide valuable insights and provide decision-making data, all at no cost to you, FREE.

Franchise consultants are professionals that do just that. Independent from the franchisor, they can show you the process of buying a franchise. Who pays? Well, its the franchisor who pays the fees. Franchisors from all industries, both large and small, are bombarded with prospective franchise buyers. Unfortunately, over 90% of these inquiries fail to pass their initial screens. This influx of “tire-kickers” bogs down the franchisor and ends up wasting resources. Having a professional franchise consultant, pre-screen and qualify candidates is a welcome service.

Much like executive recruiters, franchise consultants screen through the pool of candidates and match skills, objectives, financial resources, and location to the potential franchise.

In addition to providing suggestions for franchise business ideas. Franchise consultants can offer various referrals for industry experts. Most consultants work with franchise lawyers, accountants and bankers who all specialize in the franchise industry.

Strongly consider utilizing the knowledge of one of the expert franchise consultants. Save time, call a consultant.

Medical Lab Consultants – Why You Need an Expert

As laboratories face increased regulatory and financial pressure, it is imperative that these entities run as efficiently as possible. Many independent and hospital-based labs are turning to laboratory consultants for guidance in daily operations, technology decisions, outreach efforts, strategic planning and implementation. Turning to experts with experience in each of these disciplines can give these organizations the boost they need to stay ahead of the competition and take on new opportunities.

The benefit of hiring medical lab consultants is simple: they are fortunate to have provided advisory, financial, operational and technical assistance to companies across the laboratory industry. They will have extensive knowledge of best-practices because they have assisted a number of businesses in unique situations. Each new experience they encounter brings with it a multitude of useful tools they can place in their consulting belt.

Experts (like a consultant) in any field are knowledgeable, useful and powerful tools that provide full-service solutions. Finding the right consultant in the medical laboratory industry is key as they need to have experience and relations within this very complex industry.

Long-term solutions and planning are key to the success of any business today. If you manage, run or own a medical lab, don’t trust your well-being to just anyone. Turn to consultants that know what they’re doing, have a proven track record of success and that understand they are hired to meet the unmet needs of you (their client). Having the right answers at the right time is what you’re paying for. Know that you are in good hands by seeking out and hiring a well-respected firm when it comes time for your search for a medical lab consultant.

Jeremy Daniels is a Medical Lab Consultant for Colaborate, a full-service medical laboratory consulting firm based in Tampa, Florida. Colaborate is made up of seasoned lab experts and business associates. Dedicated exclusively to the lab industry, they deliver strategic tools, best practice technology, and innovative solutions to meet the specific needs of their client organizations.

Men – Why Hire an Image Consultant? Top 5 Reasons

Hiring an image consultant can be a daunting task. It can be hard to figure out which one to go with, which one will really get you and your style. Not to mention that it can be a little embarrassing to admit to the fact that you need a little help in the style department. You probably think you should know how to dress yourself, or what haircut to get. Or maybe you just really don’t have the time, like many people. There are so many benefits to hiring an image consultant, but I will just go into the top 5.

1. You can shop in the store of your choice. Unlike a personal shopper at a department store, you’re not locked into just buying from that store. Not to mention the fact that an image consultant offers so much more than a personal shopper. They offer services to improve your total image, not just your clothing.

2. It makes shopping fast, easy and fun. Most men hate to shop, but when you hire an image consultant a good one will be able to cut your shopping time in half. Not to mention the fact that they will make it fun and easy for you. Basically all you have to do is show up, approve and try on. For those that really have no time, shopping can be done ahead of time and then you just come in and try it on, or else the clothing can be brought to you. All you have to do is provide your sizes and a description of the style you’re going for, as well as your budget.

3. You get an unbiased opinion. Because image consultants don’t receive commission they only have your best interest in mind. They will not push you into buying something expensive that you really don’t like. There is no pressure to buy, which is a nice change from department store personal shoppers.

