Creating & Promoting Consultancy For Knowledge Commerce: Guide
The best and smartest approach to coming across as an ideal consultant is to be exactly like a doctor
A patient usually comes to a doctor complaining of the symptoms. It’s the doctor’s job to diagnose the underlying problem if he wants to cure the patient.
A doctor who is only worried about the cure but not the symptoms will not satisfy a patient. Neither will a doctor who merely palliates the symptoms but doesn’t have a cure for the underlying disease. A consultant has to help a customer with both: his immediate symptoms or problems as well as the underlying causes of it which will require a permanent cure.
at Solohacks Academy, we believe very few customers will know exactly what problem they have. They only know how to explain what bottlenecks they suffer from, or what pain-points make them uncomfortable enough to seek paid help. That’s why every consultant needs one skill above all else – the skill to elicit from the client the layers of the problem, until he comes to the root cause.
Before Building Your Personal Brand For Your Consulting Services, Stop To Think About Why Clients May Want To Hire You. Your Brand Should Fill A Need.
You've identified what you can teach other people from your experience and expertise and you want to build a business out of this niche, with smart personal branding, right?
Take a moment to think why your potential clients may want to hire you. Usually, people hire consultants when they are in a dilemma and need someone with objectivity; or because they want some expert people they can brainstorm with; or they need someone who can bring in specialized skills they don't have.
It's all about them and their problems, and less about being impressed with you and your credentials. Your branding, positioning, and reputation are important only if they can help justify why clients should ultimately choose you to meet their needs.
At Solohacks Academy, we think too many consultants are obsessed with what to describe themselves as in their branding and taglines. They forget they have to say how they can fill clients' needs. Forget who you are and see what they want. You'll find your perfect branding.
The Consulting Process You Follow Is Both Your Own Insurance And That Of Your Clients. It Shows Both Of You That You Have A Clear Way To Achieve Results
With consulting projects it is often hard to "guarantee results" because there could be many factors affecting results, including the clients' own cooperation.
But while it's hard to "guarantee results" it's easy to "guarantee a top class process" that can do the maximum towards getting results for client projects.
That's why clients set so much store by how a consultant will use steps of progress towards delivering on a project. When the consultant is both professional and clear on his process methodology, the client gets reassured that the consultant has given success a very good chance.
At Solohaks Academy, we believe that the process methodology a consultant will pursue must be used as a very powerful selling tool. It can make a client feel he is in good hands. He gets satisfied that there will be a method to the project execution and there are clear deliverables and accountabilities spelt out. If the plan is followed, the results should follow.
Finding A Novel Differentiation Strategy For Your Consulting Services Is Imperative. Not Having A Visible Difference Makes It Tough For Clients To Choose You
Have you noticed that when it comes to differentiation of their services, most consultants can't quite explain how they are different from competition in the same space?
The problem with most consulting services businesses is that they are still wearing old hats. They don't look beyond pricing, branding elements, website design, or their consulting processes to showcase their difference.
The real difference consultants should talk about is the difference they can make to clients' businesses. In identifying differentiated issues, and becoming specialists at solving particular types of problem or need, they can truly make themselves more relevant and valuable to a set of clients of similar need.
At Solohacks Academy, we believe it's time for those in the consulting profession to start seeing where the challenging times are changing client needs. As a consultant, your difference may lie in the fine nuances of client problems.
To Draft A Good Consulting Services Agreement You May Require A Qualified Attorney. But Do You Know Enough To Judge If Your Attorney’s Doing A Good Job?
A lot of consulting entrepreneurs believe that drafting a good contract and agreement for consulting services is an attorney's job. They get themselves the best attorney they can afford, and then take their eyes off the contract.
This attitude towards outsourcing legal help doesn't work. You have to know enough about agreement drafting to at least know if your attorney is on the right lines to protect you and your client. Also, without your help, most of the critical parts of the draft cannot be filled.
Contracts and agreements need special care when you consider what will happen between you and your client if things go terribly wrong. The contract will help to either resuscitate the relationship or help the parties to part ways - but do so without bad blood or erosion of brand equity.
At Solohacks Academy, we believe you should always draft a consulting services agreement with as much detail as you can include, so that all contingencies are factored in as best as you can anticipate them. Try to brainstorm and cover as many ups and downs as you can think of. That is your best insurance for the future.
There seems an awful lot to Knowledge Commerce, but fear not, because we'll tell you everything you want to know in easy steps. It will all be a breeze, and you'll hugely enjoy the process too.
We'll take you there, step by step ...
Read our full collection of articles below that explore more on Creating And Promoting Your Membership Sites For Knowledge Commerce.
More On Creating And Promoting Your Membership Sites
Before Building Your Personal Brand For Your Consulting Services, Stop To Think About Why Clients May Want To Hire You. Your Brand Should Fill A Need.
