How to Build Your Credentials as a Consultant (on the side) Before Opening Your Doors on Day 1
Because no consultants who survive for 5 years or longer endorse the wing-it approach
Credentials is everything when building a consulting practice on the side.
I know because I am in this game. The business of consulting appeals to my heart and soul. I get to hang out with people actively trying to be the best they can be, and this process elevates my game.
Many people ask me the following question.
“Aldric, what do I need to do before opening my doors for business on Day 1?”
My response is a straightforward one. Packaging our credentials into knowledge assets.
This article explains why and how.
What Exactly Does ‘Credentials’ Actually Mean?
Credentials present themselves in multiple forms. But first, let’s default to a common understanding. What do credentials really mean?
This definition, in my view, is apt for all consultant-aspirees.
“The abilities and experience that make someone suitable for a particular job or activity, or proof of someone’s abilities and experience.”
Credentials must demonstrate suitability. I want to know that I am paying a plumber to fix my leaking water pipes. The Blockchain consultant must understand the technology and its applications.
Therefore, in a nutshell, credentials simply mean the right person for the right job.
How do We Build Our Credentials?
There are many ways to do that. But first, make sure you have the necessary skillsets to get the job done.
I don’t recommend positioning yourself as a water pipe consultant if you have never held a pipe wrench with your hands. Remember. Your credentials are your principal assets in the consulting business.
Invest time to build your credentials. Don’t destroy it.
Let’s assume that you have the skillsets to start a consulting side-hustle of your chosen niche. That’s good. The next step involves creating and building knowledge assets into your Balance Sheet.
You might have questions in your head. Knowledge assets? What are they?
For a start, this is a potential list of knowledge assets you might have heard of.
- Case Studies.
- Endorsement from customers.
- Industry knowledge.
- The ability to bring people, process, technology, and corporate governance as one.
The list of knowledge assets is a never-ending one. I choose these 4 because they form the basic structure of any consulting service across domains and industries.
And they can be created with ease because you have done it before.
One practical tip from personal experience. Create these knowledge assets before you open your doors for business. You will not have the time to do so once you are on the road, meeting prospects appointment after appointment.
Let me go through how I create these 4 knowledge assets for my consulting practice and the reasoning behind them.
Knowledge Asset # 1 — Case Studies
You will not have organic case studies when you are just starting out. Take a chill pill.
Instead, focus on your previous professional experience. I urge you to think about the following questions. They allow you to tap into forgotten professional experiences hidden away in your memory bank.
How did you identify the business problem?
Was it a strategic issue? An operational issue?
How did you get the job done?
How did you improve the business processes and operations in quantitative terms?
Write out (or type out) your case studies in this actual structure so readers can understand the journey you are taking them. I circulate case studies in PDF format when requested.
I fragment my case studies into bite-size content and disseminate them using LinkedIn.
Author’s Note: Make sure you have your customer’s written endorsement before displaying their name or company logo. If not, write the case study without explicitly naming them. You don’t want to be sued for a case study.Knowledge Asset # 2 — Endorsement from Customers
This one is easy. What do your customers say about you?
- Are you knowledgeable?
- Are you able to work under stress?
- Can you deliver under tight timelines?
- Are you able to communicate complex topics to a large audience?
- Are your clients specifically asking for you to handle a task?
Customers approach me for clarity of communication. I handle a lot of work involving explanations of technology platforms, data integration, and the need for relevant key performance metrics.
Understand one thing. Your customers will continue to approach you for the work you do best. Have them endorse your strengths. LinkedIn recommendations work well here.
Ask them for a recommendation. You will be surprised that your customers want the best for you too.
Ultimately, you get to crystalize your selling points without blowing your own trumpet. And that rocks.
Knowledge Asset # 3 — Industry Knowledge
You cannot get business walking down the street telling people that you are good. No one cares.
Consultants are arbitragers of knowledge. You must know what is coming, where the industry is going, and what it takes for your customers to gain market share.
If you happen to be lacking in this aspect (no worries, we are only humans), invest time to attend professional networking events or conferences. Hanging around people in your industry builds your professional acumen.
Knowledge Asset # 4 — The Ability to Bring People, Process, Technology, and Governance as One
You must know this if you want to become a management or technology consultant.
Why so? Because management and technology cut across all functions and domains in the organization.
This consulting space requires you to think and present your ideas via Big Picture thinking. I suggest subscribing to and reading Harvard Business Review or MIT Sloan Management Review so as to communicate at the strategic level.
One point of advice. Small and Medium business owners think like Fortune 500 companies. They see the business as one operating entity. You want to meet him/her where they are.
Painting the Big Picture establishes synchronized communication.
In Conclusion
Knowledge assets are important to consultant-aspirees.
These are your selling points. Customers want to connect with you because you are a problem solver. So, market yourself as one.
Continuously work to extract your knowledge, experience, and exposure and package them into knowledge assets. Let your credentials sell for you.
This is the best way (in my opinion) to get business as a consultant on the side from Day 1.
Other Stories To Help You Grow Your Consultant Side-Hustle:
On starting your Consulting Practice.
On your Consultant’s toolbox.
On finding ideal clients.
On becoming the Go-To Consultant in your district.
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure. Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.
