How To Start A Consulting Business In 2025

If you’re a subject-matter expert, there’s bound to be a target audience out there who needs your expertise. 

So why not package that up into a consulting business and charge premium prices for it?

If you’ve been wondering how to start a consulting business, look no further. Keep reading to discover how to turn your knowledge into a thriving consulting practice in seven straightforward steps.

Key takeaways

• Define your niche: Focus on a specific area of expertise.
• Create a business plan: Outline your goals, target market, and services.
• Set your pricing: Decide on rates that reflect your value.
• Market yourself: Build a strong online presence to attract clients.

7 Key Steps to Start a Consulting Business

Ready to launch your own consulting business? Here are 5 key steps to get you started on the right path.

Step 1: Get clear on what you’re going to share and why

What are you an expert in? Do you want to be a marketing consultant? What specific problems do you solve, and why do your solutions matter? 

Be specific about the expertise you’re going to share and why you’ve chosen that subject. Be sure to also explain who you’re going to share it with and why.

For example:

Expertise I’m going to share: SEO content marketing strategies for SaaS brands.

Why I’ve chosen this subject: “With over 10 years of SaaS content marketing experience, I know what SEO strategies drive massive traffic. I love helping SaaS brands use content marketing strategies to achieve ambitious conversion goals.”

Who I’m going to help and why: “I plan on helping SaaS marketing directors scale their content marketing campaigns and drive the right visitors to their websites. (And then convert those visitors.)”

Why this matters: SaaS is an industry that highly benefits from SEO since so many prospects turn to search engines to find the right cloud-based software. My solutions help SaaS brands grow, which is their top goal in a competitive market.

What are your long-term goals? How do you envision your success?

For example:

“As an SEO consultant for new SaaS companies, I want to help new companies get the most traffic on the search engine results pages. When SaaS businesses grow because of my expertise, I grow. I’d love to scale my one-person business into a thriving consulting firm one day.”

Use this to create a strong vision statement for your new consulting business. 

For example: 

“I want to be the best SaaS SEO consultant for startups that focus on productivity, project management, or cybersecurity tools.”

Top niches for consulting businesses in 2024

If you’re still mulling over which subjects to specialize in, here are some common ones for inspiration:

• AI and machine learning consulting
• Skill enhancement consulting
• Work-life balance consulting
• Energy efficiency consulting
• Gen Z marketing consulting
• Cybersecurity consulting

Here are some important questions to consider when thinking about a topic:

✓ Do I have genuine expertise in this topic?
✓ Can I add value to my clients’ businesses or lives with this topic?
✓ Would I enjoy working in this area for years to come?
✓ Is there enough potential for a reachable client?
✓ Would these clients pay a premium for support?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you’ve got your eye on a profitable niche!

Here’s a visual to demonstrate the checklist from above:

Step 2: Conduct market research

Dig deeper into your target market’s needs and pain points by conducting market research. 

What are they struggling with? What specific solutions are they looking for? 

Segment your audience into customer groups to capture different perspectives and insights when performing a market analysis. For example, you might target billing SaaS brands, project management SaaS brands, and cybersecurity SaaS brands.

Use comprehensive research methods to get a full picture of each group’s core problems and needs. 

Some example research methods you might use include:

• Online analytics tools 
• Focus groups
• Interviews
• Surveys

Use the information you uncover to create buyer personas. Tailor your sales and marketing approaches to serve these personas.

Here’s an example of a productivity SaaS brand buyer persona:

Buyer Persona: Timely Timothy 

• Title: Chief Marketing Officer
• Name: Timothy Reed
• Brand Name: Timely
• Goals: Bump website traffic up by 60% or more, claim top-ranking spots for competitive keywords
• Top pain points: Steep competition, high churn rate, poor website traffic
• Brand stage: New and growing

Step 3: Solidify your business plan

Formalize your business approach by creating a concrete plan.

Here’s what to include:

Choose the right business structure 

Choose a business structure that makes the most sense for your business goals. Many consultants opt for an LLC, which offers personal asset protection and tax flexibility. (More on this in a bit.)

To form an LLC, you’ll typically need to choose a unique name, file formation documents, and pay a fee. This varies by state. For example, when starting a business in Texas, the filing fee is $300. Remember to check for any licenses specific to your consulting niche, too. 

Meet with a business advisor for more information. 

Protect your assets 

Keep your assets protected in case of a lawsuit. 

A trust is a legal arrangement where someone (a trustee) manages assets for others (beneficiaries). It’s not usually used for business but can protect assets and help with estate planning. An LLC, on the other hand, is a business structure that protects your personal assets from business debts and claims. 

Dominion says an LLC is usually better for entrepreneurs because it’s easy, can be changed, and has strong protection. However, if you’re sued by someone you know (for example, an ex-partner), your personal assets could still be at risk. In this case, a trust could offer additional protection.

Use this insight to determine whether setting up a trust or forming an LLC is best for your business. 

Include a business overview 

Next, write out how you plan to manage your business processes. 

Consider your sales approach, marketing strategy, and pricing. 

For example, you might have scheduled outreach time, a content marketing plan, and offer tiered pricing plans. You might also run ads.

Be sure to also paste your buyer personas here and include a messaging and style guide. Use these to focus your brand’s communication with your audience in your campaigns and sales pitches.

Next, include your operating plan and schedule. Which days and hours will you work? What will you do at specific times? What tools and automation will you be using? 

