The first requirement is key – be different.

What do you do and how is that different than other doing the same thing.

The article, The Three Requirements for Consulting Success per Deloitte Consulting CEO Jim Moffatt – Forbes gets you to think about how can I ensure I don’t end up “competing for consulting work on price.” Answering this question gets you started.

You need to know how you can translate your difference into solving a client’s problem in an elegant way.  You need to consider your interpersonal skills.  In “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” Marshall Goldsmith reminds us that successful people sometimes have blind spots about a part of our personality that is preventing us from getting to the next level.  Work on this as well, and watch what happens.

The other two requirements are be strong by having a partner or ally and be committed to customer satisfaction, continuous improvement and business development