The document provides an overview of a consulting workshop that covers various topics related to becoming a consultant. It discusses what consulting is, whether it is the right career path, basic consulting skills like developing products and value propositions, business metrics, structures like working as a sole practitioner versus a big firm, and staying in business by addressing issues like taxes, legal matters, and insurance. The workshop also includes a question and answer section.

1. Exploring the Second Oldest Profession So – You Want To Be A Consultant?

9. We Believe Process Transformation • Project Excellence • Performance Metrics Breakthrough performance is possible… Transformation is possible…

10. Our Expertise

11. What do you want to get out of this? What would you like to take away from this session? ??? Objectives

12. And your expectations? Turn to the person next to you – or another person and ask them the question – “ What do you want to get out of this session?” Write down what they say… ??? Excercise

13. And your expectations? Now – play it back to them… (Take turns) ??? Excercise

17. And your expectations? Turn back to your neighbour Regardless of how well you did – ask them… What is one thing I could have done better? Courtesy: Dave Howlett ??? Excercise

18. Consulting Is About Relationships Relationships are based on a mutual exchange of value. Whether the exchange of value is mutual is a matter of perception There are learned behaviours, skills and techniques to affect that perception It starts with the realization that it’s not about you You get better at it by asking and applying one thing at a time

19. What Is Consulting?

20. The Second Oldest Profession? Torn from the comic pages…

21. An Honourable Profession Consulting is a collaboration between the consultant and the client which solves one or more challenges faced by the client to the mutual benefit of both parties.

22. An Honourable Profession Consulting is a collaboration between the consultant and the client which solves one or more challenges faced by the client to the mutual benefit of both parties.

23. An Honourable Profession Consulting is a collaboration between the consultant and the client which solves one or more challenges faced by the client to the mutual benefit of both parties.

24. An Honourable Profession Consulting is a collaboration between the consultant and the client which solves one or more challenges faced by the client to the mutual benefit of both parties.

25. An Honourable Profession Consulting is a collaboration between the consultant and the client which solves one or more challenges faced by the client to the mutual benefit of both parties.

26. What Is A Consultant? Give us a term which is synonymous with Consultant or is a characteristic of a consultant. See how many words you can come up with in one minute. ??? Consulting

28. Making sense of the many roles Expertise Efficiency Experience Client Problem Source: David Maister, Managing the Professional Services Firm

32. Product Leadership Customer Intimacy Operational Excellence Known for: “Best total cost” Known for: “Best total solution” Known for: “best product” Skills: Product Differentiation Skills: Customer Response Skills: Operational Competence Disciplines of market leaders – Treacy, Wiersma

33. Why Are You Interested? What do you want to get out of consulting? Turn over that piece of paper – write down three goals ??? Consulting

34. Quick Review

37. What do you want to be famous for? David Maister – Managing the Professional Services Firm

40. What do you want to be famous for? David Maister – Managing the Professional Services Firm

41. Do You Have The Desire What do you want to be famous for? Turn to your neighbour and tell them… David Maister – Managing the Professional Services Firm ??? Me

45. Gimme A Break! I will resume in 19 minutes and 30 seconds – exactly! Invest 10 minutes – Find someone you don’t know and compare notes…

48. You’re Back

49. What have we done?

51. Can you SELL it? They wouldn’t listen to the fact that I was a genius, The man said they had all that they could use. Now I got the steadily depressing No count mind messin’ Workin’ in the car wash blues….. Jim Croce

52. Taking Care Of Business “ I’m doing a great job of Selling – my customers are doing a lousy job of Buying !”

53. People Don’t Buy Drills (Mark Langlois) Name one of your key products/services: Five Problems That It Solves: Problem 1: Problem 2: Problem 3: Problem 4: Problem 5: Source: The Spin Selling Fieldbook

54. Taken from the point of view of a real potential customer (segment) – what is the real view they would have of The attributes of your service? Be honest! It’s their perception that counts! Try to do one of these for your competitors…

56. Help them by pushing the point… Is there one thing I could have done better?

57. Sit down. Shut up. And Sell! Sales is a process that anyone can learn. It involves connecting, listening and learning… People who follow a process have the greatest overall improvement in success rates.

59. The Buying Process Unaware Contemplating Planning Action Sold and Serving Advocacy Cal Harrison – BEYOND Referrals

62. Virtual Networking A copy of this presentation will be available on my Linked In page.

63. It’s about managing a funnel…. We start with a large number of initial opportunities…

64. It’s about managing a funnel…. These are qualified and weeded out (or we are). We learn from these.

65. It’s about managing a funnel…. Until we progress to the “wins”. We live from these!

66. STOP LOSING LEADS! You need to put a system in place to actively manage the leads that you collect. We use a CRM product which we also host for small businesses. Start small and keep track!

68. How do you measure up?

73. Lean Road Map

80. Tools For Your Business ??? What Do I Need

82. Intranet Components Case Managements Document Management Wiki for Manuals Content Management Time and Projects s Chat Home Page CRM Direct access from anywhere on network. Secure and password protected wherever desired Customer Portal Contacts, Leads, Calls, History

83. Leveraging The Internet From affordable webcasting, to social networks, to new email networks to the phones we use. We have a sophisticated tools that are very cheap to own and operate.

90. Questions & Discussion