Consulting
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- 74LEO
I have never been asked to do design"consulting".
Has anyone done or is currently doing this. Pros Cons? Doesn't seem like the best thing for them to do. I feel like I'll just be training their designer which I'm not even sure can do what I need him to do for the company to be a success. Have to work with what he knows. Just seems like an odd job to do. I think they are so deep into the project that they want me to just keep the wheels on it. Anyway experiences I'd like to hear.
Thanks
- bjladams0
we do design consulting for a number of local brands - it's good money, but hard work too. most of them have their own designers, copy writers and so on, but need advise or just a professional opinion on implementing what they've done or direction on where to go.
the first one we took on, we thought the same thing - that we'd be training their designer what to do, but years later they're still active, paying clients.
- vaxorcist0
I've done consulting ..... often it means there's some confusion and/or hesitancy and/or a complicated situation, so they're not ready to jump into a project.
There's nothing wrong with that....
It's also a bit of an honor, as they're not just asking you to give a million pitch meetings (for free) and then tell you they're not ready....
They may be trying to hire you in a bid to figure out things without feeling like they're being exploited, and/or sold whatever a firm may want to sell....
Hiring a single freelance consultant can be CHEAP and WISE, as they're not being pulled into any company's "business agenda"
I once inherited a rather large project developed by a "famous consulting firm" and they had seemed to spend insane amounts of money on all the powerpoint business case docs, lots on the program documentation, but the program itself was a bunch of wizard-generated Microsoft crap with clip-art quality graphics from hell.... long story....
- i agree. it does feel nice that a company wants me to come in and evaluate whats wrong and do my best to fix it.74LEO
- clearThoughts0
Do it, but don't work too hard. Cause it always has a bitter taste from my point of view.
If you are a true creative person that likes to create things you will hate it – or at least that's my experience.If you are a charlatan that cannot create shit but describe yourself as creative, you will love it.
- vaxorcist0
Yes... if you like to "actually complete good projects" and have something to show at the end of the project, then this may drive you insane....
If you can breathe deep and think it may lead to something else, but who knows, and you've got other stuff going on, you may remain sane....
YES, there are DEFINATELY some chalatans in consulting... there was once the phrase attributed to somebody at "a famous consulting company" ....
"You can make money solving the problem, but you can make more money by milking the problem"
- yeah Im worried they may think im milking it but I just worried their designers are milking them74LEO
- vaxorcist0
If you're interested, make sure you:
1. make them respect your time...
Some consultants I know sell a block of 10 hours at $x/hour. That way, they're committed to at least something.2. make them respect your timing....
say you charge $x/hour, if they call same-day, and request a meeting, the charge is higher, and/or uses up more of the block of hours.3. Make sure they don't lose respect for you..... i.e. show up for meetings on time, have something to show, make sure you ask smart questions, NEVER SHOW the same presentation twice, always make it clear you're "moving forward" whatever that means, and/or "learning this a bad idea"... yes, a consultant can say that magic phrase that full-timers often get fired for ... "that is a bad idea"... a very liberating moment sometimes...
4. Be clear about what's expected and delivered, some CYA can be had if you write up emails and format them slightly into a PDF, so nobody can trash you for "not really doing anything" later....
5. If you can stand powerpoint, you may be on a gravy train to untold fortune... but you may go insane amongst the suits....
- maikel0
6. Do not run with scissors.
- 74LEO0
Can anyone recommend any good books? I found 1 on amazon. I don't have much time a week to get back to them Im seeing some stuff on websites but so much junk its hard to get through it all. Any good sites with short reads would be helpful thanks all. More like what Vax posted was extremely valuable.
