Million Dollar Consulting [Paperback]

Alan Weiss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 27, 2009

The Long-Awaited Update for Building a Thriving Consultancy

Completely updated for today’s busier-than-ever consultants, this classic guide covers the ins and outs for competing and winning in this ultracompetitive field. You’ll find step-by-step advice on how to raise capital, attract clients, create a marketing plan, and grow your business into a $1 million-per-year firm, plus brand-new material on:

• Blogging and social networking
• Global consulting
• Delegating labor
• Profiting in a troubled market
• Retainer business
• Internet marketing

Praise for the previous editions of Million Dollar Consulting:

“If you’re interested in becoming a rich consultant, this book is a must read.”
Robert F. Mager, founder and president, Mager Associates, and member of the Training & Development Hall of Fame

“Blast out of the per diem trap and into value billing.”
Jim Kennedy, founder, publisher, and editor, Consultants News

“The advice on developing price structure alone is worth a hundred times the price of the book.”
William C. Byham, Ph.D., author of Zapp!

“Must reading for those who are beginning a practice or seeking to upgrade an existing practice.”
Victor H. Vroom, John G. Searle Professor, School of Management, Yale University

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan Weiss, Ph.D., is the founder and president of Summit Consulting Group, Inc., a global firm specializing in management and organizational development. Known as “The Rock Star of Consulting,” he has written 32 books that have been translated into 9 languages, and is the only nonjournalist in the 60-year history of the American Press Institute to be awarded its Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member of the Professional Speakers Association Hall of Fame. Alan lives in East Greenwich, RI, with his wife, Maria. Learn more about the author at summitconsulting.com and contrarianconsulting.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 4 edition (July 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071622101
• ISBN-13: 978-0071622103
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Consulting

More About the Author

Alan Weiss: Biographical Sketch

Alan Weiss is one of those rare people who can say he is a consultant, speaker and author and mean it. His consulting firm, Summit Consulting Group, Inc. has attracted clients such as Merck, Hewlett-Packard, GE, Mercedes-Benz, State Street Corporation, Times Mirror Group, The Federal Reserve, The New York Times, and over 400 other leading organizations. He serves on the boards of directors of the Trinity Repertory Company, a Tony-Award-winning New England regional theater, and the Newport International Film Festival.
His speaking typically includes 30 keynotes a year at major conferences, and he has been a visiting faculty member at Case Western Reserve University, Boston College, Tufts, St. John's, the University of Illinois, the Institute of Management Studies, and the University of Georgia Graduate School of Business. He has held an appointment as adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Rhode Island where he taught courses on advanced management and consulting skills. He 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 Ph.D. is in psychology and he is a member of the American Psychological Society, the American Counseling Association, Division 13 of the American Psychological Association, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. He was recently appointed to the Board of Governors of Harvard University's Center for Mental Illness and the Media. He has keynoted for the American Psychological Association on two occasions.
He is a 2006 inductee into the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame' and the concurrent recipient of the National Speakers Association Council of Peers Award of Excellence, representing the top 1% of professional speakers in the world
His prolific publishing includes over 500 articles and 25 books, including his best-seller, Million Dollar Consulting (from McGraw-Hill). His newest is The Million Dollar Consulting' Toolkit. His books have been on the curricula at Villanova, Temple University, and the Wharton School of Business, and have been translated into German, Italian, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese.


He is interviewed and quoted frequently in the media, and is an active member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. His career has taken him to 54 countries and 49 states. (He is afraid to go to North Dakota.) Success Magazine has cited him in an editorial devoted to his work as 'a worldwide expert in executive education.' The New York Post calls him 'one of the most highly regarded independent consultants in America.' He is the winner of the prestigious Axiem Award for Excellence in Audio Presentation.
In 2006 he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Press Institute, the first-ever for a non-journalist, and one of only seven awarded in the 60-year history of the association.
He has coached the former and present Miss Rhode Island/Miss America candidates in interviewing skills.
He once appeared on the popular American TV game show Jeopardy, where he lost badly in the first round to a dancing waiter from Iowa.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Starter (and Refresher) Consulting Resource October 22, 2009

