Some consultants are criticized by clients as being non-thinking automatons who do not listen to their particular problems. Instead, the complaint goes, the consultant simply nods, says that he or she has dealt with the problem before, and produces "pat" answers. And often this is indeed the case.
The thrust of the complaint is that a professional should deal with each problem on a case-by-case basis, custom-tailoring solutions. This is what the client is eager and willing to pay for. Clients don't want off-the-rack solutions to their "very special" problems.
Now, it is sometimes - though infrequently - true that a client's problem is unique to the consultant, because this world contains an infinite variety of people as well as problems. But it is also true that people and organizations share an amazing number of identical characteristics and attitudes. So the French axiom, "The more things change, the more they remain the same," holds true. It is that sameness to which this article addresses itself.
It is also sometimes true that consultants don't pay enough attention and have not mastered the art of listening to the client. But to describe the consulting profession as one in which each and every practitioner offers shallow, pat solutions is far from the mark. The truth lies squarely in between. There are "canned" or common problems that the professional has dealt with time and time again and for which he can-and ethically should - offer a "canned" solution. There are also some unusual problems the consultant must face for the first time. But most often, there are situations that require both: a product (monograph, pamphlet, cassette, or whatever) that accurately describes the state of the art, plus specificity in applying that art to the particular problem at hand.
Unfortunately, the average client tends to believe that his problem is a "first" - to the point that he is willing to pay large fees to have this "unique" problem treated from scratch.
Seminars
Mass is a relative term. Your information, since it is by nature narrow and specific, will not appeal to the majority of the general public. So the masses will not react to your new products as they do to Dr. Spock, H&R Block, or The Joy of Cooking. But if 200 to 2,000 people react to your advice in whatever manner you choose to package it, this is certainly "mass" compared to one at a time.
Seminars are the rage today because they are packages that, for a myriad of reasons, the public accepts, pays for, and encourages. For a minimum investment you can test a seminar of your own. Once successful, you can "roll it out" to larger proportions-each session bringing 50 to 200 attendees, who pay anywhere from $50 to $500 each to hear your advice.
The seminar not only is an excellent way for the consultant to syndicate his or her advice but also is a surefire way to get more clients. As such, seminars are excellent marketing tools for the consulting profession.
The New Communications Environment
The new communications environment consists mainly of audio cassettes, videocassettes, and cable TV. Any advice you have can be taped and put into audio cassette form, otherwise known as a "talking book." For very little investment you can make and sell this product. Video-cassettes, on the other hand, require expensive studio time and equipment as well as film-making expertise. At the present time, videocassette studios are more interested in entertainment than in training. However, their appetites are voracious for material, and it will not be long before our expertise will be sought by them. Be on the lookout for this excellent opportunity.
Cable TV is using consultant expertise more and more as new small stations cater to the individual, specific needs of subscribers. For the consulting profession, this is an opportunity that has arrived. Don't be put off if you are camera-shy or non-photogenic. The people who produce cable TV shows are more than willing to rewrite your material for more popular consumption and to hire professional actors who will present it dramatically.
This article has discussed additional consulting profit centers that are yours for the taking. Some of you will jump right in and try them. Using this guide, you will not rest until your natural curiosity and energetic appetite for innovation are satiated. You are the readers who endow how-to writers with a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.