If you are the owner of a website, you are probably familiar with who an SEO Consultant is and what services they offer. You may have read about them on the internet, in magazines, and possibly on the radio or television programs. You may also wonder who exactly SEO Experts are? Before we define the roles of these service providers, we ought to understand what SEO is.

In this age of information technology, it is easy to assume that everybody or at least most people are familiar with terms such as search engine optimization. The companies or individuals that perform this service are often times referred to as SEO Consultants or SEO Experts. In reality, there are many internet users who are not familiar with these terms. For the benefit of these people we will define and discuss SEO.

SEO is an abbreviation for search engine optimization. How can we define search engine optimization? When you are searching the internet, you find a large number of results in the search engine of your choice. The first results are considered very popular and relevant to the search engines. Companies that perform search engine optimization attempt to grab those top rankings for your company in order to improve your website’s traffic on the internet. You have probably used a search engine such as Yahoo or Google to find the specific product that you were looking for. Chances are you typed in a short phrase looking for your topic or item using something relevant to your request. These are what are known as “search queries” or “keywords” in search engine optimization terminology. SEO involves modifying your webpage content so you can grab top rankings for the specific keywords of your choice. These keywords should be in line with those used by specific search engines. The goal of hiring an SEO consultant is to increase your website’s search rankings for your main keywords of focus. We can therefore say that SEO is a form of marketing a website or web pages on the internet.

SEO does not only involve keyword density within your website. It also involves using tactics such as link building and improvement of site popularity to gain top rankings. SEO involves optimizing your webpage under different types of searches to increase traffic to your website.

Now that you understand what SEO is and why it is important, we can now look at the roles of SEO Experts. Who are SEO consultants and what can they do for you? SEO Experts take their firm grasp and understanding of the search engines and use methodologies and skill sets to improve your rankings. They are people who have knowledge of how the search engine algorithms promote top rankings. The most common search engines used on the internet include Google, MSN and Yahoo. When you hire SEO Consultants, they are given the responsibility of either designing your website or modifying it so the search engines deem it as valuable. They then follow up and help the search engine confirm its belief in your site with in bound links.

The standards of search engines are not static, they are ever changing. SEO experts are required to keep abreast with the workings of the search engines. They need to understand how to properly research out keywords for companies and then they must understand how to achieve results promptly. They do this using a variety of tactics from on page to off page optimization. SEO consultants ensure that the right key words have been used to increase the relevance of your website. The SEO Expert will also be required to ensure that any barriers that may exist against the webpage in the search engine’s indexing activities are removed.

While there are few career paths that some would call perfect, being a consultant comes pretty close to having it all. Yet while it is one of the best ways to earn a living, there are challenges and pitfalls that are sometimes overwhelming and unexpected.

When analyzing, identifying and exploring the most specific challenges high on the consultant’s list, there are probably a few that would probably be considered the greatest of all. Whether your goal is to help a client increase sales, or if your objective is to show them how implementing a new idea will make things more effective, challenges are always to be faced.

Client’s Expectations!

One very huge challenge most consultants face is dealing with a client who has lofty goals, but lacks a forward thinking attitude. Understandably, the client wants to achieve a great deal but when it comes to a client’s business, more often than not they’re fearful about spending money. Because some clients are often short-term oriented, they sometimes expect big results from very small investments. To encourage a client towards longer-term strategies, ask your client if your services are showing progress overall. It’s up to you to prove to your client that you are making a difference.

Creative Ways of Attracting Clients!

While writing letters, introducing your company, creating press releases, developing a web site and of course networking are all critical to the success of any business, in a competitive market such as the Internet, the challenge grows even greater.

What that means to the consultant is that he or she must conceive of unique measures for opening doors to their services, and that demands different approaches. As an example, if you’re a web designer, convincing your client of the importance of having a web site is critical in today’s market. Yet, often when approaching a prospective client, getting past the initial inquiry presents a great challenge. Not wishing to lose a client right off the bat, tell the client that their decision to use your services will depend upon what they actually want to achieve. Suggest that you have some great ideas that will enhance their business. Offer a first no obligation meeting or conversation to give them an idea of what you can do for them. Usually under those terms the client will agree to speak to you about your intentions giving you an opportunity to demonstrate how you can help them.

