Value-Based Fees: How to Charge--and Get--What You're Worth (Ultimate Consultant Series) [Hardcover]

Alan Weiss (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787955116 | ISBN-13: 978-0787955113 | Publication Date: January 16, 2002 | Edition: 1

Value-Based Fees shows consultants how to easily and adroitly educate clients about value determining worth and consequent investment. Unlike the contingency fees of attorneys, Weiss explains, his technique is about establishing a win-win dynamic with clients, while accommodating buyers' egos that "you get what you pay for."

Filled with stories of successful consultants, sample proposals, letters of agreement, and other practical tools, Value-Based Fees' pragmatic advice includes:

• Step-by-step guidance on how to establish value-based fees
• How to create the "good deal" dynamic in client relationships
• Sixty ways to raise fees and increase profits immediately
• How to prevent and rebut fee objections
• How to use retainers wisely
• How to develop fee progression strategies
• How to make money while you sleep, eat, and play!

Value-Based Fees clearly explains how to charge for your value--and get--what you're worth, providing the kind of nontheoretical, pragmatic advice that will help to improve any consultant's practice immediately.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For good measure, he throws in 60 fast ideas to raise fees and/or increase profits." (MD Daily Record, 3/28/02)

"...any consultant starting out will find this book useful." (Business Information Alert, Volume 15, Number 2)

Review

"Alan Weiss is the most successful consultant I know. When he speaks, I listen. You should too."
— George Morrisey, author, Jossey-Bass "Morrisey on Planning" series

"Alan Weiss long ago learned the real secret of consulting: It's about people, it's about relationships."
— William L. Winter, Ph.D., president, The American Press Institute

"This highly readable book, written by one of the experts in the field, provides invaluable advice for the aspiring or current management consultant."
— Victor Vroom, professor, Yale School of Management

"Alan Weiss is a consulting genius who attacks problems the way he lives life— with unconventional flair and a relentless intellect while delivering extraordinary results. The Ultimate Consultant captures all the reasons why I continue to call Alan time, and time, and time again."
— Keith T. Darcy, executive vice president, IBJ Whitehall Bank & Trust Company

"This book has helped us increase focus on client matters such as outcomes, results and long term value. Alan Weiss has had a tremendous impact on our way of generating new business."
— Fredrik Alsen, founder, OPENavigators

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Pfeiffer; 1 edition (January 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787955116
• ISBN-13: 978-0787955113
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #524,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Far Beyond Million Dollar Consulting, February 19, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Value-Based Fees: How to Charge--and Get--What You're Worth (Ultimate Consultant Series) (Hardcover)

While Alan Weiss's eternal best-seller "Million Dollar Consulting" remains the most valuable book overviewing consulting practices, this book takes the reader into the actual mechanics and philosophy of value based fees. The transition will be worth six figures annually, because it's been worth it to me. The single negative review claiming this book repeats "Million Dollar" is far off base as far as I'm concerned (or the reviewer didn't read this book). For example, Value Based Fees deals with converting hourly clients, setting up retainers, combatting the competition's lower fees and a wealth of detail that the more primary book doesn't touch. Get this book today, because you're leaving money on the table every day it's unread.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you only read one book......, February 28, 2003

By 

Wiltshire Jane (BALLITO, KZN South Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Value-Based Fees: How to Charge--and Get--What You're Worth (Ultimate Consultant Series) (Hardcover)

This book is a MUST read not only for those consultants who have to submit proposals but should be required reading for all professions who charge by the hour - YES doctors, opticians, dentists, accountants and lawyers as well!!

This book gives a sound theoretical basis for charging value based fees instead of hourly fees (everyone in the world ONLY has 24 hours in a day so this approach makes absolute sense).

BUT the Coup de Grace is the fourth chapter "If you only read one chapter....." which sets out exactly how to structure value based fee proposals and gives a live example.

I have long been charging value based rather than time based fees but this chapter raised my fees to a new level.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Holy Grail of Consulting, November 29, 2002

By 

A. J. Vasaris (Akron, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Value-Based Fees: How to Charge--and Get--What You're Worth (Ultimate Consultant Series) (Hardcover)

I enjoy Mr. Weiss' books and presentations, which I find engaging and entertaining. With this book he has given me reasons to confirm my belief that charging a client based on my time and materials used in a project is a problem for both myself AND my client. First I am not true to the client when I bill time just for showing up but not providing any value. Then, how do you compare the value of one who charges $150 for one hour versus the consultant who charges $150 for 2 hours (at $75/hour)? Is one better than the other? Why put the client in a position to make that decision. Basing charges on value (either real or perceived) to the client removes hourly rates from the equation.

Yes, all this is based on having true relationships with your clients and Mr. Weiss goes through many different iterations of working with your clients on finding value, education them on value and providing value. There are lots of quick stories and references to his own consulting engagements, many of which are the same ones used as examples in many of his other books, which he not so subtley sells in this one. But then again it is one of the "Ultimate Consultant" series of books he has recently published.

Enjoyable and educational reading which has brought about many heated conversations with my peer group about rates and charging clients. It should provoke you also.