How to Make It Big As a Consultant

by William A. Cohen

Getting started in consulting can be a tricky prospect. How much should you charge? What type of language should exist in the contract? How can you find clients? Written by a veteran consultant with hundreds of consulting engagements to his credit, How to Make it Big as a Consultant is filled with detailed advice on every aspect of starting up and maintaining a highly lucrative consulting career. The book helps readers: • get a handle on the legal, tax, and insurance issues involved in setting up and running the business • understand what clients really need • create the structure for an assignment (proposals, pricing, contracts, scheduling) • market the business • solve clients’ problems using the Harvard Case Study Method Completely updated and revised throughout, the fourth edition features new chapters on developing strategies for clients, leading consulting teams, and more. This trusted guidebook will help any aspiring reader become the kind of outstanding consultant that clients will turn to again and again.

Genres: Business, Buisness, Management

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1985

About the author

William A. Cohen, Ph.D. (Pasadena, CA) is an authority on leadership and strategy formulation and deployment. He gives speeches and seminars for the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, the Air War College, the FBI Academy, all four armed services, and corporations from Boeing to The Cheesecake Factory. He is the author of many books including The New Art of the Leader, The Wisdom of the Generals , and How to Make It Big as a Consultant (978-0-8144-7073-2).

Reviews

[Margot Note]

"During the first interview, most consultants are eager to help the potential client and show that they both recognize the problem and have the solution. However, in their haste, they make a basic mistake: They immediately begin giving advice. Do not do this for several reasons. One is that you usually do not yet really know enough about the situation to give advice. This is probably true in 95 percent of the cases. However, even in the 5 percent when the answer is obvious, do not volunteer anything unless you are already being paid for your time. After you have solved the problem, what reason does the client have to hire you?" (70).

"Nevertheless, the high-price strategy is a viable one that many new consultants overlook for various reasons. They are afraid they are not worth the money, because they somehow have a nagging feeling they are ripping off their potential client, or they fear they will get no business if they charge higher prices. The truth is that in many cases, you are not only worth much more than you think, but may be worth more than established consultants who are already charging big fees" (88).

"To negotiate with [a client], you must be as well prepared as you can be:
+ Do more than review your facts. Know the areas in which you can afford to be flexible and where you must stand fast.
+ Know the price for your services below which you cannot go.
+ Know the areas in which you can speed things up and complete your tasks earlier and where you cannot.
+ Understand where you can increase or decrease the level of performance and what this will cost or save.
+ Write down your specific negotiating objectives. That way you won't forget them in the heat of the negotiation" (124).

"Telephone negotiations may or may not be good for you depending on your preparation. But you should always be wary. If you are well prepared and ready to negotiate the deal, a telephone negotiation can be a quick way to close and get authority from our client to begin work. On the other hand, if you are not prepared, a telephone negotiation can be a disaster" (125).

"Don't accept any statement made by the other party a 100 percent accurate. Remember that the person may be honest and trustworthy but that she may be 'just negotiating'" (132).

"Don't discuss an issue you aren't prepared for. If something comes up for which you aren't prepared, defer talking about it until you are" (132).

"The logical step-by-step technique to problem solving is very effective, but it is based primarily on using only the left half of the brain. But the human brain has two halves, so it makes sense to use the right brain for problem solving as well, especially because the right side is the creative half. Also, the step-by-step approach uses only your conscious mind, but you can use your unconscious mind as well" (149).

[Gordon Paisley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of the basic mechanics. However, it feels painfully outdated with respect to how the internet and gig economy have grown since this version was published in 2009.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good reference book for starting, building, and maintaining a consulting business.

[Katherinne Julissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro util,contiene excelentes aportes para ser un buen consultor.

[Dayo Adewoye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very helpful guide to the business of consulting. I found it quite instructive and enlightening.

[Edikan Udoh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is a book.

[Silvia Genoveva García Gramajo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Muy desactualizado, no corresponde a la realidad empresarial actual.

[Segun]

Good head-start to becoming a consultant.