Summary of a consulting company for a business plan. Encyclopedia of Marketing

Nechaev Kim Vyacheslavovich brand manager of a large Western publishing house, [email protected]

Marketing management in a consulting company

• characteristics of the enterprise
• situational analysis
• organization of marketing activities of the enterprise
• current system of planning and financing the marketing activities of the enterprise
• project for reorganizing the marketing management system at the enterprise

Part one: Characteristics of the enterprise

Description of the enterprise

Let's consider a company engaged in establishing Russian-German relations between client companies and providing consultations within the framework of these relations. Let’s call it “East-West Connection”. The organization has its head office in Hamburg and representative offices in Moscow and Celle, and each of these structures has a business center. The main service of the company is the opening of representative offices of Russian companies in Germany [registration of a legal address, selection and training of personnel, legal advice on German tax legislation] and assistance to German companies in entering the Russian market.

As part of their core business, companies allocate an additional service structure called the “East-West Connection Business-Center”. The main task of the business center is to provide services related to presentations and meetings on the projects of the parent company [renting conference rooms, meeting rooms, booking airline tickets and hotel rooms, using secretariat services, etc.]. Since currently the company’s consulting projects do not ensure 100% utilization of the business center’s capacity, the company is conducting a number of independent activities to promote the business center’s services on the market.

Additional services for East-West Connection clients are provided by partners [multiplier companies]. The diagram below describes the flow of information between the functional elements of a company's business.

DIAGRAM 1. Structure of information flows and communications of the company.

Diagram 1 shows two types of clients, the first of which is attracted and cooperates with the organization independently, and the second interacts through an intermediary [multiplier company]. “East-West Connection” can transfer some of the functions within the framework of any project to other organizations [multipliers], for example, this concerns the production of advertising materials or an Internet site, as well as transportation and hotel services.

Business portfolio composition

Consulting services:

• search for partners and representatives in the foreign market
• marketing research of European markets as part of expanding the geography of the client’s business
• advice on doing business in Germany and Russia
• selection and training of personnel to carry out the enterprise’s activities in the foreign market
• organization [registration, business planning and activity support] of companies and representative offices of companies in Germany, Austria and other countries of Western Europe
• organization and support of information and business trips
• planning, organizing and conducting presentations of projects or product lines of a client company in Germany and Russia [as a rule, clients are manufacturing companies interested in developing their business on the foreign market]
• attracting investments and launching venture projects in the field of high technologies

Services of business centers in Hamburg and Moscow to support the activities of companies:

• adaptation of the company’s advertising and information materials for doing business on the international market
• adaptation of the company’s existing Internet solution for a foreign audience
• design and development of corporate Internet solutions in English, German and Russian languages
• direct marketing services
• provision of reference information from data banks on government and commercial structures in Germany and Russia
• professional interpretation and translation [German, English and Russian]
• virtual office and secretariat services
• provision of premises and equipment for negotiations, presentations of client projects and other events
• visa support in Germany and Russia
• transport and courier services

Positive and negative aspects of the structure and composition of the company’s business portfolio:

The ability to vary prices for services depending on the solvency of the potential client; a wide range of services allowing the consumer to receive a “full package of services from one source”; a positive image of the company as an organization with great opportunities; minimum maintenance of permanent staff and ease of coordination between projects under the existing work pattern

Lack of a formed client image and, therefore, a clear positioning of the company’s services in the market; large risks [quality of services] and complexity of project management associated with the transfer of part of the work to external execution

Key indicators of the company's economic activity:

• growth rate of the company’s business profitability [in accordance with the company’s business plan, there should be an annual increase in the profitability of the enterprise]
• the company's project throughput [the number of projects completed by the company per year, taking into account the cost of each project] - this indicator should not decrease
• an indicator characterizing the company’s costs - the growth rate of business maintenance costs should not exceed the growth rate of business profitability

With such indicators of company performance, the so-called “client bias” often arises, when it is “more profitable” for a consultant to work with a certain type of client and at the same time avoid communication with other clients. An almost fixed budget for the cost part of marketing does not allow for active business development, since marketing expenses are the first to be “cut” in the event of unforeseen circumstances. This strategy does not allow the company to develop intensively, to grow with the market; increasing the level of sales of services occurs through sales of a chaotic personal nature, which is not effective. Despite this, the company occupies a certain niche in the consulting services market, which allows it not only to survive, but also to bring profit to business owners.

