SILVERWOOD
CONSULTING
CONSULTING
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Many small to mid size companies are unable to afford enough personnel to properly produce all of the information, documents and “tools” needed to compete for business on a daily basis. Rather than having the business function developed by someone who is inexperienced or not fully equipped to produce the work, the use of consultants who have many successful years of experience in an area can provide a professional result that rival the output of a large company.
A business should have an organized policies and procedures guideline that is conveyed to all employees so that there is no guesswork as to how situations should be handled. Working with company owners/managers, a business consultant will be able to develop a comprehensive policy and procedure manual that identifies roles, responsibilities, job functions, and the basis for decision making for all employees.
An employee manual will present all of the information about the company that is needed for the daily operations and also provide guidance for how to conduct daily interaction with current and potential consumers. The manual will also provide internal company procedures regarding working conditions, benefits, and expectations for the work day.
Any company that is operating today, NEEDS to have a presence on the Internet. Current and potential customers/clients are spending increasing amount of time on the Internet to research and explore information and opportunities. A web presence should reflect the image and information that you would like to convey to your target audience and is a controlled communication that can be altered as conditions change. The web site will become the focal point of of ongoing communications with customers/clients and must be adaptable to many different screen sizes or the effectiveness of the communication will be lost. A web consultant can design the site so that content can be updated/changed by one of your current staff members to reduce the ongoing expense for having a current effective web site.
The content on a web site should be presented in a way that it effectively communicates the company message. The content should be broken up into different stages to provide only the information that the viewer needs at the initial point of contact. Additional information is provided on secondary sections of the site once interest is captured on the home page. A communications consultant can develop the information on your business and present it with terms that are compelling, identifiable by the target audience and purposeful to engage the reader. The appropriate use of space, graphics, photos, videos and blogs will all enhance the effectiveness of a web site and increase the search engine optimization.
Presentations to potential customers/clients are often the determining factor in obtaining business. As opposed to detailed written plans, a power point presentation provides a capsule summary of the information including the top information and visuals that are easily communicated and understood. A carefully planned and structured power point presentation is an effective way to guide an in-person presentation and also serves as a lasting “leave behind” to continue selling the offer to the potential client.
Promotional material that communicates an opportunity needs to be concise, convey the key points and provide a call to action. The material can be developed for presentation in a variety of formats for delivery via email, direct mail, online or in print for display or dissemination to the intended target audience. The material should be appealing to the reader and include the proper use of space, graphics, enough information to gain interest and contact information for more details.
A well-written press release will be viewed as informational and not a direct promotion of a product or service. Information about the use of a product or service, actual results/findings and a statement from a user(s) experience will position the information with more authority than company based material. Once written, the release can be disseminated through media services to reach the target audience and will include company contact information. The release may be picked up by a media outlet writer and presented as current news or events and can also be included on company web site to increase search engine optimization.
Company presence on social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yelp) can be effective in communicating with a target consumer. Understanding where the target consumer spends their time will provide the guidance for the emphasis that should be placed on each outlet.
A detailed approach to sales includes planning to effectively communicate the product/service opportunity. A full target list of potential consumers/clients needs to be compiled to focus the attention of a compelling message that will capture the attention of the audience. Often a compelling solution to a problem being faced by the consumer is the most effective way to get their attention. Developing questions and answers to anticipate objections that may arise will allow the presentation to be focused on the solution provided by the product or service. A script or guideline for the presentation that touches on the key points is important to having a consistent sales presentation that stays focused on the solution provided. Internal sales training/consultation should be a weekly occurrence to keep the plan on track and integrate answers to new objections that may be raised by the target audience. The sales plan should also include various contact methods (e.g. email, direct mail. phone, in-person, groups, conferences), goals for presentations and reasonable expectations for sales success.
The use of video in presentations and on the Internet is a tremendous way to bring your company/product/service to life with a controlled message. A short video properly scripted, videotaped and edited can be used for sales promotions, training, and a general education about the business. Once produced, the video can serve as a way to bring Internet viewers to your site in addition to them receiving the intended message of the video. A video consultant can provide a turnkey final production and manage the placement online to help promote the business.
The Internet has opened the sales territory of any business to a global economy. Understanding how business is conducted in other countries along with identifying reliable and appropriate local representation in each area can result in a significant increase in business. Importing and exporting a product or materials is influenced by many factors, so an experienced consultant can guide you through the many obstacles while providing an untapped market for business growth.
Proper warehousing and inventory control can greatly impact the expense side of business planning and budgets. A consultant with experience in sources, procedures, methods and planning can guide a business through the most effective and efficient way to maintain control of inventory and move a product from production through delivery to the customer.
