Nelson В., Economy Р. Consulting for Dummies

IDG Books, 1997. — 384 p. — ISBN 0764550349.Men and women from all walks of life with all manner of experience and expectations have reasons for becoming independent consultants. Some are leveraging their knowledge to help their clients, and others are simply tired of working for someone else. Still others are looking for a way to make some extra money. The new model for modern-day business calls for skilled workers who can be brought into an organization on short notice, fix a problem, and then move on to another organization in need.Consulting For Dummies hits home with both new and experienced consultants, and consultants-to-be. New consultants and aspiring consultants can find everything that they need to know to be successful and as widely sought as their wildest imaginings. Experienced consultants can enjoy reason to shift their perspectives and take a fresh look at their philosophies and techniques – what’s working for them and what’s not. Whether you're a novice or a practiced professional, this indispensable guide can help you Figure out the value you can bring to clients Promote your skills and services Put together proposals that yield results and returns Build productive relationships with your customers Do the kind of job that makes it easy to ask for testimonials and referrals To be a successful consultant, you have to develop a variety of key skills. Consulting For Dummies walks you through ways to build a thriving consultant practice, including the business of Making the most of your research and reporting time Communicating confidently and completely via different media Negotiating and drafting contracts Holding client meetings and giving presentations Billing for your services and paying your bills Using the latest technology to your advantage Consultants – especially ones who are just learning the ropes – are often at a loss as to what they need to do and when they need to do it. Featuring advice gathered from interviews with consultants in various fields and areas of expertise, Consulting For Dummies is your trusted friend in the business of being in business for yourself.Summary: Excelent!Rating: 5I highly recommend this book. It is so practical and will give you everything you need to get started in the consulting world, except for your experience. It is a book you will use as a reference tool again and again.Summary: Should have consulted some aspiring consultants firstRating: 1What a disappointment. After a successful 30 year career, I needed advice on how to start working for myself. I already know my field, potential customers, how to set deadlines, do the work, be organized, and what services I can sell. What I don't know is anything about working for myself, out from under the umbrella of a large corporation. What do I need to know re taxes, licenses, permits, assets, depreciation. How to incorporate, anticipate and bill for incidental expenses, anticipate other legal and business needs. Note that it is already 8 years old. Books on business have a very limited life. If you are just dreaming of what it would take to be a consultant, then buy this book. Maybe you will find the authors tips and recommendations very profound. If you are already there, don't buy this book thinking it will answer any of your immediate questions on the mechanics of consulting - it won't.Summary: What else did you expect?Rating: 3I've run into some rather useful book in the series "For Dummies" but this book almost does honor to its name! And, honestly, what could you expect from Bob Nelson, the author of the "1001 Ways." series of books? This book is not terrible, actually, but it really doesn't go into much depth. There are better titles to assist you in your pursuit of a self-employed career in consulting (just a simple search of the term "consulting" in Amazon will list a host of them), if you want to go beyond a casual reading sitting at a Barnes and Noble or Border's store, which is what I did with this title, to draw the conclusion that I now share with you. Beginning consultants of the world: consult elsewhere is my piece of advice! Update: One place where you could look into is "Getting Started in Consulting, Second Edition" by Alan Weiss.Summary: Not a Bad Place to Start .Rating: 3As an experienced consultant, I was surprised to find the amount of useful information in this book that I did. As a ".For Dummies" book, I expected that the information would be too basic for anyone with any real experience. Certainly, the book is geared toward beginners; however, I felt that the initial client interview checklist, suggestions for creating an implemenation plan, post-implementation impact study, and information on interim and final reports were really solid (although they could/should all be addressed in more detail). My one real complaint about this book is the lack of any meaningful discussion on proposals. All professionals new to consulting should know that proposals are an important marketing tool. Sure, there are a lot of consultants who avoid writing them, but the purpose of the proposal is not only to market the current project but A CHAIN OF PROJECTS. Proposals don't have to be overly complex. In fact, 65-85% of the material can be standard boilerplate. However, when you are long gone and your presentation is all but forgotten, your proposal and final reports will likely still be around. Believe me, the proposal is a powerful marketing device (if done correctly). Unfortunately, this book provides zero insight into how to craft a winning proposal. Otherwise, this is a good little guide for new consultants. However, two far better choices would be Alan Weiss' "Million Dollar Consulting" and/or his "Getting Started in Consulting." Overall grade: B/B+Summary: Good for starters, but states the obviousRating: 3I bought this book because I was planning on going into consulting and read many good reviews only to be disappointed. I agree with fsb102 in that it states the obvious, things that common sense will tell you. For example: be organized, referrals are key, have prepared letters, be professional. Even what to include in the letters is basic.However, I do see how this can help someone completely new to business or consulting, especially someone that hasn't gone to college. It gives a basic understanding of what consulting is about.