Have you experienced the thrill and excitement that comes with running a successful business? Yeah, me too. And I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but still. Regardless of whether you plan to work from home or in an office, one of the most important things you will need is top-quality equipment and software to help increase your productivity. Even if you don’t plan on starting your own consulting business, upgrading tools is a great way to enhance your current job.
Being in the consulting business means being agile. You have to respond quickly to new information and use it to best serve your clients. To do that effectively, you need the right consulting software.
Consulting firms make use of a variety of different programs tailored to different parts of the job, from data gathering to client communication. The more bases you can cover with your software solutions, the better off you’ll be.
You probably have a decent idea of what software you need to be an effective business consultant. In fact, you might already use some of the items on this list.
But do you know what to look for when adding new software to your toolkit? Do you know what categories of software help you form the most well-rounded software solutions for business consulting?
Read on to find out.
What to look for in your business consulting software
Before getting into the specifics of which programs you should use, it’s helpful to first understand the different features of effective software. When looking to get the most out of your investment, choose software that is:
Flexible
Different clients have different needs. Look for software that lets you get creative. It’s essential that the tools you use are able to adapt to the job.
Customizable
No two teams are alike. The software you use should let you customize it for best use by you and your staff. Whether you customize it when you buy, or later on, good software can be built around your business.
Scalable
You’ll need to be able to adapt the software you use to the size of your client base as it fluctuates. Look for software that allows a la carte customization options you can add when you need them and remove when you don’t. No-contract options are also a plus.
Fantastic in customer support
Make sure that the software you’re choosing has solid customer support. Even if it doesn’t seem like things can go wrong, an error that takes too long to solve because you can’t contact anyone can be costly. Look for companies that offer customer support 24/7, through multiple channels like email, online chat, online forums, and over the phone.
There are multiple types of business consulting software, each with their individual benefits. Each of the software offerings listed here will fit into one of four categories:
- Proposal Software
- Project Management Software
- CRM Software
- Billing and Invoicing Software
Each category will be broken down into its core features with software solutions listed after.
Proposal software
As a business consultant, you don’t want to have a clunky proposal process. Instead, make the experience as efficient and easy for the client as possible. For example, choosing software with proposal templates can increase the speed of the entire proposal process — and make what you send to the client more aesthetically pleasing.
Other great features for proposal software include:
- Speed: The best proposal software will let you create and send proposals to the client quickly. Templates and smooth UI can enable you to create a professional-looking proposal without spending an entire day on it.
- Automation: Automated features that let you program and send a proposal with a click or two can save you a lot of time and headache. More and more programs are taking advantage of automation in today’s business world.
- Visibility: Look for software that lets you easily track when your proposal has been sent, seen, and signed. Greater visibility helps everyone stay on the same page and keeps each party accountable for their portion of a task.
Here are a few of the best choices for proposal software today.
1. Practice Ignition
With the tagline “proposal to paid in one place,” Practice Ignition aims to be a one-stop-shop for the proposal process. Create comprehensive proposals and get them right to your clients so you get paid in a timely manner for your services.
Practice Ignition includes features designed to make the proposal process speedy and efficient, like premade templates. You can also collect one-time payments or set up a recurring payment schedule, right from the proposal you send.
This software is also e-sign capable, so your clients can add their signature right in the document. They can also add any comments or objections they may have before the proposal is finalized. Practice Ignition also integrates with commonly used payroll and workflow programs like Xero and Zapier.
2. Proposify
Another excellent program for streamlining the proposal process, Proposify is an option that smaller consultants on a budget will want to take a look at. This software also lets you add in more visual elements to your proposal to create a polished, professional feel.
Proposify’s templates are one of its main strengths. Users can add elements like images and videos to make their proposals interesting, informative, and interactive. Collaboration features mean your team can easily communicate and track the progress of each proposal, and address any issues that arise.
Clients can also view your proposal on the go with mobile device access. There are even interactive tables you can insert into the document so your client can choose which of your services they’d like to hire you for.
3. PandaDoc
A software option that lets you move quickly, PandaDoc puts the focus on efficiency and analytics. That makes sense, considering it’s a software designed for sales and marketing teams looking to quickly grow their client base.
Because it’s web-based, PandaDoc lets you create proposals anywhere on any device so long as you have an internet connection. There are also in-depth analytics features built in that let you track everything from who’s viewed your proposal to how much time that person spent reading it.