The company's services are designed mainly for working with small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, the company is trying to work with large oil and metallurgical companies.

The market as a whole can be assessed based on the number of companies in Russia and Germany [regardless of the industry] interested in developing their business on the international market. The author of this article cannot estimate the size of the market in which East-West Connection operates in monetary terms due to the current lack of definitive data. The order of magnitude of the total cost of these services amounts to hundreds of millions of euros per year. It is worth noting that at the moment there is active market growth due to the fact that strengthened Russian enterprises are actively entering European markets. The share of the market occupied by the company is growing more slowly than the market itself, which may lead to its loss in the future.

There are about two hundred competing companies in Russia. Most often these are consulting centers at various chambers of commerce and industry, manufacturers' unions and entrepreneurship support funds.

To identify the long-term development trend of the company, we apply the method of assessing business survival. The method is subjective in nature [method of expert assessments], so the likelihood of a correct judgment will depend on how accurately the individual assesses certain characteristics of the company’s business.

In the table, each characteristic is scored from 0 to 10 points, with 0 corresponding to a negative rating, and 10 being the highest possible rating for the indicator. In a similar way, let’s fill out a table characterizing the efficiency of the company’s sales activities.

Summarizing the data in the tables, we can conclude that the company is in the area of ​​“uncertainty,” which most of all belongs to the “business survival” sector. The boundaries of the “survival” area are different for different industries.

Part Two: Situation Analysis

Let's analyze the main factors characterizing the potential of an enterprise using the “SWOT” method. Based on the table below, we will formulate directions in which it is necessary to move to overcome the negative aspects of the company’s activities. Listed below are the main factors influencing the company's business as a whole, although a detailed analysis requires the compilation of SWOT tables for individual areas of activity.

The table shows that there is a certain dualism regarding the organizational structure of the company. On the one hand, flexibility and adaptability are a strength of the company, but on the other hand, it is a weakness in terms of decision-making. To strengthen the company in the market, the following measures are necessary: ​​clearly position its services to the consumer with only the necessary margin of flexibility to manipulate the composition of the business portfolio, optimize information flows within the company through a unified information system based on the intranet and internet, resist the consolidation of competitors’ businesses through an individual approach to client and mobility of the company structure, constant improvement of the quality of services offered and the search for additional competitive advantages in the market.

Using the “PEST” analysis methodology, we will identify factors influencing the company’s activities from the macro environment. It is worth noting again that the company is considered here as a whole without dividing the business into components [consulting and business center services].

East-West Connection operates in the international market and, therefore, has a strong dependence on external, macroeconomic factors. During the period of economic instability in Russia, there was a decline in demand for the company’s services to almost zero levels, both on the Russian and German sides. In this regard, the risk of losing the company’s entire business in moments of instability must be minimized by having an additional backup package of business center services and a consulting division not directly related to operations on the international market.

It is also worth noting that the global environmental trend creates additional demand for the company’s services from client companies interested in “cleaning up” their production and bringing it to international environmental standards in order to enter the European market. For example, the East-West Connection company is working together with a large Russian oil company on a project to deploy a network of gas stations in Germany.

Factors such as the economic unification of Europe, business consolidation and global technological growth must be taken for granted by the company, and only the company needs to adapt to the rapidly changing business environment.

Matrix of ETOM analysis of the company's macroenvironment:

Summarizing the data in the table, we can come to the conclusion that negative factors predominate in the macro environment of the company’s business. At the same time, the company can only adapt to external conditions, but not influence them in any way.

Let's consider the factors of the company's microenvironment using Porter's model. Here we will describe the impact of the business environment on the company’s entire service portfolio without dividing it into components.

Analysis of the competitive environment

Regarding competition in the Russian market, it is worth saying that there are still many free profitable niches that are very difficult to “process.” For example, registration and purchase and sale of ready-made companies [legal address + bank account] in small towns in Germany. As practice shows, there are quite a lot of orders of this nature. It is also interesting to note the “Information trip” service, which, as a rule, is of interest to representatives of business or science for an initial acquaintance with the country where they plan to conduct foreign economic or scientific activities in the future. Travel agencies offering such a service are unable to provide the flow of necessary business meetings for a client without an appropriate base. This is where the East-West Connection comes into the fight for the market.

