The programme comprises seven hours of one-to-one consultancy as follows:
A briefing pack is sent out in advance of the meetings, to enable the client to prepare for the sessions. It includes guidance on how to prepare a SWOT analysis and a biographical paragraph, and to write up notes on the reasons for seeking advice, together with principal aims and objectives for business/professional development.
An initial meeting (2 hours) takes place with a THLP business development/marketing consultant. The client brings prepared lists of initial thoughts and issues; portfolio; examples of work; published material; press cuttings; cv or biographical note; SWOT analysis + notes on what has prompted them to seek this advice and what they think they are trying to achieve in the next stage of their business/practice development.
Presenting and going through this material takes up the first hour of the first meeting, followed by questions and discussion. The client will then be set some ‘homework’, including drawing up an action plan arising from the SWOT analysis, to prepare and move things forward for the second meeting.
A development meeting (2 hours) follows, with the same THLP business
development/marketing consultant, where we identify a plan of action
The consultant may want to ask further questions, but this session mainly
comprises a presentation of our proposals (based on the first meeting), followed
by discussion of these and of their implementation. The client will then
be set some further ‘homework’, moving towards decisions and
an action plan, to prepare and move things forward for the third meeting.
A concluding meeting (2 hours) with Henry Lydiate to deal with the legal and business issues arising in the development plan e.g. forms of trading, contractual arrangements, intellectual property, taxation. The business development / marketing consultant also attends this meeting, at the end of which an agreed final development plan is drawn up.