Sometimes a quick answer to a question is priceless. It can even be valuable to know that you could get a quick answer to a question, even if you never ask. For example, if your company is considering doing something new, knowing that there’s someone to help could make the difference in the decision to go forward.
Next year I’ll be offering this sort of micro-consulting and mentoring. For a monthly retainer, I will be available to answer questions and give advice. This would be for questions I could answer on the spot or with minimal research; anything more involved would have to be a separate consulting project. You would be guaranteed my availability for a certain amount of time per month and a quick turn-round on correspondence. (My response might be “I don’t know,” but I’d get back to you promptly.)
I’ve done some of this kind of consulting, and clients have found it very valuable. I’d like to do more of this next year as a way to fill some of the interstitial time between larger projects. I also expect it will lead to larger projects, e.g. “We like your idea of what we should do. Could you do it for us?”
If this sounds interesting to you, please contact me.
Welcome to the world of consulting! http://www.mckibbinusa.com
This is actually my favorite kind of consulting. I have a few clients who have a standing one-hour appointment one morning a week. They show up with a handful of questions. I either answer on the spot, or I track down the answer by lunchtime. And sometimes the hour meeting turns into a few hours of programming.