Getting Started in Consulting
John Wiley & Sons Inc (Verlag)
978-0-470-41980-9 (ISBN)
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THE UNBEATABLE, UPDATED, COMPREHENSIVE GUIDEBOOK FOR FIRST-TIME CONSULTANTS
GETTING STARTED IN CONSULTING
More people than ever are making the jump from corporate offices to home offices, taking control of their futures, being their own bosses, and starting their own consultancies. Consulting is a bigger business than ever and growing every day.
For almost a decade, Alan Weiss's Getting Started in Consulting has been an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to strike out on his own and start a new consulting business. It provides a rich source of expert advice and practical guidance, and it shows you how you can combine low overhead and a high degree of organization to add up to a six- or even seven-figure income. You'll learn everything you need to know about financing your business, marketing your services, writing winning proposals, meeting legal requirements, setting fees, keeping the books, and much more.
This new Third Edition of Getting Started in Consulting is more comprehensive, up to date, and practical than ever. In addition to the nuts-and-bolts basics, you'll also get a wealth of new information and resources:
How to leverage new technologies to lower your business costs and increase your profits
A budget sampler that shows you how best to maximize an initial start-up investment of $5,000, $10,000, or $20,000
Free downloadable tools and forms to help you design and start your business quickly and easily
New interviews with consultants who achieved rapid success, including their personal stories and most effective techniques
Brand-new references, examples, and appendices
If your dream in life is to get out of the office and out on your own, consulting is a great way to make it happen. Make sure you do it rightand do it profitablywith Getting Started in Consulting, Third Edition.
ALAN WEISS is a consultant, speaker, and bestselling author. His firm, Summit Consulting Group, Inc., has consulted with such clients as Merck, Hewlett-Packard, GE, and Mercedes-Benz, among many others. His thirty other books include the bestseller Million Dollar Consulting. For more information, contact him at his blog, www.contrarianconsulting.com, or Web site, www.summitconsulting.com.
Introduction to the Third Edition xi
About the Author xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Chapter 1 Establishing Goals and Expectations (Including Your Own) 1
You Will Be What You Decide to Be, Nothing Less, Nothing More
Starting At Square Zero: Financial Needs 2
Personal Attributes: The Investment from Within 5
Time Use: There’s No Such Thing As Not Having Enough Time 10
Focus: We’re All Working Part-Time 15
Why Collaboration Can Kill You 17
Summary 19
Questions and Answers 20
Notes 21
Chapter 2 Physical Space and Environmental Needs 23
Act Like You Have a Business and You ’ ll Have One
Alternative Work Spaces 24
The Basics Around You 29
Beyond the Basics 36
Communicating at the Speed of Light 38
Getting Some Help From Some Friends 41
Notes 43
Questions and Answers 44
Chapter 3 Sorting Out the Legal, Financial, and Administrative 45
First, Let’s Kill All the Lawyers
Legal Requirements and Organizational Options 48
Accounting, Financial, and Tax Matters—Exploiting Opportunities 50
Finding a Banker and Obtaining Credit 53
Other Professional Help 56
Notes 66
Questions and Answers 67
Chapter 4 Marketing 101 71
Creating a Market Gravity for Your Business
Creating a Press Kit 73
Stationery and Related Image Products 77
Networking 79
Pro Bono Work 86
Listings, Ads, and Passive Sources 88
Summary 90
Notes 91
Questions and Answers 91
Chapter 5 Advanced Marketing 93
Creating a Brand
Establishing a Web site 93
Publishing 98
Obtaining Media Interviews 103
Speaking 110
Newsletters 113
Notes 115
Questions and Answers 115
Interlude
Leveraging Technology 117
How to get Started at the Speed of light
The Importance of Being Earnest 118
The Budget Sampler 120
Best Practices in Leverage 121
Chapter 6 Initiating the Sales Process and Acquiring Business 127
Building Relationships
Finding the Right Buyer 129
What to do About Gatekeepers 131
Gaining Conceptual Agreement 135
Creating a Succession of “Yeses” 141
Notes 145
Questions and Answers 145
Chapter 7 Closing the Sale 147
How to Write Proposals and Cash Checks
The Nature of Excellent Proposals 149
The Nine Steps of Great Proposals 150
When to Follow Up 161
Eight Rules for a Command Appearance 163
Ten Steps to Follow if the Buyer is Unresponsive 166
Horrors, What if the Buyer Says “No!”: Six Steps to Redemption 167
Notes 170
Questions and Answers 171
Chapter 8 Establishing Fees 173
If You Bill by the Hour, You Cheat Your Client and Yourself
The Fallacy and Lunacy of Time-Based Fees and Per Diems 174
Preparing and Educating the Client 176
Fifty-one Ways to Increase Your Fees 179
Summary 192
Notes 192
Questions and Answers 193
Chapter 9 Moving to the Next Level 195
You May Be Ready for Dramatic Growth Before You Know It
Finding Resources: The Pros and Cons of Staffs 197
Business Planning 200
Creating Passive Income 203
Working Internationally 206
Investing In Longer-Term Potential 209
Notes 212
Questions and Answers 213
Chapter 10 Giving Yourself Permission to Succeed 215
How to Continue to Grow by Paying Back
Maximize Retirement Investing 216
Mentoring 218
Professional Growth 219
Retainers 220
Selective Project Acquisition 222
Travel 224
Celebrity Status 227
Life Balance 229
The Firm’s Future 231
Giving Back 232
Notes 233
Questions and Answers 233
Chapter 11 The Quick Start 235
How to Hit the Consulting Ground Running at Full Speed
First Dimension: Creating Infrastructure 236
Second Dimension: Reaching Out for Business 246
Marketing Technique 1: Call Everyone You Know 247
Marketing Technique 2: Target Twelve 249
Marketing Technique 3: Focused Prospecting 251
Quick Start, Full-Speed Mileposts, and Dangers 254
Summary 256
Notes 256
Questions and Answers 257
Appendices
A. Business Plan to Attract Investment 259
B. Sample To-Do Lists 261
C. Office Equipment Recommendations 263
D. Trade Associations, Professional Groups, Publicity Sources 267
E. Sample Biographical Sketch for a New Consultant 271
F. Sample Position Paper 275
What You Need to Know 276
What You Need to Do 277
G. Sample Magazine Inquiry Letter 279
H. 101 Questions for Any Sales Situation You’ll Ever Face 281
An Overview 281
Qualifying the Prospect 282
Finding the Economic Buyer 283
Rebutting Objections 283
Establishing Objectives 284
Establishing Metrics 285
Assessing Value 286
Determining the Budget Range 286
Preventing Unforeseen Obstacles 287
Increasing the Size of the Sale 288
Going for the Close 288
The Most Vital Question 289
Glossary 291
Index 295
| Erscheint lt. Verlag | 9.4.2009 |
|---|---|
| Verlagsort | New York |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Maße | 140 x 84 mm |
| Gewicht | 386 g |
| Themenwelt | Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Unternehmensführung / Management |
| ISBN-10 | 0-470-41980-6 / 0470419806 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0-470-41980-9 / 9780470419809 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
| Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR) | |
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