The majority of documents available on Flevy are produced by seasoned consultants and consulting firms. Many of these documents were produced FOR consultants, as well.
Below, we have listed a number of must-have references for anyone working in management consulting–and, in particular, those who run their own boutique firms. They are roughly grouped into common themes/phases.
PURSUIT – SALES & MARKETING OF THE FIRM
Selling Consulting Services Effectively
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/selling-consulting-services-effectively-724
This a training document used by a major consulting firm on business development. It introduces a new approach (i.e. the ORDER Model and the 4S Model) to selling and building client relationships.
Winning New Consulting Business
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/winning-new-consulting-business-741
Discusses five key elements of winning proposals and provides a tool immediately to develop proposals by using a new approach. The five key elements are relationships, message, issue, team and interaction.
Initial Meeting Sales Presentation
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/initial-meeting-sales-presentation-81
This presentation provides a template for slides that can be presented in an initial meeting with a potential consulting client. The first section of the presentation (covering the majority of the slides) includes an overview of our consulting firm. The second section contains a high level assessment of the client based on high level financial analysis. The final section outlines potential next steps.
Business Strategy and Creative Execution Pitch Deck
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/business-strategy-and-creative-execution-pitch-deck-82
This is an example of the initial sales presentation made to executives in effort to sell business strategy and creative execution consulting work. This format can be used as a template. The information inside is generic and not specific to any specific organizations.
Marketing Plan of a Consulting Firm
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/marketing-plan-of-a-consulting-firm-657
This document is a marketing plan for “ABC’s Consulting Firm.” The objective is to expand the brand equity of ABC to include consulting solutions.
Sales Battlecard Template
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/sales-battlecard-template-78
This PowerPoint presentation is a template of a sales battlecard. This structure has been used by the sales executives of a top global consulting firm, as they prepare for initial meetings with new clients. This presentation includes a financial performance section, where the input and analysis is driven by an Excel financial model (included).
Account Management Templates
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/account-management-templates-38
This document serves as a comprehensive set of templates for Account Planning and Management for strategic accounts. Sections include Relationship Map, SWOT Analysis, Marketing Plan, Sales Pipeline, Competitive Footprint, and more.
PURSUIT – PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT
Fundamentals of Proposal Writing
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/fundamentals-of-proposal-writing-652
This presentation was prepared for organizations and individuals who are desirous of learning to write proposals but have no experience in proposal writing. With an emphasis on finding a funder and writing at least part of a mini proposal, and preparing data collection.
Consulting Proposal Playbook
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/consulting-proposal-playbook-649
As we all know, developing effective, convincing and competitive client proposals is crucial to our firm’s ability to sell our services to our clients. Since our clients will often rely upon the content of these proposals in making their decisions as to whether they should hire XYZ, these documents need to be prepared in a timely and careful fashion.
Developing Consulting Project Proposals
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/developing-consulting-project-proposals-1216
This document acts as high-level training guide on developing consulting project proposals. It covers the basics of consulting proposal development.
Designing and Pricing a Consulting Project
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/designing-and-pricing-a-consulting-project-1221
Designing and pricing a consulting project is both an art and science. This document provides an overview of the overarching process and points out important considerations at each stage of the process.
Sample Consulting Contract
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/sample-consulting-contract-10
A basic consulting agreement as a Word form – simply fill in your name, client’s name, rate of pay, and effective dates. This basic document will protect both you and your client legally and be a binding agreement.
Sample Consulting Engagement Letter
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/sample-consulting-engagement-letter-677
This sample is a consulting job arrangement letter template used by a global consulting firm. It contains: 1) Business Consulting Job Arrangement Letter, 2) Business Consulting Statement of Work, 3) Business Consulting Standard Business Terms, and 4) Business Consulting Statement of Work Change Order Number.
Business Proposal Template for Consulting Program Implementation
https://flevy.com/browse/management-consulting/business-proposal-template-for-consulting-program-implementation-332
This Business Proposal Template is much more than just a template. Not only does it include detailed instructions on how to fill out every section, it also comes with explanations about why each section exists. It also includes an Excel workplan template as a secondary document.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Consulting Project Management Survival Guide
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/consulting-project-management-survival-guide-648
This document provides and breaks down Key Success Factors for Project Managers of consulting projects.
How to Run a Consulting Project
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/how-to-run-a-consulting-project-732
This presentation sets out an approach to run a consulting project. The approach contains three distinct phrases: 1. sell the project, 2. organize the project, and 3. manage the project.
Consulting Work Planning & Management
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/consulting-work-planning-and-management-695
This training document aims to help a consultant improve his or her work planning skills.
Project Management Tool in Excel
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/project-management-tool-in-excel-212
This is a functional workbook that allows users to plan and track projects against requirements gathered as part of a program (instead of using MS Project). This tool was created and used by a global consulting firm. It is versatile enough and customizable to be useful for any type of project.