PandaDoc comes with a library of templates ready to go, with several options to choose from depending on the situation. Collaborative features let your team stay on top of a proposal, and e-sign capability makes it easy for clients to approve it.
4. BidSketch
BidSketch lets you put a professional-looking proposal together very quickly, and automates the steps after signing so your client isn’t kept waiting. This program also lets you upsell to clients by adding additional features or services they can consider, and opt to pay more for right there in the proposal.
BidSketch also sends you notifications for every step in the process, letting you track each proposal easily. It also integrates with a host of other software options like Zapier and SalesForce.
5. Qwilr
Qwilr’s visual features make it easy to use as a branding tool in addition to proposal management software. Its templates are designed to be consistent across multiple platforms, from desktop to mobile, so it’s easy to establish a brand look.
Qwilr incorporates security measures like password protection, view limits, and time limits to help keep your documents and information safer. This program also includes reporting features that let you see who viewed your proposal and for how long.
Collaboration features to streamline the process of editing and approving your proposals round this software out and make it a strong option to consider for your toolkit.
Project management software
If you’re trying to step up your efficiency, you’ll need good project management, and the right software can help with that in a big way. Look for programs that offer:
- Ease of use: Multiple team members will need to use this software independently. That means your team should be able to pick it up and go. Software with an easy-to-use interface and built-in tutorials for more complicated processes is best.
- Real-time collaboration: Software with comment and messaging functionality will let you and your team collaborate on a project in real-time. This is a must when you need to move quickly.
- Data reporting: Try and find software with comprehensive reporting functionality. This allows you to set benchmarks, analyze how well your team is meeting them, and figure out what you can do better next time.
Take a look at your needs and choose one of these solid software options to help with project management.
1. Mavenlink
Mavenlink markets itself as an all-in-one solution for project management. This software puts the focus on collaboration to help manage projects efficiently and deliver them on deadline.
An executive dashboard feature provides a bird’s eye view of where your resources are going, and how people are performing. In-depth planning features also let you track the amount of time being spent on each facet of a project. And Mavenlink connects with the other tools you use to run your business, like your CRM software.
2. Avaza
Avaza focuses on simplicity. It doesn’t come with a bunch of bells and whistles, but it does have everything you need to get the job done.
Avaza’s easy-to-use dashboard feature lets you see timelines for multiple projects at a glance, or tailor the display to view just the information you want. Commenting features let team members collaborate and keep track of everyone’s ideas.
Avaza also lets you automate recurring processes for speed and efficiency, making use of templates. You can create different roles for your staff and assign them projects based on those roles.
3. Calendly
While mainly billed as a powerful scheduling tool, Calendly can also do a lot to help streamline the project management process for consultants and freelancers.
When sending prospects that first email, for example, Calendly lets you include a link for them to schedule a meeting. You can also program in buffer time and limit the number of meetings scheduled each day.
Calendly also integrates with Stripe and Paypal to handle payments easily up front — clients can submit payment as soon as they schedule with you. This software also lets you reach out to interested leads first, so you can connect quickly and reduce customer drop-off.
Collaborative features like comments, messaging, and video calls let your team stay connected as well, even on flexible schedules.
4. Zoho
Zoho’s strong suit is data analytics and visualization. If you’re looking for granular detail from your customer data, consider taking this software for a test run.
Mobile apps for iOS and Android let you and your team track projects even when you’re not at your desk. And document management tools mean your team can access anything they need to work on in real time.
This software lets you build Gantt charts to track the progress of your projects, and immediately notifies you of any deviations between planned progress and actual progress toward your project goals. Tasks can be automated with a drag-and-drop interface.
Zoho also lets you track your billable hours, so you get paid fairly for your work.
5. Accelo
Accelo’s focus is on automation. Users can automate everything from invoicing to notifications to time approvals, so you can free up space to focus on the more complicated tasks involved with managing your latest project.
Built-in tools let you track everyone’s time. Scheduling functionality lets you know what your team is working on and when. Accelo also lets you construct Gantt charts to track progress with a drag-and-drop builder.
Accelo offers a client-side portal, so your customers can submit and track their tickets with you. Internal collaborative features let your team work together on projects and prioritize their individual tasks. Invoicing and expenses can also be handled in Accelo with easy submission for reimbursement.
