A comprehensive guide to becoming THE sought-after thought leader and expert

At a certain point in your career, you realize that you could put your knowledge to better use by extracting yourself from the shadow of the corporate world and striking out on your own. The Consulting Bible is the comprehensive guide to succeeding in the flexible and rewarding profession of solo and boutique consulting.

Bestselling author and celebrated consultant Alan Weiss delivers his field-tested advice so that you can:

Learn the nine components of a winning proposal
Establish value-based fees and protect that value
Create testimonials and references, and establish long-term leverage
Acquire know-how for providing coaching, conflict resolution, negotiation, crises management, and dozens of other interventions
Develop supreme communication skills

The value you provide as a consultant can be reciprocal and exponential, leading you toward true wealth, defined here as discretionary time and not only dollars in the bank.

"An amazingly thorough compilation of distilled wisdom regarding the elements for success in consulting. The most experienced consultant will harvest many valuable tips, and the newcomer won’t be able put it down."—JACK ZENGER, CEO, Zenger Folkman, and bestselling coauthor of The Extraordinary Leader, The Inspiring Leader, and The Extraordinary Coach

"Alan Weiss is a genius marketing consultant who understands the business from the inside out. Apply his years of knowledge and experience to achieve the consulting business of your dreams. Follow the advice of this expert, and success is in your immediate future."—Dr. NIDO QUBEIN, President, High Point University; Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Co; and Recipient, Horatio Alger Award for Distinguished Americans

Table of Contents :

Introduction.
Section I Genesis: Consulting as a Profession.
Chapter 1. Origins and Evolution: From Whence We Came.
Chapter 2. Creation: How to Establish and Improve Your Firm’s Presence.
Chapter 3. Philosophy: What You Believe Will Inform How You Act.
Section II Exodus: Consulting as a Business.
Chapter 4. The Journey: How to Market Your Value Rapidly and Profitably.
Chapter 5. Presence: How to Be an Authority and Expert.
Chapter 6. Celebrity: How to be the Authority and Expert.
Section III Deuteronomy: Consulting Methodology.
Chapter 7. The Perfect Proposal: How to Write a Proposal That’s Accepted Every Time.
Chapter 8. Implementation: Magic Formula: Rapid Results with Low Labor Intensity.
Chapter 9. Disengaging: It’s Been Nice, but I Really Must Be Going.
Section IV Acts of the Apostles: Implementing Consulting Methodologies.
Chapter 10. Interpersonal Methodologies: People First.
Chapter 11. Teams and Groups: No One Is an Island.
Chapter 12. Organization Development: All the King’s Horses, and All the King’s Men . . .
Section V Proverbs: Consulting Success.
Chapter 13. Ethics of the Business: What’s Legal Isn’t Always Ethical.
Chapter 14. Exit Strategies: Nothing Is Forever.
Chapter 15. Payback and Reinvestment: We Build Our Houses and Then They Build Us.
Physical Appendix.
Virtual Appendix.
About the Author.
Index.