The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond [With *]

I purchased The Business of Consulting shortly after its publication. It has been a Godsend! Like most consultants, I'm an expert in my chosen area of consultation, which happens to be human behavior in the workplace. However, I found myself in desperate need of step-by-step guidance when it came to establishing and doing business. Your book and Alan Weiss's, Million Dollar Consulting, have become the Old and New Testaments of my Business Bible.I established my consulting firm late last year. After reading several books on how to start a consulting practice, I found The Business of Consulting to be the most helpful. Reading the first two chapters allowed me the opportunity to reexamine my reasons for getting into consulting as well as putting on paper what I actually bring to the table to be a successful businesswoman.Chapter four, "Starting..." and chapter five, "...And Staying In Business", along with the CD-ROM of exhibits were particularly helpful to me. I cannot stress enough the importance of developing a comprehensive written business plan. Even if you're not looking for outside funding, a comprehensive business plan will guide you when you feel the need to be all things to all people. The best advice I received from The Business of Consulting book was "Go for the Big Fish; You'll Spend the Same Time Baiting the Hook." That statement was worth the price of the book. As the new kid on the block, I labored under the misassumption that I needed to start with smaller companies and earn a reputation. I soon discovered that smaller companies could not afford my services. I spent too much time presenting to people who wanted to haggle price. When I refined my market niche, I began to get the type of business I needed and desired. Now I market consulting services only to companies that need my services and can well afford my fee. I realize that some people have disparaged The Business of Consulting as being "fluff" or void of substance. I take issue with such assessments because The Business of Consulting did, for me, what I feel the author purposed it to do; it guided me in creating a sound business foundation. Furthermore, when I face a business management problem, The Business of Consulting is the first source I turn to for a solution. Most importantly, The Business of Consulting continues to help me as I strategize for continuous growth. I highly recommend The Business of Consulting as an excellent business development resource manual.

The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond, by Elaine Biech truly deals with what the title suggests, the business end of consulting. Throughout her book, Ms. Biech reiterates that "Staying in business is less dependent on how good a consultant you are than on how well you run your business" (p. 201). Biech backs up her emphasis on running a business successfully by offering a number of exhibits in the form of worksheets, questionnaires, self-evaluations and developing a business plan. Her exhibits contain information from tracking expenses, to tracking time. In every topic covering the business end of consulting Biech is very thorough. For example, in the marketing section of her book, she tells readers what to put in mailings in order to get attention. Her idea is to make all mailings aimed at getting business "lumpy envelopes" by enclosing objects such as holiday symbols. This has created a trademark for ebb associates, Biech's consulting business. She is also very in-depth in her discussion on how to figure out your rates as a consultant. Although the majority of the book is aimed toward the business aspect of consulting, the author does discuss how to decide if consulting is a good profession for you or not. She is very up front in informing the reader what it takes to get into the business. In this section she offers self-evaluation exhibits for those considering consulting as a career. Biech is quick to dispel myths about consulting and tell the reader what he or she can actually expect. She believes that, although the best reason to become a consultant is because you want to, it is important to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in regard to the profession. For this purpose she provides the reader with a variety of worksheets. Biech repeats her emphasis on self-evaluation at the end of her book by describing, in detail, a week in the life of a consultant. In this chapter she is very honest about the time her business takes and the need to juggle her schedule. Saturday phone calls, canceling social engagements and putting off personal projects are all possibilities in a consultant's life, according to Biech. Not only does Biech offer questionnaires and worksheets; she also gives multiple examples of introductory letters, proposals and contracts. Introductory letters are a marketing strategy of ebb associates that show research has been done on the company before it was contacted. It is important, in Biech's eyes, to focus on the recipient of the letter in the first paragraph by telling him or her what is known about the business, such as its recent expansions, growth records or business reputation. This is a way of building the client up before suggesting a service the consultant might provide. Perhaps the thing that differentiates Biech's book from other consulting books is the variety and number of exhibits offered. Every form imaginable is available not only i

Great resource with all the sample charts and planning tools. It is very practical and covers the topics that a beginning consultant would need to know. An experienced consultant can still find useful information.

This is an invaluable resource for understanding the business dimension of consulting. It is not enough to be good at the "content" of consulting; you've got to know how to establish a reputation, price services, market and build your practice into a financially successful venture. This book provides a practical look at the strategies and techniques that enable consultants to turn their work into viable businesses. I've been a consultant for 15 years and have seen nothing like this for such helpful business-building information.

Having been a consultant with one of the top three global consulting firms, a user of consultants as a VP with a Fortune 500 company, and now a managing executive with a major consulting/training firm, Elaine presents the essentials of achieving a successful, professional and rewarding consulting career like no other author has. She's incredible - covering everything from the ethics of pricing to 113 marketing tips! Based on my experience, if you follow her insights you cannot fail in the consulting profession, and be very proud of your career in the process. And users of consultants need to read this to learn what makes for a successful long-term consultant-client alliance.