Six Tips for Consulting Success    

How do you get on a consulting agency's 'call-me-first' list? The tips provided in this article are a good place to start.

Gotsill, Gina. Intercom (2007). Careers>Consulting

So You Want to Get Paid on Time? Here's How to Make It Happen

'I love everything about being self-employed--except for waiting to get paid! My paychecks never seem to arrive on time. Sometimes my clients forget to send my invoices to Accounts Payable or the invoices get misplaced; other times the process just bogs down and takes forever. Whatever the reason, I'm stuck waiting for checks that don't come.' This article addresses the question: How can I get my clients to pay on time?

Fugate, Alice E. TECHWR-L (2003). Careers>Freelance>Consulting

Stand and Deliver

You've got thirty seconds to sell your work to the well dressed nemesis who's paying you. Handle the next few moments gracefully, and the project will be one you can be proud of. Flub an answer, and you can kiss excellence goodbye. Are you prepared? Can you deliver?

Sleight, David. List Apart, A (2007). Careers>Consulting>Business Communication

Start a Simulated Consulting Firm

Your group of three to four students plans to start a technical communications consulting agency. Each of you should read one of the articles found under the heading 'Getting Started in the Profession' and 'Professional Associations' (in the Web Destinations section). Take and compare notes, then collaboratively write a two to three page proposal aimed at securing a business start-up loan from your local bank. Make sure you address your business's goals, marketing strategies, and services offered. All of this information should be based on your readings. To look at some short model proposals, go to the Models and Templates section of this Web site.

Lannon, John M. Pearson Education. Academic>Course Materials>Consulting

Starting a Business: Advice from the Trenches

Did that last 'fire your boss' spam push you over the edge? Do your wish-fulfillment dreams revolve around letterhead, legal entities, and avoiding arrest for tax evasion? If you’re crazy enough to start your own business, Kevin Potts wants you to learn from his mistakes.

Potts, Kevin. List Apart, A (2003). Careers>Management>Consulting

STC Consulting and Independent Contracting Special Interest Group

The Consulting and Independent Contracting SIG serves as a focal point for information about practicing technical communication as an independent contractor or consultant. It helps both new and seasoned independents practice their trade more effectively. The CIC SIG operates within STC at the international level, and supports local chapter CIC SIGs.

STC. Organizations>TC>Consulting

Successful Contract Consulting  

Many technical communicators are venturing into the world of independent contract consulting. Some have taken the bold step on their own initiative and others have been unwillingly pushed out of the corporate nest. In today’s working environment, numerous technical communicators have found that the key to professional fulfillment and financial successful is contract employment.

Currie, Cynthia C. and James T. Currie. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>Consulting

Successful Independent Consulting Workshop  

To succeed as an independent consultant, technical communicators must master basic business concepts. These include properly setting up the business, marketing, and understanding basic contracts. When setting up their business, independent consultants must consider the legal form of their business, required licensees, insurance, retirement plans, and industry going rates. Marketing methods are divided into passive and active techniques. Independent consultants must know how to market to two main channels: agencies and direct clients.

Florzak, Douglas. STC Proceedings (1998). Careers>Freelance>Consulting

Successful Independent Consulting Workshop  

To succeed as an independent consultant, technical communicators must master basic business concepts. This workshop focuses primarily on the set up and marketing of a technical communication consulting business. When setting up their business, independent consultants must consider the legal form of their business, required licensees, insurance, retirement plans, and industry going rates. Marketing methods are divided into passive and active techniques. Independent consultants must know how to market to two main channels: agencies and direct clients.

Florzak, Douglas. STC Proceedings (1999). Careers>Consulting>TC

Surviving the Project from Hell  

What was supposed to be a six-week out-of-town technical writing assignment became nine months of torture. Mired in poor planning, wasteful spending, unbearable working conditions and internal politics, the project resulted in bankruptcy for one company and unused user documentation for another. I survived the project by seeking ways to keep up my personal morale. This included regular exercise, organizing special dinners with co-workers and involvement in local activities.

Utz, Dana. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>Consulting>Case Studies

Tech-Check Worksheet

This worksheet is designed to help you determine the basic technical requirements and target goals for your audience. The first section contains a breakdown of information designed to help you determine your target browser, platform, connection speed and technologies being used. The second section will help you determine the extent of your back-end technology. Take the information you know about your current audience to help determine answers to these questions.

GotoMedia (2004). Resources>Consulting>User Centered Design

Technical Communication Consulting as a Business    

To be a successful technical communication consultant requires expertise in two critical areas: technical communication and running a small business. The main reason many technical communicators (and many technical professionals in general) fail as consultants is that they focus exclusively on the first aspect and neglect the second. As employees, they are accustomed to keeping current with new and emerging trends in technical communications. However, as employees they have never needed to learn or maintain currency with the myriad of issues involved in running a small business. It requires a balance of both aspects to be successful as a consultant or a contractor.

