The Profitable Consultant: Starting, Growing, and Selling Your Expertise

Table of contents

1. Cover
2. Praise for The Profitable Consultant
3. Title Page
4. Copyright
5. Foreword
6. Acknowledgments
7. Introduction
8. Chapter 1: Is Consulting Even Right for Me?
   1. Why Choose Management Consulting as a Career?
   2. What Does a Management Consultant Do?
   3. Types of Practice Mind-Sets
   4. Trends in Management Consulting
   5. Risks of Independent Consulting
   6. What Experience Is Needed?
9. Chapter 2: Build a Foundation That Supports Heavy Profits
   1. Opening Your Doors
   2. What Should You Call the Business?
   3. What Business Structure Should You Choose?
   4. Should You Have Insurance?
   5. The Importance of Planning
   6. The Critical Importance of Branding
   7. What Business Supplies/Materials Will You Need?
   8. Business Cards, E-Mail, and Letterhead
   9. Brochures/Marketing Collateral
   10. Phone Lines
   11. Stock Headshot
   12. Webinar Capability
   13. Establishing Your Internet Presence
   14. Listing with Website Directories
   15. Banking
   16. Do You Need an Office?
   17. Software Programs
   18. What Will Your Role Be?
   19. The Myth of Strengths and Weaknesses
   20. The CEO Bucket List
   21. Outsourcing
   22. Talent Bartering
10. Chapter 3: Poor Pricing Equals Poor Profits
    1. The Money Side
    2. Determining Your True Hourly Base Rate
    3. Types of Fee Structures and Benefits
    4. Thoughts on Pricing in General
    5. How to Deal with People Who Always Want a Deal
    6. Proven Methods to Increase/Protect Your Profits
    7. How to Increase Fees Appropriately
11. Chapter 4: How You Charge Is as Important as What You Charge
    1. Proposals as Confirmation—Not Negotiation
    2. A Brief Word on Contracts
    3. The Option of Multiple Yeses
    4. Negotiating Price for Maximum Profit
    5. Invoicing Properly
    6. Dealing with Deadbeats
    7. Firing Your Bottom 10 Percent
    8. Justifying Your Fees
12. Chapter 5: Not Just Any Ole Fishing Hole Will Do
    1. Choosing Your Target Market
    2. The Greatest Profit Key in the World
    3. Team Separation
    4. What Is Your Final Offering (UVP)?
13. Chapter 6: Seek Only to Give—Marketing That Actually Works
    1. Effective Marketing
    2. Education-Based Marketing
    3. The Golden Rules of EBM
    4. The 16 Marketing Vehicles
    5. Website Marketing
    6. Social Media Marketing
    7. Blog Marketing
    8. Article Marketing
    9. Lecture/Seminar Marketing
    10. Webinar Marketing
    11. Presentation Marketing
    12. Video Marketing
    13. Audio Podcast Marketing
    14. Workshop Marketing
    15. Book Marketing
    16. Drip or E-Mail Marketing
    17. Referral Marketing
    18. Effective Partnership Marketing
    19. Network-Based Marketing (i.e., Networking)
    20. Research-Based Marketing
    21. Press Release Marketing
    22. Where to Take Your Awesome Press Release
    23. Nonstarters in Marketing
14. Chapter 7: Why Selling Sucks—The Profits from Your Practice
    1. Cause #1: Selling Is a Full-Time Job
    2. Cause #2: Selling Isn't Right for What You Do
    3. Cause #3: Selling Isn't Right for You
    4. Cause #4: The “Die-chotomy” of Being an Independent Consultant
15. Chapter 8: He Who Identifies the Cause of the Problem Gets to Fix It
    1. Becoming the Business Diagnostician
    2. “He Who Identifies the Cause of the Problem Gets to Fix It”
    3. The Psychology of Sales
    4. The Diagnostic Sales Process
    5. The Physician Analogy
    6. Induce the Customer to Come to You
    7. Establish a Concrete Power Source
    8. Advance a Hypothetical Cause
    9. Recommend Diagnostic Profiling
    10. Behavioral Profiles
    11. Motivational Profiles
    12. Organizational Profiles
    13. Negotiate the Appropriate Solution
    14. Connecting the Dots
    15. Don't Forget to Close
16. Chapter 9: The Golden Rule Is Just Plain Wrong
    1. Effective Communication = Effective Persuasion
    2. The Seven Buying Motives (Why People Buy)
    3. The Four Buying Styles (How People Buy)
    4. Buying Style Communication Tips
    5. Who's on First?
    6. Connection versus Speed
17. Chapter 10: Be Bold and Mighty Forces Will Come to Your Aid
    1. Squeezing the Trigger
    2. Comfort Zones
    3. Courage to Change
    4. Just What Is a Qualified Prospect?
    5. Always Deliver Superior Customer Service
    6. When to Squeeze the Trigger
    7. Your Launch Checklist
18. Conclusion: Don't Lose Sight of Your Success
19. Appendix A: Putting It All to Work for You—A Review
20. Appendix B: The EBM Guide: How to Get Started on an EBM Campaign
21. Appendix C: Press Release Template
22. Appendix D: Launch Cheat Sheet
23. About the Author
24. Index