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- Wiley
More About This Title The New Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond
English
Everything you ever wanted to know about consulting—a practical roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs
Seismic changes occurring in the workforce are leading to more and more people entering the world of contract, freelance, and contingency work. Rapid changes in demographics and advances in technology have led companies and talent to engage in profoundly new ways and consulting is one of the keys to success.
The New Business of Consulting is authentic and practical, and shares the knowledge and skills required to start and grow a successful consulting business. From how to make a smooth career transition, to how to determine a consulting fee, to how consultants inadvertently create a bad reputation, it covers everything you need to know to thrive and flourish in this competitive field.
- Covers contemporary topics, such as how to achieve success in the gig economy
- Discloses a reliable technique to land the clients you want
- Presents options to help you balance your life and your business
- Prepares you for naming your business, managing critical financial issues, and building a client relationship
- Shows you how to take your income and impact beyond working as a solopreneur
The crucial start-up days of a consulting business may be frenetic and fraught with questions. This new edition provides sanity and answers all the questions. It includes practical tools, templates, and checklists that you can download and implement immediately.
English
English
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Exhibits and the Companion Website
Introduction
One So You Want to be a Consultant
What Is Consulting?
Four Ways to Get Started
Why Consulting Now?
Myths About Consulting
Realities and Rewards of Consulting
Just What Are You Getting Yourself Into?
For the Consummate Consultant
Two Talents And Tolerance
Your Skills for Success
Personal Characteristics of Successful Consultants
Roles You May Play
Signs of a Mediocre Consultant
Your Personal Situation
Caution: Business Owner Ahead
Entrepreneurial Characteristics
For the Consummate Consultant
Three Dollars And Sense
How Much Money Do You Require?
How Much Should You Charge?
Selecting a Pricing Structure
Other Pricing Decisions
Other Charges
Fee Increases
Ethics of Pricing
Money Discussions
Value of a Guarantee
For the Consummate Consultant
Four Starting . . .
Why Some Startups Succeed and So Many Fail
What’s in a Name?
Selecting an Accountant
Selecting a Legal Entity
A Business Plan to Guide You
Plan to Use Your Business Plan
Start-Up Costs
Finding Your Niche
Your Image is Everything
Experiencing the Experience Maze
For the Consummate Consultant
Five . . . And Staying in Business
Marketing from Day One
Creating Your Marketing Plan
Using the Internet
Surprising but Practical Thoughts on Marketing
Tactics for Low-Budget Marketing
Contacting Potential Clients
Proposals Lead to Contracts
Why Would You Refuse an Assignment?
For the Consummate Consultant
Six The Cost of Doing Business
Keeping Records for Your Consulting Business
Watch Your Cash Flow
Track Your Expenses
Set Aside Petty Cash
Charge Your Client
Project Revenues
Deal with Bad Debts
Keep an Eye on Your Numbers
For the Consummate Consultant
Seven Building a Client Relationship
Relationships: It’s Why You’re in Business
The First Meeting
Four Phases of Building a Client-Consultant Partnership
Adding More Value
How Many Clients Do You Need?
How to Improve the Relationship Continuously
It’s the People
Maintain the Relationship After the Project
Ensure Success
More Value for the Client
For the Consummate Consultant
Eight Growing Pains
Adding People
Growing Without Increasing People
Expand Your Geographical Market
Doing Everything You Can to Grow Your Current Business
For the Consummate Consultant
Nine The Ethics of the Business
Consultant to Client
Consultant to Consultant
Client to Consultant
Parting Ethics Shots
For the Consummate Consultant
Ten Exude Professionalism
Competencies to Boost Your Consulting Success
Continuing to Learn
Balancing Your Life and Your Business
Managing Your Time
Giving Back
For the Consummate Consultant
Eleven Do You Still Want to Be a Consultant?
A Week in a Consultant’s Life
Visualizing Success
Taking Action
Get Ready, Get Set . . .
For the Consummate Consultant
Resources
Reading List
About the Author
Index
