The consulting market in Spain is an activity in constant expansion, with growth rates that the AEC put at around 10.4% in 2008. These numbers invite dozens of entrepreneurs every year to jump in the pool and try their luck. “After the training you have a lot of knowledge, but a big gap in your CV. That’s why I decided to seek advice. It was a way to find a job. You have to find a way out and it seemed more or less immediate to me,” explains consultant Nuria Amigot

But be careful, reading between the lines and taking your time is important if you don’t want the bathroom to cause indigestion or, in this case, business euphoria. Professor Philip Moscoso gives the first brushstrokes of a more structural analysis: “80% of the sales volume is monopolized by 25 companies”. So that’s the first lesson: bet on certain niches, on business opportunities, where the big consulting firms don’t see enough attractiveness because of size, humbleness or other reasons. Advice that Antonio Gigirey gave mostly from experience: “You start with great enthusiasm and you make the mistake of wanting to cover too much until you realize that you have to focus, focus more on the business axis and act on a few customers must be more specific”.

Stand out from the rest

Although on these pages we recommend you to bet on innovative sectors, experts agree that with a quality service it is possible to fill a gap in more traditional niches such as communication or marketing. These words from Gigirey are worthy of an award: “I think that the big ones cannot offer what we do, a more personalized product. While they confine themselves to much more bureaucratic work, we are the small consultants who know clients’ needs best.”

Whatever your target market, don’t settle for starting a consulting firm. Stand out from the rest. And we do it efficiently and profitably. At Unternehmer we give you four basic tips so that the incline is not so steep:

1. Don’t neglect the initial investment. A consultation seems easy to create, without excessive implementation costs … half a truth! “It’s a business like any other and requires minimal structure, initial cost,” explains expert Tomás Soler. “You have to establish yourself in conditions, that is, make the necessary investments. Half measures are mediocrity in the end. When you go to a place you want it to be good, in short, to make a good impression.” Or as Amigot adds: “It happens to everyone. It was clear to me from the start that I would have a company image, my logo, a welcoming office… You have to invest: it will be worth it in the long run.”

However, there are tricks to ensure that this possible lack of initial investment does not become so latent: “Instead of making contact easier for the secretary, give them your mobile phone. And when a customer wants to see you, you’re the one traveling. In the end you need your head, a computer, a phone and little more. At least in the beginning, until you’ve got everything tied down,” says Moscoso.

2. Do not build the house from the roof. In contrast to other sectors, the consulting world is not suitable for entrepreneurs without experience or previous contacts. “You have no choice but to show that you are from this market or to work with someone. In practice, getting into an area you haven’t worked in before is very unrealistic, although there are always exceptions that prove the rule,” assures the professor. In this case, the credibility you convey to your customers is essential to build a good relationship.

Antonio Gigirey is clear: “Just starting with the brand and the office and then starting to look for clients is a mistake I would not advise anyone to make. It is necessary and advisable to start the activity with a minimal portfolio of contacts and grow parallel to your possibilities.”

3. Don’t neglect marketing. Word of mouth is important, especially if you don’t have excessive resources. Rely on guerrilla marketing: Among other things, ask for references from other customers, appear in forums and seminars or contact them by e-mail. Tomás Soler reveals further pointers: “Having a website as a communication and business tool has worked very well for us. With a relatively small investment, it will open a lot of doors for you, or at least provide a frame of reference for everyone you want to meet.”

And remember, you’re delving into a portfolio business where having a good client base can improve your billing, even if you don’t work with everyone directly. In this line, you can join forces with other entrepreneurs who bring the client portfolio or expertise that you may lack. Starting from the previous work of a consulting firm already present on the market and including your services in its portfolio is another interesting option, as illustrated by the case of Luis Capella, who until a few weeks ago was a professor at the IDE-Cesem Institute of Company Directors and who has just joined a consulting firm to provide Corporate Social Responsibility services, the company Mas Ideas Punto.

4. Don’t undersell yourself. The temptation to lower prices in such a competitive market is common, but has negative effects. “Instead of lowering them, work more,” says Philip Moscoso. A recommendation in which he agrees with the partner of Global Vision Consulting: “The fear of missing sales sometimes leads to making mistakes in this regard. Setting your fees and prices should be based on what you actually offer. In such a market you have to position yourself with quality services because that is what the company ultimately asks for: good service, the ability to listen a lot, to offer the solution that the customer is looking for and to have a good professional team” .

Choose between the most profitable activities

Become a consultant… but in what? The most traditional sectors, oversaturated and taken over by large companies, have a very high risk of default. Experts agree that there are many untouched areas. “What is happening is that consultants specialize in boutique philosophy. Because you have to be very focused, otherwise you run the risk of competing against the big ones,” says Moscoso. There is no exclusive path. Find your own formula and bet on specific niches for which you have the right one expertise enough. If you are overwhelmed by the variety of options, here are the suggestions from the experts:

marketing and communication

Although from these pages we advise you to bet on innovative sectors, with a quality service it is possible to open a gap in more traditional niches. Some of the options are:

– Communication and PR consultant

– Protocol

– From the marketing

– In the event area

education

In the sense of further training in and for the company as a continuous improvement process. An increasingly common business practice where any society that wants to convey a positive and appropriate image must become a knowledge generation area. Market opportunities open up here …, also for consultants:

– Training outdoors

– Coaching

– e-learning

Immigration Related Products

The world of immigration has long been a reality in our country. A trend that is far from slowing down but will be the trend of the years to come. Paradoxically, there are still many untapped niches when it comes to consulting.

– Legal advice in the field of immigration

– Marketing for immigration

free time and leisure

The development of the leisure society has been a reality for years. The connection between business performance and leisure management is becoming ever closer. So much so that today the terms of the work-rest binomial would not be understood separately. A property that still has niches:

– Stress management consultant

– Organization of free time

– Work-life balance

Surroundings

The defense and protection of the environment has always been our obligation and now more than ever seems to permeate the conscience of companies. What was once a trend is now here to stay. As a consultant, you should take advantage of the rebound effect of this trend:

– Environmental Management Consultant

entrepreneur

No one better than you can tell you about the difficulties every entrepreneur faces when starting their business. Benefit from knowing firsthand the obstacles to becoming an expert:

– In search of funding from specialized consultants

– Specialized in obtaining ISO certificates

– Specialized in company formation, law and taxes

– Specialized in business plan

new technologies

This list must include everything that moves in very changing markets where it is difficult to keep up to date, which means a hassle for the customer. New technologies adapt to these characteristics:

– Internet consultant

– Information security

– Privacy Advisor

senior citizens

Although it has been a sad reality for a number of years, experts agree that caring for the elderly is still an underutilized field of work. A fact that stands in the way of the progressive aging of the population:

– Consultant specialized in research and design of products and services for the elderly

Other

Good tips make the entrepreneurial path to success more pleasant. Among them, innovation is a triple in your pool. Decide how to enter the competition, analyze the competition and give your advice a personal stamp:

– Food Management Consultant

– Corporate Social Responsibility Advisor

found your company, found, company