6. Workfront
Workfront prides itself on scalability and flexibility. Real-time reporting helps you track your goals, and device synching lets you track projects from anywhere. Smart forms and real-time collaborative features mean even distributed teams can work on projects from any location.
Workfront also has features to let you track your budget and manage resources, and is customizable to scale up or down with you as needed. This software also includes automation features and integrates with apps like Adobe and Outlook right out of the box.
CRM software
Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a must-have tool for any consultant. Odds are, you’ll be handling multiple clients at once, and good CRM software can keep their records and information stored in one place for easy access. Good CRM software should also:
- Be customizable: The best CRM software will let you tailor your dashboard so you can see all the relevant information you need without digging for it.
- Provide advanced analytics: Look for a CRM that gives you in-depth reporting from detailed data, provided in a way that’s easy to understand. That reporting will let you perform a granular analysis of your interactions with clients, and figure out where you can improve.
- Have a simple interface: If your software is easy to use, you’re more likely to use it, and more likely to enjoy the experience. Also, since all your staff will probably use your CRM software, it should be something that everyone can easily learn.
1. Hubspot CRM
Probably one of the most famous marketing software platforms out there, Hubspot offers a limited version of its CRM for free. If you’re on a budget, use that as a way to test drive the program and see if you like it.
Features include detailed reporting, automation, and email templates. A pipeline visualization shows you where your customers are in their journey and how many people you need to hit your goals.
You can also call clients from Hubspot’s CRM and log those calls for analysis later. Live notifications let you know in real time what’s happening with your prospects.
Hubspot has an impressive feature set, but be advised that most of the better features you’ll want are only available in the paid version of their software, Hubspot Saleshub.
2. Pipedrive
Pipedrive is set up more visually than other CRM software, enabling you to access the information you need quickly. That means ease of use and a speedier sales process.
A drag-and-drop interface lets you move prospects between stages of your sales funnel, and a sales forecasting feature helps predict what deals are more likely to succeed.
Reminders and updates keep you and your team up to speed on your latest project. Mobile apps for iOS and Android also make it easy to access your dashboard on the go. Pipedrive also integrates with Google apps like Drive and Calendar for easy sending of information like contacts.
3. Salesforce
Salesforce is the largest CRM platform currently on the market. While they have an offering for small business owners called Salesforce Essentials, their main market is enterprise businesses.
The interface is easy to use and highly customizable, so you can tailor it to your business as you scale up or down. It also has an intuitive interface, which cuts down on the learning curve for your staff.
Customer support is also available 24/7 through multiple channels, which is especially helpful if you’ve got a distributed staff in different time zones. Salesforce also integrates with a host of other apps, so you can link it to whatever makes sense for your business.
4. Copper
If you prefer Google software, this one’s for you. Copper is made specifically for those using Google’s G Suite of tools. Copper touts ease of use and visibility as its strong points.
This CRM has an extension you can add to Google’s Chrome browser that lets you add contacts and track opened emails in real time. Copper’s visual style also mirrors that of Google’s apps, so it fits in well with the rest of G Suite. Automate processes by linking related calendar events and files, and integrate Hangouts to use as a video conferencing tool for your staff.
The Projects feature lets you deliver work right in the app. Copper’s reporting features also integrate with Google Sheets, so you can get a clean, detailed report with all of your data.
Billing and invoicing software
An efficient, easy method of collecting payment from clients is essential for every business consultant. In addition to making it easy to get invoices filled, billing and invoicing software helps you keep track of who owes what and when it needs to be paid.
Look for software that offers:
- Flexible payment options: The best software will give you flexibility in the type of payments you accept. Whether clients want to pay you through a conventional debit or credit card or via newer options like Paypal and Venmo, it should be easy for them to do so.
- Templates: Premade invoice templates go a long way to improve ease of use and payment processing speeds. Look for software that lets you customize invoicing templates to your needs.
- International currency acceptance: Great software lets you convert fees in your currency to the currencies of international clients, taking the burden of conversion off their shoulders.
1. Calendly
In addition to its powerful scheduling capabilities, Calendly can also help you collect payments from your clients. Integrations with Stripe and Paypal let you collect your fee upfront, right when a client schedules a meeting with you.
2. Xero
Xero accounting software also provides a comprehensive invoicing solution for small businesses. A good option for businesses of all sizes, Xero comes with a library of templates and advanced security features like two-factor authentication.