Relating to and Understanding a Clients Needs!

Because a consultant commonly seeks to offer newer and more progressive ideas to an organization, the consultant’s challenge is to relate to and understand different client’s needs. Prospects often have a difficult time grasping the full benefits of a particular strategy. As an example, if you’re interested in introducing new software, the potential client may not understand how implementing the newer idea can help augment their business. Although clients might not have a handle on the importance of adding something technical to their business, carefully researching different markets and showing proof as to why your idea will be to the client’s benefit is one way of overcoming this challenge.

There are always going to be times when a potential or existing client may challenge your suggestions or method of operation, but you have to hear and understand where a client is coming from even when you don’t agree. First listen and then show why you believe your way is best. As a consultant it is your goal to become known as a solution finder, and the only way to do that is to become aware of your client’s concerns. It’s your job to go beyond those concerns by helping your client reach their goals. As Consultants we always have the choice to either permit our challenges to defeat us or simply use them as an opportunity to transcend specific hurdles.

©Copyright 2005

This is the final article of a five part series exploring unique and noteworthy trends in the mental health profession. The article discusses the rise of professional coaching/consulting and its overall impact in the world of behavioral health. The purpose for examining all of these trends is to note business opportunities and competitive influences within the marketplace.

The Rise of Professional Coaches & Consultants

In early 2007 I was speaking with a friend of mine who told me he attended a relationship workshop he found to be very informative and helpful for both he and his wife. Naturally, I assumed it was a psychologist, marriage and family therapist, professional counselor or clinical social worker facilitating the program. Since I was in the field and felt I had a good handle on the marketplace I assumed I would know the clinician. When I asked the person’s name I did not recognize it. I asked my friend if the person was a therapist and he nodded his head in acknowledgement. Since I did not know this person I looked her up and realized she was not a clinician but a relationship coach.

There are several points worth noting about this conversation with my friend. One is the fact that there are people in your community providing a variety of individual and group services who are not mental health professionals in the traditional sense. The second point is that many of the people offering these services are very good at what they do, the third is that they are business savvy, know how to market their services and how to speak to consumers, and finally there is the reality that most people outside of mental health are not aware of the distinction between a mental health clinician and a relationship coach. They see them as interchangeable, as one in the same. Let’s briefly take a look at these important points since they speak to a phenomenon that will have more and more of an effect on the mental health profession as a whole.

a. Coaches & Consultants

Coaching is growing at an international level and these professionals are involved in numerous areas that overlap with mental health services. Some of these areas include career counseling, relationship counseling, leadership counseling, life change consulting, business consulting and grief counseling. They have done an excellent job penetrating highly lucrative markets such as Fortune 500 companies, CEO level executives, Schools and high end communities. In the past there was a stigma associated with this profession, however, the stigma has lessened considerably and in many parts of the world it is virtually non-existent. In addition, many of these programs and service offerings are of very high quality. They are well researched, innovative and highly structured. I recently attended a workshop delivered by a life coach who worked with people going through significant life changes whether it be death of a loved one, life threatening illness, divorce, career change, unemployment or any number of other things. The program was well defined, unique and utilized both clinical and coaching principles. It was a very effective program!

b. Marketing & Sales Savvy

Adding to the dilemma for mental health practitioners is the fact that many coaches are experienced in all areas of business. They know how to uncover needs/opportunities and then design and market programs that will speak to potential consumers. In many ways they are ahead of the curve in terms of sales and marketing principles. They are also able to leverage technology to improve their reach and to expand their presence in the market. Another interesting aspect to life coaching is that they are very specific with regards to who their target audience is, and as a result, they craft their message accordingly. These are important lessons to be aware of as you move forward in your career. Being clear as to who you are offering services to will help you to use your time wisely when it comes to marketing and selling. The good news is that you can learn a lot researching some of these professionals and taking a look at what they do effectively and not so effectively. Some areas I recommend researching are how coaches uncover what the customer wants and how they sell and market those services. All of this should generate new and fresh ideas for you!

