Buy the Book
What’s in this fabulous new book that I’ve written? Well, let me crib from the intro so you’ll have a good idea:
I’ve organized the book using a timeline metaphor. My assumption is that you are about to leap out into the unknown at a certain date. That day I refer to as Leap Day, and for that day to be as successful as possible, you have to prepare for it.
The first chapter, well, you’re reading it now, and youre amazed and stunned at the brilliance so far, and youre shelling out your hard-earned bucks as we speak. Its the only chapter that doesnt fit the timelinesorry, its designed to rope you in, to make the sale, close the deal, you know. Moving right along
The second chapter is called So You Wanna Be A Consultant? In it, I’ll cover all the things you need to know and do before you make that big leap. Its all about focusing on what you want to do, setting goals, figuring out what your values are, and doing some initial research so you
dont fall flat on your face. It also gives you some sure-fire techniques for setting your fees.
More to the point, this chapter is about what you shouldnt be doing. You shouldnt be hiring a lawyer to incorporate. You shouldnt be hiring a CPA to get your books in order. You definitely shouldnt be hiring a designer to work up comps for your logo. You dont have a paying customer yet, so you dont have a business. To have a business, you need to be in business.
Dont skip those two first chapters! You have to set down a good foundation, particularly when it comes to your areas of focus and values. Ill talk more about this later, but rest assured that Iwandered around like Moses and the Hebrews in the Sinai because I didnt have a really good idea of where I wanted to go or how I wanted to get there. Things are so much easier now, because I know what I stand for.
The third chapter, Leap Day, is all about the big day. Youre leaving your job, striking out on your own, and all that good stuff youve been planning. What do you need on day one? Yes, theres some stuff in here about phone lines and promotional emails, but theres also some other goodies too.
The fourth chapter, First 30 Days, builds on the first day. In it youll learn how to build a system that will help your marketing wheels turn. Youll learn how to pitch clients and write proposals. Youll learn how to identify good prospects from bad.
The fourth chapter, Hitting the 90 Day Mark, moves you into the next phase of your world-domination plan. Now its time to do all those crazy things that everyone tells you to have before you start. Go ahead, hire a lawyer, hire a designer, get a logo. Happy now? Okay, now its also time to explore some other things, fun things, like creating a teleseminar series, getting booked as a speaker, and writing articles in your area of expertise. Ill also talk about servingon the boards of non-profit organizations.
The sixth chapter, The Six Month Mark, is a time for assessment and simplification. Which clients are the most profitable? Which ones suck? Which projects fire you up, and which ones could you live without? Its time to fire the bottom 20% of your client basethe ones that cause 80% of your hassles and dont pay that well anyway. Its also time to consider activities that will grow and diversify your income without complicating your life.
The seventh chapter, One Year in Business, is all about diversifying and growing your business. Dont assume Im going to tell you to hire a bunch of folks, either! Instead, I focus on making more money first, then growing the business with hired help.
Finally, in the Conclusion, I give you a bit of parting advice, point you to my web site, and tell you about some great books Ive found on Amazon that will help you grow your business even more.
