Comments on: How to Be a Consultant

By: Ronnie

Ronnie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:21:42 +0000

I think it came from Tim Ferris’s book, but to be an “expert”, you don’t have to be a master or specialist really….

You just have to know more about a subject/field than the average person.

Also helps if you have credentials. Doesnt have to be a degree from a prestigeus school. Blog helps that. Getting published, giving free workshops, joining associations related to your field…

Nice article though, definitely insightful.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:06:07 +0000

Consulting is a cool concept in that it sounds straightforward up front–you know a lot about a topic and effectively rent your mind to a client–but at the same time, there are so many different ways to go about mind-renting: through newsletters, books, phone calls, classes, etc. The trick, and I think you’re onto something here, is to take a step back and really think about what audience you’re trying to reach. Only then can you figure out what medium of consulting is most optimal.

By: colin

colin — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:55:31 +0000

@Nate: Yeah, it’s important to remember that little tidbit, lest we should get too comfortable with what we know and cease to be effective (and interesting) people!

@J.D.: Great becoming-a-consultant story, J.D.! I definitely think you should get in on the action and add consultations to your menu. I’ll likely write an advanced consulting article in the future, but for now if you want to email me (colin at exilelifestyle dot com), I can pass along a few pointers based on what you’re planning on teaching people about.

@Meghan: I think that sounds about right. How about ‘Awesome Consultant’ or ‘Consultant to the Stars’? Then again, leaving it just as ‘Consultant’ makes people ask what you consult on, so it can serve as a better conversation starter. Good luck!

@Alik: Fantastic quote..I feel like I’ve seen that somewhere before, but obviously didn’t remember it in time to put in the article.

I’ve seen the same..all too often consulting serves as an income generator for people who enjoy living with an expense account, not people who enjoy helping their clients solve problems and get results. Being a good listener is a fantastic way to achieve the latter. Thanks for the input!

@Anil: Amen to that! There’s nothing you can’t learn, but if you don’t know, make sure that you learn before you try to give advice on that topic. Well-intentioned bad advice usually has the same results as ill-intentioned advice.

By: Anil

Anil — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:17:37 +0000

I think it’s also good to know your limits and what knowledge is just beyond the horizon. You often are in a position to say ‘I don’t know’ but ‘I can learn quickly’ if it’s a related topic.

I think an honest I don’t know goes much further than a half-hearted I can do something.

By: Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com

Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 06:06:18 +0000

Good rundown. I liked especially the part about trying to explain stuff to parents. I can recall a quote by Einstein that goes along the lines “if you cant explain it to 6 year old you don’t really know it yourself” or something like that.

I really like what you have written here. I do consult myself and I am strong believer that consulting is not about showing off you know it all (or more than a customer), rather helping customer solve his problems. Sadly I observe too many times the opposite.

If I may, I’d contribute to the discussion this – listen to the customer, be a great listener. Another one is – lead by asking questions and not throwing directions. Listen and ask questions – most of the times the customer knows the right answer (the solutions). That’s very powerful skill – it empowers the customer and build trust.

By: J.D. Meier

J.D. Meier — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:00:51 +0000

I like your way of showing people how to teach with a new lens.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:32:40 +0000

Wow, reading my mind! I actually was talking to James today about how I”m going to get business cards with my title as ‘Consultant’

By: J. D. Bentley

J. D. Bentley — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:53:57 +0000

I’ve been thinking of doing consulting lately. Either lifecoaching or WordPress/Design consulting. I didn’t believe I was an effective communicator because I hate phones and I’m generally an introvert. This was until a couple weeks ago when a friend of mine started expressing his disappointment in college and how much he disliked not being able to travel and play music. We talked from 12am to 5am that night, and by the end he had an ebook planned, domain and hosting purchased, and a clear idea of where he was going.

Since then, I’ve been seriously considering doing consulting professionally. I guess I’m pretty effective at communicating ideas I’m passionate about. I was glad to see this post because I have no idea really how things should be organized to get into it. This is a great start and more information than I’ve found before, but do you know of more detailed resources (or could you expand upon these ideas even further)? I want to feel totally comfortable with the process before I make any commitment to it.

Great post though, Colin!

By: Nate

Nate — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:00:26 +0000

This is all really great advice. I’d like to do some type of consulting someday in the future so I’ll make sure to remember this post. I really like how you included the point on always learning and attaining more knowledge.