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The Ultimate Consultant Series is intended for successful practitioners who are seeking to scale still loftier heights. I'm happy to be among them.

This book is probably on the topic most eagerly anticipated of any I've written about in consulting. For the first time, I've recorded everything I know about the techniques that have worked best for me in raising fees, obtaining fees from unlikely sources, and supporting continuing fees. Yet this is by no means a mercenary book.

I believe in two aspects of consulting very strongly. First, you can't help others until you help yourself. Consequently, unless you're at least comfortable and secure financially, it's difficult to engage in pro bono work, to contribute to charities, and to help others to achieve their goals. Second, the basis for any successful client relationship is a win-win dynamic, the “good deal” you'll read about throughout this book. Therefore, you have to be treated well financially, and the client has to appreciate your value.

And when you come right down to it, there's a third aspect: Clients truly believe that they get what they pay for. No buyer ever bragged about being successful in capturing the cheapest consultant available, someone sitting by the phone with no business who took on the assignment in return for food. No, buyers—and their egos—revel in telling people that they snagged a consultant impossible to obtain, had to pay dearly, and expect everyone to listen closely.

After I worked on a project for a total of about six hours, the CEO asked his top officers what they would have charged had they been I. They guessed about $2,000 or less, having multiplied and divided by the $150 or $200 hourly rate that they charged.

“Well,” said the CEO, “he's charging us $18,000, so listen up!”

Dizzy Dean said once, “If you can do it, it ain't braggin.'” As you read on, you might want to listen up.

Alan Weiss, Ph.D.

East Greenwich, Rhode Island

November 2001