From the mailbag…Book recommendations

Just received this query from India. Wow — we have an international following!

But as I’ve noted here before, consulting is both international and location independent. Assuming others might find this useful, I’m sharing it here.

Hi,

Your website is highly informative.

I ask you a question because you have real time experience as an independent consultant.

I am a full time programmer from India . I have 15 years of software development experience. Do you recommend any book on consulting?

I want to read before implementing steps to become independent consultant.

What about Business Consulting Buzz by Michael Zipursky? You mentioned it.

Here is my reply:

Hi,

Thank you for the kind comments on my blog!

My favorite author on consulting is Howard Shenson. Here are links to two of his books that I like and recommend:

(1) Complete Guide to Consulting Success

(2) Shenson on Consulting – Success Strategies

Here is a link on JumpToConsulting regarding Shenson.

For many years, Shenson conducted short seminars on consulting. I attended one in 1978, and it started me on my consulting journey.

He published many books, so anything else by Shenson is worth reading. Sadly, he died at a relatively young age in 1991. Otherwise I’m sure he would still be writing and teaching today.

His materials are very practical, with an emphasis on marketing (getting the business.) Much of my materials are patterned after Shenson, so if you like my blog, you will like his books too.

I’ve also found Michael Zipursky’s website to be useful. His focus is on business (management) consulting rather than technical consulting. I’ve not read his book, but I’m sure it has useful ideas too.

With fifteen years experience, you certainly have the necessary technical experience. (When I went full time, I had nineteen years experience.)

But the technical experience alone is not enough — you must start thinking like a business person.

This is where many technical people fail when starting a consulting practice. They focus on the technology rather than running a business.

Probably the biggest business challenge is marketing/sales — attracting the business and then booking it!

All the other business issues – legal, accounting, contracts, etc. are easy and can be done in a few weeks. But the marketing never ends — you must continually dedicate some time to these efforts.

I’ve always considered marketing as just another technical challenge, with a new set of skills to master. It can be done, but it does require some work and study. Shenson can help (as I hope my blog can too.)

Hope this has helped, and good luck as you make your own JumpToConsulting!