Communication consultants are invaluable when your business needs specialized talent or industry knowledge not currently available on your staff. With vast resources, communication consulting specialists offer fresh perspective, experience, knowledge and skills to provide successful solutions for your business or organization.

Corporate communication consultants provide important skills for businesses seeking to plan new initiatives, develop strategic planning, refresh current programming or transition staff responsibilities. Communications consultancies increase productivity and efficiency by addressing essential issues, recognizing internal or external obstacles and providing specialized services to improve your organization.

Before beginning your search for professional communication consultant services, it is important to define your consulting needs. Clearly identify the goal of your communication consultancy service, project scope, services needed, time frame and budget. This information will help your organization select the best organizational communication consultant to meet your specific needs.

When selecting workplace communication consultants, research each consulting practice and evaluate the following:

1. What kind of experience do the corporate communication consultants offer my business?

2. What services and communication consultant strategies do the firms provide to enhance my business?

3. How much should my business invest in corporate communication consulting services?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Hire communication consultants that specialize in your industry

Select communication consulting firms with seasoned professionals who have extensive experience in your business or industry. Ask to see a list of past and present clients, and request references.

I recommend: Communication Management, Inc., provides an online client list representing a diverse range of industries. Decker Communications, Inc., specializes in communication skills for executives, managers and sales professionals, and features an online list of corporate communication and coaching clients. Strategic Communications focuses on communication consulting for large financial institutions and Fortune 100 companies.

Choose communication consulting firms with proven skills

Review the consulting work provided by each communication consultancy practice. Evaluate the communication consulting specialists' experience, qualifications and certifications, and request successful project examples of the specific skill sets you need.

I recommend: Levick Strategic Communications features online case studies of corporate and finance communications clients. Center for Values Research, Inc., focuses on employee communication consultants for positive business environments. Chuck Reece Communications, LLC, provides communications strategy, speech writing, internal communications and media relations consulting services for corporate clients.

Select a professional communication consultant that meets your budget

Many communication consulting firms operate on a retainer with a minimum time commitment. Several utilize an hourly fee structure for short-term projects. Your communication consultancy cost will depend upon the scope of your services.

I recommend: The Executive Communications Coach offers several coaching packages to fit your business needs. Contact Communications Academy for a no-cost, no-obligation discussion of your communications needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that it is written into your contract that the international communications consultants firm will not provide services to any competing business during the course of your professional relationship.
• •  It is tempting to save time by interviewing just one organizational communication consulting firm. However, it is in your best interest to contact and interview several communication consultants to discuss your potential project. Two or three choices will provide you with the best possible match in skills, services, price and rapport for both you and the communication consultancy firm.