If you want to be a successful consultant, you need to focus on process—on creating "a set of pipes only you can play," as world-renowned consulting expert Alan Weiss puts it.

In this episode, Alan shares hard-won insights from his decades of experience, including why successful consulting means being a good marketer, why presentations and pitches are midcentury relics, and why value-based pricing is the clear choice over hourly fees. He also shares practical advice on starting and growing a consulting practice, including the six key ways to meet buyers and why consultants should avoid unnecessary overhead costs when they're just starting out.

Alan Weiss is a globally recognized authority in consulting and professional speaking, with a client roster including Merck, Hewlett-Packard, Mercedes-Benz, and over 500 other leading organizations. He's an inductee into the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame and a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants—one of only two people holding both distinctions. His prolific work includes over 60 books, notably the bestseller "Million Dollar Consulting," now in its sixth edition. Weiss has taught at prestigious institutions including Case Western Reserve University and Boston College, and holds a Ph.D. in psychology.

Alan prefers the tried-and-true Dunkin' Donuts for his coffee.

His book recommendations include  Managing in Turbulent Times by Peter Drucker (https://www.amazon.com/Managing-Turbulent-Times-Peter-Drucker/dp/0750617039) and Andrea Gabor's The Capitalist Philosophers (https://www.amazon.com/Capitalist-Philosophers-Geniuses-Modern-Business/dp/0609808877).

Connect with Alan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanweissphd

If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with Itir Eraslan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/