Which half of the day will you work at your new consulting business? And why is the answer important? Because clients and prospects who want to contact you should be able to reach you quickly. That's why you should set your consulting hours based on your clients' needs rather than your own.

For example, personal fitness trainers often work evenings and weekends. Stock market consultants are available when the stock exchange is open as well as before and after. If they consult on the Nikkei and other foreign markets, their hours must fit those of their clients as well as the marketplace. You need to define your business hours, including the days, hours, and holidays you will be available and when you will be on call.

Days

“Days of business” means different things in various businesses. Many businesses operate Monday through Friday, though some are Monday through Saturday or even Tuesday through Friday. Other businesses operate Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Whatever your prospects and clients work should be your minimum.

International businesses sometimes have different weekends than those in North America. For example, businesses in many Christian countries are closed on Sunday. In Jewish countries, their holy day is Saturday, and in Islamic countries, many don't conduct business on Fridays. If your consulting business is international, you must respect your clients' preferences.

Hours

Your consulting service's hours, again, depend on when clients want you to work. Establish your own working hours to reflect the needs of those who need your services. Tax advisors often work long hours from January through April, cutting hours back in the summer. Others must be available to clients until late evening or on weekends.

If you're not sure what hours your prospective clients prefer, ask them. Also find out what hours your competitors are open for business. If you find that competitors are not serving their clients all the hours the client wants, you may have an opportunity to make your services available and pick up business.

Holidays

Some consulting services can close during clients' holidays and others must be available during them. For example, a banking advisor typically doesn't have to serve clients on banking holidays. However, a dog trainer may need to work holidays when clients have free time from their jobs.

On Call

Some consultants are on call 24/7. A client calls and you must answer. If that's what your clients need and you've decided that you can provide 24/7 service, then those are your hours. Many time-critical service businesses require that their consultants be available on-call. If an automated teller machine breaks or a client has a medical emergency, the appropriate consultant must be ready to take action. If these are your clients, be ready to give them the service they need — and are paying for.