“To be successful as a consultant, you must be different; you must be strong, and you must be committed.” (Deloitte Consulting CEO, Jim Moffatt)
Consulting is a growing arena of professional service. As Corporate America continues to change and professionals with high levels of expertise, experience, and talent are not being valued, many of these professionals are leveraging their backgrounds into successful consulting practices. We have the privilege to work with over 200 consultants and coaches in our network and the words of Jim Moffatt above are absolutely spot-on. To be successful in the consulting field you need to be different, strong, and committed. Let’s specifically talk about all three.
You need to be different.
As you embark on consulting you need to be able to articulate what consulting services you can provide, how those services are different, and how they provide value to a potential client. You need to be succinct and you need to be passionate. We help our consultants define their market niche in such a detailed way that they can clearly communicate the characteristics of their ideal client. Based on their defined market niche we are able to help them build a marketing plan accentuating their uniqueness and their client value. We also arm them with a well-defined “framing statement” which is a great way to communicate the experience and results our consultants have achieved providing the “reference stories” that back up their credibility. The combination of a defined market niche, a clearly defined marketing plan, and a framing statement allows our consultants to hit the ground running with a strong message of what makes them different.
You need to be strong.
As professionals we can only be so strong alone. Our consultants really find value in the ability to be independent, but they also find great value in being part of a peer group of consultants — a collaborative group who share ideas, challenges, and solutions. Our consultants have access to each other via interactive websites, social media groups, live learning sessions and focused mastermind groups. If you are consulting and you don’t have a peer group that you can share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and access for support, you are missing out on a great asset for your consulting business. You don’t have to start with a network of hundreds of consultants but look for 2-3 people you can create a supportive relationship. It will make a huge difference in your business and a huge benefit for you personally.
You need to be committed.
Commitment is an important seed to success. Saying we are going to make something happen and doing it are two very different things. If you are committed to the success of your consulting practice you need a defined marketing plan with action steps you are tracking on a weekly basis. You should also have a strategic plan for your practice that deals with the over-reaching goals and objectives of what you want this business to accomplish financially and for you personally. Our consultants also like the fact that they have access to a personal accountability coach. It helps keep them accountable and gives our consultants unlimited access to business support and advice.
Creating a consulting practice is the dream job for many professionals. It allows them to leverage their talents and expertise, it gives them independence, freedom and flexibility, and it can provide excellent financial benefits. Knock the ball out of the consulting park by being different, being committed, and being strong. We would like to invite you to read our eBook, 22.5 Proven Insights About Consulting.
