It can be traumatic to give up control and let an outsider in, but no more so than for your clients.

"It's like having your personal bathroom remodeled," says business coach Clay Nelson, president of Consulting Services Network LLC in Santa Barbara, Calif. "All your stuff that you're familiar with gets messed with."

If you don't have a lot of expertise in accounting or law or marketing or any of the myriad other fields in which a consultant might be useful, it's hard to judge if a consultant is qualified and has made valid recommendations. Read this story and do your homework, and you should be just fine.

	"You want to ask them how they operate and what makes them think they can make a difference in a client's life." - Clay Nelson

Seven steps to finding a match made in heaven
Perhaps the best way to start finding a professional service partner is to look for all the advantages you promote to your clients and then do all the things you wish homeowners would do when looking for a remodeler.

1. Ask for referrals: Sure, there's always the phone book, or maybe a late-night television commercial for attorneys, but that's much less likely to turn up someone who will be a good fit for your company. Start with your professional acquaintances, both peers and other local business owners. Good places to try: builder and remodeler associations, the chamber of commerce, church and community groups, and local executive networking organizations. Try personal acquaintances or your spouse's circle of friends as well.

"Networking is the best way to find them," says Alex Dean, CR, CGR, president of The Alexander Group, a design/build firm in Kensington, Md. "Broaden your horizons. Remodeler groups alone are too limited a sphere of influence."

Then try looking for each company's Web site, says Nelson. "See who has one that says anything: their workshops, what people say about working with the coach. Make sure the coach has been in business for a while."

2. Look for industry experience: Most remodelers and professionals think the relationship works better when the professional specializes in residential construction. "I think it's better to have someone who understands the industry," says Stephen Wilson, partner in 7-year-old marketing communications firm Biz-comm Inc. "If you've just had a change order go bad, the person you're talking to at the end of the phone needs to understand what happened to you." Located in Reston, Va., Biz-comm specializes in marketing for residential and light commercial construction firms, especially high-end remodelers.

Industry expertise can be especially important when it comes to financials. Shiner notes that client retention, accounts receivable and change orders all have construction-specific cost implications that many certified public accountants overlook.

Dean agrees: "I'm more interested in working with professionals who are familiar with the different rules and regulations that go along with my business."

Another advantage: It increases the likelihood of that person's having connections that will be useful to you throughout the relationship.

3. Interview them: To save time, it might be wise to start with a phone screening before meeting someone in person. Have an idea of what you want to accomplish. If you know you need help in only one narrow area, it's OK to go with a firm with limited offerings. But if you think you'll want a full-fledged marketing plan at some point, don't choose a graphic design firm that doesn't do strategic planning to help you with marketing. Biz-comm has a regular stable of subcontractors who do graphics, databases and direct mail.

During the interview, pay attention to the consultant's communication style to see if it is compatible with yours and that of your staff.

"If they're talking in triple talk and you don't understand anything they're saying, I wouldn't hire them," says Dean. Don't be awed by professional jargon.

"You want to sit down and have a conversation for half an hour to an hour to see if you get along," Nelson emphasizes. "You want to ask them how they operate and what makes them think they can make a difference in a client's life."

	"Some people say that people will tell them that for free. I say, 'Are you comfortable with designing an addition for free and then seeing your work hanging off the side of their house?'" - Stephen Wilson

4. Check credentials: This will vary from field to field. Obviously, attorneys must have a J.D. and be a member of the state bar association. Accountants should be CPAs or MBAs. In fields such as marketing and executive coaching, while there are degrees and professional associations, there is no standard. Years in business is always a good indicator, as is the number of long-term clients and references (see No. 6).

5. Discuss fees: You will pay for quality and experience. Much like the high-end remodelers he works for, says Wilson, "If we give a number, we're not going to lose money on it. If that's too much for them, then they need to look elsewhere." His firm charges $125 an hour. Client profiles and marketing briefs cost a flat fee of $1,500 each, while a full-fledged marketing plan runs from $12,000 to $25,000.

Firms may work on flat fees, retainers, or time and materials. What's the best way to go?

Time and materials probably isn't it unless you have money to spare and know you'll be changing your mind a lot. "If someone wants to work T&M, that should scare you," Wilson advises. "If they don't know what it costs, do you want them learning on your job?"

Shiner suggests creating a purchase order for a specific, small amount and then agreeing to certain deliverables for that price. "Test them like you'd test a sub," she says. "Set some goals and see if those goals get met."

Financial consulting rates are often comparable to local going rates for a CPA, Shiner says.

"You want to find somebody that's not just a glorified bookkeeper," she adds. "You have to be willing to make that investment in the fee."

Nelson prefers to sign a retainer that he bills the client against, usually $325/hour against a $2,500 retainer. "The retainer has to be big enough that the client has to do the homework," he explains. "They get that this is a serious thing and they have to be committed."

These rates might be more than your business can afford at present. Nelson's advice is to go with the best company you can afford and, above all, do the due diligence to determine whether the cost of your consultant's fees will be covered by increased revenue and profitability gained as a result.

6. Ask for and call references: The same way a homeowner will ask to contact your clients, you should ask for a consultant's. Ask to speak to owners of companies that are similar in size to your firm and who came to the professional with similar needs and goals. Dean suggests talking to at least two to three references.

Nelson recommends calling at least five references. "Whatever you want the coach to provide you, whenever you check out the references, ask that person: How has that part of their life changed?"

7. Sign a contract. Randy Ruzanski, president of Distinctive Home Improvements in Roselle, Ill., advises against bartering services, tempting though it might be. A professional relationship needs to have clearly defined parameters. Don't expect much advice for free. Just like many remodelers charge for design or estimates, professionals do the same.

Wilson, for instance, charges a flat fee for a seven- to 20-page marketing brief that includes a budget and a list of milestones.

"We get grief," he admits. "Some people say that people will tell them that for free. I say, 'Are you comfortable with designing an addition for free and then seeing your work hanging off the side of their house?'"

Shiner uses a letter of engagement and proposes that it include a confidentiality clause to protect the privacy of the business. The agreement also includes a maximum number of service hours, at which point the letter must be re-evaluated.