Maximize Your Results: 6 Tips for Working with Consultants
Allison Harris, Project Manager
November 2009

Bringing in a consultant to assist you in achieving your goals is a valuable opportunity. Here are a few tips to help you maximize results:

• State your Goals – Identify and communicate objectives to your consulting team prior to the start of the project. Help your consultants focus their efforts on meeting your specific needs.
• Engage Key Players – Inform your staff and Board about project goals and encourage them to participate. Gaining buy–in from the start will boost efforts toward implementing recommendations and achieving your goals.
• Coordinate – Ideally a consultant is a collaborative partner and a member of your team. A consultant often serves as an ambassador for your organization, communicating with your most important stakeholders; help them become knowledgeable on who you are and what you do.
• Communicate – Identify who will be the liaison to the consulting team and make this connection from the onset of the project. Maintain regular calls/meetings to share progress, ask questions and provide relevant updates.
• Be Realistic About Timelines and Expectations – Much of what consultants do depends on access to materials and the availability of your staff, Board and volunteers. Help the consulting team get up to speed quickly by sharing pertinent documents and arranging discussions with key members of your staff and Board.
• Leverage Your Resource – Each consultant on your team brings specific knowledge and experience to the project. Get to know your team’s strengths and elicit their advice and feedback throughout the project.

Schultz & Williams is a national consulting firm based in Philadelphia; providing management, fundraising and marketing consulting for nonprofit organizations, along with full-service direct marketing, database and creative/production services.