By John E. Lincoln VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I have purchased and read all editions of this book, and always find both the updated as well as the basic information extremely valuable (see my previous reviews of some of Weiss' books). While my reviews don't indicate it, I have all his books. Although some are very derivitive of his basic ideas, if I were to recommend one book (of all the consulting books, as well as all of Alan's), this would be it. The methods he describes are basic, but I attribute the use of them to my ability to stay a full time (or really "part time" as Alan defines it) consultant for over 13+ years. I am not a 7 figure/year consultant, and have no desire to be, but nevertheless, find the material continues to contribute to my success in this field. I have given or pointed others to this book, and those who follow even some of his advice, especially value-based pricing, have also become successful. Let's be honest, if you get one good piece of advice that you apply, the cost of the book is irrevalent. Certainly when compared to workshops, seminars, one-on-one coaching, etc. If you're disciplined enough to use the information, you will greatly improve your practice. And if you're already doing that, he nudges you to continue and improve. Alan covers other key topics such as forget cold calling and drive business to you by newsletters (snail and e-)which I use to great effect, white-papers (especially for beginners), articles in trade journals / magazines, books (including self-published, but not vanity), targeted ads, public and professional speaking, etc., and reusing / reformatting / "repacking" that body of knowledge to get extensive milage from your initial effort. He does or has used all these methodologies himself (there's no theory here), and has become very sucessful.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, excellent template for building a consulting practice November 14, 2009

By J. Bossart

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book provides a remarkable overview of the business of solo consulting. Weiss' book neatly packages objectives, strategy and tactics in a way that inspires and provides direction. There is lots to be learned by consultants at every level of experience. For some it will open their eyes to a new way of thinking and doing business, and for others it will reinforce and validate their current practices.

Highly recommended. A reminder, this book has no value sitting unread on a bookshelf. If you buy it, make a commitment to reading it twice. Once to enjoy and understand his message, and then a second time to consolidate the information and make notes on the actions you need to take.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for new and established consultants July 15, 2011

By Carlos I. Rojas Reynosa

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been in consulting for some 15 years and have learned hard lessons by trial and error. I wished I had found this book when I made my first attempt to consulting 15 years ago. The book is packed with the best advice to really build a million dollar practice. I have started already to cut fat, my two former partners are gone, do not need them to work, do not need to share my income with them, from now on if I need help it will be on a project basis. Though there are lots of advice and wisdom in this book. I found the chapter on Value Based fees to be the best part of the book. I had come to some practical methods of determinig my pricing, I have always used ROI to sell my projects, but I have not used the ROI to come up with a decent pricing, always have been able to give a 10-1 ratio from every dollar I have received or more, but now are staring to see the benefits of selling big tag projects to CEO's directly, without the need to put hourly-or -per diem fees.
I recommend to all to read throughly the parts on answering objections. Those are great advice and will be very useful to change the minds of CEO's and avoid being down priced by the peanut counters that all finance dept. have.
This book and a great book on negotiation from Herb Cohen - You can negotiate anything! will be a good match to get you moving specially if you are new in this business. Another and very important book for start ups is: The Four Steps to the epiphany by Steve Blank. I wished I had read it first before doing anything, basically what Blank tells you in the book is test your product/service idea first with real prospects in a real market. Find out if your product is really great and determine the minimum requirements to get to market successfully, do some iterations and test your business model and make sure there are customers ready to buy your product, and do your work before launch, this will help you avoid going to increase the stats of the failure start ups. This quote is great: most of start ups do not fail due to technology, they fail because lack of customers, I can tell you this is absolutely true. Forget the social networks, for consultants you need to meet real people and decision makers who have problems that you can solve, in the social networks what you will find is lots of people looking for free advice, consulting is not a charity. Unless you want to consult pro-bono for some real and good cause which is OK, but first make money..then else. Thanks