Small Business Services

Our small business on-site consulting services are only available to businesses with less than 100 employees and within the Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Annapolis Maryland areas.  These quick services have been designed to be fast, simple, and affordable and to introduce small businesses in our local area with our services. This special list of services keeps within our Echo Effect Communications theme and helps small business owners clarify, convey, and implement their vision and goals.  

Understand Your Organization as an Ecosystem: This is a free one hour consultation to fully explain our Inside Out philosophy. We do not believe in fixing employees, we believe in fixing the system.

Clarify Vision and Values: To communicate and manage well, you must first know what you want.  We've had great success in helping small business owners clarify a unique and inspiring vision.  In addition, we'll help you understand that there are values guiding the behaviors of your entire team.  Are they the values you want?  This service consists of 8 hours of consulting time and will be divided up into coaching sessions and, if desired, a short workshop for your team. 

Communicate Through Policies and Procedures: We hold a 1-2 hour meeting with you and your key employees and will walk through a series of questions. This helps us identify your goals and practices. We then review your current employee handbook and/or other written policies and procedures. A final written report is provided that highlights strengths and offers suggestions for improvements.  The goal is to ensure that your policies and procedures are communicating the vision, mission, values, and expectations you desire.

Communicate Through Job Descriptions: This is an often overlooked service with a high return on investment. Accurate job descriptions are highly valuable for recruitment, daily management of performance, and formal performance appraisals. We will perform job audits for up to eight job titles. We’ll write creative job descriptions that incorporate specific expectations and desired organizational culture.

Communicate Through Rewards and Recognition Programs: Recognizing and rewarding is your best way of communicating expectations to your team. With this service, we will review your current practices, communicate with your team, brainstorm, and provide you with a revised and motivational rewards and recognition program. We take your budget constraints into consideration and emphasize that intrinsic motivators are often the most effective rewards.

Communicate with Who and How You Hire: Your first line of defense in managing performance is to hire the right people in the first place. This will save you time, money, and headaches. We begin our process by gathering information to understand your current recruitment and hiring challenges. Organizational values will be integrated into your entire hiring system and we’ll provide a half day training program on creative interview techniques. You’ll also receive a custom designed list of behavioral interview questions.

Communicate Through an Onboarding Process: New employee orientations are often boring and centered only around filling out paperwork. This is an area where a little pizzazz and creativity can make a huge difference. Start employees off on the right track, with a clear understanding of expectations and the motivation to help your business excel. We will meet with you and key employees, develop an informative and inspiring on-boarding process, and provide guidance as you begin implementation.

Communicate Through Performance Appraisals: The performance appraisal process is one of your best tools to communicate the importance of goals and expectations.  While most managers and employees alike dread this experience, it doesn't have to be confrontational.  Improving this process will improve overall communication throughout your business. This service includes a half day training program, a redesign of your performance appraisal form and system, and a coaching session following the redesign.

Introductory Communications Coaching for Supervisors: We offer 8 hours of coaching, typically scheduled in two-hour sessions at your new supervisor’s convenience. We’ll cover just the topics needed, answer questions, offer suggestions, and be available via Email in between. This isn’t a canned supervisory course; it’s tailored, personable, useful, and affordable. Poorly trained supervisors cost time, money and customers. This is an investment you can’t afford to pass up.

 Inform and Inspire Your Team as You Present Your Plans and Ideas: If you have a message to deliver to your team, perhaps a new vision or goal, we have a valuable service to offer. Presenting well can make or break a new idea or goal. We will help you craft your message, create a memorable visual presentation, and guide you through the delivery. This flat price includes 16 hours of time and up to a 30 minute presentation. Anything beyond this may incur additional costs.

Email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 410-972-4710 for our straightforward low cost prices for our small business partners.