Flevy Project Management Business Toolkit
https://flevy.com/business-toolkit/project-management-pm
More in depth guides and tools on Project Management, take a look at our PM business toolkit.
TEAM & CLIENT MANAGEMENT
Consulting Project Management Leadership & Team Effectiveness
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/consulting-project-management-leadership-and-team-effectiveness-692
The objective of this document is to focus on some interpersonal skills so that a consulting project leader can enhance his or her relationships with clients and team members.
Stakeholder Analysis & Management
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/stakeholder-analysis-and-management-962
The document structure includes What is Stakeholder Management, Benefits of Stakeholder Management, the fours Stages of Stakeholder Management (Identify, Define, Engage and Plan) and the key to Stakeholder Management.
Improving Productivity Through Better Working Relationships
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/improving-productivity-through-better-working-relationships-194
This pack is developed by McKinsey communication specialists. It provides simple, proven tools that will help you identify your own Work Style and those of your colleagues. Using the Bolton and Bolton Work Styles approach, it provides suggestions for communicating more clearly and working more productively with colleagues of all types.
EXECUTION – CONSULTING FRAMEWORKS & METHODOLOGIES
Flevy has hundreds of consulting frameworks, each focused on addressing distinct business issues. So, we have only included 1 very comprehensive frameworks toolkit below. To see more consulting frameworks, please visit these useful links:
- https://flevy.com/business-toolkits
- https://flevy.com/business-frameworks
- https://flevy.com/seller/DocumentsFiles/essential-consulting-knowledge-builder-27
- https://flevy.com/blog/recommended-documents-by-business-topic/
Complete Business Frameworks Reference Guide
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/complete-business-frameworks-reference-guide-644
This is a very comprehensive document with over 300+ slides–covering 50 common management consulting frameworks and methodologies (listed below in alphabetical order). A detailed summary is provided for each business framework. The frameworks in this deck span across Corporate Strategy, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Organization, Change Management, and Finance.
CLIENT COMMUNICATION / DELIVERABLE CREATION
Golden Rules for Consulting Writing – A Practical Guide
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/golden-rules-for-consulting-writing-a-practical-guide-653
The style and grammar of written communications have a tremendous impact in bringing a document to life and giving it the most professional image possible. This document helps consultants conform to a few basic rules and guidelines for written communications.
Structured Thinking 101: Clarity Through Storylines
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/structured-thinking-101-clarity-through-storylines-196
This pack outlines five clear steps that will enable you to clarify your thinking for both yourself and your audience while preparing any kind of communication, from emails through to board papers, complex reports and white papers. The five step process, informed by the Minto Pyramid Principle and more than 40 years combined communication consulting experience at McKinsey, has been proven to work in a wide range of consulting and business settings.
How to Conduct Consulting Interviews
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/how-to-conduct-consulting-interviews-743
All consulting projects involve interviewing clients. This is a training presentation on how to conduct interviews in consulting projects, including planning and positioning the interview, conducting the interview, interviewing techniques, synthesizing the results, and more.
Complete Resource for Consulting Frameworks and Design Templates
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/complete-resource-for-consulting-frameworks-and-design-templates-445
A vast resource of over 360 pages of consulting frameworks and design templates commonly used by consultants. These frameworks and designs will enable sharper and clearer analysis of business issues, along with more powerful and impacting PowerPoint deliverables.
Flevy Tools – free PowerPoint plugin
https://flevy.com/powerpoint-plugin
Flevy Tools is a free PowerPoint plugin for creating common consulting diagrams – e.g., Gantt Charts, Booz Balls, Waterfall Charts, Chevron Diagrams, Network Diagrams, etc. This tool has been compared to similar ones developed in house at large consulting firms (e.g. Accenture, Capgemini, McKinsey) and acclaimed to be better.
MISC
Complete Toolkit for Improving Meetings
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/complete-toolkit-for-improving-meetings-449
This Meetings Toolkit has been complied to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Meetings with tools and templates designed using direct feedback from many different businesses about the structure and culture of meetings.
How to Be a Great Manager (in a Consulting Firm)
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/how-to-be-a-great-manager-755
How to Be a Great Consultant
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/how-to-be-a-great-consultant-754
How to Be a Great Associate Consultant
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/how-to-be-a-great-associate-consultant-753
Consultant Fee Setting Matrix
https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/consultant-fee-setting-matrix-9
Many people are confused by why consulting rates seem so much higher than hourly wages for similar work. This Excel spreadsheet has the user input a few basic pieces of information to help demystify these questions, and determine an appropriate hourly rate for consulting or other independent contract work. This is the ideal tool for new consultants to both set their rates, and explain them.