4. Men can get a woman’s perspective. How many times have men wondered what clothing really attracts women? The foremost thing is always confidence, but wearing the right clothing that you feel good in, can create confidence. Women appreciate a man that has style. It doesn’t even have to be one specific style as long as it’s your own. It needs to be your own legitimate style, that fits your personality and a good image consultant will help you figure it out. Different women like different style men of course, but if your style is your own, it will attract most women.

5. No one else will tell you the absolute truth. If your friend, family member or partner were to tell you what they really think about your appearance, they risk hurting your relationship. An image consultant is specifically hired to tell you the truth. A good image consultant will never put you down or make you feel bad, but rather will only want to help you by giving you constructive criticism.

As you can see, hiring an image consultant is highly beneficial to you, as well as the people who have to look at you everyday. Instead of watching you struggle to keep from drowning in your fashion disaster, they will see you gain confidence and the new bounce in your step as you show off your new look.

Rosanne Bianchetta, Image Consultant and Life Coach, developed the revolutionary Custom 3 Part Program designed to completely transform your self-image, combining inner as well as outer transformation.

Consulting and Attitude

Due to a water leak in the apartment I currently live in, I’ve had six different carpenters/contractors in my apartment in the last few days, all working on what is now a huge hole in the kitchen floor. (The short story about the hole in the floor is that the water line to the refrigerator had a leak, and that over time, the leak caused major damage to the floor of this second-story apartment.)

What has really amazed me about the different contractors is their attitudes. Whenever I think about any form of service, I always think about consulting, because consulting is a service. So as I describe the following behavior, I want you to think about whether you’d hire this person as a consultant.

The contractors

Contractor #1: Very loud, swears often, and has his shirt unbuttoned to expose his chest. Talks about all sorts of personal things, including his buddy who is on a prison-release program, and has to wear an ankle bracelet so he can be tracked.

Contractor #2: A man apparently in his 50s or early 60s. When I ask him about the new concrete that has been poured, he complains about it, saying he doesn’t know why they do it this way, and how he thinks it’s dumb. He reeks of cigarette smoke, and quits complaining as soon as his boss walks in.

Contractor #3: A younger man, he serves as an apprentice to the others. He doesn’t say much, but does whatever anyone asks him to. He’s also far and away cleaner than the first two contractors, and was also polite to me.

The boss: An older man, the first time I meet him he introduces himself, makes sure he moves carefully in the apartment, apparently trying not keep the carpet clean. He describes to me what has probably happened here, and what they’re going to have to do to fix it. Once they get into the work he continues to update me on what’s happening.

The building maintenance man: A nice man, but based on comments from the neighbors, he comes with a reputation as a slow worker. He also told me that the work would be done in two days, and we’re currently starting Day 4 of the repairs.

Having read those descriptions, I think you can imagine whether or not you’d hire any of these people the next time you need to have some work done. And you can probably visualize people like this that you have met in your work environments.

Lessons learned

Based on the descriptions of these people (and the part of the story where we’re on Day 4 of a Two Day job), I feel like I’ve been reminded of the following lessons. As you’ll see, I think they all relate to consulting.

When making an estimate, don’t tell someone what you think they want to hear; tell them the truth, and even over-estimate, leaving time for things that can go wrong. People make other plans based on your estimates, and they will also resent you if you don’t come through on time.
Don’t complain about the work your company is doing. Can you imagine buying something from someone while they tell you how bad their product or service is? If you have a disagreement within the ranks, keep it internal, or move on.
Be polite. You’re a guest in someone else’s house (or business).
When working on someone else’s property, and certainly within earshot of people who are paying you, keep your conversation clean.
Attitude
There’s much more to be said, but I’ll sum it up in a way that relates to both consulting and life: In the long run, all you have in life is your attitude. And in regards to attitude, I’ve witnessed the following things over and over in my consulting career:

Prospects will hire you over someone else based on your attitude.
Customers will stick with you when things go wrong if you have a great attitude.
Customers will do repeat business with you — and recommend you to their friends — if you have a great attitude.
This isn’t to say that your work isn’t important — it is — but all other things being equal, the person with the great attitude is going to be the winner. Attitude is so important to me that when I first started consulting, I wrote these words on a scrap of paper, and put that paper in my wallet: “Be the most positive and enthusiastic person you meet today.”