You can set up recurring invoices with regular clients, as well as recurring reminders when payment is due. If you have multiple clients, Xero lets you send bulk invoices.
3. Quickbooks
One of the biggest names in accounting software, Quickbooks is made by Intuit — the same company behind Turbotax and Mint.
Quickbooks’ invoicing software lets you generate encrypted links to your invoices for an added layer of security, which you can send via text or email. Invoices are fully customizable and can be made from scratch or created with a template.
Real-time alerts let you know the progress of your invoice, from when it was viewed to when it was paid.
4. Freshbooks
Another very popular name in accounting software, Freshbooks is easy to use and visually pleasing. Automation and other convenience-focused features make it easy to get up and running with this software.
Freshbooks lets you accept payments via credit cards and Apple pay, and you can automate reminders and follow-ups with your clients to save yourself some headaches. Invoices are highly customizable, and you can even include a deposit on them so you can get paid upfront.
There are, however, ways of facilitating the way you manage your relationships, contacts, and communication.
You can increase the effectiveness of your daily consultant’s job using different types of apps which will support you in tasks like organizing your pipeline of potential clients, increase the number of leads you can handle at once, communicate and manage the time you spend on particular projects or monitor opinions about your brand on the internet.
1. Manage your leads in one place using a CRM system
If you run or work for a larger advisory organization, you are probably familiar with advanced tailor-made CRM systems.
Sometimes, they work fine enough, but more often, I hear from the consultants: “We already have a CRM system but we’re not using 80% of its functionality” and most often I hear from employees “Oh no, I have to fill out this CRM information again”.
So what’s the point of spending thousands of dollars on a tailored system which is 80% useless or is just an annoying element in the everyday job?
Simple and truly useful CRM for consulting businesses — Pipedrive
A CRM is supposed to help you and support you in your everyday tasks and not distract you.
And this is exactly what Pipedrive does at its very core nature. The main view of Pipedrive is a structured pipeline of deals, which can be configured depending on your needs (e.g. for sales pipeline: lead-> contact made -> meeting -> negotiations, or for M&A process: long list -> short-list -> teaser -> memorandum -> due diligence -> SPA negotiations).
“Pipedrive CRM is both reasonably priced and one of the easiest CRM services there is to set up and understand.” Rob Marvin, PCMag editor
The most useful things about Pipedrive you will find in your advisory business are:
1. Seeing and managing all your deals in one place in a visual way
2. Integration with your email, enabling you to send emails to clients directly from your CRM
3. Planning activities to be performed for each client
4. Statistics (what % of deals go through particular pipeline stages)
5. A mobile app giving you access to information, history, and notes of each contact or client anywhere you are
Pipedrive is designed to help and not distract, and you will most likely find yourself using it because “you want to” rather then “you have to”.
2. Track time spent on projects and handle hourly customer billing with time tracking app
In advisory or consulting business, there are 3 most common business models:
-Hourly rate
-Monthly retainer
-Success fee
No matter which of the above is the basis for your billing, it’s quite an important thing to know how much time you or your team spend on particular projects.
If your team spends 50% time on the project which provides you with only 10% of monthly revenue, it might be worth to consider how you manage your resources’ allocation or how you bill your clients.
If you charge per hour, you don’t want to run excel spreadsheet for each employee. Instead, use an app to monitor the time spent on projects and issue invoices to your clients directly from the application’s interface.
User-friendly app for monitoring time spent on projects — TimeCamp
TimeCamp is an online time tracking app which lets you report time spent on particular tasks or projects.
You can mark your activities as billable/non-billable which comes in very handy for hourly-rate billing model.
The main difference between TimeCamp and standard time tracking app in your phone is that it’s an integrated solution for all your employees, letting you generate reports for work time per individual, but also for your whole company. This means you can get a detailed but also a general outlook on how effectively you use your resources.
The most useful features of TimeCamp for your advisory business are:
1. Generating reports which project takes the most time for your employees
2. Issuing invoices based on hours you spend on clients
3. Quick time reporting on the go with a mobile application
3. Remind your customers of yourself with email marketing
Most consulting businesses I’ve talked to are not really keen on email marketing. When you interact with your clients, you have to be professional, diligent and adjust to your customers’ needs.
As a result, some consultants perceive email marketing as a little bit too pushy and don’t want to send weekly or monthly newsletters to their clients’ base.
