This is an accreditation-path course for the Accredited Agricultural Consultant (AAC) professional designation. To learn more about the AAC, including designation requirements and fast track options, click here.
Class I – Advanced Consulting Theory
- Creative team building/group introduction
- Identify the role of the consultant
- How to identify the client's goals
- How to identify stakeholders
- Learn how to manage consulting projects, using advanced project management techniques, as well as consulting project management models
Class II – Analytical Methods and Theories of Consulting
- Learn to use the SWOT Analysis
- Learn to use Porter's Five Force method of evaluation
- Learn how to us other analysis tools
- Introduction to other templates, checklists and other resources
- Case Studies
Class III – Fundamentals of Data Gathering
- Why does the consultant gather data
- How does the consultant gather data?
- Gathering data to fulfill deliverables
- Introduction to Tools to gather data
- Identifying questions you need to ask (scope)
- Utilizing open-end questions
- Fact finder (capturing information)
- Who (stakeholders) do you interview?
Class IV – Advanced Concepts in Technology for the Consultant
- How to utilize the technology as a consultant
- Other technological tools available to the agricultural consultant
- How to make your presentations looks better
Class V – Designing, Delivering and Evaluating the Consulting Solution
- Does there need to be a review of the scope and of the data?
- Setting strategies, goals and targets
- How to present a solution that will be accepted, gain buy-in
- Providing ROI for changes made
- Maintaining the consulting solution (quality control)
- Describing the problem, determining most important factors that contribute to the problem, visualizing what success looks like and creating actions to lead to success.
Class VI – Negotiating the Consulting Engagement
- Identify the scope of the project
- Fact finding that leads to the appropriate scope
- Determine the most appropriate and relevant issues
- Outlining the deliverables
- In depth review of the various theories of negotiation
- Writing the consulting agreement
- Relevant role playing to enable practicing
Class VII – Selling the Consulting Process
- Selling cycle
- The participants strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to focus their business to target markets, as well as identify areas to improve
- Marketing plan
- Personalities
- What is their personality type?
- What are the characteristics of each personality type?
- What are the physical needs of each personality type?
- What are the emotional needs of each personality type?
- How to work with each personality type
- Body language analysis
- Negotiating
- Study of body language and the connection to negotiation
- Communication
- Written and oral, emails and text messages, frequency of communication, mode of communication, etc.
Contact Hours: 24 hours
Accreditation: This course is required for the AAC
For questions about approvals, contact Deanna Ilk at dilk@asfmra.org or 303-692-1222