51–60 of 83 posts
Value-based fees by Alan Weiss
Million-Dollar Consulting is as good or better
Sounds a lot like where I was about twenty years ago, and today I sell stuff for a living... a few thoughts I wish someone had given me... 1) Productize yourself. That is, have several very clear services you offer at established rates. Brand yourself around a very clear idea that has people saying "hey, call the guy" when they need . 2) A lot of us in tech are shy and introverted by nature, which on the surface appe…
Eg, you say you’re an “engineer” but it sounds like you want to sell a consulting service. Make sure you align your messaging to match what you’re exactly selling. Because many might confuse hearing “engineer” with you starting a product company.
Also, if you’re in the consulting business - make sure you understand what it means to be an independent consultant. Because cash flow, lead gen, etc are all real unexpected challenges for folks in this specific business.
Then, what kind of liability do you need to be a consultant. Are you going to bill based on an hourly rate or fixed fee. Are you doing pure staff aug, or something else.
Again, it all come down to understanding what exact business you’re in.
Sounds a lot like where I was about twenty years ago, and today I sell stuff for a living... a few thoughts I wish someone had given me... 1) Productize yourself. That is, have several very clear services you offer at established rates. Brand yourself around a very clear idea that has people saying "hey, call the guy" when they need . 2) A lot of us in tech are shy and introverted by nature, which on the surface appe…
#2 is particularly insightful. I’m an engineer who strongly dislikes social dynamics, so this point resonates with me.
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There's a subtle difference there - the first is asking "past the close" but also is asking a pertinent question about it - people who want it will have a color they want, or need to pick one. Nobody wants to discuss pricing. It's orthogonal to getting the desired end. You have to discuss pricing, but it is not on the list of things people want to do (if you give it to them free, they won't protest). The second is wa…
Some of this may also be cultural. Something that works fine in the US, might be seen as pushy in the UK, for example.
I think the difference is willingness to be pushy if that pushiness results in more total sales. Which I take as a symtom of general lower consideration for others, objectifying them as a system you just need to press the right buttons on to get what you want.
[edit] Another way of looking at it is what a culture considers acceptable freely-given consent. If someone wouldn’t have said yes if you hadn’t pulled out every trick in the book, is that an OK way to get a “yes”? In US business culture, it is.
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#1 is something I have a hard time with. I'm a developer who became a generalist and my specialty is not one particular thing. The corporate world wants to pigeon hole me into being a product manager, I'm only average at that. Being able to blend engineering, product, some marketing and general leadership skills is my thing. I can kind of do everything, but I don't know how to make a clear list of services to explain…
Rather than specializing in a skill you could specialize in a market or domain e.g. digital services for furniture manufacturers (probably not a domain you personally are familiar with, but just an example).
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#2 is particularly insightful. I’m an engineer who strongly dislikes social dynamics, so this point resonates with me.
I have a lisp, a stutter, and would be happy to live in a cabin in the woods far far away from civilization... but I got out of tech and now make a living in real estate and I'm active in politics. If I can learn the techniques to play an extrovert on TV, then anyone can do it. You have to have a plan for how to develop the skills and you have to put work into it, but it really is possible for anyone.
Sounds a lot like where I was about twenty years ago, and today I sell stuff for a living... a few thoughts I wish someone had given me... 1) Productize yourself. That is, have several very clear services you offer at established rates. Brand yourself around a very clear idea that has people saying "hey, call the guy" when they need . 2) A lot of us in tech are shy and introverted by nature, which on the surface appe…
Item 1 is key in my mind. As someone in a role that procures a lot of services the worst thing someone trying to get a foot in the door can do is “everything”. Especially if you can’t explain how you work. It leaves all the burden of figuring out how I could potentially use your services on me, and I’ll try my best to avoid having to deal with that uncertainty on top of what I’m already trying to achieve. If you want…
Thank you for sharing this. I feel a lot of client services businesses starting out (read: individuals going into consulting for themselves for the first time) try to build an enigma to make themselves seem experienced and comprehensive. As a buyer, I want to know, up front, what exactly an engagement with you looks like: What will you do? How much will it cost, over what schedule/criteria? What does our feedback loop look like as we progress?
If I get the impression that you're so desperate for work, you'd agree to do anything and everything for money, I'll feel uneasy. If you're confident about being able to do [thing] well, and can explain what it looks like for us to do [thing] together, it will put me more at ease.