Sep 08 2009

Economy killin’ you? Be a consultant. Who me?

Consultant: person

                                         

from 100 miles away

                                           

with a BlackBerry and laptop.

                                         

You better believe it  that clients give more respect to consultants from “out of town.” Besides that the out-of-town guy’s perspective is “totally fresh,” clients love to talk about the fact that they have a consultant who’s “totally hosing” them!

Why?  Who knows? And who cares? How to UN-do this unrealistic, warped mindset is what really matters. The best consultants are those who get the job done on schedule, pleasantly and reasonably.

And, by the way,  EVERY client loves consultants who are willing to work on a partial performance incentive basis! Hey, why not? Prove yourself. If you’re so sure you can solve the problem, you should be willing to bet part of your compensation on it, and of course charge more … especially where sales or savings commissions are possible! You can be fairly certain the out-of-town guy won’t do that.

First of all,  if you’re serious about wanting to do consulting work of any kind — regardless of your expertise — start with and communicate confidence (not cockiness!) by recognizing that you know more about the subject than any client, or your services wouldn’t be required.

Second,  roll up your sleeves and get to work being a consultant before you’re even hired to be a consultant. Show the client how you function be getting right to the heart of things. Take any minor issue raised in a discussion and ask questions. Listen carefully. Analyze and make recommendations. Do it in a relaxed manner.

And stop worrying  about giving away your expertise by solving problems that you’re not asked to solve and that you’re not being paid for yet. If you think you can do it, do it!

Avoid getting tangled up  in contracts, long-term agreements, petty lawyer-style compensation terms (Do you want to pay someone by the quarter hour for reading your email or letter or for listening to your phone call that outlines the basic logistics of what the working arrangements will be?) Like NIKE says, Just Do It!

If repeat business and referrals  are important to you (duh!), then focus on getting the job done, instead of telling how great you are. Track-records don’t produce sales unless you’re a major name athlete. Ongoing demonstrations of knowledge and know-how, and resources, and ability to communicate clearly will land the assignment AND solve the client’s problem.

When I started as a consultant,  I hired a consultant to “sit in” as my “assistant” and then later badger me with devil’s advocate questions to force me to stay tuned in and come to terms with my own problem-solving and communication skills. It was worth every penny! (Uh, you DO remember what a “penny” is?)

Bottom line:  There’s NOTHING can compare to working for yourself! If you’re out of work, have special knowledge and skill, have integrity, communications skills, and confidence … stop making excuses and go for it. You don’t need a BlackBerry and laptop. Just start with a phone, email capability, business cards, and determination!

# # #

Hal@TheWriterWorks.com or comment below.

Thanks for visiting. Go for your goals! God Bless You!

Make today a GREAT Day for someone!

 

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Dec 06 2008

TAKE THE ENTREPRENEUR PERSONALITY TEST . . .

“I coont efen spel

                                         

untreeprenewer,

                                     

an’ now I are one!”

                                                                 

     So you’re tired of working for someone else and want to be your own boss, eh?  You know people who’ve done it successfully and wonder what they have that you don’t? 

     Well, here’s an Entrepreneur Personality Test from Dr. Alan Jacobowitz.  Count the number of “yes” and “no” answers you give:

Here we go:

  1. When you were very young, were your parents, close relatives or close friends entrepreneurs?

  2. Did any of that business carry over into your home while you were growing up? 

  3. Did you have a lemonade stand or a paper route as a kid?

  4. Was your academic record in school less than outstanding?

  5. Did you feel like an outsider with school classmates?

  6. Were you often scolded, punished or reprimanded for your school behavior?

  7. And TODAY, do you have difficulty getting satisfaction from any job with a large firm?

  8. Do you often feel that you could do a better job than your boss?

  9. Would you rather play sports than watch them on television?

  10. With books and magazines, do you prefer nonfiction to fiction?

  11. Have you ever been fired from a job or left one under pressure?

  12. Do you almost never lose sleep at night over your work or personal business?

  13. Would you rather jump into a project than plan one?

  14. Would you consider yourself decisive, a good thinker on your feet?

  15. Are you active in community affairs?

If you answered “yes” to 12 or more of the above questions, and you are not an entrepreneur already, you may be missing your big chance.  Tune in tomorrow to see if I can discourage you!  halalpiar   

# # #

See Nov 29th post (below) for New Year’s contest prize and rules – Then GO FOR IT!  Emails to Hal@TheWriterWorks.com with “SOUNDS OF THE SEASON” in the subject line.  # # #

Check out and contribute to the daily growing 7-Word Story started 88 days ago (inside a coffin).  Click on the link to the right, or go to the “BOOKS” tab at the top of this page, then to the top headline link.

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