Getting Started in Consulting

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.

ALAN WEISS is a consultant, speaker, and bestselling author. His consulting firm, Summit Consulting Group, Inc., has attracted clients such as Mercedes-Benz, Merck,The New York Times, and over 500 other leading organizations. His speaking typically includes 30 keynotes a year at major conferences.

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 Buyers 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 Thats Accepted Every Time 99

Why Buyers Go Dark 105

Youre Actually Closing Three Sales; Dont 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 Dont 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 Youll 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