Part three: Organization of marketing activities of the enterprise

The current organizational structure of the enterprise marketing

Firstly, it is worth noting that each marketing employee reports directly to the director of the representative office, which helps to quickly make and approve decisions aimed at market promotion of the company’s services.

Secondly, one of the negative aspects is the absence of a separate position of marketing director. This leads to conflicts within the marketing group and a lack of centrally coordinated work due to the periodic unavailability of the director.

Another problem in the company structure is the combination of the responsibilities of a consultant, sales manager and marketing manager in one person, while the sale of services is not divided into packages. Often this “versatility” of personnel leads to duplication of functions and “split personality” of employees of the marketing department [consulting department]. Despite this, each marketing department employee is responsible for a specific direction or project. In a controlled area, the consulting manager reports directly to the director.

DIAGRAM 2. Organizational structure of the company

The main problems of the organizational structure of the marketing department:

• lack of coordinator and controller of the marketing group activities within the department
• lack of specialization of sales managers, consultants and marketers
• lack of specialization in business portfolio components
• lack of specialization in the components of the marketing mix

Goals of the marketing department:

• ensuring stable sales volume
• meeting the needs of the consulting services market
• analysis of consumer requirements to maintain the competitiveness of the company's services
• formation of needs for company services

Organization of management of marketing mix elements

• Product policy management

At the moment, the company's range of services is replenished only through the collection and processing of client requirements, that is, in the marketing department, the mechanism for implementing the function of constantly developing new services works very weakly. A new service in a company’s business portfolio arises only under pressure from an active client and, as a rule, is adjacent to a package of additional services. The focus is not on the needs in the market, but on what the company can offer the client, in other words, there is an “imposition” of services.

The life cycle of a company's services has a long period, and as far as the author knows, repositioning of the components of the business portfolio has not occurred in the entire history of the organization. In its development strategy, the company adheres only to the direction of promoting its brand [brand strategy].

• Pricing policy management

When setting prices for services, the company adheres to the influence on the price of the cost of the services offered and the cost of similar services from competitors. Focus on demand, “profit on price” and “profit on turnover” strategies are not expressed in any way.

• Distribution system management

The service production process is directly related to the so-called moment of truth [the service can only be provided directly by the manufacturer, although intermediaries can participate in the sale of the company’s services]. Therefore, the distribution channel [for the main package of services] can be characterized in most cases as a direct channel, that is, without the participation of any intermediaries. Sometimes situations arise when multiplier companies participate in the distribution [Diagram 1].

• Promotion system management

To promote its services on the market, the company actively uses personal sales and public relations tools. Among the advertising tools, it is worth noting the use of online advertising. A number of activities are being carried out to attract customers through various associations of manufacturers and chambers of commerce and industry of Russia and Germany.

Let us highlight the main problems of managing a company's marketing activities.

Firstly, as noted above, the process of developing new services is not continuous - there is no clearly expressed focus on the needs of the client. Secondly, due to the low priority of financing marketing expenses, there is a strong narrowing of opportunities for promoting the company’s services, which negatively affects the growth of the company’s profitability. The lack of clear positioning of services for various consumer groups also introduces negative aspects into the organization’s marketing management system.

Part Four: Planning and Financing Marketing Activities

At the moment, planning of the company's financial performance is carried out on the basis of previous experience and expected profits for the current year. There is no strict orientation towards market demand. Marketing financing comes from the profits received and is a percentage of the profits. However, the percentage may vary from season to season depending on the flow of customers. Such a system makes sense when an enterprise has one or more owners who, in principle, are satisfied with much of the company’s work.

Part Five: Marketing Management System Reorganization Project

In light of the problems identified above in the system of organizing and managing the company’s marketing activities, it is proposed to carry out a number of measures to increase the efficiency of the organization’s activities in the market.

