Consult, consult, consult. Erm, just help

Consulting can be a maze and all you can see is a wood and no trees. Trepidation, frustration, waste of money? A proverbial Gordian Knot. But brute force (graft) equates to action. Action slices through your knot whether client or consultant. Drop the BS Consultant. Client, what action is needed from outside source/stimulus?

Consult is a big work in big business and one that I use but also get fed up of. What is consulting? Snake oil? Pithy words easily sold? Pithy words easily taken and paid for? In fact a quick Buck?

Goyt Valley, Bredbury - March 2024

Sat here on a Thursday relaxing and thankfully getting rid of this dratted cold and cough. Stuff to do that includes volunteer work with OCD Action from 11am - 1pm. But I am allocating some time as to found us. Few e-mails to people and business contacts, rest as still drained, and some web work including this blog.

Consult, business “cuddle”, chat, or action?

I prefer action and always have done. To me I try not to dress up what I do when working with others, just deliver. If honest I was like others, the market, the advertising business as I would look to use big words and plans. I now call this polishing the turd and this is the proverbial advertising turd, and a turd that I no longer wish to polish.

With a bit of time, experience, personal illness, and getting more serene and tolerant with age I realise that my role is to act as one of a team, a pal, a friend, and someone who should look at speaking my truth, being honest, and focus more on the moment versus grandiose plans delivered as an armchair general.

This has had quite a huge impact in how I deal with clients and their businesses. The truth hurts is a very old adage but one I am now comfortable with.

So what is action?

Really straightforward and oft forgotten. It is about getting involved with detail way before applying anything, whether that be what you know or from a book, or a plan.

Money, money, money

I have always known that money and cashflow are the most immediate things that can scupper a business. And something that I look at daily with a business, just how much working cash do we have and what is the daily burn rate? I am not too bothered as to assets and liabilities as these are not per se immediate problems.

Looking at salary and rent are big ones. Salaries including expenses and rewards keeps people motivated and people work to live and not the other way around.

Paying suppliers is another huge one for me, morally and sensibly. There is nothing worse than waiting for a bill to be paid and this applies to our suppliers.

This gives me an immediate handle on cash and what we can do with it. Important in the service industry that is advertising.

(Assets and liabilities can be examined later, but one thing to note is that I always like a business with money aside for emergencies. Ideally I like a business to be able to trade for a quarter without issuing an invoice.)

Sales and Marketing

We then have selling the business, its people, and letting everyone know what you do and that they should engage with you. Simples?

We can be more simple.

WHATS - What are we selling, how do we make it, what area do we sell in, to whom do we sell it to, and what are out special features?

I always like to lift the bonnet and have a look at the engine. Is what we sell sellable? Is it what the market wants and needs, or are we flogging a dead horse? Questions that must tie into the “to whom” are we selling? Who are our clients, punters, people we like working with and what do they think of our service and product?

The rest of the acronym is self explanatory.

People, staff, colleagues

Always important to try to sit down with all members of staff, and that’s all staff and not just managerial. Information must flow from the ground up and not down. Takes time, but worth it. People and what they do are the bread and butter of the standard advertising firm. And how they do it is so damn important. It is all very well to say, “what’s the margin?” That’s a given. But are we honestly delivering good service, product, and value for money? Do our staff and clients have pleasure in what we do? Life is for living and seizing a moment. Past has gone, so don’t dwell on it or you are playing catch up in real time, and thus also jaundiced what is to come.

Plans, yawn, plans

Planning is important, very important, but don’t miss the wood for the trees. It is very easy to get wrapped up in planning and not to do anything.

My philosophy is to hit the ground running and figure it out afterwards. Information is important and its immediate acquisition allows for action, plans can sadly stifle this, and you need to be aware and this is why it is important to have communication with staff.

Oh and always keep your feet on the ground.

AND THAT ALSO MEANS ASKING FOR HELP. Giving advice means being humble enough to ask for help from staff and people you know. Some consultants can be aloof and arrogant. Don’t be, this is poor and leads to mistakes. No one person is infallible.