Risk

Top Tools for Security Consultants to Increase Profits and Efficiency

October 6, 2017 | 3 min read
Adam sherez 228582

For many security consultants, building a profitable security business is all about pounding the pavement, pounding out cold calls...and pounding their head on the desk. And for many consultants, boosting profits is a hard-fought battle. But instead of pounding harder, most consultants just need to find the right tools. If you want to build your security business successfully, check out these must-have tools to get ahead and boost your profits.

Your Website

Think of your website as your most powerful salesperson—it works 24/7 to help you win sales, and it costs you practically nothing to maintain. But if your website looks like it was built in 2005 or it’s displaying outdated content, you’re losing money.

Your website is the face of your company. If it looks unprofessional, you’ll look unprofessional. Even if most of your customers don’t come from your website, they’re still using it for vetting you. Keep your site updated and looking good.

Google Docs

If you’re still using Microsoft Office, it’s time to switch to Google Docs. Google Docs is integrated with Gmail and Google Drive, giving you immediate access to your documents and spreadsheets no matter where you are—at a customer site or at the office. And you can collaborate with partners and clients in real time, from anywhere. Google Docs lets you cut down on wasted time and cut back on paper and printing expenses.

CRM Software

If you’re not using a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, you should be. A good CRM can dramatically reduce wasted time on the wrong leads and streamline your time on the right leads. You can automate your marketing and email lists, and everything is kept in a single location so you don’t have to worry about losing business cards anymore.

Project/Task Management Software

Dropping the ball on project tasks? That can be a big profit-killer. When things slip through the cracks, it can cost you repeat business. And every minute picking up the pieces to get back on track is another minute of lost profit.

Avoid all that by investing into a project management application. Many of them are free and easy to learn. And they usually integrate with your email, so you can get reminded of tasks and deadlines. It’s a great tool to help make sure you never drop the ball again.

Electronic Invoicing System

If you’re spending more than a minute or two invoicing each client, you’re wasting your time—and wasted time is wasted profit. Electronic invoicing systems are a must-have for any security consultant that wants to boost their profits:

  • Customer acquisition and retention—electronic invoicing is popular with customers and more convenient for clients. It also makes you appear more professional.
  • Automated accounts receivable process—speed up your time to get paid.
  • Instantaneous delivery—send invoices by email, not snail mail.
  • Eliminate billing costs—electronic invoicing removes costs like stamps and envelopes, paper, and staff time.
  • Fewer human errors.

Break-Even Analysis Template

When you’re scaling your business, you’ll have to make some strategic decisions—when to hire, where to rent office space, which equipment to invest in. But every decision you make can impact your profits. There are immediate impacts and long-term impacts. The trick is to know which decisions impact your profits for the better over the long haul. A lot of the time, it’s just guesswork.

But a break-even analysis template can help you make smarter business development decisions. A break-even analysis can help you identify what needs to happen for you to be profitable. You can play with various scenarios to see how different decisions could impact your profit margins. For example, if you hire another person, how many more sales will you need to cover the extra salary expense?

Circadian Risk

Circadian Risk’s threat and vulnerability assessment software could be your most powerful tool for greater profits. With our software application, you can reduce your reporting time by as much as 80%. The tool automates your most onerous tasks and generates actionable reports in just seconds. It provides greater value to your clients and creates opportunities to provide add-on services. Circadian Risk is the #1 tool for better reports and greater profits.

See the tool in action—request a live demo.

Anything Digital

Anytime you move from paper-based to digital technology, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and streamline your operations. Often, you’ll save money on expenses, since there are so many free programs available. Don’t fall into the shiny-object trap, but do look for opportunities to go digital whenever you can.

Get Ahead with the Right Tools

Getting ahead is hard work, but working harder doesn’t mean you’re working smarter. With the right tools, you can build your security consulting business faster, easier, and more effectively.

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