Want some good examples of what I am talking about when I refer to Life Coaches?

Take a look at Marie Forleo and her website: www.thegoodlife-inc.com. She is a well-known coach who has received much praise for her work. Take a moment to view the site and hear what she has to say on her audio clip. Once you read the upcoming chapters of this book you will notice that she has adopted many of the principles I propose you begin using as soon as possible! Also take note of what she proposes to offer people and how she goes about doing this. You may not agree with her proposal to “skyrocket your productivity” and/or “revitalize your relationships”, however, what you cannot argue is the fact that she has successfully hit upon the needs and wants of her specific target audience.

Another site that will give you an idea of the power and scope life coaches and consultants offer is www.simpleology.com. This is a concept offered by marketing expert, Mark Joyner. He would not necessarily consider himself a life coach, however, his Simpleology program is based on scientific and behavioral research and is designed to help people manage and make sense of their hectic lives. It proposes to offer solutions that will increase your productivity and peace of mind. In addition, he leverages the power of the Internet to reach a broad audience by offering a sophisticated learning platform complete with free modules and software tools designed to help you prioritize and manage daily tasks and goals. His program should give mental health professionals a much better picture as to the kinds of programs and service offerings behavioral healthcare practitioners can develop and promote.

This article marks the end of my series on trends in the industry. Thank you for your interest! I hope this exercise gives you food for thought along with some new ideas for you to explore.

Copyright 2008 – David Diana.

A professional interior decorator, or even designer, is someone you can hire to help you decorate and organize a room to make it more attractive, functional and up-to-date. These décor professionals can do everything from a simple consultation to a full home overhaul. But, is it worth it?

Keep reading to learn the benefits and disadvantages of hiring or consulting a professional before you buy furniture.

Benefit – Discounted Prices

Because interior decorators have extensive contacts, they can often purchase furniture pieces at wholesale or trade prices. Consequently, you can routinely pick up beautiful, designer items for less money than you would ordinarily pay.

Drawback – Mark-ups and Consultation Fees

Interior design or décor professionals don’t work for free. What you may save on wholesale furniture prices is probably going to cost you in consultation fees.

Benefit – Expertise and Professional Consultation

If you’re not a design expert or even if you simply don’t have the time to deal with home decorating, hiring a professional to take care of those decisions could be a wise investment. If your time is valuable, delegating furniture purchasing to someone else could even save you money.

Drawback – Lack of Personal Input

While most design professionals actively seek input and guidance from their clients, you’re still surrendering some control over your space and furniture buying decisions. If you’re the kind of person who likes to be intimately involved in your home, consulting a professional might not be right for you.

Benefit – Tracking Down Discounts

Because interior decorators work in the field every day, they have a great knowledge base about tracking down hot furniture deals, where the good sales are and how to locate quality products at discounted prices.

Benefit – Making you Stick to Your Budget

One of the best benefits of working with an interior design professional before you buy furniture is that they make you stick to a budget. Let’s say you set out with a personal budget of $4000 to refurnish your living room. If you hire a professional consultant for $500 and give her $3500 to work with, you’re more likely to come in on budget than if you go out on your own.

Why? Because once you’re shopping, you’re more likely to authorize extra purchases, pull out that second credit card or indulge in items that you don’t need. A professional can rein in those impulses.

In short, whether consulting a professional before you buy furniture is worth it is going to depend on you and understanding your purchasing and designing style.

Can you just imagine waking up each morning eager to get to work. You are doing the work that you love to do and being paid well.

You set the hours you work – short or long. You choose the days you work each week – seven days, three days, not at all today. You choose whether to work in the city or at home and you choose when to take your vacation and how long it will be.Your work life is a joy.

You can do all this because you are the boss!

An impossible dream?

Not if you offer your services as a consultant.

Shirley Hated Her Boss – Who Wouldn’t?

