Publisher Description

A clear, concise resource for entering this lucrative career field

Consulting For Dummies, 2nd Edition includes a reorganization and narrower focus of the topic, with new or updated information that delves into the specifics of running your own consulting business. There is greater emphasis on the business of consulting, along with financial and legal issues involved in setting up a consulting business, deepening coverage of consulting proposals, and entirely new chapters on higher-level consulting issues that more-established consultants are demanding.

Notes

Includes new and updated information that delves into the specifics of running and owning a consulting business.

Back Cover

The latest on using the Internet to market your services The fun and easy way to make a name for yourself in this lucrative career field So you want to be a consultant? This practical, friendly guide shows you how to get your business off the ground and running smoothly, with the latest on developing a marketable idea, running your home office, writing winning proposals, selling your services, and getting referrals. You get expert tips on setting fees, keeping track of time and money, and building business with new clients. Discover how to: Start a successful consulting business Build partnerships with clients Handle financial and legal issues Make great presentations Negotiate contracts Promote your business

Flap

The latest on using the Internet to market your services The fun and easy way to make a name for yourself in this lucrative career field So you want to be a consultant? This practical, friendly guide shows you how to get your business off the ground and running smoothly, with the latest on developing a marketable idea, running your home office, writing winning proposals, selling your services, and getting referrals. You get expert tips on setting fees, keeping track of time and money, and building business with new clients. Discover how to: Start a successful consulting business Build partnerships with clients Handle financial and legal issues Make great presentations Negotiate contracts Promote your business

Author Biography

Bob Nelson (San Diego, CA) is founder and president of Nelson Motivation, Inc., a management training and consulting firm based in San Diego, California. As a practicing manager and a best-selling author, he is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of employee recognition, rewards, motivation, morale, retention, productivity, and management. He is author of the bestselling book 1001 Ways to Reward Employees (Workman) — which has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide — and coauthor of the best-selling book Managing For Dummies, 2nd Edition, with Peter Economy (Wiley), as well as 18 other books on management and motivation.
Bob has been featured extensively in the media, including television appearances on CNN, CNBC, PBS, and MSNBC; radio appearances on NPR, USA Radio Network and the Business News Network; and print appearances in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and many more. He writes a weekly column for American City Business Journals and a monthly column for Corporate Meetings & Incentives, among others.
Dr. Nelson received his PhD in management from The Peter F. Drucker Graduate Management Center of Claremont Graduate University in suburban Los Angeles, and received his MBA in organizational behavior from The University of California at Berkeley. For more information on products and services offered by Nelson Motivation, Inc. — including speaking or consulting services — call 800-575-5521. Visit Bob at his Web site: Peter Economy (La Jolla, CA) is a freelance business writer and publishing consultant who is associate editor of the Apex award-winning magazine Leader to Leader, and coauthor of the best-selling book Managing For Dummies, 2nd Edition, with Bob Nelson (Wiley), Giving Back with Bert Berkley (Wiley), The SAIC Solution with J. Robert Beyster (Wiley), as well as the author or coauthor of more than 30 other books on a wide variety of business and other topics. Visit Peter at his Web site: and be sure to check out his Free Book Project at:

Table of Contents

Introduction 1 Part I: So You Want to Be a Consultant 7 Chapter 1: Introducing the Wonderful World of Consulting 9 Chapter 2: Determining Whether Consulting Is Right for You 21 Chapter 3: Taking the Plunge into Consulting (Or at Least Getting Your Feet Wet) 35 Part II: Getting Your Consulting Business Off the Ground 49 Chapter 4: Setting Up Your Consulting Firm 51 Chapter 5: Getting a Grip on Legalities, Finances, and Ethics 71 Chapter 6: Setting Your Fees 89 Part III: The Short Course in Consulting 107 Chapter 7: Defining the Problem and Writing a Winning Proposal 109 Chapter 8: Collecting the Client Data You Need 127 Chapter 9: Problem-Solving and Developing Recommendations 137 Chapter 10: Tell It Like It Is: Presenting Your Recommendations 147 Chapter 11: Implementation: Making Your Prescriptions Stick 159 Part IV: Selling Your Consulting Services 167 Chapter 12: The ABCs of Selling 169 Chapter 13: Getting the Word Out: Promoting Your Business 185 Chapter 14: Building Business and Referrals through Current Clients 199 Chapter 15: Building Business with New Clients 211 Part V: Taking Care of Business 229 Chapter 16: Contracting for Business: It's a Deal! 231 Chapter 17: Keeping Track of Your Time and Money 249 Chapter 18: Communicating Your Way to Success 263 Chapter 19: Troubleshooting Common Consulting Issues 277 Part VI: Taking Your Consulting Business to the Next Level 289 Chapter 20: Building on Your Success 291 Chapter 21: Advanced Pricing Strategies 301 Chapter 22: Enhancing Your Image and Reputation 311 Part VII: The Part of Tens 321 Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Improve Your Cash Flow 323 Chapter 24: Ten Effective Marketing Strategies for New Business 329 Chapter 25: Ten Ways to Build Business with a Client 335 Index 341

Long Description

The latest on using the Internet to market your services The fun and easy way to make a name for yourself in this lucrative career field So you want to be a consultant? This practical, friendly guide shows you how to get your business off the ground and running smoothly, with the latest on developing a marketable idea, running your home office, writing winning proposals, selling your services, and getting referrals. You get expert tips on setting fees, keeping track of time and money, and building business with new clients. Discover

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