How to Start an Educational Consultant Business Online: Tools and Workflow Recommendations
To launch a modern, scalable independent educational consulting (IEC) practice, you need more than just expertise. As an independent educational consultant, your responsibilities extend beyond admissions expertise; you are expected to stay organized, communicate clearly, and provide personalized guidance throughout the college planning process.
With the right tools and streamlined workflows, you can provide the same quality and support as an in-person IEC while streamlining tasks like file sharing, student tracking, and communication. Continue reading to discover what an educational consultant does and how to create a successful IEC business with the right tools.
What Does A Virtual Educational Consultant Do?
An educational consultant works with students and their families to help them navigate the college search and application process. As an IEC, you offer personalized one-on-one support that goes beyond what a school counselor can provide. You may assist with academic and extracurricular planning, college research, application strategies, essay writing, or financial aid information. Your end goal is to find a school that aligns with your clients' needs and goals and to help them apply with all the information they need to be accepted.
In a remote or hybrid consulting model, IECs need to be accessible, utilize advanced technology, and stay organized at all times. Sharing files and documents, maintaining individual student profiles, and ensuring clear communication are essential for building a successful IEC business.
4 Key Strategies for Becoming a Successful Online Education Consultant
Becoming a successful education consultant demands more than just expertise in college admissions. It requires strategic planning, building lasting relationships, and utilizing the right toolkit that best serves your clients. By refining how you connect with schools, market your services, and manage workflows, you can elevate your business and stand out in the competitive IEC market.
Below are four key strategies to help you build a thriving independent consulting business.
Develop strong relationships with local schools and colleges
Building strong relationships with local schools and colleges is an excellent way to set your business up for success. By establishing yourself as the go-to IEC within your community, schools will know to contact you to assist students who may be struggling with the college application process.
Additionally, you can join associations to become part of your IEC networking community. National groups like the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) or the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will help you stay connected with other IECs and offer learning opportunities to grow your business. Focusing on these connections will build a supportive community and enhance your reputation as an independent educational consultant.
Diversify your consulting services
While your overall niche should focus on one audience, like college admissions guidance, you can diversify your expertise within that market. You can offer services that specifically target athletes or Ivy League college admissions, or perhaps work with students who have a certain career goal but aren't sure which college offers the best programs for it. You can highlight these different service options for your clients to choose from and create detailed service packages so students and their families know exactly what to expect.
Additionally, with advanced technology, you can reach students from all over the world. With virtual meetings, streamlined communication, and organized calendars, you can conduct business entirely online to ensure your students are getting the same support as in-person clients.
Market your services
One of the most important aspects of achieving success for your business is marketing yourself. Grow your business through various social media platforms, share success stories or educational tips to inform your audience, and establish yourself as an authoritative figure in your field.
With tools like CollegePlannerPro, you can create example student profiles to demonstrate how you can assist individual students based on their needs. When working with prospective families, you can present these sample profiles as a key selling point to highlight your clear communication tools, college list-building resources, advanced organizational features, and more.
Enhance business efficiency with effective technology
As an IEC, it is your responsibility to stay organized and accessible for your students. Especially in a hybrid or virtual setting, open communication, file sharing, task management boards, and more can distinguish you from your competitors. With advanced software like CollegePlannerPro, you can keep student and parent information organized within your contacts, notes, and profiles. You can also easily log campus tours notes while on-the-go, so key observations and takeaways are never lost.
Streamline Your Educational Consultancy With CollegePlannerPro
Starting an educational consulting business should focus on personalized, organized, and strategic support. With CollegePlannerPro, you can create a centralized hub that stores student profiles, extensive college data, file and folder sharing capabilities, calendar invites, invoicing tools, and more. Our college planning software allows you to manage everything from college lists to client billing in one place.
Using advanced tools like CollegePlannerPro, you can provide your students and their families with a smooth, professional, and comprehensive consulting experience while keeping your business structured and efficient. Let CollegePlannerPro help grow your business—schedule a demo today to see how it can meet your needs.