Here is a recent email exchange that I though some of you might find of interest. I’ve hidden the name for confidentiality, but I’m sure S will recognize himself. Hi Daryl, My name is S. I’m also a follower of your blog. How are you doing with that these days? I’ve noticed you’re an engineer […]
Done properly, trade shows are a great way to generate leads. Done poorly, they can be a tremendous waste of time and money. Trade shows represent a unique opportunity for both networking (one-on-one) and/or gaining exposure (one-to-many). And unlike most other methods, trade shows can be very personal. Where else can you spend a few […]
This is what 40 attendees of the recent “Start Your Business Workshop” in Chandler AZ are considering. As an aside, all 40 had recently lost their jobs. But rather than sulk or wait for the government to intervene, these 40 budding entrepreneurs were taking matters into their own hands. On a beautiful spring day in […]
Here is my reply to a recent IEEE article “Are Engineers Really in Demand?” The authors posed this question in response to a recent Washington Post story that discussed unemployment among engineers. Being a geek myself, I was intrigued. What disturbed me, however, were the comments that followed. Way too much griping about how the government, […]
Just gave a talk titled “Consulting for Geeks – So You Want to be a Consultant?” at DesignCon2012 in Santa Clara, CA. With over 100 attendees, it confirmed my suspicion that many of my technical colleagues are considering consulting — at least secretly anyway. And why not? If you are a professional (engineer, architect, accountant, […]
Nor was it Bush’s, or Clinton’s, or anybody else’s. If your business failed, it was YOUR fault. But don’t sulk about it — figure out what you did wrong, fix it, and try again! This rant was precipitated by a recent comment on a business blog. The author whined that his new venture failed because […]
So said a favorite boss, many years BC (before consulting.) His advice that day has stuck with me over the years, and has served me well. I’ll elaborate shortly. The catalyst for this was a recent post by Seth Godin (another bald guy fascinated by small business.) He talks about solving problems, rather than just […]
You are invited to join me… at an upcoming talk at DesignCon 2012 on Consulting for Geeks. This is an update of a talk I gave at last year’s IEEE EMC Symposium. Sixty people showed up for that presentation — as the LAST talk of the LAST session on the LAST day. Turns out a lot of […]
As 2011 ends, it is time to look both back and ahead. For the past few years, Chris Gullibeau has ended each year with an annual review on his popular blog, The Art of Non-Conformity. This year he challenged others to do the same. What a great idea! So, challenge accepted. Thanks to Chris! Following […]
Here are four web sites that specialize in consulting which you may find useful. I’m sure there are more — please let me know if you have favorites to share. –Summit Consulting Group – www.summitconsulting.com– Alan Weiss, Ph.D. – Focus on taking successful practices to the next level. Strong emphasis on management/business consulting. Dr. Weiss […]
If referrals are golden, then multiple referrals are platinum! As you become established, cultivating referrals should be a high priority. Here is a personal example, just published in Million Dollar Referrals, the latest book by Alan Weiss. When asked for examples of “greatest referrals” earlier this year, I responded with the following story. It is […]
Speaking can be a good lead generator, as long as you are in front of the right audience. The secret is to identify your ideal clients, so you don’t waste your time in front of the wrong groups. Focus on your target niches — specialty, geography, industry, and type of business (B2B, B2C, B2G) Speaking […]
As part of a special session at a recent engineering symposium, I gave a half hour talk titled “So You Want to be a Consultant? — Four Key Questions.” Being the last speaker in the last session on the last day, I did not expect much of a turnout. Apparently the symposium organizers felt the […]
As the Boy Scouts say… be prepared! Because Dave was prepared, he was able to make a rewarding career change to consulting after unexpectedly losing his job. Dave’s experience was a actually a catalyst for Kimmel Gerke Associates. I knew Dave casually, and my business partner was pretty good friends with him. It was the […]
In 1996, I mentioned to a client that I was toying with a move to Arizona. He commented, “My Dad always wanted to do that. Every year he and Mom would go to Arizona, and look for just the right place to eventually retire.” Excited, I asked, “Wow! Did he finally do it?” My client […]
Like it or not, age often matters in marketing a consulting practice. Age also matters in customer perceptions, as evidenced by the following examples. Real Life Story # 1 – Floyd, a fellow engineer, was going to law school at night. At the time, he was in his mid 40s, and I was in my […]
For this month, I’ve selected What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles. Updated almost every year since it was first written in 1970, this is often recognized as the Bible of job hunting. The analogy is certainly appropriate, as the author is an ordained Episcopalian priest. The catalyst for writing the book was his […]
When I left my last corporate job at Intel (the day the market crashed in 1987), I stopped by the division General Manager’s office to say goodbye. The GM, known as “Rocky”, was a good guy with a sometimes wicked sense of humor. We chatted a bit, and he wished me well in the new […]
Will writing a book help your consulting practice? In my experience, yes! But it is a lot of work, and not something I recommend to those just starting out. Unless you have materials already (such as class notes or a bunch of research), better to start small and consider a full blown book when better […]
Learned this lesson the hard way, at a cost of several thousand dollars. You’re getting it here for free. This story goes back to 1981 and my early days as a part-time consultant. IBM had just introduced the PC. Our major client, a vocational school, asked for an evening class that focused on how to […]
