Million Dollar Consulting Proposals E-Book

Alan Weiss

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 261

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

Bestselling author of Million Dollar Consulting shares the secrets of writing winning proposals Intended for consultants, speakers, and other professional services providers, Million Dollar Consulting® Proposals ends forever the time-consuming and often frustrating process of writing a consulting proposal. It begins with the basics--defining these proposals and why they are necessary--and coaches you through the entire proposal process. In this book, you'll learn how to establish outcome-based business objectives and maximize your success and commensurate fees. From bestselling author Alan Weiss, Million Dollar Consulting Proposals delivers step-by-step guidance on the essential element in creating a million dollar consultancy. * Outlines the nine key components to a Million Dollar Consulting proposal structure * Presents a dozen Golden Rules for presenting proposals * Offers online samples, forms, and templates to maximize the effectiveness of these tools * The New York Post calls bestselling author Alan Weiss "one of the most highly regarded independent consultants in America." Alan Weiss's expert guidance can lead your consulting business to unprecedented success, and it all starts with a million dollar proposal.

Leseprobe

Contents

Cover

Title

Copyright

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1: Business Vows

What They Can Do and What They Can’t Do

Their Place in Your Business Model

Why You Don’t Provide Proposals for Just Anyone

The Role of Conceptual Agreement

The Concept of Value (Not Time and Materials)

Chapter 2: Five Steps Toward Great Leaps

Determining the Economic Buyer

Developing Trusting Relationships

Establishing Outcome-Based Business Objectives

Establishing Metrics for Progress and Success

Establishing Value and Impact

Chapter 3: Avoiding Gatekeepers, Intermediaries, and Goblins

Utilizing Mutual, Enlightened Self-Interest

Using Guile and Other Art Forms

Using Explosives

Avoiding Delegation

Ensuring Support

Chapter 4: The Architecture of Successful Proposals

The Nine Key Components

Chapter 5: One Dozen Golden Rules for Presenting Proposals

Speed and Responsiveness

Accurate Re-creations

Counterintuitive: No Pitch or Promotion

To Be or Not to Be (In Person)

Definitive Dates and Times

Chapter 6: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People Who Wait

How and When to Follow Up

What to Anticipate and How to Cope

Overcoming Last-Minute Objections

Overcoming Legitimate Obstacles

Creating a Signature (or Something Else)

Chapter 7: First, Let’s Kill All the Lawyers

Dealing With the Legal Department

How to Avoid the Legal Department

Utilizing Your Own Attorney

Effective and Ineffective Compromise

The Golden Handshake

Chapter 8: The Dreaded RFP (Request for Proposals)

The Beauties of Being a Sole-Source Provider

How to Massage RFPs so That They Look Like You

How to Offer Additional Value

How to Use Public Meetings for Leverage

When to Run for the Hills

Chapter 9: Retainers Are to Projects as Montrachet Is to Thunderbird

The Three Variables of a Retainer

The Need to Control Scope Creep and Scope Seep

How to Assertively Pursue Renewals

How to Stimulate More Retainers

Chapter 10: In the Unlikely Event You Need Oxygen

What to Do With Requests for Delays Based on Time and Money

What to Do If Rejected

How to Improve Your Proposals Constantly

How to Maximize Your Successes and Fees

When to Stop Writing Proposals

Virtual Appendix

Sample Proposals

Index

List of Tables

TABLE 3.1

List of Illustrations

FIGURE 1.1

FIGURE 1.2

FIGURE 3.1

FIGURE 3.2

FIGURE 4.1

FIGURE 6.1

FIGURE 7.1

FIGURE 8.1

FIGURE 9.1

FIGURE 10.1

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

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Million Dollar Consulting Proposals

How to Write a Proposal That’s Accepted Every Time

ALAN WEISS

Copyright © 2012 by Alan Weiss, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at [phone], outside the United States at [phone] or fax [phone].

Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Weiss, Alan, 1946–

Million dollar consulting proposals : how to write a proposal that’s accepted every time/Alan Weiss.—1

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-118-09753-3 (pbk.); ISBN 978-1-118-15000-9 (ebk); ISBN 978–1–118–15001–6 (ebk); ISBN 978–1–118–15002–3 (ebk)

1. Business consultants. 2. Consulting firms—Management. 3. Consultants—Marketing. I. Title.

HD69.C6.W4598 2011

001—dc23

2011022699

This book is dedicated to Koufax, the Wonder Dog, and Buddy Beagle, both of whom create irresistible proposals.