Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Consultant

Why Engage a Consultant?

Hiring a consultant is an investment that unlocks access to the consultant’s breadth and depth of expertise. You are paying for their time, skills and knowledge. Consulting firms with a deep bench of experience and expertise provide you with access to the most current trends, knowledge, and a broad array of perspectives.

While consultant fees may initially seem steep compared to leveraging internal resources, the investment often yields substantial returns through improved efficiency, strategic insights and accelerated problem-solving. In the long run, it will likely actually save you money and time.

To gauge whether fees align with expected outcomes, clearly define project objectives and deliverables upfront, request detailed case studies of similar engagements, and establish concrete success metrics. 
A skilled consultant should be able to articulate how their expertise will translate into tangible business improvements, whether through cost savings, revenue growth or operational enhancements.

Compare their proposed fee structure against the potential long-term benefits. Remember that quality consulting work can continue generating value long after the engagement ends through improved processes, enhanced capabilities, and knowledge transfer to your team.

Clarify Your Goals and Challenges

The first step is to identify exactly what you seek to achieve with the project. 

• What are you driving toward?
• How will your association and/or the industry be different after this is completed and implemented?
• What is currently keeping you from accomplishing this work? 

Start with a problem statement: Write out exactly what's not working or what you're trying to achieve.

Instead of saying, "We need better governance practices," specify something like, "Our board spends 70% of meeting time discussing operational details rather than strategic direction, resulting in little progress on our strategic initiatives. We are finding ourselves unprepared to address larger macro challenges when they arise."

Some additional information and insights to consider include:

Gather internal perspectives and data that reflect the problem. Solicit input from impacted staff and gather data that illustrate the challenge.

Define success metrics for the work to be done. Consider how the board, members and staff will interpret success.

Outline your expectations. Give thought to the kinds of deliverables that you will need, the internal resource commitment you can provide, the level of ongoing support needed, and your budget range.

Consider timing and urgency. Reflect on whether the challenge needs immediate attention. Evaluate internal and external factors that might impact the project.

Strong preparation will help you have more productive conversations with potential consultants and better evaluate their proposed solutions. Clarity about your goals will also help you negotiate scope and fees more effectively and manage expectations within your organization.

Develop a Clear Vision for the Project 

Whether it’s strategic planning, membership growth, or a new initiative, consider how you envision this work unfolding. Do you have revenue goals? Do you have engagement needs?

Here's a practical approach to developing a clear vision for your project:

Picture the End Result

Start by imagining your organization after the project is complete. What's different? What's improved?

Get specific about what success looks like - whether that's a well-defined strategy, higher member engagement, more effective board meetings, or a more profitable product portfolio. For instance, rather than simply "Modernize our membership model," aim to "Create equity in our dues structure" or "Develop membership opportunities for new adjacent markets." These specific details help define what success looks like.

Map Current vs. Future State

Draw out where you are now compared to where you want to be.

For example, if your association currently has three standalone publications with overlapping content and separate subscription models that reach 20% of its membership, maybe your vision is an integrated digital content strategy that delivers personalized, industry-specific insights to 75% of members through a unified platform.

These concrete details help shape your vision.

Define Impact Areas

Break down how the project will affect different parts of your business:

• Members: How will their experience improve? How might their engagement be impacted
• Employees: What will change in their daily work?
• Operations: Which processes will be streamlined?
• Financial: What cost savings or revenue increases do you expect?

Create a Timeline

Develop a realistic schedule that shows when you expect to reach major milestones. This will help everyone understand the journey and keep the vision grounded in reality.

Consider Constraints

Think about what might limit achieving your vision:

• Budget limitations
• Technical capabilities
• Staff resources
• Time constraints

It is important to be aware of these at the beginning of a project to manage stakeholders' expectations and help your consultant design a solution customized to your association.