Activities of the project to reorganize the company's marketing management system:

• Dividing the consulting and marketing departments into separate structures with the introduction of the positions of director of marketing and sales, director of the consulting department, as well as consultant, sales manager [contract manager], marketing manager, advertising manager, marketing analyst and PR manager
• Creation of the position of director of marketing and sales, subordinate to the director of the representative office, as a person responsible for coordinating, planning and monitoring the activities of the marketing and sales departments
• Separation of responsibilities between marketers and sales managers [contract managers]
• Specialization within the marketing and sales department in the components of the service package and marketing mix
• Creation of a unified information system within the company, in particular to coordinate work between the consulting and marketing departments

DIAGRAM 3. Company structure after reorganization

When carrying out reorganization measures, the following problems of the enterprise are solved:

• a coordinator and controller of the activities of the marketing and sales department appears, which increases the efficiency of work within the group in achieving specific company goals
• specialization in the areas of “marketing and sales” and “consulting” eliminates conflicts of interest among company employees and reduces stress levels
• specialization in the components of the business portfolio and marketing mix will also improve labor efficiency by eliminating duplication of functions, reduce the complexity of finding new employees to fill any position, and also allow work in several areas of the company’s activities

Since the company is private, the main directions for planning the marketing mix are dictated directly by the owner in accordance with the company’s business plan and the experience of past years of activity in the market. It is not possible to offer anything new in this area, since the company only takes into account the interests of the owners. The only thing that the author could suggest in light of the identified problems is to divide the planning of the marketing mix into two areas - consulting and business center services. Regarding financing, I would like to note that it is worth having some kind of pre-forecast budget and a reserve of funds for carrying out specific programs and activities, secured by the results of the previous year, and not the current one. At the same time, within the marketing budget there should be flexible boundaries between areas of marketing [research, development of the business portfolio, brand promotion, etc.], regulated by the director of the department depending on the priority of the area at a given time.

Owning your own consulting agency is an opportunity. Many have heard about this business, but not everyone understands its essence. But this is quite a promising and profitable business. What are consulting services? Let’s try to figure it out in this article.

Business Features

Any, even the most popular and productive company, periodically has to turn to professionals for help, that is, to real highly qualified specialists. Experienced employees of consulting companies provide clients with consulting services on a paid basis that help the client optimize his business.

First of all, they analyze the problem, after which they draw certain conclusions. Based on the data obtained, professionals draw up an action plan that will allow them to cope with a difficult situation. The services of a consulting company are quite in demand nowadays, so such a business can safely be called profitable and promising.

Advantages of consulting as a business

• Small initial investment. To get your first profit from this type of activity, it is enough to have a telephone and a computer with Internet access.
• You can work in this business without special education. To get started, you just need to learn how to write commercial proposals and conduct marketing analysis;
• , you can grow professionally. Not every hired job provides such an opportunity;

A consulting business will allow you to create an image of a successful person. Even if you someday change your direction of activity, you will still remain a professional in the eyes of your clients.

Flaws:

A consulting company can provide various services. Among them, the most promising and in-demand areas should be highlighted:

Credit consulting

It is difficult to find a company that, throughout its entire history, has never... Even economically stable companies sometimes need such financial injections. To expand your business, you need to have the funds to do so. It is unprofitable to withdraw them from circulation, so many companies turn to competent consultants in the field of lending;

Management consulting

Any business cannot develop and make a profit without competent management. Providing consulting services in this area allows us to solve many problems;

Small business consulting

Small companies that have limited financial resources often turn to competent specialists for help. It is too expensive to keep experienced consultants on staff, so consulting services for a business that is at the development stage are usually provided by third-party specialists. Thanks to their work, the company’s profit begins to grow, so the work of professionals quickly pays off;

In general, the field of consulting services includes many different areas.

Registration

Before opening a consulting firm, you need to collect an authorized capital of 100 minimum wages. This is a mandatory condition, without which you will not be able to start working. In addition, you will need a bank account.

After this, the company should be registered in the Single Center and a general director should be appointed. It is also important to choose a unique name for the newly created enterprise. You can check his individuality in a special registry.

You will receive confirmation of registration within 10 days. After this, you can rent a legal address. This will cost 6-6.5 thousand rubles per year.

