Seeking a Helper? By: Roy Bergold I recently gave a speech at the University of Wisconsin to a diverse group of businessmen and women about what to do in these tough economic times. The gist of my message was to use common sense and simplicity to find the solutions. I tried to give them some workable ideas that did not require spending a lot of money or raising prices. It went very well. The next day I received e-mail from a gentleman who had recently started a marketing consulting firm. He asked what a client looks for in a consultant, both initially and in the long run.   I thought what I told him might be good advice for a lot of you readers, too. Whether you are one restaurant or a chain, you will have need of outside thinking some day and you might be looking to hire someone to help you. When that day comes, look for a consultant with the following qualities: An Understanding of Your Business - Expect a consultant to know almost as much about your business as you do. There are some things he will never know and that's all right. We all have a few secrets. I saw a storyboard for Big Mac once. The writer was bouncing along presenting when I stopped him. His description of the sandwich included a tomato. Not on any Big Mac I have ever seen. I asked him if he had ever had a Big Mac. Nope. I asked him to name 10 menu items. He couldn't. That's an extreme example of not knowing my business, but it happened. Knowledge of Their Business - Somewhere in the how-to manual for business, it says that being a consultant is easy, lucrative, and the most fun you will have with your clothes on. The last one is true, but the others I'm not sure about. A lot of people might know something, but they don't know the consulting business. They don't have the expertise, the contacts, or the gumption to find out. You better know how to do what you do before you try to tell me how to do what I do. And don't expect me to teach you. I have too much to do. Loyalty-The art of juggling conflicts. I believe in the old adage that someday the agencies will buy each other until only one remains. And, then the client will go in house. Until then, it is very hard for an agency not to have a client conflict. But you have to make sure you keep client information very separate in the agency—different people, different management, and, if possible, different cities. Strong Staffing - The right people, the people the client wants. Enough said. Just because they measure 98.6 degrees, doesn't mean they are right. Consult with the client on choices also. A Fair Profit - Now, I know that not everyone wants to open his or her books. But a consultant deserves a fair profit just as the client does. Proof of problems is sometimes the only way to work out what is a fair profit. No one wants to feel ripped off. The Right Image - In my days at McDonald's, I saw some of the most hilarious storyboards... Read More