The Ultimate Consultant: Powerful Techniques for the Successful Practitioner

This book is a must for the consultant who wants to increase their earning potential and move their career to the next level. It has been an invaluable resource to me personally and I have been able to apply the techniques and practices to my day-to-day work as well as to my overall career management. After reading through a large volume of books regarding consulting I can strongly recommend this book and many of the other titles that Alan has produced over the years.

While Alan Weiss has written Getting Started in Consulting for the newcomer, and Million Dollar Consulting for the consultant with experience beginning a solo practice, this book is for far more sophisticated consultants who are already doing well but wish to get to the next level. As always, Weiss is practical about finding the buyer the first time, setting high fees, writing brief proposals, and acting ethically, and also includes advice on how to enjoy the fruits of your success. This book also is the first in an excellent seven-book series specializing on issues such as fees, sales, life balance,and so on. It's a terrific resource for the successful consultant looking for even greater growth.

Alan Weiss is as purposeful of a writer that I've ever seen. Everything in "The Ultimate Consultant" provides rock-solid value. He offers brilliant insight on what springboard marketing is and illustrates ways to minimize labor-intensive requirements that make you wonder what you've been doing in business for all this time. As cliche as it may sound, the book epitomizes what working smart is all about. Important: a prudent approach to reading this is to absorb it slowly, take notes and methodically implement its principles---because they flat-out work. I've reviewed a countless number of self and business improvement books and the content and style of "The Ultimate Consultant" is way up at the top.

I have read other books by Alan Weiss, and each has lead me implement changes to my business that represent an exponential move forward. Maybe its just the stage I am now at, but while "Million Dollar Consulting" provided me with many of the basic nuts and bolts to increase my sales, the "Ultimate Consultant" lead me in a new direction. One where I questioned why I was still offering some of my old services, and why my business model was so labor intensive. My initial goal for the year was to triple my income. Reading and really taking the time to think about what Dr. Weiss was saying has already enabled me to keep my current income level with 1/3rd of the effort, and that works for me! Alan has succeeded in provoking me to, in his words, "raise the bar and not merely fix things."

I've read a lot of books on consulting. They're usually long on theories and short on examples. Not this one. Alan Weiss gives you DETAILS. You will want to buy this book for the dozens of case studies alone. These case studies aren't generic. They come with names, dollar amounts and interesting success and disaster stories. I found myself learning the best and most interesting way...vicariously through the experiences of Alan Weiss and other consultants.Plus, Weiss gives you sophisticated how-to's. Again, not theories, but proven techniques that he illustrates how and why they work. I've been able to immediately apply many of the ideas in the book. Guess what? They DELIVER. I loved this book so much I am giving it to my consulting and "going solo" friends. Like me, you may have read MILLION DOLLAR CONSULTING or MONEY TALKS: HOW TO MAKE A MILLION AS A SPEAKER, also by Alan Weiss. I found THE ULTIMATE CONSULTANT to be a great follow-up. The material was fresh and current. It expanded upon ideas in the previous books, and wasn't just a rehash of material. The best thing is THE ULTIMATE CONSULTANT is the start of a series. If you buy this book, I guarantee you will be like me...eagerly waiting for the next book installment!If you are serious about expanding your consulting business, this is the book you want. I believe that, which is why I am putting my name down for this review.