To register a company, you need to collect the following documents

• Memorandum of association;
• Company Charter;
• Applicant's signature (certified by a notary);
• Receipt for payment of state duty (2.1-2.5 thousand rubles);
• Statement.

If you turn to specialists for help, setting up a consulting firm will not take much of your time.

Location and office

To organize consulting services you do not need a large office space. Renting an expensive office is a waste of money.

The premises must be equipped with a separate room in which company employees will work with clients. In addition, you will need a place to store information and documents. Another room should be equipped as the manager’s office. The presence of such premises will indicate the seriousness and solidity of your company.

It is advisable to rent an office in the city center in some modern business center, where many large companies are concentrated.

Equipment

To work in the field of consulting, you do not have to buy special equipment. It is enough to purchase furniture, computers and office equipment.

Since you will be working with clients in the office, this important point should not be overlooked. If you don't have the money to buy stylish furniture, you can rent it. It will cost you much less. But you will have to allocate your own funds to purchase computers.

Staff

The selection of employees for an agency must be taken seriously and responsibly. You can promote this business in different ways, but the most effective of them is competent, qualified personnel who have experience in this area.

You can recruit employees through advertisements in the media. But for this you will have to spend a lot of time. Many aspiring entrepreneurs turn to special agencies for help. They take small commissions for their work, but at the same time show fairly high-quality results.

At the formation stage, you should not promise employees a high salary. This could cause you to go bankrupt a few months after opening your business. Over time, if things go well, the salary can be added.

Business promotion and level of competition

Do not forget to constantly promote the resource so that it is in the TOP 10 search queries. You can also use the advantageous location of the office and advertising in the media.

Business profitability

For a business to be successful, you need to develop a large customer base.

There are several ways to do this:

• Agreements with start-up companies;
• High competence;
• Providing additional services that competitors do not offer;
• Development of a specific market segment;
• If you hire qualified employees and properly build an advertising campaign, the initial investment will pay off in 3-4 months. The profitability of such a business is quite high.

Consulting business Consulting business

Financial investments

Before opening a consulting company, you need to correctly calculate all expenses:

• Authorized capital and registration – 15 thousand rubles;
• Website development and promotion – 30 thousand rubles and more;
• Logo, business cards, printing – from 10 thousand rubles;
• Office furniture and computers – from 3 thousand dollars;

• Rent of premises and utility bills - from 20 thousand rubles and more, depending on the location;
• Telephone and Internet – 5 thousand rubles.

To open a small company you will have to spend 6–7 thousand dollars. Also, do not forget about employee salaries, they are not included in this amount.

Western business plan for a consulting company for small businesses

This business plan is about creating a consulting company offering a wide range of services, mainly for small businesses.

The main specialization of the new agency is consulting on business planning issues. This plan provides the main directions of the agency’s work, an analysis of the situation in the consulting services market, an overview of competitors, business strategies and implementation, as well as the necessary financial information.

The company plans to provide comprehensive consulting to the business community. Particular preference is given to small companies with a staff of 25 to 175 people. The list of services provided includes seminars and practical classes on the preparation of business plans (from development to writing), financial analysis and balance sheet restructuring, evaluation of purchase or sale agreements, analysis of working capital, analysis of computer software and equipment, as well as their installation, updating and training staff to work with them.

In addition, the company is developing video courses on writing business plans and updating software. As marketing tools, it is planned to use direct mail, advertisements in specialized magazines, as well as distribution of the company's products at seminars held by the company.

The consulting agency has one founder and a small staff of qualified consultants. It is planned to use a loan of $65 thousand as start-up capital, in addition to $17 thousand in tangible assets and from received grants.

Revenue for the first year of operation is expected to be more than $288 thousand, and net profit after paying all taxes is $6,143.

By the end of the second year of operation, according to the business plan, revenue could reach $970 thousand, and net profit - about $110 thousand.

The third year is estimated to bring about $1.9 million (net profit - $260 thousand).

High profits based on the results of the third year of operation are due to the company achieving a certain level of development, winning and retaining new and old customers, high demand for seminars and master classes and sales of audio, video courses and books.

Calculator for calculating the profitability of this business

Ready ideas for your business

Consulting is still a completely new service for our country, but despite this, its demand on the market is already quite high. Opening a consulting agency is an opportunity to start with minimal costs and achieve a good amount of profit in a short time. This is due to the fairly rapid development of this market sector and the favorable environment surrounding the start of this activity.