I’ve won millions of dollars worth of service contracts almost based entirely on my attitude. I learned this consulting secret first from an old book named “How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling” (authored by Frank Bettger, and given to me by my grandfather), and I’m glad to share it with you here.

Consulting Companies – Discover 4 Leading Tips to Choose Best Consulting Services

What if you discovered amazing facts about how to find the best consulting companies online?

Do you want to know secret tips to find amazing consulting companies around the web?

The aim of this article is to teach you some best ways to find out best companies to mentor you to set up your profitable business on the internet.

Here are four easy and surefire steps to get you started now…

Step 1 – Do Proper Research.

Step 2 – Ask People For Better Recommendations.

Step 3 – Do Inquiry.

Step 4 – Ask Them For Free Trial.

Here are step by step details that you should apply as quick as possible…

Step 1 – Do Proper Research.

Visit various search engines to find consulting companies.

Make sure you search these companies depending on your needs.

Suppose if you want to become expert in IT field then try to search out consulting companies in that field only.

I advice you to visit at least top 20 sites that you get from the search engines.

Step 2 – Ask People For Better Recommendations.

Once you access all the top 20 sites then you can ask opinions of people who have taken their services.

By doing this you will get better idea about the quality of services given by these companies.

Now short list at least 5 top consulting companies out of 20 and apply next step.

Step 3 – Do Inquiry.

As you have five top sites now send them your inquiry through email and ask them about their services, rates, etc.

You can wait for their replies and ask them as many questions you would like to ask.

Step 4 – Ask Them For Free Trial.

It’s better for you to ask these companies about free trial of their consulting services so you can take final decision about their selection. Make sure you use the information in this article and get started today.

What Skills Do You Need to Be a Quality SEO Consultant?

A question that I am often asked is, how do I become an SEO consultant in the UK? People generally want to know what qualifications they need to take and what experience they have to gain. The problem is that there is no official qualifications for SEO consultants in the UK. There are lots of online schemes offering exams and certification but do they really certify you, are they willing to back anyone who passes their test as an search engine consultant.

As far as I am aware no such certification exists, however I did take and pass the web CEO exam and the reason I did was to help give my clients a little more confidence in my services. You get a certificate after the exam and an online badge link certifying you as an internet marketer and states the skills you possess. There are other exams you can take and some cost in excess of one thousand dollars.

The real qualities that turn you into an SEO consultant are your experience, track record and your site. For instance a good search engine optimisation consultant will have his or her site amongst the top site for his chosen keywords. If a consultant cannot get their own site to the top, how are they going to get anybody elses there. There are some basic skills you need to possess before you even think about becoming a consultant.

Html, where it is associated with optimisation, for example, title tags, meta tags, CSS, and alt images are all things you should know about and be able to optimise. You should also be aware how to build links effectively yet ethically and maximising the exposure of yours and your clients web pages. You also need to know how to use keywords correctly and how to build a site structure that is compatible with Google. I say Google because this is the search engine you really want to be ranked high in.

If you are dealing with a new site you will also need to about PPC advertising and how to use it affectively and to maximise ROI. There is lot to learn about PPC and you should concentrate on Google AdWords.

Becoming an SEO consultant in the UK is no easy task and experience is what you need to be successful. Show off your skills by sending your consultancy site to the top of Googles organic listings.

What Skills Do You Need to Be a Quality SEO Consultant?

A question that I am often asked is, how do I become an SEO consultant in the UK? People generally want to know what qualifications they need to take and what experience they have to gain. The problem is that there is no official qualifications for SEO consultants in the UK. There are lots of online schemes offering exams and certification but do they really certify you, are they willing to back anyone who passes their test as an search engine consultant.