Many people are opting out of the rat-race of working for employers who do not appreciate them. They offer their skills in a consulting role and are paid much more for them. Sometimes to the same boss.

Take Shirley for example: She was a very efficient secretary to a most unappreciating employer. Her employer gave her little respect and treated her as his personal lackey rather than a professional secretary. He often gave her complex assignments towards the end of the day and insisted she work after hours to complete them.

He bawled throughout the day for his coffee and expected Shirley to stop whatever she was doing to cater to his needs.

The task she resented most was having to pick up his personal dry-cleaning, but all may have been bearable if only she had received a ‘thank you’ or been shown some sign that she and her services were appreciated.

Frustration Forces Some Action

Shirley became so frustrated and unhappy she thought of leaving her job and seeking new employment. Two things stopped her, first, she needed the steady salary and she was afraid of jumping into the same situation with perhaps an even worse boss. A friend told her that perhaps she could do typing as a home business. The idea didn’t really thrill her, after all, she was much more than just a typist but she decided to find out more about setting up a home business.

So she sought the advice of a business consultant

Shirley Left the Rat-race Forever

With the help of a consultant she listed all the tasks she was now doing. Shirley then prioritized them according the skill required and the level of enjoyment and satisfaction she received in performing them (picking up dry-cleaning came last on each criteria).

Shirley discovered that one of the special skills that she enjoyed performing was organizing meetings, including the arrangement of traveling and accommodation for attendees, the preparation of minutes, the catering and all those other services that allowed the participants to focus on the business of the meeting.

The consultant told her that these were sought after skills and very saleable as both large and small firms preferred to outsource this work. So with his assistance she set up her own consulting firm offering these services.

Now, she has so many clients that she can pick and choose. She even has her old boss as a client but now he regards her as a valuable resource which he needs to nurture in case she becomes no longer available. Her remuneration is much higher than when she worked for a wage. And Shirley…she loves working with him far more than when she worked for him.

Everyone of us has special skills which business owners are searching for and will pay generously for.

If you want to become a management consultant or start your own consulting business, there are certain skills you should have. Not only will these skills help you perform your job, they will make you more marketable to potential clients and make growing your business much easier.

You may possess some or all of these abilities already, but if you are lacking in some areas, consider taking a class or getting involved in a group or organization where you can practice using these skills and build up your potential.

Problem-Solving

If you are a creative thinker, you are probably good at thinking outside the box and solving problems. Being able to think outside the box is critical to being a good management consultant because your clients are relying on you to come up with solutions that they cannot see themselves.

Brainstorming is a great technique for coming up with new and different ideas and solutions. There are books on brainstorming that can help with this (for example, “How to Get Ideas” by Jack Foster). It is a cheap way to help you excel in your career.

Communication

The skill of communication is important in virtually any field, but when you are working with a client one-on-one, you cannot pretend to be a good communicator. Being able to listen and make the client feel like they are heard is a great asset. Understanding what a client and wants and being able to deliver just that will get you repeat business and referrals.

There are communication classes that teach students things like how to relate to others, social and business etiquette, how to be an effective team player, etc.. If you think that you need to enhance your communication skills, contact your local community college or city recreation department to see what classes are available.

Computer Skills

These days, it is essential to be skilled in the area of computers and technology if you are going to be consulting other businesses. You will need to use computers and other modern technology to effectively communicate and provide services for your clients. In addition, your expertise in this area can assist your clients in more effectively using the latest technology themselves to increase the efficiency of their operations.

Leadership

Your clients are depending on you to lead them in the right direction. Management consultants must be confident, decisive and inspiring to others in order to get them to follow and take action. Other traits of leaders include honesty, intelligence, competence and courage. While some of these are personality traits or values rather than learned skills, they are good to keep in mind when consulting with clients.

Ability to Work under Stress

Management consultants need to be able to work well even in stressful situations. Working with businesses means there will be lots of projects going on, a variety of people to deal with and of course deadlines. If you don’t handle stress well, you most likely will not enjoy your work, and it will show. However, if you thrive under stress and do your best work under deadlines, you can be a great asset to your clients.