Every service center should be able to offer competent consulting in each of the following areas, using the expertise of staff consultants and contracted consultants:
Strategic planning, including:
Development of vision, mission, and values statements,
Development of strategy, objectives, tactics, and goals,
Business concept formation and modification,
Repositioning of businesses in the marketplace,
Feasibility analyses,
Market assessments,
Processes identification,
Management information identification, and
Continuous quality improvement, including use of the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria.
Business Plan development, including:
Strategic planning (see above),
Targeting of business plan,
Marketing strategy development, including:
Market identification and demographics and
Competitor, industry, and market channel analyses,
Identification of creative/innovative/unique selling propositions,
Management team identification and development,
Identification of risks and risk-reduction strategies,
Financing strategy development and implementation, including:
Founding monies,
Seed-capital,
Grant identification,
Loans for non-bankable businesses,
Government guaranteed loans, and
Venture capital (by 2003),
Operational processes description,
Development of financial projections,
Executive summary development, and
Presentation coaching.
Other areas of consulting:
Accounting and accounting systems (e.g., Quickbooks),
Advertising and public relations,
Bookkeeping,
Business organizing (incorporating, partnering, etc.),
Business valuation and acquisition,
Commercialization of scientific technology discoveries and innovations (by 2003,
Technology transfer (by 2003),
Fast-growth company development (by 2003)
Financial analysis and cost control,
Government procurement,
Import/export development,
Internet advertising and selling,
Location criteria development,
Merchandising,
Personnel issues,
Policy and procedures development,
Selling,
Responding to rapid changes and crises, and
Turnaround of failing businesses.
See related topics in this section:
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Types of Consulting Offered at Centers |