As far as I am aware no such certification exists, however I did take and pass the web CEO exam and the reason I did was to help give my clients a little more confidence in my services. You get a certificate after the exam and an online badge link certifying you as an internet marketer and states the skills you possess. There are other exams you can take and some cost in excess of one thousand dollars.

The real qualities that turn you into an SEO consultant are your experience, track record and your site. For instance a good search engine optimisation consultant will have his or her site amongst the top site for his chosen keywords. If a consultant cannot get their own site to the top, how are they going to get anybody elses there. There are some basic skills you need to possess before you even think about becoming a consultant.

Html, where it is associated with optimisation, for example, title tags, meta tags, CSS, and alt images are all things you should know about and be able to optimise. You should also be aware how to build links effectively yet ethically and maximising the exposure of yours and your clients web pages. You also need to know how to use keywords correctly and how to build a site structure that is compatible with Google. I say Google because this is the search engine you really want to be ranked high in.

If you are dealing with a new site you will also need to about PPC advertising and how to use it affectively and to maximise ROI. There is lot to learn about PPC and you should concentrate on Google AdWords.

Becoming an SEO consultant in the UK is no easy task and experience is what you need to be successful. Show off your skills by sending your consultancy site to the top of Googles organic listings.

Consulting Skills Training: Molding Effective Facilitators After the Basics

Consulting skills have never been more important in the workplace. This is used in efficiently finding a solution to corporate issues, training the employees to optimize their potential through increasing competent leadership, getting feedback before going with a course of action, even in overcoming conflict. This way, the management has to be as much a guide and a mentor as a friend the employees can comfortably talk to. Effective consultants are driven, goal-oriented and inspiring individuals that drive the business to its full potential; and, most importantly, effective consulting can be learned through facilitation training.

The Basic Characteristics of Effective Consultants

Before the more complicated strategies, there are a few basic characteristics that prove to be the foundation of every effective consultant, and a few training exercises to stimulate them.

First, they listen. Consulting requires focus and attention towards a client or a team of individuals with a goal in mind. It is then critical that good communication is present between the parties involved. To exercise this skill, consider listening intently in your next conversation. What is this person’s story? How do you understand it? Mirror their actions, remove distractions and avoid intentions to jump in and interfere. Further, make eye contact and observe their body language.

Another tip that involves this ability lies in pausing. Most people assume that awkward silences are to be filled in with mindless chatter. Successful facilitation firms understand that this is false. Rather than filling in the silence, allow it. Try to pause before responding, and use this time to organize what you have to say, as opposed to formulating them while the person is still speaking. This not only gives the appearance of ignoring what they have to say, it can also lead the conversation somewhere else.

Second, it involves teamwork. Because some projects require employees and clients of different personalities to come together, it is imperative that a facilitator not only knows how to integrate disparate personalities, but to be a part of their team as well.

Third, it requires perspective and smarts. This industry thrives on training the brain and challenging the mind. It involves being able to analyze a situation and transform ideas into solutions. Therefore, they have to possess a perspective that is more advanced than the average manager. This is usually brought on by the experience of living abroad, traveling, or a strong background in a specific industry: the arts, social sciences, airlines, retail, etc.

Fourth, they have to be great public speakers. Being able to present and fulfill the needs of a client through a solution in a crowd or one-on-one presents admirable potential. To exercise this, read up on books regarding how to make good presentations, and practice creating them on your own. Advance by practicing your presentation skills. Not everyone can present ideas coherently and creatively; being someone who is able to can open up unexpected opportunities.

Lastly, be appreciative. Coined by Carl Rogers, the term “unconditional positive regard” approaches each interaction with a positive point of view. Most people have an opinion of others before even having a conversation with them. Successful consultants know how to value the opinions of others and hold the other person in a positive regard. This lets teams and clients value them in the same way and have an affinity for their work.

After the basics, the more complicated characteristics come in. These prepare consultants for the more advanced and business-oriented goals. In this stage, a consulting skills training might now be in order, led by experienced professionals in the industry.

