The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond [Hardcover]

Elaine Biech (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787940216 | ISBN-13: 978-0787940218 | Publication Date: October 9, 1998 | Edition: 1

"Practical, compassionate, and a good alternative to an MBA."
--Peter Block, author

Free diskette includes sample invoices, correspondence, planning templates, and much more!

Lacking a basic primer, many consultants have had to learn their jobs by trial and error. Now you can put an end to the guesswork. This how-to book gives you the actual tools and techniques you need in order to pursue a successful and profitable career in the world of consulting.

This book is sure to become a consulting classic!

"Here are the nuts and bolts for a successful career in consulting. A few hours with Elaine's book will save you years of trial and error."
--Jerry C. Noack, vice president/group publisher, TRAINING Magazine

"If I were just starting into the consulting field today, this is the one book I would choose to advise me, caution me, support me in my business, and 'professionalize' me!"
--Marjorie Blanchard, chief financial officer, Blanchard International

"Every consultant should apply her principled practices to guarantee satisfied customers."
--John E. Gherty, president and chief executive officer, Land O'Lakes

"This book is filled with real-world, practical and proven tactics that can be used to grow and build a successful consulting practice. It is a must-have resource for people who are thinking of becoming a consultant . . . and for those who already are one!"
--Dana Gaines Robinson, author; president, Partners in Change

"Read her book. She shares all her secrets!"
--Gail Hammack, regional vice president, McDonald's

"The Business of Consulting will serve as my consulting practice workbook. The comprehensive coverage of the subject--along with the practical tips--make it the best tool I have."
--Pam Schmidt, vice president, American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)

There's more to consulting than just being a good consultant. You've got to manage your business.

When Elaine Biech asked Peter Block, the legendary author Biech shows you how to:
* Develop a business plan
* Market your business
* Charge for your services
* Build a client relationship
* Grow your consulting business
* Ensure your continued professional growth
* Make money in the profession . . . and much more!

The enclosed disk contains the worksheets and forms presented in The Business of Consulting. Personalize these tools as needed and print them out in order to project cash flow, track your time, tabulate your expenses, hire a subcontractor, plan your marketing campaigns, and much more!

Whether you're embarking on a new career as a consultant or whether you've been a consultant for years, you'll be able to employ these resource right away. And if you're deciding whether consulting is the right profession for you, The Business of Consulting will show you just what you can expect to encounter. For years, consultants have depended on Peter Block's Flawless Consulting for advice on being an effective consultant. Now there's a source for advice on running an effective consulting business. The Business of Consulting is indispensable.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The consulting profession has become one of the fastest-growing industries in the '90s, and observers expect that both the demand for such services and the avocation's undeniable allure will continue to draw people into the profession. However, management consultant Elaine Biech believes that most newcomers are completely unprepared for the operational realities they encounter. So after two decades of mastering the accounting, marketing, and managing skills necessary to succeed as a consultant, she has organized them into one helpful volume called The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond. Biech considers all phases of a typical consulting business, from start-up and attracting new business to subcontracting and balancing personal and professional responsibilities. An accompanying disk includes various documents and worksheets described in the text. --Howard Rothman

Review

"Here are the nuts and bolts for a successful career in consulting. A few hours with Elaine's book will save you years of trial and error." --Jerry C. Noack, , vice president/group publisher, TRAINING Magazine

"If I were just starting into the consulting field today, this is the one book I would choose to advise me, caution me, support me in my business, and 'professionalize' me!" --Marjorie Blanchard, , chief financial officer, Blanchard International

"Every consultant should apply her principled practices to guarantee satisfied customers." --John E. Gherty, , president and chief executive officer, Land O'Lakes

"This book is filled with real-world, practical and proven tactics that can be used to grow and build a successful consulting practice. It is a must-have resource for people who are thinking of becoming a consultant . . . and for those who already are one!" --Dana Gaines Robinson, , author; president, Partners in Change

"The Business of Consulting will serve as my consulting practice workbook. The comprehensive coverage of the subject--along with the practical tips--make it the best tool I have." --Pam Schmidt, , vice president, American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)

"Read her book. She shares all her secrets!" --Gail Hammack, , regional vice president, McDonald's

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Pfeiffer; 1 edition (October 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787940216
• ISBN-13: 978-0787940218
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #452,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, A Guide that Delivers!, October 16, 2000

By 

W. Harris (Detroit, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond (Hardcover)

I purchased The Business of Consulting, (CD-ROM Included): The Basics and Beyond (Essential Knowledge Resource) shortly after its publication. It has been a Godsend! Like most consultants, I'm an expert in my chosen area of consultation, which happens to be human behavior in the workplace. However, I found myself in desperate need of step-by-step guidance when it came to establishing and doing business. Your book and Alan Weiss's, Million Dollar Consulting, have become the Old and New Testaments of my Business Bible.

I established my consulting firm late last year. After reading several books on how to start a consulting practice, I found The Business of Consulting to be the most helpful. Reading the first two chapters allowed me the opportunity to reexamine my reasons for getting into consulting as well as putting on paper what I actually bring to the table to be a successful businesswoman.

