One Trick Ponies Get Shot: How consultants can avoid the vendor trap, do better work, and prosper

Run A Better Consulting Business
Learn the four-step process for escaping the vendor trap, become a valuable consultant and learn how to grow your contracts in this easy-to-read corporate fable.

In the last decade, a new focus on 'productized' services has sucked the life out of consulting companies by de-emphasizing the craft and turning services into commodities.

Reverse the trend, be the go-to resource for your clients and increase your business with the four steps:

1. Foster the client’s strategic understanding of your work


2. Link your strategic approach to improvement rather than maintenance


3. Develop ideas that will generate improvement in the strategic context


4. Repeatedly deliver those new ideas in a way that completes this statement: “You want to [GOALS]. We can help you get there by [STRATEGY], and we’re measuring progress using [KPIs]. We think one good way to help you get there is [STRATEGIC IDEA]. [WHY NOT?].”

Updated for consulting businesses, with a renewed focus on the four steps, the 2nd edition is a great resource for all consultants.

One Trick Ponies Get Shot is written by Ian Lurie, a 20-year CEO of his own marketing agency.