Why should a consultant form an alliance of experts?

Most consultants are solo operators and have an expert skill set in one area. This is good when your services are in demand. But what happens when your services aren't quite what the client wants? You could give recommendations of someone else to do the job but giving a name and letting the client contact the new person or you can form an alliance.

An alliance is a loose group of individuals that have complementary skills. These skills may also have some overlap but that will not really matter if you put the ground rules in place at the start. Elizabeth Kearney, Ph.D., is an expert at forming alliances. Her company, Elizabeth Kearney & Associates, The Experts Alliance, is a perfect example on how to setup an alliance and make it work for everyone involved. She is able to find the work and bring in her experts as needed. Each alliance member has an agreement in place for non-compete with clients that Liz brings in to the mix. Each alliance member reaps the benefits of a company that markets the skill set to obtain extra work. The alliance members each have their own entity and remain autonomous while still providing the expertise on an as needed basis.

As with most alliances, there has to be a strong tie and commitment to be a part of the group. Without the commitment, it is difficult to rely on the membership. It is best to have a fee structure in place for each of the alliance members. This allows the company to accurately quote on jobs and include a markup.

A referral fee plan should also be put in place. This means that for every job that is referred to the alliance leader that becomes a paid project, a percentage (usually around 10%) is given to the referring party. Elizabeth Kearney & Associates pays the referral fee until there is no more work with a particular client. It may sound expensive but it keeps the referrals coming in and keeps the alliance members extremely happy. The key is to gain referrals that you could not otherwise obtain on your own.

How do you form an alliance? You form it very carefully. It is best to list your strengths and skill sets first. Then list the skills that are lacking. This last list will provide the basis for finding people to fill the gap.

Make a list of consultants that have each skill set identified, preferably people you already know. At this point some due diligence is necessary, ask around, get opinions, and so on. This step is preventative medicine from any potential problems. Once you are satisfied with the results, ask the person if they want to join your alliance. Most people are open to the potential of additional work without having to do extra marketing.

Once you have an alliance, promote it, use it, and reap the rewards. An alliance is one of the best ways to work with others for a common goal - to get more business.