Independent Consulting Without Selling Work, a Talent Response White Paper
An independent consultant's guide to creating a portfolio of work without constantly feeling that you're "selling."
Our observations from working with independent consultants within our network – most of whom have roots with established management consulting firms – highlight several patterns that differentiate the most successful independent consultants from the rest.
Independent consultants enjoy freedoms that few other professionals do: opportunities to be their own bosses, pick their projects, and set their rates. The draw of independent consulting is particularly strong for those who want a more flexible work schedule than full-time jobs afford. Quitting a full-time job can actually lead to increased creativity and diversification of income sources. But with so many advantages, why don’t more professionals branch out on their own? For many, it comes down to the inherent uncertainty of the practice and challenge of simultaneously managing a business development pipeline while delivering on sold projects.
Independent consultants struggle with the cycle of how much energy – and when – to devote to business development. Should one devote 20% of one’s time to business development; 50%? To what degree should the intensity of current project work influence that target level of BD effort?
These are tough questions, and there isn’t yet a crisp, cohesive formula for success in independent consulting. We may not have the answer, but we have drafted a holistic guide for the independent consultant looking to free herself from the constant ebb and flow of business development and project delivery.
In a new white paper issued by Talent Response, we argue that independent consultants can mitigate this risk of underutilization by developing and following a strategic approach to business development. Specifically, we present three strategies – managing a portfolio of work, leveraging “nexus connectors,” and building personal brand – that can help independent consultants thrive without constantly worrying about securing their next engagement.
To download your copy of the white paper, please just click here. We encourage you to join our curated library of consulting talent and review open projects at app.talentresponse.com.
