INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
New England Chapter

News and Views

In this issue:

Upcoming Events

"Professional Consulting - Success in a Down Market
Six Steps to Recession Proof Your Business"
by Bonni Carson DiMatteo, CMC, President, Atlantic Consultants

Breakfast Brainstorms Calendar

FYI

This issue
sponsored by

e-Technologies Solutions

"Task Centric Collaboration Solutions to Ensure Engagement Success"

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Formatting & layout services sponsored by

emerson consulting
group inc.
"We turn consultants into thought leaders!"

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Upcoming Events

Friday, April 25, 2003
How to Increase Your Sales Right Now — And Have Your Best Year Ever!
A "Master Class" in Selling for Consultants
with Alan Weiss, Ph.D., CMC, President, Summit Consulting Group

Doubletree Guest Suites
550 Winter Street, Waltham, MA
1:00 - 4:00 pm
(registration & networking 12:30 - 1:00 pm)

$129 members/affiliates, $149 general public

IMC New England is proud to present Dr. Alan Weiss, CMC, President of Summit Consulting Group for its first-ever "master class" in selling for management consultants. This is a "don’t miss" opportunity.

Register now online!

Professional Consulting - Success in a Down Market
Six Steps to Recession Proof Your Business

By Bonni Carson DiMatteo, CMC, President, Atlantic Consultants

If it’s a down market for business, is it a down market for consulting? Not necessarily. In fact, if we look at crisis as an opportunity this could be the best year yet. As consultants we have to ask ourselves the big questions we ask our clients? Here are some questions to help you focus on creating new and old business.

New Business:

1. Who is your ideal customer?

Where are they?
What are their compelling needs?

2. What differentiates you?

Background
Industry/Cross Industry Experience
Deep Bench
Flexibility

3. What can you offer? Give a bundled Package Deal

Training and Consulting
Facilitation and Consulting
Team Building and Consulting

4. Who can you contact?

Top of the chain?
Influencers?
Your circle of influence?

5. How can you impact the market?

Network meetings
Sending articles, information
Writing articles
Speaking Engagements
TV/Radio opportunities
Surveys
Partnering with colleagues on projects
Cold calls/warm calls

6. What are the current trends or issues where you can help?

Leadership Integrity
Reconstituted staffs
Teams who were downsized
Revenues

Old Business:

1. What are their compelling needs?

2. What has changed since you finished your work with them?

3. What are the opportunities?

4. How do your strengths match the opportunities?

5. Can you partner with someone where your weakness can be their strengths?

6. What can you offer?

7. How can you impact the market?

• Do you have a new workshop/training/article they should know about?
• Keep in touch - 4 times a year is a reasonable pattern
• Send articles you think would be relevant
• Send customer satisfaction surveys to remind them of the value of your work
• Contact them with questions on how the previous piece of work was of value
• Can they recommend a contact who might benefit from your services

Once you have answered these questions you can focus on:

Six Steps to Recession Proof Your Business

Step One: Identify what you want

• Define Success: How many clients simultaneously or sequentially and with what kind of project?
• Write it down where you can see your goals daily
• Ask yourself daily: What am I doing to create business?

Step Two: Check your assumptions and beliefs that prohibit growth or business development

• Challenge the assumptions and identify any self-sabotaging thinking. Example: "No one is buying consulting in this market."

Step Three: Make a strategic assessment of your SWOT

• Capitalize on your strengths and opportunities
• Mitigate your weakness, challenge the threats

Step Four: Do a Market Analysis

• What do people and companies want
• Find some way to provide

Step Five: Make a business plan

• Include mailing, phone contact, networking, speaking engagements over the next 12 months
• Contact your circle of influence and influencers - regularly
• Do you need additional LOB’s? Training, facilitation, products, etc.

Step Six: Be Grateful

• Whether it is the network or your old customer - let them know how much you appreciate their confidence in your work

We are always marketing and selling to keep out of the feast or famine cycle. New business or old business recycled usually takes 2-4 months to generate. It is something that must be done constantly and in a variety of ways: networking, personal contact, public speaking, writing, brokering and media appearances. This is a business and you are the CEO. You can make this the best year yet and the work begins now.

Bonni Carson DiMatteo, CMC, is President of Atlantic Consultants of Wellesley, MA. Atlantic Consultants offers coaching, training, facilitation and consultation in leadership and organizational effectiveness. Bonni DiMatteo’s clients are small to large size companies as well as individuals from the Fortune 1000.

Breakfast Brainstorms Calendar
Free to IMCNE members and affiliates, $10 for nonmembers

Monday, May 5, 2003
7:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Bickford's Restaurant, Manchester, NH

Monday, May 12, 2003
7:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Rebecca's Café, Burlington, MA

Friday, May 16, 2003
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
The Art of Selling (For Consultants)
Hampton Inn, Sturbridge, MA

Want to host a Breakfast Brainstorm in your area? Contact for details.

FYI

When Faced With A "Virus"

The information below about how to determine if a virus alert is a hoax or misinformation came from Tom Austin, "Mr. Information Security." Most of the time, Tom says, these things are hoaxes.

Some good trusted sources to confirm your suspicions:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/
http://www.snopes.com/
http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/
http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp
http://virusall.com/hoaxlat.html

First question the accuracy of the source, and then type the name of the virus and the word "hoax" into any search engine (such as Google) and get information FAST.

Strategic Partner Events Now Listed on IMCNE Web Site

The IMCNE web site has a new link that lists our Strategic Partners events and other events of interest. Visit http://www.imcne.org/spcalendar.html

Member Spotlight

Isn't it your turn to be in the spotlight? Send your name, your business name and 1) recent awards/distinctions/professional certifications you've received; 2) public speaking engagements; and 3) published articles. (Be sure to include key facts, such as when, where and for whom.) You must be a IMC member or affiliate to be featured. Send ; indicate Subject: IMCNE spotlight

Read any good books lately? Book reviews of up to 150 words are needed monthly. Business books and those you found helpful from other genres are of special interest. us - enter Subject: IMCNE book review

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