In order to open a consulting business, large capital investments are not needed, and this is the main advantage of this type of business.

Experience in this field, respectable appearance, and psychological stability are important. Businessmen who are too young have a lower chance of success; as a rule, business consultants over the age of 30 are trusted by clients.

Before opening a consulting agency, you need to clearly define in which area you plan to provide services. This could be accounting, economics, finance, etc. The final choice depends on the level of competition, as well as how much knowledge you have in a particular area. Customers may have a variety of questions, and you should have an answer to any of them.

Fast start

The opportunity to quickly start in consulting attracts many entrepreneurs to this business. And most of them are confident that organizing a consulting firm does not present any problems. This is a misconception that can be costly. At first glance, to open your own business related to the provision of consulting services, you really don’t need that much.

As the experience of creating a consulting company shows, for a successful start you need an office located as close as possible to the city center, establishing contacts with prestigious companies, as well as competent promotion of information about your own services. But of particular importance is the correct determination of possible directions for the development of a consulting company.

Competition in this market sector is quite high, and only the most persistent can stay afloat. As a rule, these include entrepreneurs who took as a basis for creating their company a professional example of a business plan from a consulting company with ready-made calculations. With this document, opening a consulting firm or company from scratch is guaranteed to take place without serious difficulties. Thanks to a business plan, you will be able to fully understand all organizational issues, which will allow you to profitably present your services.

How to open a consulting company from scratch, where to start and how much you can earn.

Main points of the interview:

• Type of activity: Consulting activities;
• Business location: Ukraine, Kyiv
• Occupation before starting a business: student;
• Start date of business activity: 2010;
• Searching for first clients: “I found my first clients through cold calling: I looked for advertisements, called, and offered my services.
• The main thing in business: “The most important rule at all times is to do your job well.”
• Formula for success: “you need to set goals correctly, and even in difficult times, look confidently into the future.”

Vladislav, good afternoon. Tell us about your business? What does your company VTSConsulting do?

I have a consulting business.

We develop business plans, investment memoranda, feasibility studies, financial models and presentations.

How long have you been in this business? Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur in such a difficult field?

We opened in 2010.

It all started with the fact that I, like many students, had a need for additional income.

I am a physicist in the field of micro- and nanoelectronics, and I did not expect to find a job in my specialty. So the choice fell on the field of business planning.

Some numbers:

Why consulting? Have you received any special training in business planning?

Yes, I have been involved with this topic since my 1st year at university.

Then I took part in a business idea competition and won first place. As a prize, the organizers provided a study trip to Sweden - there I received practical business planning skills and learned the secrets of successful business projects, which, in fact, were aimed specifically at obtaining financing.

Returning to Ukraine, I began to take part in business planning competitions: city, all-Ukrainian, international. I really liked my new hobby, and it seemed very promising to me.

In addition to Sweden, I took a special course in Lithuania, where we learned from leading specialists in consulting and financial planning from the UK and the USA, and also improved my qualifications at courses in Moscow.

Tell me honestly, before opening your company, did you make some kind of business plan or did you act intuitively?

Idea #209: What does it take to open a consulting firm?

How did you find your first clients without experience or connections?

At that time, I was in dire need of money, so there was no time to think.

I found my first clients through “cold calling”: I looked for advertisements, called, and offered my services. Then I created a website and registered on the remote work portal. This is how orders and good earnings appeared. That’s when I fully realized the need for financial planning for my own company, starting with goal setting and effective delegation.

How many people were on your team at the start and how many now?

I started alone. When I felt that I couldn’t cope with orders, I hired an assistant.

Currently our team consists of 6 people: an analyst for the CIS markets, an analyst for US and European projects, a presentation designer, a translator and a project manager.

What is more difficult - finding a client or finding a qualified employee?

Consulting, like any service sector, has certain specifics and difficulties: all people are different, everyone needs to please and be liked. Here it is necessary to be able to present the project as it is presented by the person making the decision on financing.

Finding clients undoubtedly takes a lot of time, especially at the start. However, the most important rule at all times is to do your job well. Compliance with this point ensures recommendations and reputation, and then clients begin to find you themselves.