Knowledge Commerce is a booming new line of ecommerce. You first discover, and then “productize” your own unique knowledge, talent, skills or passions – into ebooks, courses, memberships, webinars, virtual summits, consulting packages, and a host of other formats.
It’s an ideal business for solopreneurs. If you want to grow yourself into an exclusive and premium brand, and command market-dominating prices, this is your perfect opportunity. So get in early.
You’ve identified what you can teach other people from your experience and expertise and you want to build a business out of this niche, with smart personal branding, right?
Take a moment to think why your potential clients may want to hire you. Usually, people hire consultants when they are in a dilemma and need someone with objectivity; or because they want some expert people they can brainstorm with; or they need someone who can bring in specialized skills they don’t have.
It’s all about them and their problems, and less about being impressed with you and your credentials. Your branding, positioning, and reputation are important only if they can help justify why clients should ultimately choose you to meet their needs.
At Solohacks Academy, we think too many consultants are obsessed with what to describe themselves as in their branding and taglines. They forget they have to say how they can fill clients’ needs. Forget who you are and see what they want. You’ll find your perfect branding.
The Consulting Process You Follow Is Both Your Own Insurance And That Of Your Clients. It Shows Both Of You That You Have A Clear Way To Achieve Results
Knowledge Commerce is a booming new line of ecommerce. You first discover, and then “productize” your own unique knowledge, talent, skills or passions – into ebooks, courses, memberships, webinars, virtual summits, consulting packages, and a host of other formats.
It’s an ideal business for solopreneurs. If you want to grow yourself into an exclusive and premium brand, and command market-dominating prices, this is your perfect opportunity. So get in early.
With consulting projects it is often hard to “guarantee results” because there could be many factors affecting results, including the clients’ own cooperation.
But while it’s hard to “guarantee results” it’s easy to “guarantee a top class process” that can do the maximum towards getting results for client projects.
That’s why clients set so much store by how a consultant will use steps of progress towards delivering on a project. When the consultant is both professional and clear on his process methodology, the client gets reassured that the consultant has given success a very good chance.
At Solohaks Academy, we believe that the process methodology a consultant will pursue must be used as a very powerful selling tool. It can make a client feel he is in good hands. He gets satisfied that there will be a method to the project execution and there are clear deliverables and accountabilities spelt out. If the plan is followed, the results should follow.
Finding A Novel Differentiation Strategy For Your Consulting Services Is Imperative. Not Having A Visible Difference Makes It Tough For Clients To Choose You
Knowledge Commerce is a booming new line of ecommerce. You first discover, and then “productize” your own unique knowledge, talent, skills or passions – into ebooks, courses, memberships, webinars, virtual summits, consulting packages, and a host of other formats.
It’s an ideal business for solopreneurs. If you want to grow yourself into an exclusive and premium brand, and command market-dominating prices, this is your perfect opportunity. So get in early.
Have you noticed that when it comes to differentiation of their services, most consultants can’t quite explain how they are different from competition in the same space?
The problem with most consulting services businesses is that they are still wearing old hats. They don’t look beyond pricing, branding elements, website design, or their consulting processes to showcase their difference.
The real difference consultants should talk about is the difference they can make to clients’ businesses. In identifying differentiated issues, and becoming specialists at solving particular types of problem or need, they can truly make themselves more relevant and valuable to a set of clients of similar need.
At Solohacks Academy, we believe it’s time for those in the consulting profession to start seeing where the challenging times are changing client needs. As a consultant, your difference may lie in the fine nuances of client problems.
To Draft A Good Consulting Services Agreement You May Require A Qualified Attorney. But Do You Know Enough To Judge If Your Attorney’s Doing A Good Job?
Knowledge Commerce is a booming new line of ecommerce. You first discover, and then “productize” your own unique knowledge, talent, skills or passions – into ebooks, courses, memberships, webinars, virtual summits, consulting packages, and a host of other formats.
It’s an ideal business for solopreneurs. If you want to grow yourself into an exclusive and premium brand, and command market-dominating prices, this is your perfect opportunity. So get in early.
A lot of consulting entrepreneurs believe that drafting a good contract and agreement for consulting services is an attorney’s job. They get themselves the best attorney they can afford, and then take their eyes off the contract.
This attitude towards outsourcing legal help doesn’t work. You have to know enough about agreement drafting to at least know if your attorney is on the right lines to protect you and your client. Also, without your help, most of the critical parts of the draft cannot be filled.
Contracts and agreements need special care when you consider what will happen between you and your client if things go terribly wrong. The contract will help to either resuscitate the relationship or help the parties to part ways – but do so without bad blood or erosion of brand equity.
At Solohacks Academy, we believe you should always draft a consulting services agreement with as much detail as you can include, so that all contingencies are factored in as best as you can anticipate them. Try to brainstorm and cover as many ups and downs as you can think of. That is your best insurance for the future.
