Find Your Niche

For newcomers to consulting, defining a sellable product and finding clients seem like the most difficult tasks. “To sell yourself, you need good communication skills, both written and verbal,” says Ann Peterson, RN, MSN, EdD, CS, LCP, a medical-legal consultant and life-care planner in Marlborough, MA. “Examine the market, determine the competition, and find the niche you would fit into.”

Patricia Curry-Baggett, ARNP, MHSA, CNAA, a legal nurse consultant in Florida for the past nine years, has built her business and her reputation by networking and associating with national organizations. “Reputation is everything in consulting,” she says. “If you operate with integrity and perform at top level, that builds your reputation.”

Remember to stay flexible and learn to see potential opportunities from the client’s point of view. “Pay attention to the climate,” says Mary Banks, CRNI, BSN, president of Infusion Alliance in Massachusetts. “What are people looking for help with? Many times it’s not that complicated, you just need to focus.” Many of Banks’ clients have important jobs that they don’t have time to do themselves. As a consultant, she’s been able to step in and complete the jobs for them.

This kind of consulting, often called “an-extra-pair-of-hands” consulting or outsourcing, can lead to long-term contracts, if the consultant can prove that outsourcing the task saves money, time, or aggravation. Successful extra-pair-of-hands consultants deliver a mutually agreed upon product on time, with a smile, and without creating additional work for the client. Outsourcing can also lead to more opportunities, either by delivering the same kind of service to new clients, or by convincing the original client to outsource additional work. Because of lower overhead expenses, individual consultants may be able to deliver a service more cheaply than can large organizations. Individuals can also seize opportunities faster because they are more flexible than large organizations.

Bette Case, RNC, PhD, a training consultant in Chicago, IL, recommends that nurses prepare poster presentations and respond to calls for abstracts of all kinds. Poster presentations help you meet potential clients, as well as help you refine your product. Nurses should also use the Internet to find organizations that may be interested in their expertise.

Case suggests telephoning friends who work at other hospitals who may need the kind of help you have to offer. “Personal contacts can lead to project work,” says Case. “Keep in touch with the people you enjoy working with.” She also advises nurses to practice consulting where they work by suggesting projects that may be needed.

The proper professional certifications can help you get your foot in the door and enhance your reputation. Curry-Baggett firmly believes nurses must earn the right credentials, the ones that will give them the greatest credibility among their peers and potential clients. “Being certified is extremely important,” she says. It’s also vital to find the right national specialty organization to grant the certification you need and to affiliate with the leading organizations in your field. Peterson agrees, “One of the keys is having a good background of experience and education.”

Pay Attention to Business

Independent consultants need to run a profitable business, as well as deliver high-quality services. Banks remembers that “everyone told me it would be very hard to start my own business, and it’s been as hard as they said.” Peterson admits that her greatest weaknesses were her business skills. “As a nurse you have compassion and go the extra mile,” she says. “But at some point you need to get paid and at a reasonable rate.” Banks continues, “It’s amazing how motivated you get when you face a pile of bills.”

In addition to sharpening their clinical and communication skills, nurse consultants need to develop their business skills. Take advantage of entrepreneurial classes offered by local colleges, organizations, and government agencies. Some of the classes may even be free. Don’t be afraid to ask a lawyer and an accountant for help.

Every merger, every technological breakthrough, every restructuring, and every change in billing policies creates a new niche waiting for a consultant to fill. “For nurses who want to get their hands dirty in business, there’s plenty of opportunities,” says Banks. “You just have to pay attention to what people want.”

10 Ways to Invest Your First Profits

While it’s tempting to spend your first consulting check on a vacation or luxury gift for yourself, consider investing the profits back into your business.

• Buy new computer hardware.
• Buy new computer software.
• Take a class to master a new computer program.
• Establish an e-mail address and access to the Internet.
• Join a national nursing organization and attend local meetings.
• Attend a national conference of a nursing organization where you can network with potential clients.
• Take a class in marketing, entrepreneurship, strategic planning, communication, or small-business administration.
• Buy a subscription to a national news magazine or The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal.
• Take days off without pay to make time to develop your business.
• Establish a savings account for future business development.

Tips for the Beginning Consultant

• Believe in yourself
• Earn the credentials
• Choose mentors
• Become computer literate
• Read everything in your field
• Learn business skills
• Organize your finances
• Order business cards
• Order letterhead
• Organize your plan
• Network with peers
• Network with potential customers
• Stay flexible

Jeffrey Zurlinden, RN, MS, ACRN, is a frequent contributor to Nursing Spectrum.