Poe, Stephen D. Technical Communication Online (2002). Careers>Consulting

The Technical Communicator as Strategic Consulting Partner  

Service-based. Needs-based. Relationship-based. Trust-based. These are the types of relationships that can exist between you and your clients. As a technical communicator, you will likely have relationships at the service and need-based levels, perhaps even at the relationship-based level. To truly have bottom line impact for your client, however, you need to have that trust-based relationship. How do you get to the trust-based level? This paper describes the role of the technical communicator as strategic consulting partner, a trust-based relationship for sure, and provides some practical approaches to getting there.

Currie, Cynthia C. and Kristen J. Erickson. STC Proceedings (2003). Careers>Consulting

Trends in Technical Communication: An Independent's View  

Responding to articles from a previous issue of Intercom, Frick reacts to professional trends that affect her independent consulting business.

Frick, Elizabeth A. 'Betsy'. Intercom (2000). Careers>Freelance>Consulting

Usability Consultants Tapped to Untangle Web Sites

Having a beautiful Web site with all the latest sales technology won’t help your business if visitors can’t find their way around. But how can you fix navigation problems when exploring your Web site seems as confusing as tracing a single strand in a plate of spaghetti?

Wagner, Mitch. BtoB (2002). Careers>Consulting>Usability

Usability Consultants Tapped to Untangle Web Sites

Having a beautiful Web site with all the latest sales technology won’t help your business if visitors can’t find their way around. But how can you fix navigation problems when exploring your Web site seems as confusing as tracing a single strand in a plate of spaghetti? That’s where usability consultants and software come in.

Wagner, Mitch. BtoB (2002). Articles>Usability>Consulting

User Assistance Walkthroughs: Helping Best Practices Emerge

In my previous job as a UX designer, I learned the value of collaborative design walkthroughs. During walkthroughs, the UX designer would step through a user scenario--using the wireframes or mid-fidelity prototypes--with a cross-disciplinary team comprising product management, other UX designers, business analysts, developers, product testers, and technical communicators.

Hughes, Michael A. UXmatters (2007). Careers>Consulting>Design

Vetting Clients For Peace of Mind

Landing a new client is a great thrill -- unless you discover he or she is dreadful to work with or fails to pay you promptly -- or pay at all. Here are some questions designed to help you prevent nasty client surprises before the hard work begins.

Adams, Eric J. Creative Pro (2004). Careers>Consulting

What Makes Those Damn Clients So Difficult?

You know the old saying: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The same holds true in dealing with clients. Oh sure, Atilla the Hun is out there, but he or she is an infinitesimal minority. (If you're at that point, see Firing Atilla the Hun.) In actual fact, most of those downright ugly client situations stem from a host of reasons other than the client themselves: lack of planning and communication, poor listening skills, over-promises and unmet expectations, over-confidence and lack of self-confidence, and lack of motivation--on either side. Another reason why some clients can seem so difficult to deal with is because they're people. Sound silly? Believe it or not, it's often overlooked when our main focus is 'the project,' the work at hand.

Cummings, Wanda. Digital Web Magazine (2000). Careers>Consulting

What to Do When a Prospective Client Doesn't Respond to Your Proposal

These days, it seems to be the way more and more very busy people are simply saying 'Not right now.' So what do you do about it? Do you leave the ball in their court and just sit around waiting for them to hit it back? Of course not.

Benun, Ilise. Usability Professionals Association (2005). Careers>Consulting

When You Are Your Own Client, Who Are You Going To Make Fun Of At The Bar?

Should your blog have a business? Jim Coudal shares insights into the adventure of transitioning from client services to product creation.

Coudal, Jim. List Apart, A (2005). Careers>Freelance>Consulting>Web Design

Working Through Agencies: Independence or Indentured Servitude?

Many contractors get their starts through job shops or employment agencies. But are agencies on the path to independence or just trading one employer for another? Working through agencies has its pros and cons. Whether an agency contract or two might suit you and fit well with your business plans depends as much on your temperament and your expectations and goals as it does on the agencies you work through and the kinds of assignments you take on.

White, Tom. STC Williamette Valley (2002). Careers>Consulting

Your Clients are Going Global: Can You Keep Up?

As more companies conduct business globally, their printing needs often involve more foreign language translation and typesetting. Being able to meet such growing needs may give your business a major competitive advantage. So, have you considered adding translation and typesetting to your printing offerings? The one-stop convenience may be a major draw for businesses that have frequent dealings overseas. They will most likely choose a printer that can handle everything rather than dividing the work up for several printers to handle. So what do you need to do to get started?

WTB Language Group (2004). Careers>Consulting>Publishing>International

Your Own Best Ad: Promoting Yourself as a Contractor

Most contractors can't afford the time or money to advertise. If they can, there probably aren't many places where an ad would reach potential clients anyway. By default, then, your reputation as a contractor rests on your behavior at each job. Leave a happy client behind at the end of each job, and you'll soon start a word-of-mouth campaign that will keep you employed the rest of your working life.

Byfield, Bruce. TECHWR-L (2008). Careers>Consulting>Freelance>Marketing