I recently left the warm confines of my corporate employer. I could end this post on that note, but…
Now, I am a consultant. Specifically, a marketing consultant. This is a shift from many years of being a marketer inside an organization. Unlike many shifts in life this one feels pretty natural. I won’t say it feels comfy (yet) but I am figuring out how this particular suit fits.
Through my career as a professional marketer I have hired many consultants. Some of them great; some not so great. I think there are just a few characteristics that distinguish the great ones:
- Great consultants help me focus on very specific objectives
- Great consultants help me drive measurable results
- Great consultants can stand “outside” the organization and see patterns and pitfalls – they orchestrate for success
- Great consultants deliver on projects with a specific beginning and end
There are certainly many other elements to being successful as a consultant, but these have really resonated with me throughout the years. I appreciate consultants that have experience, a positive attitude, great listening skills, and the ability to bring the right resources to bear at the right time.
As a consultant I want to exhibit the characteristics above for my clients. I also want to be able to offer something unique. I’ll write more about that next time.
Thinktone 