Why is it that when we make the jump to be self-employed, we immediately assume the titles of marketing, HR, strategy, finance, as well as implementing the service/product delivery and expect ourselves to be expert at all of these things otherwise we are clearly failures?

This is the same story I hear from clients time and time again and I call it a line of BS. Since I began my business I’ve hired consultants in the form of business coaches, mentors, web developers, accountants, virtual assistants, and so many more. Sometimes it’s required a leap of faith (because oh my goodness, shouldn’t I know this already?!) and sometimes it’s been quite a simple choice, but I’ve always learned a lot and seen huge benefits in my business, and they haven’t always been what I thought they might be.

Sometimes these people can be called coaches, sometimes they’re called consultants. I’m doing a course at the moment where the teacher says there’s no difference between the two, they’re all the same thing as the dictionary definition of a consultant is: “engaged in the business of giving expert advice to people working in a specific field”.

Have you ever considered hiring a consultant for your business? I know that when I invest in my business in this way, it’s an investment in me and I know my clients feel the same way, but there’s more to it than that, so I’ve shared four reasons why I see working 1:1 with an expert is beneficial to your business.

1. They help you grow your business quickly

Of course, the main reason you hire an expert is to help you grow your business. You want to grow steadily as a business, you have goals (however unreachable they may feel at times!) The expert will not do the work for you, but they will offer you the expertise and wisdom you need to implement. With my clients, I ensure that I make time in my calendar every week to implement the advice my coach gives me so that I can actually see my business growing right through from setting goals, understanding who I want to target, through to actually finding those clients and booking them. I know that when I work with my clients it’s the same way. Just look at Fairclough Studios, a husband and wife photography duo from north-west England who shared their results of working with me:

“We have 100% got more bookings as a result of working with Maddy. We were getting bookings but rarely our target client and at a much lower rate. We have now increased our prices, so we are earning more from fewer bookings which is ideal and this year we were booked out by our target clients. We are earning approximately 30% more now as a result.”

2. They help you stay accountable to what works

It’s incredibly powerful to have someone to stay accountable to when you’re running your own business. Heavens know I’ve gone off on plenty of tangents only to come back to what I know works. Working together with an expert really gives a sense of purpose and motivation to do the work. I love checking in with fellow entrepreneurs but there can be a sense of wanting to put up a front to let everyone know you’re doing ok, which is simply impossible to do with someone you’re paying to speak to. By working 1:1 with a consultant, you know that you’re going to get more bang for your buck when you stay accountable to what you intend to do that week. When clients work with me on my VIP program, we meet every 2-3 weeks, but they send me weekly updates with goals they’ve met and goals they plan to meet.

3. They support you

One of the biggest qualities you get working with someone on a 1:1 basis is that you get support, and it’s extremely important to me that I offer this to all my VIP clients. I am available for questions through the time we work together. You don’t have to do this on your own, anymore! I aim to motivate and encourage my clients, just as I am motivated and encouraged by my own coach to do the work I feel passionate about. Working on your own, it can be lonely, and whilst your partner/significant other/WhatsApp group can cheer you on, they don’t know your business like an expert does!

4. They help you get a clear head and provide clarity

An expert will be able to see things you just can’t see around your business, the way you work and the way you promote yourself. I particularly focus on creating and developing a marketing and search engine optimisation strategy with my clients which can be so fun because it actually goes to show you how you can have fun with these supposedly dry topics! You need an expert in your life to say “Yes, that’s how you do it and here’s how you can do it even better.” You don’t want to spend hours doing this on your own when you could be spending that time with your loved ones.

“It’s gone beyond a purely “give me the information and I’ll do the work” relationship. It can be like that with other courses and experts. We have a lot of trust in you. We aren’t insecure about admitting when something isn’t working, we know we can work together a solution together. The value of that relationship is worth more than anything. If we didn’t hire you, we’d still be flopping around, with no idea what we were doing, lacking any structure.” Fairclough Studios

Did you identify with this? If you’re feeling ready to step up your game as we head into 2019 and develop a marketing and SEO strategy with me, come and check out my VIP marketing program. Through a series of six calls, we grow your business together through marketing and SEO. It’s currently on special offer to celebrate the holidays at £2200 rather than the usual £2400. Book a discovery call here to see if we’re a good fit.

I’ll be increasing the prices for 2019 so you best get in quickly! NOTE: You’ll benefit the most from this program if you’re not a newbie but rather if you have been in business for a while and you’re ready to take that step up and invest in your business growth. Together we’ll take your bookings to the next level (and have fun with it). This is your chance to see amazing results like these clients did.  The sky is the limit, let’s do this!

“We are the most successful we’ve ever been thanks to working with Maddy. We’ve attracted the most ideal clients ever.” Fairclough Studios

“She is awesome! Signing up to Maddy isn’t and never was a “quick fix” but rather a process of guidance. It’s changed the way I think and behave, and I’ll be forever grateful.” Christine McNally Photography

“I love the way she delivers above and beyond what she promises. I particularly love her passion and dedication to each project, her enthusiasm and thoughtfulness around the specific marketing needs of my business. Every session with Maddy has brought value and in every direction!” Brighton Lace

“Maddy helped us to make our business shine, literally, translating to a huge increase in bookings in less than a month!” Tredudwell Manor