The Consulting Bible How to Launch and Grow a Seven-Figure Consulting Business

The new edition of bestselling real-world guide to consultancy success, from the “Rock Star of Consulting” Alan Weiss 

The second edition of The Consulting Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Create and Expand a Seven-Figure Consulting Practice remains the most comprehensive and practical guide to the consulting profession, from launch to high growth, from marketing to implementation. Legendary consultant, speaker, and bestselling author Alan Weiss shows you how to create an independent or boutique consulting practice and take it to seven-figure success. Step-by-step, this invaluable resource guides you through attracting clients, maximizing your value, and achieving your career goals. 

In the decade since the first publication of The Consulting Bible, an array of significant developments has dramatically impacted the consulting profession: shifts in social consciousness, the Covid-19 pandemic, tele-consulting and virtual meetings, the globalization of the economy, the growth of social media, and many more. This exhaustively revised new edition provides specific approaches and techniques for mastering the new consulting environment and turning volatility and disruption into unlimited opportunities. Designed to help you become the authority and expert that organizations turn to again and again, this book is your one-stop resource for: 

• Building a strong global brand that draws people to you 
• Marketing remotely to reduce costs and allow for higher fees 
• Mastering the latest implementation techniques 
• Forging strong relationships with the buyers of a new generation 
• Selecting the consulting methodology that best fits your requirements 
• Writing proposals and creating testimonials and references 
• Using advanced technology to sell and deliver your services 

Written for newcomers and veterans alike, The Consulting Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Create and Expand a Seven-Figure Consulting Practice, Second Edition, is essential reading for every solo consultant, entrepreneur, and principal of a small consulting firm. 

Alan Weiss, PhD (East Greenwich, RI) is a consultant, speaker, and bestselling author. His firm, Summit Consulting Group, Inc. (alanweiss.com), is one of the strongest independent consulting brands in the world and has attracted clients such as Merck, Hewlett-Packard, GE, Mercedes-Benz, and over 500 other leading organizations. He keynotes several times a year at major conferences and has been a visiting faculty member at several universities. Weiss holds the record for selling out the highest priced workshop (on entrepreneurialism) in the 21-year history of New York City's Learning Annex. His prolific publishing career includes over 500 articles and 37 books, some of which have been on universities' curricula and have been translated into nine languages. Weiss is interviewed and quoted frequently in the media, and the New York Post calls him "one of the most highly regarded independent consultants in America."

Introduction to the First Edition

Introduction to the Second Edition

Section I Genesis: Consulting as a Profession

Chapter 1 Origins and Evolution: From Whence We Came

The Role of a Consultant

The Ongoing Need

Various Forms

Examples of Success

The Future

Trend 1: The Transience of Talent

Trend 2: HR Becomes the Incredible Shrinking Function

Trend 3: Emerging Markets

Trend 4: Volunteerism

Trend 5: The Importance of Communities

Chapter 2 Creation: How to Establish and Dramatically Grow Your Business

Legal

Incorporation

Protection

Financial

Insurance

Retirement

Normal Conditions

Administrative Support and Resources

Emotional Support and Resources

Inordinate Fear of Risk

Time Demands and Loss of Attention

Dueling Careers

Two Available Structures

The True Solo Practitioner

The Firm Principal

Chapter 3 Philosophy: What You Believe Will Inform How You Act

Hydraulics: Raise Fees and Reduce Labor

Identifying True Buyers

Conceptual Agreement

Objectives

Measures of Success

Value

Leveraging

Principles of Leverage

Section II Exodus: Consulting as a Business

Chapter 4 The Journey: How to Market Your Value Rapidly and Profitably

Creating Gravity and Attraction

Reaching Out Effectively

Viral and Social Media Implementation

Creating an Accelerant Curve

Shameless Promotion

Technology Strategies

Chapter 5 Presence: How to Be an Authority and Expert

Creating and Nurturing a Brand

Expanding Products and Services

Considering Alliances

Referral Business

Client Referrals

Nonclient Referrals

Indirect Referrals

Advisory Business (Retainers)

