If you've been working at your consulting business for a while, you may want to take another look at the business you're in. It's possible to get so wrapped up in what you've always done that you forget to take a look at the broader field. Sometimes, you can earn money from adjacent markets or by repositioning yourself.

When I started out, I was a freelance writer. After a while, I realized that I often spent a huge amount of time doing research, project management, communications planning and marketing strategy development. I repositioned myself as a marketing communications consultant and saw my market -- and profits -- expand. Later, I repositioned myself as a marketing consultant, allowing me to apply my business and numerical acumen in more profitable ways. Today, I do both business and marketing consulting.

If you always do what you've always done, you may miss out on opportunities. It may make sense to keep on doing what you're doing. But ensure that you make an informed decision. Take some time to discover your inner consultant -- consider all the things you could be doing. Find something that makes you happy -- and that makes you money!

Related:
Become a freelance writer
Ideas for consultants you can become

Via Nuwire, here's a list of the top five business trends:

1. Outsourcing
2. Exporting
3. Senior living
4. Global tourism
5. Internet-related business

Add those to your list of ideas for consulting businesses, whether you're trying to Discover Your Inner Consultant or simply reposition your existing business.

As a consultant, I am certainly taking advantage of the trend in outsourcing. Heck, I even outsource some of my work to other consultants. I also export my services to clients in other countries -- and I sometimes hire consultants from other places, too. One of my clients specializes in global tourism, so I've had to research that market. And both my marketing company and Consultant Journal are Internet-related.

The only trend I have yet to pursue is senior living.

How about you?

Regular reader Harold Jarche has published an article on becoming an e-learning consultant. It's an excellent overview that even provides information on typical consulting fees.

Harold's article is of particular interest to me, because of my own background in e-learning. I previously developed computer-based training programs for a major hydro-electric company, before moving into course and course material development for education and careers organizations. I've also taught courses, including one on Writing for Multimedia at the University of British Columbia. I also have a certificate in teaching adults. Some of my clients are e-learning organizations.

Why am I telling you all this? I feel strongly that, while it's good to own a consulting niche, it's also good to be flexible about the work you do. Sometimes, your unique blend of skills allows you to move into a new area.

Do you have any recent successes to share? I'm always keen to highlight the successes of Consultant Journal readers. Drop me a line.

Related:

• Consulting Fees Guide
• Discover Your Inner Consultant

Paying freelance writing jobs take effort to find. If you're looking for paying freelance writing jobs, you may find many posted on websites such as Craigslist. But many of those jobs pay nothing or next-to-nothing.

If you're just starting out in freelance writing, pick up a copy of Writers' Market. This helpful guide lists tons of paying publications. You should also master the art of writing query letters, so that you can persuade publications to pay you. Try approaching your local newspaper, too. I got my first paid article published when I was barely out of my teens -- at 10 cents a word.

Related to paying freelance writing jobs

• Become a freelance writer
• Freelance writer -- why become one

In defining the market for your consulting business -- new or well established -- don't underestimate the potential of niche markets. Take a look at this construction screw collection. Have you ever considered that some people collect screws? There's an untapped market out there. It's a highly specialized market and there are probably some collectors willing to pay big bucks to add to their collections.

Now, I can't think of a consulting business that would target screw collectors. However, the importance is the niche market. You may be busy selling to a general market, but how much more could you make if you went after the clients willing to pay more to have their unique problems solved? Sometimes, by serving the needs of the hungriest clients, you can make charge higher consulting fees.

Become a certified consultant -- does it make sense for you? Whether you should become a certified consultant or not really depends on the field you work in and the clients you serve. Certainly, in some fields, like real estate or medicine, you need to have specific credentials to call yourself a member of the profession. But you rarely need to become a "certified consultant" just to open up shop as a consultant.

However, if you want to act as a reseller of certain products, you may need to gain certification. It's not unusual for IT consultants to pick up designations as certified consultants for products like Accpac, Siebel and so on. But there's nothing stopping those IT consultants from being consultants without that certification. It just depends on the perks, referral fees and discounts they'd like to access.

Before you pay for certification, stop and ask yourself why you're doing it. Don't assume that the credentials of an association will be enough to win clients over. It's not uncommon for a certificate to be worth the paper it's written on. You might be better to invest your time in money in building your client base, education or training -- not necessarily some "certification" you found on the web or in a classified ad.

Related to becoming a consultant:

Becoming a consultant FAQ

A business career assessment test can help you figure out what kind of consulting business you should be running. Although a business career assessment test can run from something like the Myers-Brigg personality test to a skills inventory, it's a handy way to discover the right kind of consulting business for you. Even if you've already started a consulting business, going through an assessment or skills inventory can help you look at related services and businesses that might make you more money.