Include a financial plan, too. Are you starting your business with a personal investment? Will you still be working for another company as you start this one? Outline your expenses and assets. Note your cash flow and profit projections, too, if you have them.

*Pro-Tip: Consider collecting social proof, such as testimonials, before-and-after results, and positive comments. Add these to your marketing section so you can use them in relevant campaigns. 

Step 4: Create your plans and packages

Expand on your tiered pricing plans from above.

What will you include? Will you have any a la carte offers? When will you bill your clients — weekly, monthly, or quarterly?

Write out your plans and include some notes about who they’d work best for. 

Here are some examples: 

1. Starter SEO audit plan 

Best for: SaaS brands who need a look at where their current SEO stands

Includes: 

• Full SEO audit report for on-page, off-page, and technical SEO
• Current keyword ranking analysis and recommendations 
• Content optimization recommendations
• Basic backlink review
• One two-hour call

Duration: 10-14 days 

Price: $1,200 (one-time fee)

2. Growth SEO plan 

Best for: SaaS brands that want to boost their online presence and attract more website traffic 

Includes: 

• Technical SEO updates (better site speed, crawl errors, etc.)
• On-page SEO updates (metadata, alt text, etc.)
• Monthly keyword research and optimization
• Monthly backlink-building methods 
• Two optimized blog posts a month
• Detailed performance reports
• Bi-weekly strategy call 

Duration: Minimum six months

Price: $3,400 per month

3. Premium SEO plan 

Best for: Ambitious SaaS brands that want to dominate their niche

Includes: 

• High-quality content, including four blog posts, two white papers, and one case study per month
• Quarterly performance analysis and strategy adjustments 
• Extensive technical and on-page SEO updates 
• Advanced keyword research and targeting
• Strategic backlink outreach and building
• Conversion rate optimization strategies
• Weekly consultation calls

Duration: Minimum 12 months

Price: $7,200 per month

(Be sure to add the plans above to your pricing section in your business plan so everything’s in one place.)

Step 5: Gather tools and templates

Decide what tools and templates you’ll need to manage your new consulting business. 

For instance, you may need tools and templates to manage: 

• Payables and receivables
• Bookings and reminders 
• Consulting projects 
• Client contracts
• Client progress
• Invoices
• Orders
• Notes

PS: Here are some free consulting invoice templates you can use for your new business. Give this free invoice maker a try and streamline your billing.

You might also need industry-specific tools. For instance, an SEO consultant might use tools like Ahrefs, MarketMuse, Screaming Frog, and Semrush.

Step 6: Spread the word

After you’ve legalized and planned out your business, announce that it’s public. Make it official on LinkedIn — and be sure to request connections from your target audience. 

Run your ads and content marketing campaigns, go live on social media to discuss your new venture, and leverage word-of-mouth through networking tactics. This is also the time to start your sales outreach campaigns, whether that’s via cold calls, cold emails, or cold DMs.

Stick to your sales and marketing plan from above, and be sure to document what’s working best.

For example, if you’re pulling in more quality leads from LinkedIn, spend more of your time networking on that platform. If your return on ad spend (ROAS) is three times what you thought it’d be, boost your ad investments. 

This is also a great time to partner up with affiliate marketers or micro-influencers. They can help you drum up user-generated content (UGC) to help you build social proof and spread your name. Include UGC in as many campaigns as possible to build trust with potential customers.

Step 7: Refine your business as you learn what works

Stay dedicated to continuous learning — both personally and professionally. 

What’s helping you reach your personal and business goals? What’s helping you move the needle faster for your clients? 

Document what you learn and invest more time and energy in methods that help you and your clients win. 

Some ways you can stay committed to learning include:

• Attend webinars and conferences on personal and career development
• Experiment with productivity and work-life balance techniques 
• Lock arms with a mentor who’s reached your long-term goals
• Sign up for mental fitness coaching or mentorship 
• Listen to consulting industry-related podcasts 
• Sign up for industry trends, news, and events 
• Read personal development books
• Conduct regular market research 
• Poll and survey your audience 
• Pull insights from online tools

What are Benefits of the Building Your Consulting Business?

Starting your own consulting business can feel like a big step. But the rewards? Absolutely worth it. Take your career one step further and become a business consultant. You’ll gain control over your time, income, and future.

Here are some of the key benefits:

• Flexible schedule – Work when it suits you, not someone else’s clock.
• Unlimited income potential – You set your rates and decide how much you want to earn.
• Work-life balance – Achieve better balance by working on your own terms.
• Choose your clients – Focus on clients who value your expertise.
• Be your own boss – No more managers. Your business, your rules!

How to start a consulting business of your own?

And there you have it! You officially have a step-by-step roadmap on how to start a consulting business. 

Now, it’s your turn to put these insights into action. 

Follow the steps outlined in this article, and don’t be afraid to tweak your plan as you learn more about your audience and industry. 

For good measure, here’s a quick recap of the steps we went over in this guide: 

• Step 1: Get clear on what you’re going to share and why 
• Step 2: Conduct market research
• Step 3: Solidify your business plan
  – Choose the right business structure 
  – Protect your assets 
  – Include a business overview
• Step 4: Create your plans and packages 
• Step 5: Gather tools and templates
• Step 6: Spread the word 
• Step 7: Refine your business as you learn what works 

That’s it for now new business owner. It’s up to you to build a successful consulting business and earn an hourly rate you are proud of. 

Here’s to your success in building your own consulting services and landing new potential clients today!