Million Dollar Consulting: The Professional's Guide to Growing a Practice [Paperback]

Alan Weiss (Author), Alan Weiss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2002

The acclaimed Million Dollar Consulting gives consultants the tools and advice they need to grow a firm that rakes in at least $1 million per year. Alan Weiss, "the consultant's consultant," shows step-by-step how to raise capital, reel in new clients, set fees, accelerate growth, and more. This updated and expanded edition will appeal to both Weiss's many current fans and a whole new generation of readers looking for the best advice available for anyone who wants to build a million-dollar consulting/speaking career.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"If you're interested in becoming a rich consultant, this book is a must read."­­Robert F. Mager, Founder and President, Mager Associates, member, Training & Development Hall of Fame

Completely updated for today's consultants, this classic how-to handbook gives you the strategies and guidance needed to grow a firm that can bring in $1 million-a-year. Step by step, Million Dollar Consulting explains the ins and outs of:

• Raising capital
• Reeling in new clients
• Setting fees
• Accelerating growth
• Relationship selling
• Value pricing
• Self-promotion
• And much more!

Consultants will find critical new material on how to overcome objections and vital information on internet- and e-based marketing and sales. There's also a new chapter on how to work in smaller markets with family owned businesses, non-profits and other "non-traditional" clients. Packed with the most up-to date information available, Million Dollar Consulting will boost performance and profits for you and the companies you consult.

"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

About the Author

Alan Weiss is the founder and president of Summit Consulting Group, Inc., a firm specializing in management and organizational development. Summit clients include more than 80 organizations in four countries.

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 3 edition (August 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007138703X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071387033
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #659,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Million Dollar Advice, July 17, 2006

By 

Elijah Chingosho "Dr Elijah Chingosho" (Nairobi, Kenya) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Million Dollar Consulting: The Professional's Guide to Growing a Practice (Paperback)

Alan Weiss is a successful consultant whose advice and views have been a guiding light in my developing management consultancy business. When I was a beginner learning the ropes of this wonderful profession, I benefited immensely from "Getting Started in Consulting" by the same author. "Million Dollar Consulting" is an excellent addition to my library as it gives practical advice on how to grow my firm.

This is a well written book that provides step-by-step guidance on various critical elements pertaining to the profession. This includes how to set consultancy fees, how to effectively market and sell consultancy services, how to establish trust and lasting client relationships, items to include in a press kit, how to raise capital, and how to speed up growth of the firm, among several other useful ideas and tips. The issue of setting up value based fees is very innovative and a more transparent way to charge for one's services.

A unique and informative book that is full of valuable ideas and advice on consultancy that is a must read for those who are in the consultancy business or those who wish to grow their firms.

Useful tip: it is a useful investment to also buy the other books by the same author. They complement each other and have a wealthy of information that is not available elsewhere. These include "The Ultimate Consultant: Powerful Techniques for the Successful Practitioner", "How to Establish a Unique Brand in the Consulting Profession: Powerful Techniques for the Successful Practitioner", "Value-Based Fees: How to Charge-and Get-What You're Worth". If you are a veteran, you can miss the other book "Getting Started in Consulting" but if you are getting started, you need to start with this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Business Book I've Ever Read, March 4, 2005

By 

Louie A. Storiale "Louie Storiale" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Million Dollar Consulting: The Professional's Guide to Growing a Practice (Paperback)

If a successful, wealthy business person could somehow articulate all they've learned in a neat little package, this is what Alan Weiss has done. It is the perfect book. It has given me a wealth of knowledge of the consulting field, the knowledge to make it grow, and most importantly Alan has convinced me that it is possible to become a wealthy business owner and still maintain a company of one employee, me.

I have just completed the book and wrote notes in most of the margins. I use it now as a reference book, because it now acts like an encyclopedia. This is the second consulting book (about the 20th business/management book) I've read and it is by far the best one. Real practical knowledge. Buy it, Keep it, Use it!!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Top Consulting Books, December 20, 2005

By 

John E. Lincoln "www.jelincoln.com" (St. George, UT United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Million Dollar Consulting: The Professional's Guide to Growing a Practice (Paperback)

If I were to pick the one book for the new or established consultant, this would be it. In fact, I've purchased every edition of this that has been published, and given several additional away to others contemplating consulting as a career. I'm a practicing full-time consultant (medical devices, regulatory affairs) for the past 10 years, and have re-read this book many times and still find points to implement, refresh my thinking, and reaffirm my committment to the field of consulting. I have purchased virtually all of Weiss' books and have never been disappointed, as well as most other books on consulting. For general reference, I still rate this the best, with his other general book on consulting, "Getting Started In Consulting" a close second. Why? Because his emphasis of value based pricing, project pricing, obtaining fees up front. While these are not new, they are still not practiced by many consultants (fear?) and failure to implement has probably caused most of the failures in our profession (with technical expertise a given, of course). Whenever I choose not to follow that advice, at least I go in knowing the risks. Rereading this type of book allows me to reevaluate, usually annually, together with my business plan update, that I'm on track, or warns of the need to get rid of any bad business habits that have crept in.