How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (2024)

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If you’ve been in the blogging or social media game and you appear like you know what you’re doing, you’re eventually going to be asked, “how do you do it?”

If you’re nice like me, you’ll probably help your buddy out for a few minutes to possibly an hour. They might mention you to their other blogging buddies, and then before you know it, your email inbox is being blown up by people who are asking for tips and advice on improving their blog. While this might be flattering, it gets old, trust me.

I don’t consider myself a huge overnight success star or that I’ve made it and am living life extremely lavishly, but I will give myself props for being a highly adaptable and resourceful lady who’s capable of picking up anything social media, marketing or design-related pretty fast. Using the strategies I teach in The Blogger Bible, in just 4 months I obtained 10,000 followers on Instagramand increased my Pinterest pageviews to over 900,000 a month, which is quite impressive for having done this in all under one year.

RELATED POST – THE BLOGGER BIBLE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CREATING A FASHION, BEAUTY AND LIFESTYLE BLOG

Ilove helping others who share the same passion, but after spending several hours a day for several months helping others with their projects, my productivity for my blog andbusiness began to decline. So I learned to charge for my assistance, and now have a better balance between focusing on my own work and helping others, while getting paid for my time.

Let’s face the truth: helping people for free won’t make me money. I’ve learned this extremely hard truth and have taken a step back to look at everything from a bigger perspective: blogging is a business. Social media marketing is a business. And I’m sure if you consider your work your business, wouldn’t you be a little worried if you were giving your knowledge and time away for free to others who are trying to create their own businesses? I left corporate America to work for myself, not so I can once again I work for someone else and get paid significantly less (or even nothing) for my labor.

More Blogging Tips:

  • How I Got 3 Million Monthly Viewers on Pinterest
  • How Can Blogging Be a Real Business?
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  • 2018 Income Report: How I Made $37,953.17 During My 2nd Year Blogging
  • How to Start a Fashion Blog: The Ultimate Guide

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I don’t claim to be a million-dollar consultant, nor do I tell my clients that they will make a million dollars either. However, I do offer consulting services on the side to complement my blogging income, and since people ask me a ton of questions anyway, I might as well get paid for this knowledge since I know that my methods give me results.

I’m sure there are tons of bloggers and influencers out there who feel the same way. You might get approached by friends day in and day out for advice, and it can be extremely time-consuming and can take you away from your own workload. So don’t be ashamed to consider starting a consulting business on the side, because, hey, if people are asking you for advice, then they’re doing it for a reason.

So, how do you become a consultant if you’ve never consulted before?

Just like with any other business or occupation, you’ve got to start somewhere. One doesn’t just become a doctor suddenly. One has to practice as an intern before going into the professional field.

RELATED POST – THE BLOGGER CRASH COURSE: 8 MUST-HAVE TOOLS TO START MAKING MONEY

I may get mixed opinions from this, but I truly believe that having a successful consulting business truly depends on perspective. To someone more experienced than you, you might seem like an arrogant newbie trying to sell your mediocre knowledge to the unknowing. But to others who know less than you,you can help them.And yes, this is where you can justify being paid for your services.

A long time ago, I listened to a podcast from an established social media consultant, and they offered sound advice on this matter: being a successful consultant doesn’t mean that you have to make millions. Being a successful consultant just means that you are able to solve the problems of your clients. If you can do that, then consider yourself successful.

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How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (16)How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (17)

How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (18)How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (19)

How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (20)How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (21)

If you are that person in the group who is always asked questions or needed for advice and tips, then you might want to look into consulting, as you should definitely be paid for your time helping others. There becomes a limit in how much you can help others for free until it takes away from your own time. Just remember: will you be able to solve your client’s problems?

From being a freelance photographer to an esthetician to a Realtor, I’ve learned this one valuable lesson in all 3 fields:never undervalue your craft to please others or earn people’s business.When you offer a quality product or service for cheap or free because you worry about looking bad, mean or even greedy, you are devaluing yourself and your time and therefore, others will too. It’s good to know that others look up to you, but it’s not good to spread yourself thin and make yourself easily available to others to help build their businesses while your efforts take away from building your own empire.

For all your bloggers and social media marketing entrepreneurs, how do you feelabout the time-is-money topic, especially when your business is both your passion and full-time job? Let’s chat in the comments below!

If you’re interested in my consultation services, please visit my Blog and Social Media Coaching page for more information.

How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (22)

How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (23)How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (24)

How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (25)

How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (26)

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6 Comments

  1. / 6:47 am

    Congrats on your new venture Aileen! I’m so proud to see how far you’ve come. You’re really inspirational!

    Reply

  2. / 6:50 am

    Great post sister. You surely helped me a lot and I am grateful. I watched your success grow and grow and I am so happy to be a part of it. Xoxo

    Reply

  3. You go girl!!! So happy for all your success. You totally deserve it! 🙂

    Reply

  4. / 9:26 pm

    Very true. Cute outfit by the way. You really make me want cooler weather since our Aussie summers at quite exhausting.

