It's All About the Client

by Reeves, Douglas B.

• ISBN13: 9780964495562
• ISBN10: 0964495562
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-30
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin School

Summary

With grace and humor,Douglas Reeves reflects on the pracices and experiences that have helped to grow a consulting business form his kitchen table to a major enterprise with multiple divisions.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xvii
Needs: Connecting with Your Client	1	(18)
The Needs Analysis: Pathology Report or Treasure Hunt?	2	(2)
Results	4	(7)
Defining Client Expectations	11	(2)
Morale, Relationships, and Emotional Intelligence	13	(1)
The Real Client	14	(1)
Client-Centered Engagements	15	(4)
Delivery: Defining Your Services	19	(10)
Specialist or Generalist?	20	(1)
Becoming an Expert	21	(2)
The Role of Research	23	(2)
Declining Engagements	25	(4)
Marketing: Generating Sales without Selling	29	(10)
Reconciling Sales and Service	30	(2)
How Can You ``Sell'' a Vital Service?	32	(2)
Dealing with Limited Client Resources	34	(1)
Ethical Marketing	35	(1)
Consulting Karma: The More You Give, the More You Get	36	(1)
Conference Marketing: From Breakout to Keynote	37	(2)
Passion: Saying ``I Love What I Do'' Every Morning	39	(10)
Loving Your Work	41	(2)
Publishing	43	(1)
Dealing with Rejection	44	(2)
The Reason to Write	46	(1)
Reading to Write	47	(2)
Service: The Business of Consulting	49	(14)
Passion and Business	50	(1)
Cash Flow	51	(3)
Better Free than Cheap: Dealing with Client Demands for Discounts	54	(3)
The Crowding Out Phenomenon: Helping Clients Allocate Resources	57	(2)
Getting Paid: In Full and On Time	59	(2)
Handling Disagreements	61	(2)
Logistics: The Glamorous World of Travel, and Other Myths	63	(16)
Travel	65	(5)
Time	70	(6)
Project/Task Differentiation	73	(2)
Personal Accountability	75	(1)
Reflection and Planning	75	(1)
Commitments	76	(1)
Giving Clients Your Very Best	77	(2)
Organization: Go It Alone or Build an Organization?	79	(8)
The Case for Going It Alone	80	(1)
The Case for Building an Organization	81	(4)
Time: The Consultant's Most Precious Asset	85	(2)
Quality: Defining Your Competitive Advantage	87	(12)
Standards for Success	88	(4)
Essential Questions	92	(2)
RCI: Return on Consulting Investment	94	(3)
The Crowding-Out Phenomenon	97	(2)
Reality: Lessons from the Field	99	(20)
Growth	100	(3)
Replication	103	(6)
Employee Ownership	109	(4)
Retaining Great People	113	(2)
Respect for Individual Needs	115	(4)
Synthesis: Having a Life, Serving Clients, and Building an Organization	119	(16)
The Myth of Balance	120	(2)
Organizational Disciplines	122	(8)
Facts	123	(1)
Meetings	124	(2)
Definition of Results	126	(1)
Time Management	127	(1)
Civility	128	(2)
Personal Disciplines	130	(5)
Cover Time	130	(2)
Be Appropriately Antisocial	132	(1)
Thank Clients and Colleagues	132	(1)
Record Your Ideas	132	(1)
Call Mom	133	(2)
Epilogue: What I Wish I Had Known When I Started Consulting	135	(4)
Appendix A: Needs Analysis	139	(6)
Appendix B: Organizational Forms	145	(12)
Appendix C: Linking Your Time with Your Mission	157	(6)
Appendix D: Journaling	163	(4)
References	167	(4)
Index	171