Related to business career assessment test

Consulting business ideas
Discover Your Inner Consultant

Adventure tourism meets dog walking and doggy daycare -- while surfing Craigslist.org today, I stumbled across a job posting for Paws in the Woods. According to their website, "Paws in the Woods Adventures takes you ripping up mountains, splashing in water, and roaring through forests all on our action-packed fun-filled adventures." The catch? The "you" they mean is a dog. Say what? "You will get to socialize and play with other four-legged friends in a natural, safe environment."

Wondering why I'm covering this on Consultant Journal? I don't know the company or the owners. But I do recognize niche marketing. And Paws in the Woods has combined adventure tourism, doggy daycare and dog walking to come up with a new service offering.

Could your business do the same? Here are some ideas from consultants I know:

• Communications specialist with a background in geography and government services applied her skills to offer disaster management consulting
• A pianist with a marketing background sequed into freelance writing for music magazines
• A human resources executive who raised a daughter on her own moved into career coaching for women in their 30s
• A gerontologist who helped her own parents in their golden years used her experience as a platform for launching an eldercare consulting service.

The key with niche marketing is to combine your services with a particular problem or market. Once you start brainstorming ideas, the possibilities are endless. Stuck for ideas? Discover Your Inner Consultant.  

 

Affordable home-based business opportunities aren't as hard to find as you might think. In fact, many people quickly launch affordable home-based businesses. There are tons of businesses where you don't have to invest much to get going. While I'm always quick to point out the merits of becoming a consultant, there are many other ways to earn money from the comfort of your own home.

Affordable home-based business ideas

• scrapbooking
• gift cards
• writing
• desktop publishing
• website publishing
• blogging
• dog walking
• childcare
• kids' party goodie bags
• antique refinishing
• furniture repair
• costume design
• cooking
• baking
• catering
• event planning
• counselling
• word processing
• shopping service
• market research
• research
• party planning
• resume writing
• cleaning
• and so on

Posts related to home-based business

• second jobs
• Great second job idea: airline jobs
• Side jobs: earning income on the side
• Christmas jobs: second job ideas
• Second jobs for engineers and scientists

Affordable home-based business opportunities aren't as hard to find as you might think. In fact, many people quickly launch affordable home-based businesses. There are tons of businesses where you don't have to invest much to get going. While I'm always quick to point out the merits of becoming a consultant, there are many other ways to earn money from the comfort of your own home.

Affordable home-based business ideas

• scrapbooking
• gift cards
• writing
• desktop publishing
• website publishing
• blogging
• dog walking
• childcare
• kids' party goodie bags
• antique refinishing
• furniture repair
• costume design
• cooking
• baking
• catering
• event planning
• counselling
• word processing
• shopping service
• market research
• research
• party planning
• resume writing
• cleaning
• and so on

Posts related to home-based business

• second jobs
• Great second job idea: airline jobs
• Side jobs: earning income on the side
• Christmas jobs: second job ideas
• Second jobs for engineers and scientists

Become a freelance writer -- earlier this week, I responded to a question on a popular discussion forum. Someone had asked about jobs for a woman who needed to work from home, due to a disability. I suggested she become a freelance writer. As a result, I've received an inordinate number of emails from people who want to know how to become a freelance writer. (For information on why, see Why become a freelance writer?)

It wouldn't be possible to reply to everyone in a timely manner. So I'm posting my response here.

How to become a freelance writer

You can do freelance writing for a variety of organizations. You've probably heard of freelance writers who write for magazines and newspapers. They usually get paid by the word, and, if they write quickly, they can make more than $35 an hour, if they are writing for bigger publications. Writers' Market has information on rates and publications.

Other freelance writers may focus on health, business, direct mail, marketing, technology, technical writing or other specialized fields. They usually bill out at an entry-level rate of $35, but can make much more than that. I've built up expertise in business, direct mail, marketing, and technology. I bill more a *lot* more than $35 an hour. (I also do other kinds of consulting, but at even higher rates.)

When I was still in university, I picked up a copy of Secrets of a Freelance Writer by Bob Bly. See . This book really changed how I looked at writing and allowed me to start freelance writing. It inspired me and gave me the confidence and tools I needed to start my freelance writing business. Within a couple of months, I was a published freelance writer. My first article appeared in The Ottawa Citizen and I received $80 for a couple of hours of work.

Writers' Market is another classic book aimed at helping writers get published. I bought my first copy around 1991 and quickly dog-eared many of the pages. If you're looking for information on fees and rates, it's a great reference guide.

I have information on how to become a consultant here at ConsultantJournal.com. However, if you like taking courses, check with your local college or community college to see if they offer courses in technical writing, business writing, or freelance writing. Sometimes, a one-term evening course can give you enough info to help you get headed in the right direction.

Posted related to becoming a freelance writer

• Ideas for kinds of consultants you can become
• Why become a consultant?

"Become a freelance writer" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.

Japanese toys will increasingly be marketed to adults, say Japanese toy makers. Faced with an aging Japanese population and falling birth rate, Japanese toys would only enjoy small successes if marketed to children. Instead, toy makers will set their sights on older technology enthusiasts, known as otaku.