Global Work

Chapter 6 Celebrity: How to be the Authority and Expert

Thought Leadership

Authorship

Value-Based Fees

Subcontracting, Franchising, Licensing

Subcontracting

Franchising

Licensing

The Talent Prevails

Reinvention

Creating Communities

Section III Deuteronomy: Consulting Methodology

Chapter 7 The Perfect Proposal: How to Write a Proposal That’s Accepted Every Time

Assuring Success

Find the Economic Buyer

Establish a Trusting Relationship with the Economic Buyer

Demonstrate That You Are a Peer of the Buyer, Not Lower-Level People

Always Create a Definitive Net Time and Date

Conceptual Agreement

Objectives

Measures of Success, or Metrics

Value

The Nine Components of a Great Proposal

1. Situation Appraisal

2. Objectives

3. Measures of Success

4. Value

5. Methodology and Options

6. Timing

7. Joint Accountabilities

8. Terms and Conditions

9. Acceptance

How to Submit

Never Suggest Phases

FedEx the Proposal

Create a Time and Date Certain to Review the Next Action

Don’t Add Bling

Before Submitting, Ask One Key Question

Be Prepared for Success

How to Close and Launch

The Buyer Wants to Meet

The Buyer Says That Some More People Will Look at the Proposal

The Buyer Loves Option 3 but Only Has Budget for Option 2

The Buyer Attempts to Negotiate Price

Chapter 8 Implementation: Simplicity Over Complexity

Occam’s Razor

Your Options Must Set the Stage for Simplicity

The Buyer Must Enforce Subordinate Accountability

Buyers Must Use Their Clout Where Needed

The Buyer Is Your Partner and Must Act Like One

The Key Stakeholders and Influence Points

Avoiding Scope Seep

Midcourse Corrections

Chapter 9 Disengaging: It’s Been Nice, but I Really Must Be Going

Demonstrating Success

Obtaining Referrals

Obtaining Repeat Business

Expansion

Transference

Creating Testimonials and References

Prepare the Buyer

Always Provide Options

Seek People Other Than Your Buyer

Use Multimedia

Provide Examples of What You Need

Guarantee Nonabuse

If Requested, Write It Yourself with Options

With References, Stipulate What’s Expected

Long-Term Leverage

Section IV Acts of the Apostles: Implementing Consulting Methodologies

Chapter 10 Interpersonal Methodologies: People First

Coaching

Facilitating

Conflict Resolution

Objectives

Alternatives

Conflict Over Objectives

Conflict Over Alternatives

Negotiating

Musts

Wants

Skills Development

Chapter 11 Teams and Groups: No One Is an Island

Leadership

Succession Planning

Career Development

Teams Versus Committees

Communications and Feedback

Alan’s Communications Criteria

Chapter 12 Organization Development: All the King’s Horses, and All the King’s Men

Strategy

Change Management

Cultural Change

Crisis Management

Innovation

Section V Proverbs: Consulting Success

Chapter 13 Ethics of the Business: What’s Legal Isn’t Always Ethical

When Bad Things Happen to Good Consultants

Case Studies on Ethics in Action

Financial Follies

Protection and Plagiarism

When to Refuse Business or Fire Clients

Doing Well by Doing Right

Chapter 14 Exit Strategies: Nothing Is Forever

Building Equity

Licensing Intellectual Property

Achieving Life Balance

Finding Successors and Buyers

Transitioning

Chapter 15 Payback and Reinvestment: We Build Our Houses and Then They Build Us

Mentoring Others

Advancing the State of the Art

Participation in the Evolution

The Future

Chapter 16 Consulting in Crisis Times

The Nature of Volatility

Disruption as A Weapon

Revelations

add some space here

Physical Appendix

Virtual Appendix

Notes

About the Author

Index

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