Search Engine Optimization Consulting

Is your business opting to handle the search engine optimization of websites by itself with the in-house staff as opposed to enlisting the services of a search engine optimizer to manage the task?

If this is so, then you will still require SE optimization consultancy to ensure the success of search engine optimization. Search engine optimization (SEO) consultants do exactly what their title suggests, consult. A consultant will not take on the responsibility of optimizing your site for detection by search engine – but will rather assist you through the process of SEO.

SEO consultants will be able to advise businesses on the various factors affecting SEO. Businesses will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the SE world, how they operate, what systems are in place and what changes are imminent. Consultants will be able to analyze competitors’ search engine optimization campaigns to detect any grey areas which could be used to beat them.

A key element of SE optimization is a websites structure.

SEO consultants can be used to distinguish between that which is good and that which is bad for sit structure and advise you thereof, so that you can learn how to optimize structure in order to make a website search engine (SE) friendly. The key factors which make a site SE friendly:

o Easily search-able content on your site
o Establish links to and from your site from other authoritative websites
o Have your content structured in a way such that it makes visitors linger on the site for as long as possible

Consultants can be used to analyze your target market and together with intense research, uncover targeted keywords which would be most profitable to your business. The consult will advise in favor of and against certain actions. Sometimes what might appear to have a positive effect regarding SEO, will actually cause more harm than good in the long run – especially if these tactics are consider by search engines to be black-hat SEO tactics. Engaging in black-hat SEO tactics could result in you be penalized or worse – blacklisted from the search engine.

An SEO consultant can have a massive impact on the SEO of your website. They are experts in the field and are able to advise you based on experience and knowledge. As SEO is not a once-off task, but rather an ongoing strategy – regular reviews and adjustments are imperative – this process can be eased with the assistance of a SEO consultant.

Executive Consulting – What Every Business Needs

Whether he or she likes to be called CEO, president, owner, etc., the executive of a business or corporation has an impressive job, but also a job that carries a lot of responsibility. Sometimes, even the best leaders need a little bit of help, and that is where executive consulting comes into play. Consulting provides business strategies, support, and ideas that will help any company grow and thrive. With Atlanta Vistage, consulting is just one benefit that members will enjoy, and it is one from which all executives can benefit.

Executive consulting provides leaders with the skills that they need to help their company reach its highest potential. One of these tools is marketing support. With the right marketing, any business can be successful and any product can sell. Consulting provides executives with the right ideas, outlets, and resources to market themselves and their products and services effectively. Successful marketing is pivotal to the growth and sustainability of any business. Atlanta Vistage can help any executive find the right way to market his or her business in the best way possible.

Executive consulting can also help leaders learn how to get the most out of their employees. A business is only as strong as its weakest link, and often, businesses often struggle with the morale and organization of their employees. Consulting provides executives with the tools to help build their employees as a team as well as motivate and reward them without losing respect. There is a fine line between being too nice and too aggressive in the workplace. Atlanta Vistage will teach executives how to motivate their employees into doing their best work as well as how to work with them in the best and most productive ways possible.

Executive consulting can teach leaders how to communicate better with their management, employees, clients, investors, etc. Communication is a key factor in the success of any business related interaction. Being able to convey the things that need to be done, sold, bought, or created can make or break a company. Without being able to communicate these things, a business will fail. Not only is being able to communicate clearly and effectively important for executives, but it is also important for the employees. Atlanta Vistage can teach executives how to communicate in the best way possible for their own personal benefit as well as provide the right tools so they can teach proper communication to their employees.

Running a business or corporation can be a tough job, but having the right skills and tools makes it much easier. The most successful companies are expert marketers, have productive employees, and the entire company communicates effectively. Atlanta Vistage can provide executives with the tools that will make their company more successful via executive consulting and many other options that are available with membership. The consultants with Atlanta Vistage are all executives themselves, so they have the experience to know what it takes to put any business at the top of its game.