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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Self Merchant, March 30, 2007
This review is from: SMB Consulting Best Practices (Smb Series) (Paperback)
If you haven't heard about the author's personal enterprises, then you surely will after reading all about him in this book. Heck, if a merchant won't promote his own wares, then who would? The gist of the book is to sell yourself wherever there is a heart-beat, and since would-be readers of this book have a pulse, they are fair game. The author insists on calling this light-weight a 'tome,' but it is far from one. This book could have been written in half the number of pages and had room to spare. It is interspersed with redundant spaces for the reader's notes. These 'Notes' boxes and generous screen-shots fill many pages with vacuums when the author draws a blank. He admits it is more profitable to self-publish and and so the lack of editing is evident. The prose is colloquial, verbose, replete with spelling and grammatical errors, and has a few misplaced figures. So why rate it three stars? Well, we mustn't throw out the baby with the bath water. The author is a successful consultant and so his experiences are instructive. Among the topics covered are the business plan, growing a consulting practice, marketing, sales, client relationships and financial management. One can almost envision him recalling courses from his MBA as he navigates these topics. The author is a Microsoft Small Business Server consultant and the material leans heavily that way, and so a more accurate title would have been SBS Consulting Best Practices. The coverage is adequate, but not worth the price tag, especially for those familiar with consulting books.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing but a bloated advertisement..., December 18, 2005
This review is from: SMB Consulting Best Practices (Smb Series) (Paperback)
From the blurb on this book's back cover, it would seem that actual consulting with 'SMB' as a target market would be covered extensively in the book content. This really isn't the case. Page after page of this book contains little more than thinly veiled advertisements for 'MS Small Business Server'. Reason after reason for selling 'SBS' to a client is detailed, while providing little else in the way of actually useful information. For example, take chapter 6, titled 'SMB Consulting Sales'. This would hopefully contain information on selling consulting services to an SMB. Instead, this chapter focuses entirely on the section 'How To Sell SBS in under five minutes'. Swell. From the standpoint of a consultant looking for ways to begin or improve practices as related to SMBs, this book is nearly worthless. I count myself fortunate that I purchased it used for $10, but I honestly regret spending even that. If you're seeking useful information on consulting to the 'Small To Medium sized Business', look elsewhere, you won't find it in this book. If you'd like to pay in the neighborhood of $60 for a bloated sales pamphlet that covers MS SBS in nauseatingly fuzzy detail, then this is a must-have.
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8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book, Harry keeps his streak going!, October 6, 2003
This review is from: SMB Consulting Best Practices (Smb Series) (Paperback)
If you know Harry Brelsford and his writing this is the next book in a long line of great books. Harry's wit and personality shines to the forefront but don't be mistaken this book is strictly about making money and advancing your business which Harry is all about. If you're starting up your own consulting biz then you must have this book or if you are just stagnant in your own practice this book has some great pointers to get you going again. Also, as a SMB Nation attendee I suggest that as well, which is the conferences that Harry sponsors. Check it out at smbnation.com. Get it, Grab it, Read it, Understand it, Prosper from it! Tavis Patterson
TAZ Networks
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