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The Power of Four, Unleashed

Author

Lauren Wambold Patel
October 24, 2023

Moving You Up and To The Right

Welcome back to "The 2x2" - the ultimate newsletter for independent consultants! We're here to ignite your imagination, empower your expertise, and make this Twosday an unforgettable day of discovery. With curated tools, in-depth solutions, groundbreaking new methods, and a dash of coolness, we've got your consulting prowess covered from every angle.

Get ready for a quadruple dose of awesomeness as we dive into this edition.

1. Just Say No. It’s That Easy

Mastering the art of saying no allows you to protect your time, energy, and personal boundaries, ensuring that you stay focused on your priorities and avoid overcommitment or burnout. Think you're good at saying no? Actually, you could probably use a few pointers. Get ready to embrace the transformative potential of this often overlooked skill.

2. Nik Fuller on How to Sell 110+ Consulting Projects

How do you sell 110+ consulting projects? Just ask @Nik_Fuller. We fully concur with his winning four-stage process

Stage 1: The Meet-and-Greet (also known as Discovery)

This is where the magic starts: 5 calls over 3 days. Depending on your client's unique song and dance, things might shift a bit. But the goal remains: gather the intel for a rock-solid proposal.

Stage 2: Crafting a Proposal

Nik's advice? A standout proposal that highlights the project's mission, lays out the roadmap to success and includes projects essentials: timelines, tasks, deliverables, roles, and that all-important pricing.

(And psst, for those looking for a little nudge, we've got a Proposal Template here in the Community.)

Stage 3: Statement of Work

Think of the SoW as your legal agreement with the client, and you’ll spend some time putting it together. Nic provides a lot of detail on the process that we recommend reviewing.

Stage 4: Project Kickoff

You've landed the gig! Time to kick things off with energy and finesse.

And as the curtain draws to a close, here’s a nugget from Nik himself: “Always think about ‘How do I make this a template?’”

Feeling overwhelmed? We’ve got you covered with plug-and-play templates for Proposals, Statements of Work and the Kickoff. Join Us for access.

3. The Future of AI is Now

Welcome to the realm of AI hacks, where the secret sauce to supercharging productivity lies. With new tools and apps emerging daily, we’re committed to cherry-picking the most interesting resources for you. Here’s the first installment.

P.S. At TheConsult.co, we harness the potential of AI in our daily endeavors. Join our Community to discover firsthand how we have leveraged AI to develop a governance process for business analytics at a Fortune 50 company.

Go ahead, roll your eyes, but in the vast realm of retail, one peculiar conundrum stands out—mattress shopping. We’re faced with a dizzying array of choices that to be approached via online analytic superpowers or awkward expeditions to showrooms while looking for that elusive perfect perch to spend upwards of a quarter of our lives. Fear not, here are few insightful and entertaining articles that may or may not simplify matters-esses.

Just in case you’ve decided to give up on a new mattress altogether, find out how to Fix a Sagging Mattress.

And once you have that princess in a pillow feeling, what do you want (for Christmas, ehem, ehem)? An Eight Sleep, if you please.

Remember, the path to success is paved with continuous learning and embracing fresh perspectives. So let's stay connected, share ideas, and elevate your consulting business.

Stay curious, our friends.

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