DRAFT

Consulting Business,

 By John Riddle

Summary of several useful areas:

Getting Friendly with the Internet

The Internet can be a consultant’s best friend. Once you become Internet-savvy, you will discover the multitude of information in cyberspace which will help you as you grow and expand your consulting practice. 

Check out these Web sites:

Consultant’s Corner  Consultant’s Corner is an excellent source for listings of consultants, training and resource materials, small-business survival guides and much more.

Association of Professional Consultants  This is an excellent resource for consultants in all fields. Information can be found on publicity and promotions, professional workshops and courses, and a whole plethora of business subjects of interest to consulting professionals.  

ProSavvy Solution This is an e-procurement solution that enables people to find pre-qualified consultants and enables consultants to bid on clearly defined projects. With searchable database of more than 1,700 pre-qualified consulting firms and 200,000 additional firms in all service areas, you can quickly find the right consulting firms that matches your project requirements. 

Small Business Administration  This site is an excellent online resource for consultants  starting out in their own practice. Information on such things as steps for financial planning and advice on promoting your business can be found on the SBA pages.

  clear duplicates

Associations

 Airport Consultants Council, 908 King St., #100, Alexandria, VA 22314, (703) 683-5900

 American Consultants League. 1290 Palm Ave., Sarasota, FL 34236, (941) 952-9290, fax: (941) 952-6024.

Association of Professional Communications Consultants, 3924 S. Troost, Tulsa, OK 74105-4793, (918) 743-4793

Consultants’ Network, 57 W. 89th St., New York, NY 10024, (212) 799-5239,

National Association of Business Consultants, 6300-138 Creedmoor Rd., #403, Raleigh, NC 27612, (813) 862-0521

National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses, P.O. Box 4266, Greensboro, NC 27404, (800) 313-1920, fax: (336) 273-2878.

National Association of Management Consultants, 5441 Riverdale Rd., #18 1, Atlanta, GA 30349, (770) 492-2929.

Professional & Technical Consultants Association, 849-B Independence Ave., Mountain View, CA 94043, (800) 286-8703

U.S. Dept. of Commerce 

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Could You Teach a Workshop in Your Field of Expertise?

 One surefire way to discover if the field you have chosen is one that you will be suc­ccssful in is to put together enough material to teach a workshop. (We’ll talk more about how a workshop can increase your cash flow and enhance your bottom line in Chapter 5.) It doesn’t have to be anything fancy—just a workshop that will hold people’s atten­tion and give them some good information about the subject you are teaching.

Let me share a brief story with you about how I came to discover that I was very good at presenting workshops. I had no real teaching experience but felt compelled to share my experiences as a freelance writer with other people who were trying to break into that field. You see, I had struggled for nearly five years without successfully pub­lishing anything. Even though I had been reading every book I could find on the sub­ject, and had even attended a few workshops for beginning writers myself~ I was still not having any luck getting published.

Then one day I read an article in Writer’s Digest magazine about how newspapers and magazines were always on the lookout for freelance writers to write book reviews. The article took rue step-by-step through the process of getting my first book review published. And much to my surprise, the advice worked. Within a few weeks of read­ing that article (which T now use as a handout in my writing workshops), my first book review was published.

  

Ten Qualities Good Consultants Possess

Intelligence 
Flexibility
Critical thinking skills
Reliability
Excellent communication skills
Resourcefulness
Integrity
Perseverance
Sense of humor
Dedication

 

 

Service with an Ear-to-Ear Smile

Accept full responsibility for all your actions when it comes to consultant-client relationships. Concentrate on giving your very best, no matter how good, bad, or indifferent your client may be.

Develop an attitude of optimism and positive expectation. Begin to expect the very best from yourself, and soon others around you will see what a powerful force you present. Remember, optimists are simply people who have learned how to discipline their attitudes to their advantage.

Motivate yourself to have a “never give up” style. Make your client feel that you are there for them no matter what. In other words, you will go above and beyond the call of duty to fulfill your end of the assignment.

Keep improving your communication skills. When there is a breakdown in com­munication, chaos results. Practice your listening skills. Sometimes a client may not be clear about what they want; be certain you understand what is expected of you.

Believe in yourself. When you have a high level of self-esteem, the sky is the limit.

Seek more than one solution to a problem. And always look for creative ways to solve those problems. Walt Disney was a firm believer in the power of brain­storming; you should be too.

Set goals. When you have a plan of action, with certain goals in mind, they will be easier to achieve. Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Organize yourself This will impress your clients and help you become a much more successful consultant.

Be flexible. Any consultant who can maintain a high degree of flexibility will gain a reputation and have no trouble attracting new clients.

 

 

Consulting Books

Succeed as an independent Consultant, Timothy R.V. Fos~ei, Kogan Page Ltd.

Quick ideas to Get More Clients, howard L. Shenson, John Wiley & Sons.

The Business Plan Guide for Independent Consultants, I lerman Holtz, John Wiley & Sons.

The consultant’s Guide to Getting Business on the Internet, Herman I-Ioltz, John Wiley & Sons.

Direct-Mail Books

Successful Direct Marketing Methods, Bob Stone, NTC Business Books.

Designing Direct Mail That Sells, Sandra Blum, North Light Books.

Publications

Consultants News, Templeton Rd., Fitzwilliam, NH 03447, (603) 585-2200.

 Business consultants Directory, American Business Directories Inc., 5711 S. 86th Cir., Omaha, NE 68127.

 The Professional consultant Newsletter, 123 NW Second, #405, Portland, OR 97209,
(803) 224-2656.

Successful Consultants

 

End of Summary Clips - Consulting Business

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Page Date Stamp 12 September 2002