Chapter four, "Starting..." and chapter five, "...And Staying In Business", along with the CD-ROM of exhibits were particularly helpful to me. I cannot stress enough the importance of developing a comprehensive written business plan. Even if you're not looking for outside funding, a comprehensive business plan will guide you when you feel the need to be all things to all people. The best advice I received from The Business of Consulting book was "Go for the Big Fish; You'll Spend the Same Time Baiting the Hook." That statement was worth the price of the book. As the new kid on the block, I labored under the misassumption that I needed to start with smaller companies and earn a reputation. I soon discovered that smaller companies could not afford my services. I spent too much time presenting to people who wanted to haggle price. When I refined my market niche, I began to get the type of business I needed and desired. Now I market consulting services only to companies that need my services and can well afford my fee.

I realize that some people have disparaged The Business of Consulting as being "fluff" or void of substance. I take issue with such assessments because The Business of Consulting did, for me, what I feel the author purposed it to do; it guided me in creating a sound business foundation. Furthermore, when I face a business management problem, The Business of Consulting is the first source I turn to for a solution. Most importantly, The Business of Consulting continues to help me as I strategize for continuous growth.

I highly recommend The Business of Consulting as an excellent business development resource manual.

68 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good quality book on the basics, February 16, 2000

By 

Robin Morris "http://backpackbasecamp.com" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond (Hardcover)

To be honest I was somewhat disappointed with this book, but only because my expectations were set to high based on these reviews! I have read many books on consulting and must of them have very little in the way of valuable content. This is well written and does give useful information. What disappointed me was the lack of depth. The title `the basics & beyond' should have been only `the basics'. Most of the examples and items included in the disc are VERY introductory and simplex. The sections of the book dealing with marketing were good - but could have been much more comprehensive.

If you a just thinking about consulting or are new to consulting the book would be great for you. If you have a successful consulting business already - you most likely could have written this book yourself.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Business of Biech, March 28, 2000

By 

Marguerite Tompkins - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond (Hardcover)

The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond, by Elaine Biech truly deals with what the title suggests, the business end of consulting. Throughout her book, Ms. Biech reiterates that "Staying in business is less dependent on how good a consultant you are than on how well you run your business" (p. 201). Biech backs up her emphasis on running a business successfully by offering a number of exhibits in the form of worksheets, questionnaires, self-evaluations and developing a business plan. Her exhibits contain information from tracking expenses, to tracking time. In every topic covering the business end of consulting Biech is very thorough. For example, in the marketing section of her book, she tells readers what to put in mailings in order to get attention. Her idea is to make all mailings aimed at getting business "lumpy envelopes" by enclosing objects such as holiday symbols. This has created a trademark for ebb associates, Biech's consulting business. She is also very in-depth in her discussion on how to figure out your rates as a consultant. Although the majority of the book is aimed toward the business aspect of consulting, the author does discuss how to decide if consulting is a good profession for you or not. She is very up front in informing the reader what it takes to get into the business. In this section she offers self-evaluation exhibits for those considering consulting as a career. Biech is quick to dispel myths about consulting and tell the reader what he or she can actually expect. She believes that, although the best reason to become a consultant is because you want to, it is important to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in regard to the profession. For this purpose she provides the reader with a variety of worksheets. Biech repeats her emphasis on self-evaluation at the end of her book by describing, in detail, a week in the life of a consultant. In this chapter she is very honest about the time her business takes and the need to juggle her schedule. Saturday phone calls, canceling social engagements and putting off personal projects are all possibilities in a consultant's life, according to Biech. Not only does Biech offer questionnaires and worksheets; she also gives multiple examples of introductory letters, proposals and contracts. Introductory letters are a marketing strategy of ebb associates that show research has been done on the company before it was contacted. It is important, in Biech's eyes, to focus on the recipient of the letter in the first paragraph by telling him or her what is known about the business, such as its recent expansions, growth records or business reputation. This is a way of building the client up before suggesting a service the consultant might provide. Perhaps the thing that differentiates Biech's book from other consulting books is the variety and number of exhibits offered. Every form imaginable is available not only in the book, but on a disk enclosed with the purchase of The Business of Consulting. Session planners, billing, start-up expenses, budget format, cash-flow projection, financial statements, marketing plans and subcontractor agreements are just a few of the exhibits offered. In total, there are fifty exhibits on the disk, which can be printed for use by anyone starting their own consulting business. Because of all the personality evaluations and commitment questionnaires provided in Biech's book, I believe it would make an excellent read for anyone considering becoming a consultant. Its format would also make it an excellent textbook for classes on consulting. The emphasis on running a business might be a salvation to those caught in the mire of an unorganized firm, as well as a complete guide to those venturing into self-employment for the first time. As Peter Block, the author of Flawless Consulting states, The Business of Consulting is "practical, compassionate, and a good alternative to an MBA."