This is the first of three articles where you will learn two things you absolutely MUST do if you want to become a success as an independent consultant, and one thing you should NEVER DO that will instantly send your client running to a competitor!

A consultant has a unique position in the business world because he or she is thought of as an ‘expert’ who can give help or aid in a specific subject. If you say, “Yea-yea. The last consultant my company used knew less than I know, but they paid him a fortune. I should get the money he got”, you are beginning to understand what the words “thought-of as an expert” really mean. Your next question should be: ”How can I get to be a consultant, be thought of as an expert, and make the big bucks?” Read on.

WRITE A BOOK
The first thing you must do to establish your credibility is to write a book; and before you come up with the excuse, “I can’t do that” think about the books you have read where you knew more about the subject than the author, then asked yourself, “Why is she the expert? I could write a better book than this.” So here’s how you write a book.

1. Pick your subject. “The 1948 Football Scandal”, “Piano Tuning”, “Grooming Your Poodle”, “Practical Uses For Vector Analysis”, “Hiring Scientists”. Get the idea? Stick to a subject you know well, but use this as your great opportunity to learn how to be someone others want to hire!
2. Next you will ‘Modulize’ your topic. If you were going to tell someone about your selected subject, what major topics would you address to make sure the person had all the information? Write these down individually on 3X5 cards. These will be your modules. You should have no less than 10 and no more than 20 modules and they should cover everything you want your listener to know about your subject … EVERYTHING! You may want to read other books on the subject, explore the internet, and pick the brains of others to make sure you have touched all bases.
3. Now take each card in turn and list from 3 to 8 sub-topics under each module. By sub-topic I mean when you talk about the module titled ‘Selecting the Proper Set of Tuning Forks’ for your Piano Tuning book you could discuss manufacturers, size, and proper method of using the piano as a sounding board. Make sure each module has at least three sub-topics. If you have more than 8 sub-topics you may want to break that module into two parts.
4. Now arrange your modules (with the sub-topics) in logical order. Stand in front of a mirror and talk your subject to yourself using your modules. Make sure you cover every single sub-topic. Fill in the holes and eliminate the duplicates when you discover them. Tape record this the second or third time you go through it.
5. You now have everything you need to write a book! Your modules are the chapters, your sub-topics are the bulleted topics and your taped talk is the text under that sub-topic. Take your tape to a transcriptionist and have a double-spaced typed copy made. Edit that manuscript. It’s your book!

PUBLISHING
There are some onerous tasks you will need to wade through on your way to publication or your book will not have the credentials it requires. These include shelving codes, cover art, bar codes, the ISBN number, the Library of Congress number, copyright words, testimonials, and a host of other items. To establish yourself as an expert you do not have to have your book published by a major publishing house, you do not need an agent, and you do not have to warehouse a garage full of books, you can self-publish your book, but that’s another topic. If you have questions about this week’s topic, please email me at paul@tulenko.com.

NEXT WEEK
Next week we will talk about the second thing you absolutely must do to REALLY Make-It as a Consultant! The following week will show you the most destructive thing you can do that will absolutely destroy your credibility and relegate you to the third level of expertise.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING.)
Paul Tulenko is an International Small Business Success Consultant based in New Mexico, USA. Additional tips and suggestions are available at www.tulenko.com or call (toll-free) 1-866-TULENKO.