Just finished gathering my annual tax information, so taxes are on my mind. It gets shipped out tomorrow to my accountant, who (as a consultant) will do the financial magic. Years ago my accountant advised me to keep good records and to keep them clean. One never knows when one might be audited. Sometimes it […]
This post is for my fellow geeks. It was inspired by a recent post at LinkedIn Pulse titled “Do You Buy Like an Engineer? Probably Not.” The author points out that many A/E/C (architectural/engineering/construction) firms stumble in their sales efforts when they assume their clients think just like them. If the client is another engineer, […]
Had a recent inquiry on how I handle travel expenses. Here are my policies: Travel expenses are billed at cost – no markup. Some consultants mark up the travel, but I feel this is cheesy. Air fare purchased is normally refundable/changeable. Saves problems if the schedule changes. Out of town travel time is billed at […]
Too many “entrepreneurial” bloggers suggest you simply “follow your passion.” Unfortunately, that alone is not enough. You better be able to make money at it! Here are two stories that illustrate the point: The Ice Cream Store… At a professional meeting some years ago, one of my colleagues said to ask Dick about his ice […]
For many years, this was a “trade secret,” but now the story can be told. Simple — we gave them away — for FREE — as a supplement to a leading engineering magazine. And did it ever pay off! The original plan was a twelve part series in Engineering Design News (EDN) in 1994. The […]
Another year about gone, and once again it is time to reflect. Got this idea from Chris Gullibeau of The Art of Nonconformity. He does this each year, and each year challenges others to do the same. Great idea! So as always, I’ll review three categories: JumpToConsulting (www.jumptoconsulting.com) EMI-GURU aka Kimmel Gerke Associates, Ltd. (www.emiguru.com) […]
Writing technical articles (or white papers) can be very effective marketing methods. They create both credibility and visibility at low cost, and can produce high results. With over 200 articles, it certainly worked at Kimmel Gerke Associates! Getting articles published, however, takes time and effort. It may seem mysterious at first, but help is on […]
Time for a mini-rant. With the political season in full swing, the snarky comments flow on the Internet. But as a consultant, not a good idea to publicize your views, no matter how tempting. This post was inspired by a recent comment on a popular business blog. One guy took a cheap political shot totally […]
It depends… If your clients come to your office, it probably makes sense… If you go to your clients, it probably just wastes money. In the first case, a public office adds a level of professionalism, and keeps you out of trouble with home owners associations or zoning boards. But don’t get carried away – […]
Here is a response I sent to a newsletter from Bob Bly, the direct-mail/copywriting guru. Bob is a fellow engineer turned successful marketing consultant many years ago. I subscribe to his free newsletter (and have also bought some products) and find them useful and interesting. The topic that promoted my response was Bob’s recommendation to […]
This post was inspired by a popular RV blog I’ve followed and enjoyed for several years. The author added this to a recent blog post: PRIVACY POLICY AT OUR CAMPS: NO VISITORS, NO DROP-INS, NO PHOTOS, NO EXCEPTIONS. THANK YOU. This accompanied a terse reply to an RV newbie who expressed hope in meeting her, […]
Here are five questions to ask yourself when starting a consulting practice — or any small business. This post was inspired by an answer to a business post on franchising vs independence. Good advice for new consultants too. (1) Is it interesting and motivating? There are consulting opportunities everywhere, but you will do much better […]
How much IS enough? The question still haunts me… Here are three stories. All three affected my thinking. Perhaps they will affect yours. Story 1… The question of enough was posed by a fellow consultant several years ago. His wife had just been diagnosed with cancer, and we were talking after a professional society meeting. […]
I was first introduced to the CBM Club in 2012. What a novel concept! In August 2011, we bought a small motorhome from Born Free in Humboldt, IA. At a rally in 2012, I met John Dodgen, the 85 years old founder of Born Free back in the 1960s. What a delightful man, with a […]
Like many others, I was enchanted by the Pope’s recent visit. And I even gleaned some consulting lessons. To wit: (1) Be likeable — Pope Francis radiates likeability. Nobody wants to listen to a jerk. As consultants, this means being genuinely interested in your clients. It means really liking them, and not being mean, snarky, […]
Want some quick insight and exposure into a market? Offer to buy a vendor lunch. After all, they spend their lives out in the marketplace. This is particularly effective in niche markets. You have identified your potential niches, right? If not, review this post. A new consulting colleague in Phoenix did this with good success. […]
Here is a reply I left recently at my favorite financial blog, Mr. Money Mustache. Pete, a fellow engineer, spent the last several years challenging and cajoling people to become financially independent. He “retired” at age 30, and now does what he wants with no financial worries. Lives a nice lifestyle in nice digs, too. […]
The short answer — NO! But you DO need to be able to help your clients. Time for a mini-rant. If you are like me, you are probably weary of hearing about how you MUST become a though leader to succeed in business. Unless, of course, you are pitching books or programs on thought leadership. […]
Here is a reply to a post by Michael Zipursky over at Consulting Success, where Michael discusses the pros and cons (mostly cons) of accepting equity or shares as payment for services. Either way, both Michael and I do NOT recommend this. I completely agree! Never took stock, nor did I ever agree to work […]
This post was inspired by Alan Weiss’s Monday Morning Memo (R), to which I have subscribed for many years. He succinctly addresses some pros and cons of going solo. Dr. Weiss is a leading advisor to consultants. While his focus is on management consulting, much of his advice also applies to technical consulting. * One […]
