Those who understand the nature of SEO can find many ways to use it to their advantage. From building awesome websites and brands to providing said services to others, there is a lot of potential in the industry. Many have considered starting their own SEO consulting firms, with the goal being to provide multiple clients with SEO assistance and a variety of other services as needed. If your SEO knowledge is sufficient enough to be considered “expert level”, then you have the basic ingredients for success. Where you go from there, however, determines what truly happens. Today, we’ll review some initial concerns and questions you should consider before starting any SEO consulting firm.

What Is Your Claim to Fame?

SEO consulting firms are a dime a dozen: what makes you qualified to provide services to clients? This is not just a question you should ask in a moral sense, but it’ll also be one asked by prospective clients. What projects or past experience do you have to show that can justify hiring you? All of this information and data needs to be collected, organized and ready to distribute at a moment’s notice well in advance of incorporation. If you’re merely promising results without being able to show past results, then you’ll just be pinging noise at those who might otherwise wish to hire you.

Know When to Say No

Upstart consulting firms can be desperate for business. So desperate, in fact, that they give out way too much time and energy for naught. Many consulting firms will offer free, no-obligation consultations as one way to assess what a business or brand needs in order to thrive. Some clients will attempt to take advantage of you every step of the way, whether it’s by trying to squeeze that extra free time out of you or by leading you on with promises of more business if you compromise in the short-term. Understand that it’s OK to say no – even when you’re new – and avoid relationships where the power is being taken away from you.

Understand Your Limitations

Partially relevant to the above sections, you need to know what are your own limitations. Are there certain areas of SEO where you’re not equipped to provide professional service? Does family life or a hectic full-time job limit the amount of energy you can dedicate to this project? Where there’s a will there’s a way, but it’s vital that you know what limitations exist before embarking on a SEO consulting venture. With this information in hand, you’ll be able to gradually craft a full-time or part-time venture that doesn’t overwhelm you or conflict with pre-existing obligations.

In order to be successful in the world of professional SEO, you need to have a solid business plan, plenty of experience and clear guidelines on how you’ll operate. Otherwise, you’ll end up draining yourself, pinging noise at potential clients and falling far short of your initial goals. By knowing when to say no, understanding your limitations and having the evidence to back up your promises, you’ll find it far easier to build a successful SEO consultant firm that produces results and satisfaction.