GRAND RAPIDS – Here are some fundamentals I?ve learned from my experiences in business consulting Okay let?s step off the main road of my usual Blog topics for a moment.

Usually I focus on topics of business and technology. But today, let?s tackle a different question. Lately I?ve been approached for the same question. Advice on business consulting. Three times this week alone.

The questions come from friends, former colleagues, and new professional contacts. And I?m flattered to be asked. Based on the frequency it?s clear this is a topic people are thinking about.

The time I?ve been in business consulting is not as long as some. Yet long enough to learn a few things.

So, let?s dive in!

Here are some questions to get you started if you are thinking about consulting. Set aside some time and reflect on each of these. Write down your answers. It will help you crystallize your thoughts about them.

WHY: Ask yourself probing questions about why you?re considering this path. What is motivating you? We all want to make a living doing something we love. But what will propel you during a difficult project? Or when clients are hard to find? Business consulting is not for everyone. The income is inconsistent and often chunky. And you will have to find each new project one at a time.

WHAT: Clearly identify your core competency. And assess whether there is demand for it. Conduct surveys, either formally or informally. What can you uniquely bring to your potential clients? With an engineering degree and an MBA I help clients navigate the intersection of technology and the market. I help them to present their technical solution in a compelling way that resonates with the target audience.

WHO: Identify your target clients. If not by name then by category. What type of company, size of business, industry sector, or geographic area. What specific unmet needs do they have? My clients are medium sized businesses that plan to bring a technology solution to the market. They are usually attempting something new. And lack either the bandwidth or the expertise to accomplish it.

HOW: What is your plan to attract clients? To create visibility and awareness for what you do? I came from a large Fortune 100 company to a solo consulting practice. These turned our to be very different propositions. Whether clients have heard of you and how they perceive your reputation is critical. As a solo practice I?ve had to work continually creating both awareness and trust. I?m active in blogging and on LinkedIn. And in good old fashioned networking. The human kind.

WHERE: Decide where you will practice geographically. In the metro region where you live? Nationally? Internationally? Any of those are viable. However, the wider the arena the more challenging it is to generate visibility. Most of my clients are regional, but I?m beginning to explore national and international engagements.

STRUCTURE: Think about whether you will practice solo or eventually hire employees. Both have pros and cons. Solo is more agile and simpler to manage (e.g. administration, taxes) but with a team you can offer a broader client impact. I?ve opted for solo, and I?m organized as an LLC.

Want more?

Here are two books in particular that were fundamental as I got underway in consulting. I read several books initially but these stood out for me. Both are by Alan Weiss and both will move you down the path in building a practice.

I suggest beginning with ?Getting Started in Consulting? (naturally) and then digesting ?The Ultimate Consultant?. Both give very practical advice for gaining exposure, writing proposals, setting (and maintaining) fees. There are sections on value-based fee structure and how to build relationships that result in engagements. And they even get into details on branding, speaking, and avoiding scope creep.

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