    Reply

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How to Be a Consultant (Even if You've Never Made Any Money As One Before) - THE BALLER ON A BUDGET - An Affordable Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog (2024)

FAQs

How to start a consulting business with no money? ›

Just use common sense and follow these four simple rules:
  1. Do something well that enriches the position of your target market in some way.
  2. Provide excellent customer service so your clients love you. ...
  3. Live and die by your cash flow. ...
  4. Create a company name, make your own logo and build a simple website.
Aug 20, 2018

How to be an independent consultant? ›

Here are six steps to becoming an independent consultant:
  1. Commit to your specialty. The first step to becoming an independent consultant is to establish your area of expertise. ...
  2. Pursue education or training. ...
  3. Gain relevant experience. ...
  4. Find clients. ...
  5. Create a website and increase social media presence. ...
  6. Ask for recommendations.
Jan 26, 2023

How to become a consultant? ›

How to be a consultant
  1. Step 1: Identify Your Niche and Expertise. ...
  2. Step 2: Gain Relevant Qualifications and Training. ...
  3. Step 3: Build Your Portfolio. ...
  4. Step 4: Effective Networking. ...
  5. Step 5: Setting Up Your Business. ...
  6. Step 6: Marketing Your Services. ...
  7. Step 7: Collecting Payment.
Aug 4, 2023

What are the keys to success as a consultant? ›

However, no matter what type of consulting area a person would like to enter or what firm they would want to work for, there are several key characteristics that every successful consultant should possess: Having self-confidence, be a good listener, be a team player, easily cultivate and gain client trust, exhibit ...

How to be a consultant with no experience? ›

How to Become a Consultant with No Experience in the Field
  1. Find and learn from a mentor.
  2. Join consulting or industry organizations and learn the language and culture.
  3. Work as a minimally skilled partner or sub-contractor on related projects.
  4. Work as a freelancer at hourly rates once you have some skill and experience.

How do I pay myself as a consultant? ›

Take an Owner's Draw

To pay yourself as a sole proprietor, all you have to do is transfer money from your business account to your personal bank account. It's super easy. Better yet, set up ongoing bank transfers between your business account to personal account so you never forget to pay yourself.

Can I just call myself a consultant? ›

When to call yourself a “consultant” It's safe to call yourself a consultant if you're selling knowledge, advice, or insights in an advisory capacity. Most consultants will focus on charging for the value of the solutions they provide.

How do I get my first consulting job? ›

8 Steps to Land Your First Consulting Client / Creative Gig
  1. Get comfortable selling yourself. ...
  2. Determine your rates and convey your value. ...
  3. Refine your brand and marketing strategy. ...
  4. Plug into your industry. ...
  5. Reach out to your network. ...
  6. Learn how to qualify leads. ...
  7. Sell your skills and services. ...
  8. Be prepared to walk away.
Sep 11, 2020

How to be a consultant from home? ›

The qualifications to work as a work from home consultant include a bachelor's degree in the field in which you want to consult. For example, if you want to consult for major corporations, you may consider getting a degree in business administration, accounting, finance, or business management.

What qualifies you as a consultant? ›

Basic qualifications for success in management consulting include a bachelor's degree, although preferred qualifications include an MBA, at least two years of consulting experience, and well-developed industry expertise specific to the field in which you intend to specialize.

How do I become a consultant in my own field? ›

The steps to become a consulting are:
  1. Identify your expertise.
  2. Decide on your goals.
  3. Get certified or a degree.
  4. Find your target market.
  5. Develop your offering.
  6. Build a network.
  7. Market your services.
  8. Deliver results.
Apr 18, 2024

What are the three main qualities of a consultant? ›

These three qualities are: Curiosity and Resourcefulness, as well as Organization. All of these skills are important for consultants. However, you should be focusing on one of these three qualities most. A consultant should be a team player and always consider the client's interests.

How do you survive being a consultant? ›

The solution? Use a checklist (or several checklists) to automate every piece of preparation that you do consistently—packing, unpacking, research, even your morning routine. It may seem boring, but that's the point. Boring beats stressful every time.

What is your biggest weakness consulting interview? ›

The 25 Best Weaknesses for a Consulting Interview
  • Difficulty standing up for oneself when challenged by others.
  • Trouble managing others effectively.
  • Difficulty helping others achieve their maximum potential.
  • Trouble staying focused on one thing at a time.
  • Difficulty synthesizing information from multiple different sources.

How much money do you need to start a consulting business? ›

Total Startup Costs

The typical cost associated with starting a successful consulting business ranges, but the costs will likely fall between $5,000 and $10,000. If your consulting firm is a brick & mortar location with a physical office space you can expect to pay over $20,000.

Can I start a consulting business by myself? ›

Even if you are starting an independent consulting business, you need to establish your consulting business as a separate entity from yourself. Doing this will make it easier for you to handle accounting and taxes, make your business look more professional and help protect you legally.

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