Getting started01
Preparing for your first consultancy conversation
A practical checklist for a focused introduction.
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Begin with a short overview of your company. Explain the present situation and the question you want to work through. A clear question is more useful than a long company presentation.
Identify your objective, any relevant milestones and who will be involved in the decision. If there are limits on timing or budget, make those part of the brief.
Keep the initial enquiry non-confidential. The next step is to discuss whether there is a fit and what an agreed scope might need to cover.
Planning02
What belongs in a consulting brief?
The details that help turn a broad request into a useful discussion.
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A brief should describe the business context, the problem or decision, and the outcome you are seeking. Separate what is known from what still needs to be examined.
List the expected deliverables, responsibilities, assumptions and exclusions. Agree how progress and any changes in scope will be reviewed.
The brief is a starting document, not a substitute for agreed terms. Both sides should understand the proposed work before committing.
Information care03
Keep sensitive information out of the first enquiry
Start with context, not confidential documents.
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An initial enquiry needs only a short, non-confidential overview. Do not include restricted technical information, customer documents or sensitive project details.
Before sharing material, confirm that you are authorised to do so and agree the appropriate channel and handling arrangements with the recipient.
If you are unsure whether information can be shared, keep it out of the enquiry and raise the question in the first conversation.