101 Ways To Succeed As An Independent Consultant
(Kogan Page)
ISBN 0-7494-2962-3
Click here to order:
Reviews and reader comments
"As someone who reads about four business books each month, I can honestly say that this slim volume is packed with some of the best, practical advice I have read for a long time."

David Cook
***** "A real gem!!!"
"Even if you are not a consultant this book is a gem. Full of useful ideas and suggestions in whatever business you are in. Every now and then I browse it and I find new useful stuff. I sincerely advise you to buy this book!"

 Petros Tritsinis, Greece,
via Amazon.co.uk
"Foster aims not to produce elaborate market analyses but to provide intelligent people with tips on how to survive. So there are self-marketing ideas galore. There are also notions on keeping customers. With a nice ironic touch, Foster, himself a consultant, produces as his final suggestion - writing a book."

Daily Telegraph

Extract

Way 2:
Identify Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

You need to differentiate yourself, so that when people think of you they automatically build in the link to your own USP. Why should someone use you rather than another person? The reason is your edge. Is it because you are there? Because you have the lowest prices? Because you know more about the subject than anyone else? Because you're fun to be with? Because you're famous?

To help you with this task, try the following exercise. Write down the names of the ten brands you most admire:  cars, TVs, restaurants, services, airlines, hotels, chocolates, whiskies, whatever. Then write down the attribute you think that each brand has that makes it so. I'll give you a few of my own favourites:

  • CNN (Cable News Network),  24-hour global TV news

  • Federal Express, guaranteed delivery on time

  • Macintosh computer, intuitive, user-friendly, graphic operation

  • Virgin Atlantic Airlines, the best business-class service

If you know who your competitors are, try the same thing for them. Then write down ten attributes for yourself that could be used to differentiate you from everyone else. You are a brand!

 

Excerpt © 1999 Timothy R. V. Foster

 

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