David Maister’s Passion, People and Principles

post # 343 — Sunday, April 1, 2007 11:00am — a General post

March 2007 Top 5 Roundup

I’d like to thank everyone for all the thoughtful comments on my blog. Here are the five posts that had the most discussion this month.

I REALLY hope that people will keep these specific conversations going: the spirit of a blog is that we all react to each other, and I am delighted when these conversations continue.

1. How to Set Fees
   It seems like a very bad idea to bill by the hour, especially if you are a consultant just beginning your practice. So how do you approach a client to establish accurate value-based pricing? A beginning consultant asks for advice on this crucial skill.
2. Required Reading
   Back to basics: a couple of my favorite entry-level business books and a host of suggestions from the readers.
3. Talking with Reporters
   Press coverage might be a nice pat on the back but is it worth pursuing as a marketing strategy? Here are my thoughts on this following a recent experience with the Wall Street Journal.
4. The Three-Month Rule
   Plans and reviews ought to be conducted on a once-every-three-month cycle – it’s long enough to work around the world’s unpredictabilities both at work and in people’s personal lives.
5. Promoting a New Book
   For some time now, I have been saying that a book is a "20th-century artifact" and that the way to serve your market (and to get your market's attention) is to write a stream of articles. The challenge I face - and the topic on which I'd like your input - is thinking about marketing the book I am writing based on these articles...