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Title: Getting Started in Consulting, Second Edition
ISBN: 0471479691
Author:
Alan Weiss
Publicate Date: 2003-12-19
Publish: 2003-12-19
List Price: $19.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $10.00
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $9.98
Amazon Merchant Price: $13.57
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Glad I read this before really starting my business
I first read Alan Weiss' book "Money Talks" and immediately started reading this book. I was not disappointed. Dr. Weiss is certainly considered one of the profession's "Godfathers", and I had high expectations for how this book would help me. I was not disappointed. Here are some of the key tips I took from this book.
1) Charge based on value, because charging by the hour turns your work into a commodity. Since we ultimately impart our knowledge and experience for a client, it makes sense to charge for it. Charging for value also strengthens your position in a price negotiation. Dr. Weiss also presents some clever ways to avoid being drawn into a price argument.
2) Start writing and speaking immediately. I was planning to consult first to build a knowledge base, but now I'm going to leverage my existing experience and write to get noticed now. Since consulting is a relationship business, this approach makes total sense.
3) Give back as soon as you can. I particularly enjoyed Dr. Weiss' thoughts on teaching at the collegiate level. When we deal with smart students, we can learn as much as we give back.
Experienced consultants can certainly learn a lot from this book as well, but those like me looking for a foothold in the profession will find this book tremendously useful.
Dallon Christensen
President
Beacon Business Consulting
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2: Good Introduction to Consulting
In Getting Started In Consulting, Alan offers a lot of excellent advice for entering the industry. Some readers may suggest that many of Alan's insights are common sense, and I grant them that a well seasoned consultant no doubt gained from experience much of what Alan presents. That said, this is a book for getting started in consulting, and I for one appreciated hearing those observations from an experienced consultant entrepreneur.
The only complaint about the book that I care to raise is that Alan may want to update its content in a couple of places, particularly as it pertains to advice concerning technology.
Otherwise, a terrific effort on Alan's part.
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3: Not in agreement with other reviewers
I read the first 40 pages to verify my initial reaction toward this book: namely, the author is pompous and patronizing to his audience. He treats his readers as though they have few brain cells. Moreover, he frequently mentions the word "ego" as if this is the primary reason why people enter consulting (i.e., to feed theirs). It's certainly not mine. After reading to page 40, I jumped ahead to Chapter 8, Establishing Fees, which provided useful information. I plan to move on to other books that are outside the box re: consulting...and that don't insult my intelligence.
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4: My All Time Greatest Book On Consulting
This is the book that finally made it "click" for me.
I have bought copies for those I have coached and mentored and have seen them start right and quickly realize success for themselves.
A great book that should grace the bookshelf of any person just starting out.
To make it work you should be ready to work and actually use the tools and strategies provided.
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5: Solid Advice from an Experienced Consultant
This is the best read on consulting I have come across! The content is applicable to any consulting practice regardless of industry focus. The concepts in this book do require that you have an existing understanding of the industry and business environment you plan to work in but that should be considered a given if you are looking to call yourself a consultant anyway. If you can't get your practice up and running based on the detailed step by step processes discussed in this book nothing can help you! Buy it, read it, live it!
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