The definitive guide to getting out of the office and getting into consulting
Getting Started in Consulting, Fourth Edition is the acclaimed real-world blueprint to professional and financial freedom. For nearly two decades, this invaluable resource has helped thousands of people quit the daily grind and become their own boss. This practical and motivational guide provides the tools and knowledge to control your future and secure your fortune. From establishing goals and sorting out the legal and financial paperwork, to advanced marketing strategies and relationship building techniques, this indispensable book offers step-by-step instructions for you to establish and grow your own consultancy business. This extensively revised and updated fourth edition includes new and expanded coverage on topics including utilizing informal media, changes in legal and financial guidelines, key distinctions of wholesale and retail businesses, and much more.
Author Alan Weiss delivers expert advice on how to combine minimal overhead with optimal organization to produce maximum income. Every step in the process is clearly explained, including financing, marketing, bookkeeping, establishing your fees, and more. This guide is a comprehensive, one-stop source for everything you need to prosper in the rapidly expanding world of private consultancy.
- Adopt a pragmatic and profitable strategy to achieve incredible results from your consultancy business
- Learn to identify and address the most commons issues facing your prospects and clients
- Leverage technology to reduce labor, maximize profitability, and increase discretionary time
- Access sample budgets, case studies, references and appendices, downloadable tools and forms, and online resources
The modern business landscape presents unique opportunities for those willing to take the leap from corporate offices to home offices. Getting Started in Consulting, Fourth Edition is the must-have guide for anyone seeking to cut their own path to their own consulting business.
Table of Contents
Introduction to the Fourth Edition xiii
About the Author xv
Acknowledgments xvii
Chapter 1 Your Mindset Will Determine Your Success 1
The Notion of Value 1
Support Systems 4
Basic Necessities 9
Hitting the Ground Running 13
Chapter 2 Barging into the Business 19
The Concept of Marketing Gravity 19
Calling Everyone You Know 25
Making Money by Working for Free (Pro Bono) 27
Networking Is a Process, Not an Event 29
Chapter 3 Becoming a Marketer 33
Creating an Accelerant Curve 33
Money Talks 37
Wholesale and Retail 41
Passive Income 45
Chapter 4 Technology for the Next Nine Seconds 49
The Greatest Technology Myths 49
The Role of a Website Might Surprise You 53
Social Media Platforms Are Often Tilted 57
Remaining Cutting Edge Without Hurting Yourself 60
Chapter 5 Finding the Economic Buyer 69
Saint Paul Was the First Virtual Marketer 69
HR Stands for “Hardly Relevant” 70
Charging Past Gatekeepers 73
The Peerage 76
Chapter 6 In the Buyer’s Office 81
Establishing Trust 81
Finding Issues and Dynamic Capture 85
Gaining Conceptual Agreement 88
Pouring Concrete 92
Chapter 7 Closing the Sale 99
How to Write a Proposal That’s Accepted Every Time 99
Why Buyers Go Dark 105
You’re Actually Closing Three Sales; Don’t Lose Two 108
The Virtual Handshake 113
Chapter 8 Paying the Mortgage 117
How to Establish Value-Based Fees 117
Fee Formulas 120
Fifty Factors to Consider 124
Other Fee Considerations 127
Chapter 9 Moving On Up 131
Fastening the Watertight Doors 131
Why You Don’t Need a Staff and How to Find Resources 136
Passive Income Alternatives 139
Working Globally 143
Chapter 10 Living the Dream 149
Building Your Brand 149
Moving to Advisory (Vault) Work 153
Intellectual Property and Thought Leadership 157
The Essence of a Career 161
Appendix A: 101 Questions for Any Sales Situation You’ll Ever Face 167
Appendix B: Suggested Reading in the Field 179
Appendix C: Sample Proposal 181
Appendix D: Sample Long Biographical Sketch 187
Appendix E: Sample Short Biographical Sketch 191
Appendix F: Further Resources 193
Index 195
