Security consulting: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering security consulting
You assess clients' physical and electronic security, identify weak points and recommend practical improvements. Your value is an honest, prioritized report the client can act on, with no hidden sales agenda.
What customers ask
- What are the biggest weak points at my site?
- Which improvement should I make first?
- Do you install the equipment you recommend?
- How long will the assessment take, and what do you need from my staff?
- Will the report help with my insurance?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask for the site address, the incident history, the insurer or lender requirements, the systems in place and the concerns, then confirm the scope in writing.
- Walk the site at the times when risk is highest, and note the lighting, sight lines and access points on a map in the report.
- Rank each recommendation by risk reduced and effort required, and put the top five in a one page summary at the front of the report.
- Keep the installation work separate from the assessment in the paperwork, and disclose any relationship with an installer.
- Test the systems as far as the site rules allow, and record what worked and what did not.
- Send the client a sample report with the methods and the limits of the assessment, so they see what they will receive.
What to put on your profile
- List the site types you assess, such as offices, warehouses, retail, residential or events.
- Describe your assessment method in plain steps, such as walk throughs, interviews and system tests.
- State any licenses you hold and the states where they apply, and whether you sell equipment.
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a follow up walk through after the first changes are made, to confirm they work as intended.
- Suggest an annual review of key control and access codes, since those change as staff move on.
- Recommend a test of the alarm response with the client's staff at a set time.
Licenses and permits
Security consulting is not always licensed, but some states license certain security work, such as installation or guard services. Check the rules in each state where you work, keep any required licenses current and disclose any installation work you perform or sell.
Questions
Do I need a license to be a security consultant?
It depends on the services you offer and the state. Check with your state or local licensing agency for each service, especially installation.
How do I avoid a conflict of interest?
Separate the assessment from any installation or sales work in your contracts, and disclose any relationship with a vendor in writing before you make recommendations.
What should the report include?
The scope, the methods, the findings with photos or sketches, the ranked recommendations and the limits of what you could test.
Pro reviewers
Pros who offer security consulting remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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