Determine Your Need for Support

To determine the right level of consulting support, assess your needs across these key dimensions:

Internal Capabilities

• What skills and expertise do you already have in-house?
• Where are the critical knowledge gaps?
• How much can your team take on alongside their regular duties?
• Do you need hands-on implementation or just strategic guidance?

Project Scope & Complexity

• Is this a focused, single-issue project or a complex transformation?
• How many stakeholders will be affected?
• What's the technical complexity of the changes needed?
• Are there interdependencies with other products, services or systems?

Timing & Urgency

• What's your deadline for seeing results?
• Is this a short-term fix or a long-term change?
• Do you need full-time support or periodic guidance?
• Are there critical events or deadlines such as board meetings, a budget deadline, or an annual meeting to consider?

Resource Availability

• What's your budget for external support?
• How much internal staff time can you commit?
• Do you have the necessary tools and technology?
• What level of executive sponsorship is available?

The Key Things to Look For

How will you determine the best fit for you and your association? Prospective consultants should ask good questions about your association and demonstrate genuine interest in your success rather than just trying to sell their services. 

A quality consultant should be able to explain exactly how they'll add value and help you measure the impact of their work. Other things to consider include:

Ability to work with a variety of stakeholders:

• Have they demonstrated the ability to listen deeply to your challenges?
• Are they responsive and accessible throughout the selection process?
• Can they explain complex concepts in understandable terms?
• Can they adapt to your association’s culture?

Relevant industry and/or project expertise and experience:

• Does the consultant have a track record of experience in this type of work?
• Have they demonstrated knowledge of relevant methodologies and best practices?

Demonstrated project approach:

• Have they identified a clear methodology for tackling your challenges?
• Can they meet your timeline and milestone requirements?
• Have they identified the specific deliverables they will prepare?

Transparent business process:

• Does the contract contain a transparent fee structure with no hidden costs?
• Is there a clear scope definition and a process by which the contract can be updated if necessary?
• Are they able to provide professional contract terms and confidentiality agreements?

Sound references:

• Did they provide recent client references you can contact?
• Do the consultants have professional certifications or affiliations?
• What is the firm’s online presence and reputation?
• Do the consultants have a professional network and resources they can leverage?

Evaluate Your Options

Looking at consulting proposals can feel like comparing apples to oranges. Here's a straightforward way to evaluate your options:

1. Make sure they understand your needs. Read through each proposal carefully—does it show they really understand what you're trying to accomplish? A good proposal should reflect your goals and challenges in a way that makes you think, "Yes, that's exactly it!"
2. Talk to their past clients. When you check references, ask practical questions like "What was it like to work with them?" and "What surprised you about the process?" Past clients can tell you things that won't show up in a polished proposal.
3. Meet them in person (or virtually). If you're seriously considering a consultant, have a conversation with them. See how they think on their feet and handle questions. This is also your chance to clarify anything in their proposal that confused you.
4. Know the capabilities of the firm. Ask directly about the capabilities the firm will bring to the table, such as project management, experience working with volunteers, rigorous research methodologies, etc. This will help you discover if they have the expertise needed for a successful project beyond what is outlined in the scope.
5. Look at the value, not just the price. Instead of focusing only on the cost, consider what you're getting for your money. Ask for examples of results they've achieved for others. Does their fee make sense for what they're promising to deliver?
6. Plan for the unexpected. Make sure you understand what happens if the project needs to change direction or takes longer than expected. Get clear on how they handle curveballs - because they always come up.
7. Make it easy to compare. Create a simple scoring sheet with your must-haves and nice-to-haves. This helps you evaluate each proposal fairly and keeps you focused on what matters most to your organization.

Remember: The best proposal isn't always the fanciest or most expensive. Look for one that shows they understand your needs and offer clear, practical solutions to help you achieve your goals.

Ready to transform your association with expert guidance? McKinley Advisors brings over 30 years of proven association consulting experience to help organizations navigate change and drive sustainable growth.

Schedule a conversation with our team to explore how we can support your strategic goals.