Small is beautiful

Recent discussions with clients and contacts confirmed some of my assumptions in their interest to work with a small consulting firm. Here’s the download :

• Organizational budgets for external advocacy and communication support tend to shrink when the going gets tough. This means that project work is becoming the norm vs. annual retainers. As a consequence, clients with limited budgets will benefit from a smaller consulting outfit which does not have the overhead, income and profitability requirements of a larger firm.

• Clients want to work with people they trust and who will not go away as soon as another job opportunity comes up. A small consultancy can provide this visibility and a long-term partnership with individuals who will have the historic understanding of the environment in which the client operates.

• Finally, any fish in a small pond is a big fish. For a small consulting firm, every client is important and you will get the best out of your consultant(s).

And if you wonder how it feels like to work in a small consulting firm from a consultant’s perspective, check out this article.