Otaku -- grown-up gadget geeks -- love playing with toys, so look for more gadgets to appear on the shelves of your local stores. Meanwhile, in women's markets, toy makers will license characters for use on everthing from toilet seats to hand bags.

As a consultant, you can learn a lot from what's going on with the Japanese toy industry. Sometimes, it doesn't make sense to chase a dying market. Instead, you should look for ways to broaden your scopes and use your core competences in new ways.

For example, when automobiles appeared, people who specialized in bicycle repair soon realized that the bike market would drop while the car market took off. So many bike repairmen started fixing cars.

As a consultant, don't be blindsided by what you do. Just because you've always thought of yourself in one way doesn't mean you couldn't change. You have transferable skills that would be useful in many markets. Some of the people I know who have changed careers include:

• a lawyer who now uses her research and writing skills as a freelance writer
• a high school English teacher who uses her training and writing skills as a technical writer and trainer for high tech companies
• a pharmacy technician who applies his detail-oriented approach to a career as a web developer
• a flight attendant who uses her people skills as a medical doctor (after some years of school!)
• a hospital cafeteria worker who taps her love for routine as the owner of a house cleaning and home care business

So, think like a Japanese toy maker. Consider all the ways you could apply your skills, then choose something you'll enjoy while still turning a profit.

"Japanese toys and what you can learn | Japanese toy companies" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.

What kind of consultant should you become? -- that's the question Ricardo suggests we ask. Yesterday, I posted "Is consulting for you?", but Ricardo suggests that it's more important to consider the kind of consulting you tackle.

Here are my top five posts on figuring out what kind of consultant you should become:

• Doing what you love for profit
• First steps in consulting: now what?
• Ideas for kinds of consultants you can become
  
• Consulting business ideas
• Discover Your Inner Consultant -- find out what consulting business suits you

But, no matter what kind of consulting you choose, do check to see whether you're suited to working on your own. See Should I become a consultant? for questions you should ask yourself.

"What kind of consultant should you become?" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.

Doing what you love is great. But, if you're in business, you want to know that you're making a profit from it.  Steve Pavlina says it best in 10 Business Lessons from a Snarky Entrepreneur:
"Do what you love, but be damned sure it’s profitable."

If you're going to be in business, you need to be sure that there's money in what you're doing. Sure, you don't want to bang your head against a wall by doing something you dislike. But there's no point doing something you love if you can't make a good living from it. That's because most of us really love having food, clothing, shelter, security, self esteem and other important needs.

I love consulting, but I don't love everything about consulting. There are some projects that I merely like. However, I *love* being able to enjoy the freedoms of having a good income. I wouldn't throw myself into work I hated, but I don't mind making good money for doing things I just like. In the end, I love the freedom that work delivers.

If you're having a hard time figuring out what you can do for profit, consider doing a personal inventory to help fidentify your passions, interests and talents.

"Doing what you love for profit" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.

If you're meeting with clients, be on time. Clients like to work with consultants who respect them. A consultant who isn't mindful of the client's time may not be respectful of the client's needs or budget. Even if you have great skills and knowledge, running late for an appointment makes you look bad.

Years ago, I hired a graphic designer who turned up 45 minutes late for a meeting. He obviously didn't respect me. Five years later, I was working for a client who was about to hire an ad agency. I saw that same graphic designer's name on a business card stapled to an agency's proposal. I let the client know about my experience -- and he promptly dropped the proposal into the blue box. Don't be that graphic designer -- show up on time.

"Be on time" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.

Become a fitness consultant -- want to make your career in the fitness world? Become a fitness consultant and apply your skills to research, developing, planning and implementing programs and policies for fitness, recreation and sports.

As a fitness consultant, you can work for government, industry, fitness facilities, retirement homes, community centers, sports firms or even private individuals. You may serve general communities, youth, adults, seniors or even pregnant women and new moms. (See my past post on becoming a prenatal and postnatal fitness consultant.)

Some fitness consultants work directly with people to help them practice exercises and develop routines. Others take on more of a management and planning role. This is an exciting consulting career path with a lot of opportunities. And while many fitness consultants work full-time, it's also a great side job for people who want to moonlight outside regular hours.

Related Posts

• Ideas for consulting businesses

 

"Become a fitness consultant" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.

 

Become an art consultant -- do you like choosing and buying beautiful art? If you become an art consultant, you could make money by creating art programs for companies, hotels, office buildings, medical centers and upper income professionals.

Whereas art reps promote works sold by galleries or artists, art consultants consider each client's unique needs and budget, then consider hundreds of works before making a recommendation. And while some galleries serve as art consultants, they too tend to be limited to what the gallery has on hand. In comparison, an art consultant is free to choose any work that suits their client.

To become an art consultant, you'll need to draw from a specialized knowledge of art sales, art, entrepreneurship, networking and the art scene. If this sounds like a match for you, consider starting your own consulting business and consider the reasons for why you should become a consultant.

Related Posts

• Ideas for kinds of consultants you can become

"Become an art consultant" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.