The Consultant, in its most broad meaning, it is a freelancer (nowadays freelance is in fashion) who makes his skills available to a client in order to guarantee the client the achievement of one or more project objectives. The Consultant is therefore a figure that is not within a company and which is “activated” when a contract is stipulated between him and the client.

But how much is a Consultant's fee?

The answer is Depends. It essentially depends on four factors (+1) which I list below:

• tax regime
• cost of instruments
• utility costs
• costs of training/experience

Tax regime

Può affect between 40 and 60% of the cost of the consultancy, each regime has its percentages and the Consultant knows which one is the percentage of its reference regime.

Cost of instruments

Qui the speech is more articulated. I would like to point out that by tools I mean both the hardware and the software and the services connected to them and I can tell you about my costs.

For my business working, I work in GIS, I need of a "well built" PC because analyzing geographic data requires not only a powerful processor but also an adequate amount of memory. I also have an equally beefy backup PC and a tablet.

I also use a NAS for data storage and Google Drive Business version to share project data with clients.

I have a Google Business account so as not to have problems with my email (now everything goes through Google's magnifying glass so it's better to contact you to avoid to be put in SPAM for no reason).

I have running costs for my website hosted on DigitalOcean and the entire ecosystem that revolves around it.

To these costs are added the costs of software licenses.

Utility costs

Telephone, light, gas is not free.

Training/experience costs

There are direct costs proportional to the type of training of the Consultant and his experience, considering not only the years of career but also, and above all, the skills learned.

The +1

Non you only work for amortize costs but also to set aside money for the other 50% of the life of a Consultant who is still a human being!

L’together with the previously listed items determine the cost of the consultancy to which any travel if necessary is added. These costs, multiplied by the Consultant's working hours, determine the cost of the consultancy.

Does the client pay the cost of the consultancy?

No. The client who turns to a Consultant having defined a budget in advance is making a mistake. Of course one doesn't have to go to war unarmed, one can have more or not an idea of ​​how much he could spend; can Also have a maximum budget in mind, but if it is out of the market should expect to receive a two of spades from the Consultant.

The supermarket syndrome must not arise between the consultant and the client:

I have 10€, how many apples can you give me?

Instead, it is better for everyone to understand each other's needs because it is a minimum amount of collaboration and mutual understanding is enough for everyone to be satisfied with the work done.

Having said that, how much does a Consultant cost?

It depends! It depends on the costs previously stated and on the common sense of the parties!

Did you expect to read numbers in clear with this article? I'm sorry I disappointed you! With this article I didn't want to indicate but only to make it clear to those who are about to ask for advice that there is "another half". of the sky", another point of view to take into consideration and we must not only look at what that you would like to spend. Each activity has his own approach to defining compensation and gives an excellent example of it Paolo Corradeghini in this article of his which I invite you to read carefully!

Too often I am contacted by companies and professionals suffering from supermarket syndrome who "want to go to the moon with 1 euro" and my answer is always "turn to someone else."