635. Richard Millington, Contrarian Consulting Advice: That Really Works

Show Notes: 

Richard Millington talks about his Substack and consulting practice, Fever B. Richard shares his journey of starting his consultancy practice in 2009 or 2010, focusing on building online communities. During the pandemic, Richard received many requests for advice on becoming a consultant, leading him to start his Substack in April 2023. Richard explains how his Substack has become a side hustle, allowing him to reflect on his experiences and share valuable insights with his audience.

Defining Community Consulting

Richard defines community consulting, which involves building communities for customers in the technology space. He explains that community consulting helps companies save money by allowing customers to answer each other's questions, reducing the need for customer support. Richard emphasizes the importance of understanding psychology, incentive structures, and legal considerations when building communities, and he highlights the need for companies to hire the right team and have the right strategy, technology, and processes in place.

How to Motivate Community Participants

When asked how to motivate people to answer questions in online communities, Richard explains that people often help others for the intrinsic reward of feeling useful and making an impact. He discusses the importance of creating a sense of community and recognition for top contributors, such as unique roles and status within the community. Richard notes that financial incentives can sometimes backfire, as people may focus more on the money than on helping others.

Surprising Insights on Substack

Richard mentions that his most popular post, "The goal of your consulting website is to display as many trust signals as possible," received a lot of attention. He shares other popular posts, such as "Consulting is not selling your expertise" and "You only need to engage 50 people to be a success." Richard discusses his less popular but personally impactful posts, like those on contract structure and niche selection, which he found important for his audience.

A Successful Approach to Content Creation

Richard talks about his process for creating Substack posts. He  explains that he has a routine of dedicating the first hour of his day to generating ideas and writing posts. He reflects on his past experiences and common themes among his coaching clients to create relevant content. Richard mentions that he is moving towards having a theme for a few months, leading into a program he is running, to provide a clear point of focus for his content.

Examples of Consulting Projects

Richard describes a recent project with a client in Las Vegas, where he helped launch a community from scratch. He explains the importance of strategy, internal buy-in, technology setup, and training for community success. Richard also discusses projects focused on improving existing communities, such as increasing engagement and proving return on investment.

Courses and Coaching for Consultants

Richard shares his experience with creating courses, starting with his first course in 2011, and the success of his video courses. He explains the benefits of cohort-based courses, which have higher completion rates compared to on-demand courses. Richard discusses his coaching programs, which help independent consultants select the right niche, market themselves, and attract clients.

Strategies to Attract Clients

Richard outlines six ways to attract clients: search engine optimization, algorithms, referrals, networking, advertising, and cold outreach. He emphasizes the importance of selecting the right acquisition channel and committing to it. Richard shares his personal experience with using social ads to grow his Substack audience and the costs involved.

Pricing Advice for Consultants

Richard discusses the importance of strategic pricing and the pitfalls of advice like "just raise your rates." He explains the need for a balanced approach to pricing, considering the type of client, the project's complexity, and the competition. Richard shares his approach to naming fees and the benefits of using a broad range to align with the client's expectations.

Access more of Richard’s advice on Indispensable Consulting

And to learn more about the core foundations of a sustainable consultancy: “a clear niche, strong positioning, and well-defined offers that clients understand and are willing to pay for.” join the Consulting Foundations Program

Timestamps:

03:00: Defining Community Consulting 

05:30: Motivating Community Participants 

08:36: Popular Substack Posts and Surprising Insights

25:38: Richard's Approach to Content Creation 

30:23: Consulting Practice and Client Projects

34:58: Courses and Coaching for Independent Consultants

47:15: Challenges and Strategies in Attracting Clients

47:35: Consulting Advice and Pricing 

Links:

Personal Website: https://www.richardmillington.com/

Company Website: https://www.feverbee.com/

 

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/?post_type=unleashed&p=244024&preview=true

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

*AI generated timestamps and show notes.