Business owners need to be competent in many areas. Fortunately, there are consultants available in just about every category who can help you run and grow your business should you need some assistance.

Here are 5 ways a consultant can help your business.

1.  Perform needs assessments

As a business owner, you are likely deeply ingrained in your own work, making it difficult to see the big picture. A consultant can provide you with an overview of your organization from an outsider’s perspective and help you identify areas that could be adjusted and improved.

2.  Hiring

If your business requires skilled workers, a hiring consultant may be able to help you identify new talent. Hiring consultants are able to reach deeper pools of candidates than an online ad and have talent networks they can tap into to fill even the most difficult positions, including executive staff.

3.  Legal

Every owner needs to consider the legalities surrounding their business, from liability for employee injuries to customer lawsuits. A good legal consultant can make sure that you and your business are protected and have the proper policies in place.

4.  Marketing

A marketing consultant can help you to create a strategy that ties into your broader business goals and secures new customers. This can include strengthening your brand, boosting your search engine optimization (SEO), creating ad campaigns, improving your logo and much more.

5.  IT

Improve the efficiency of your business with the help of an IT consultant.  A good consultant will introduce you to new software, eliminate unnecessary steps and streamline various processes for your business. This applies to everything from accounting to daily sales tasks.