INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
New England Chapter

News and Views

In this issue:

Results from the Consultant Profile

Member Spotlights

Next Event:
Monday
March 15, 2004

CMC Corner

Welcome New Members

Member Feature Article
Marketing in Slow Times:
Two Questions Can Turn Things Around
by Ken Lizotte, CMC

Breakfast Brainstorms Calendar

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

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Next Event:

Monday
March 15, 2004

Dinner Speaker Program
5:30-8:00 p.m.
Sheraton Lexington, Lexington, MA

How to Create and Sustain a Successful Business in Today's Economic Climate

with Les Charm,
Babson College Dept. of Entrepreneurship

Register NOW online!

For complete details, visit IMCNE.org

Results from the Consultant Profile

Below are highlights from the Consultant Profile, a survey of IMCNE members whose purpose is to build an inventory of members' business focus, expertise and networking preferences. Members Jim Simons (Compensation & Benefits Solutions) and Bill Evans (WorkSense Consulting Group) designed and conducted the survey. Each member who filled out the survey will receive a PDF file in March containing one-page profiles of all the respondents. 63 consultants – about half the IMCNE membership - answered the call and completed the Consultant Profile.

1. The survey offered over 70 categories of expertise from which to choose. The top five categories are change management, business strategy, general management, coaching and business development.

2. Respondents cited membership in nearly 50 professional organizations. The Society of Professional Consultants led all choices with 14.

3. 24% of the respondents have more than 20 years of consulting experience; the other 76% average just over 6 years.

4. The industries served most often are Professional and Technical Services, Health Care and Manufacturing (tied for second place), High Tech-Hardware, Banking and High Tech-Software (tied for fourth place).

5. When asked what type of IMCNE subgroup they would like to form or join, 24% expressed no preference. The other 76% chose (in rank order) cross marketing, lead generation, professional emphasis and business advisory.

Member Spotlights

Jeffrey A. Govendo (The Innovative Edge Inc.) had his article, "Getting your best ROI from a creative company retreat" published in the February 23, 2004 issue of Mass High Tech.

Allan B. Haberman, Ph.D. (Haberman Associates) gave a presentation on "Strategies for Effective Post-Genomic Drug Discovery and Development" at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC) Annual Committee Day, in January 2004 in Cambridge, MA.

Ken Lizotte, CMC (emerson consulting group inc) addressed the New England Ice Cream Restaurant Association in January with his topic, "Using Free Media to Grow Your Business."

Mark Swartz's (Accretive Consulting Group, LLC) article "Stunted Growth: Why small businesses stay small" was published in the February 27, 2004 issue of the Boston Business Journal.

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 an IMC member or affiliate to be featured. Email them to Ethel Cook at , Subject: IMCNE spotlight.

The CMC Corner

Have You Earned Your CMC Yet?

Join the ranks of the true professional consultant by applying for (and attaining) the preeminent mark of excellence among management consulting professionals, the exclusive Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation, available only through IMC. A CMC after your name signifies evidence of the highest standards of consulting and adherence to the ethical canons of the profession. Less than 1% of all consultants have achieved this level of performance. Learn more by clicking imcusa.org/cmc.acgi

An invitation to IMCNE CMC members — This section is dedicated to you. If you have commentary you'd like to share, here is a forum for you. Send your commentary to our Editor, Ethel Cook, for consideration. Email Ethel at , Subject: CMC Commentary.

Welcome New Members

Anthony Raymond, New Harbor Technical Management

Member Feature Article

Marketing in Slow Times: Two Questions Can Turn Things Around
By Ken Lizotte CMC

When business is slow, we consultants can choose to do nothing and just twiddle our toes until things turn around, or we can use this unexpected free time to re-evaluate our marketing approaches. Maybe via different business development methods, we can ramp things back up and get our practice back on track. The way you answer two questions in particular could spell the difference between mediocre business flow and unqualified success.

Question #1: What Business Are You In?

Re-defining your market niche and/or value proposition ("value prop") could put you back in the game. Selecting the right value prop affects your consulting image, making you more attractive than your competitors who merely offer "helping companies grow" or some other vague ultimate result. My plumber runs an ad in my local paper, which states "I want to be your family’s plumber!" That simple commitment held great appeal for me, declaring that my household would be taken care of whenever a toilet overflowed, not forgotten or told to "Wait until Monday."

Question #2: Do You Stand Out from the Crowd?

Once you have defined and honed your value prop, go out and spread the news! Two dynamic approaches come to mind:

1) Relationship Management—By interacting with real people at events populated by your natural market, you’ll network with likely prospects and set up alliances with "influencers." See Jim Masciarelli’s book Powerskills: Building Top-Level Relationships for Bottom-Line Results for the full scoop on how to do this well.

2) Become a Thought Leader—To truly stand out from the crowd, become a leading thinker by developing provocative ideas, then publishing articles and books on these new concepts, and speaking about them before audiences composed of your target market. Since few (if any) of your competition will be doing the same, you’ll rise above the crowd almost by default, and as a result, those "things-are-slow-right-now" blues will fast fade away.

Ken Lizotte CMC, Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO), emerson consulting group inc. (Concord, Massachusetts), transforms consultants and companies into "thought leaders." He is President of IMCNE and author of four books. Contact him at , 978-371-0442 or www.thoughtleading.com

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

Monday, April 5, 2004
7:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Sheraton Wayfarer Restaurant, Bedford, NH

Monday, April 12, 2004
7:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Rebecca's Café, Burlington, MA

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

Strategic Partner Events — Check out our Calendar of Strategic Partner and Other Events on our web site for more information on events of interest. Click www.imcne.org/spcalendar.html, then click on the appropriate link for detailed information that could save you money.

Book Reviews Solicited

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. Email Ethel Cook at , Subject: IMCNE book review