As for employees, it is quite difficult to find a high-level professional, and university graduates do not have sufficient practice. Accordingly, strict control, strength and patience are required when setting tasks: it is thanks to this that a professional business consultant or financial analyst can grow from a beginner.

Vladislav, tell us about your company’s business model: do you hire freelancers or is all work performed by full-time employees? Do you even need an office for a consulting company?

At the moment, the company has a couple of people working remotely, while the main team works in the office.

In our work, an office is not necessary: ​​clients are located in Europe and the USA, not to mention the neighboring countries.

At the same time, I believe that the office is needed as the face of the company, where each employee is part of a single whole. It is much easier to coordinate the work of a team when everyone gets together, there is an opportunity to discuss, adjust the stages of work on the project, and help each other.

How do customers find out about you?

Your website says that you have provided services to over 500 clients, but do you remember your first client?

Yes I remember.

In my 3rd year, I did an internship at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and received my first order thanks to an internship colleague: one of his friends was planning to attract investments for a travel company.

The work lasted 1 month, and the payment was 2,500 UAH. (at that time this amount was equivalent to $300). For the student, such a fee was a very good addition to the scholarship

What memorable and interesting projects has your team been involved in?

There were many interesting projects (Portfolio of VTSConsulting ) .

The most voluminous are the village of Knyazhevo (near the city of Bor, Nizhny Novgorod region), a project of a cottage village in the Krasnodar region, attracting investments for the construction of the Malinovka ski resort, the acquisition of additional livestock (over 4,000 heads) of livestock for an operating farm in the Smolensk region , a project for a single application - the discount system “CardKit”.

Who are your clients? Are these companies belonging to large businesses or, on the contrary, does the small segment prevail?

Anyone who needs investment or financing.

Grant projects, startups, small and medium-sized businesses, and even large consulting companies of which we are a partner.

The next question may seem amateurish to you, but why order a business plan at all? Why can't you write it yourself?

A business plan solves as many as 3 problems at the same time: it clarifies the concept of the project, determines to what extent the goals have been achieved and allows you to obtain financing.

Why is self-writing not a good idea? What will you choose: cut your hair yourself or go to a hairdresser?

Developing an effective business plan requires experience and knowledge. Taking into account many factors, such as the requirements of banks, grant committees, knowledge in the field of financial modeling and marketing. The last option is to buy a ready-made business plan, but not write it yourself.

According to the operating principles of our company, each client receives an individually written business plan, the financial component of which is calculated taking into account all the subtleties and nuances of the economy and legislation of the country where the project will be presented.

Can you reveal a big secret - how to look for an investor?

Finding an investor depends on the specifics of the project.

The first step may be to search for specialized web resources that provide the opportunity to present a project to investors after filling out an application on the appropriate website.

The state can act as an investor. For example, in Russia the amount for the development of a promising business can be 300,000 - 1,000,000 rubles.

You can take part in competitions for innovative ideas. Thematic portals containing information about venture funds can become a source of ideas and search for investors.

Another option is to create your own database of investment funds and directly send out project ideas or presentations.

Has the number of orders for developing business plans changed due to the economic crisis?

Oddly enough, there were more orders.

More and more people want to open their own business, and a business plan is the best way to structure thoughts and figure out whether it’s worth investing in a particular enterprise at all.

Is it even worth opening a business during a crisis?

Definitely worth it!

It is a crisis that allows you to leave your comfort zone and start doing something.

Realize your hidden talents, think about how to use your abilities to solve other people’s problems, because this is the only way you can count on good earnings.

From an analyst’s point of view, tell me what types of businesses are relevant now?

The crisis dictates new rules of the game. For example, leasing and rental may become more popular today than ever before.

There is no point in buying a bicycle or a chainsaw, for example, if you need them for 2-3 days. Group shopping sites, coupon services, discount companies, and so on are also gaining popularity.

In your opinion, what does it take to become a successful entrepreneur?

The ability to motivate a team and do their job well is very important. It is also necessary to set goals correctly, and even in difficult times, look confidently into the future.

It is important to be able to take risks when managing money, and most importantly - not to stop there and never give up!

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