This way of thinking, however, is driven by our misleading perception of email marketing associated with spammy newsletters full of unwanted promotions and silly information. But the way you do email marketing can be completely different.
You can provide your customers or ex-customers valuable information at the same time reminding them about your brand so that when they’re looking for advisory services, they already know who has the best knowledge and can help them in the process.
Why not send all your customers a link to the interesting article with your opinion on this or an information about some new regulation introduced which might impact their business?
“Email has an ability many channels don’t: creating valuable, personal touches — at scale.” David Newman, marketing expert
Drip — an app to manage your email marketing
With Drip, you can design your email campaigns simply by dragging, dropping and customizing particular elements, as if you would do on PowerPoint.
So your newsletters can match the style of your consulting business, no matter whether it’s the colorful one or more serious and professional.
It also lets you store the information about your subscribers, divide them into groups (e.g. by industry) and update the email database automatically from your CRM system (like Pipedrive).
With Drip, you can also automate your email campaigns with the simple visualization of the email sending process, e.g. if the recipient clicks the link included in the email, next week an automatic email is sent with more information about your services.
The most useful features of Drip for your advisory business are:
1. Ability to design your emails depending on the style of your organization
2. Automatic upload of email addresses from your CRM system
3.Tracking who opens/clicks your emails so that you know who might be interested in your services
4. Structure and manage your projects using project management apps
Sometimes the flow of your project is quite simple and there is not too much to worry about, especially if you’re the only person running the project. The problems appear as soon as you start to provide more complex services, manage a few clients at a time or operate in a larger team.
Then, it becomes quite challenging to manage everything at once. There is, however, a lot of room for improving efficiency within your organization with the apps which can help you manage the ongoing projects.
For example, the list of potential investors does not need to be managed by sending the excel spreadsheet back and forth. You can structure it using the project management app and share it with your team, collaborating on the list in real-time.
-> See our video how to manage the list of investors using Monday.com
Monday — a project management app to manage your advisory projects
Monday.com is quite an interesting app to help you manage your projects and the way it works turns out to be especially useful for consulting businesses.
With Monday.com, you can set different tasks and easily set their status. So e.g. you can do very overall project management for your clients (e.g. for M&A advisory: Teaser -> NDA -> Info Memo -> due diligence -> SPA) but you can also create separate boards for each client going pretty much into project’s details, e.g. managing the list of your potential investors.
The most useful features of Monday.com for your advisory business are:
1.Collaborating on projects/lists with your team members in real time
2.Exporting the data to excel to send visual updates to your clients
3.Customizing the structure of each project depending on its characteristics
5. Monitor the reputation of your brand using brand monitoring app
“It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it” Warren Buffet
Reputation is a key to successful consulting business. One happy customer can do wonders for your future clients’ pipeline but similarly, one unsatisfied customer can ruin your reputation and make sure you don’t get more contracts.
In today’s online world it becomes crucial to monitor your brand’s reputation on the internet and handle any crisis quickly.
This is quite difficult to handle by only typing the name of your brand in Google but it is much easier with brand monitoring apps which can help you receive instant updates about your brand mentions on the internet or in any social media.
Brand24 — a brand monitoring app to monitor what people say about your brand
With Brand24, you can observe specific keywords on the internet and get notifications about any new mentions. So for example, the app can notify you about a person recommending your company on Facebook or blog which lets you connect with this person and show your appreciation.
Similarly, when somebody complains about your services, you’ll be able to react quickly, solving any problem. Something really worth to consider in the relation and reputation-driven advisory business.
The most useful features of Brand24 for your consulting business are:
1. Monitoring any mentions about your brand on the internet/social media
2. Analyzing the overall level of popularity of your brand on the internet
3. Seeing and monitoring the activity of your competitors
Focus on what really matters and automate the routine tasks
The way you work with your clients, the quality and relevance of your recommendations is your unique selling proposition. Focus on becoming better and better in what really matters and automate any other repetitive tasks.
Sending automated emails every few days might not the best option but structuring the way you work and communicate with your clients, using the above apps will make you more effective, will likely save your time and money and your clients will love you for your increased focus on what really matters for them.
Conclusion
There are two ways to grow your business — by providing more, and better services — or by increasing the potential customer base. You’ve already decided your strategy and focused your efforts on getting more and higher quality clients. What’s next?