The Expert Network

Regretfully, we are discontinuing this blog.  Click here for more information.

A number of expert networks have responded to my earlier posts and have asked for my evaluation of their services.  They would also like to hear what you have to say about their websites.  You can include your suggestions in our comment box or send them to me directly: john-at-budnikgroup.com.  I will make sure that your suggestions get to someone who can implement them.  Let me know if you agree with my response to one request:

“I see the benefit of online work is that it is very horizontal, meaning that it is very easy for people to communicate across disciplines, companies, networks, etc.  Social networking sites, eBay and Amazon typify this paradigm.  I am not certain why expert networks don’t follow this paradigm.  They seem to be very vertical, meaning if I want to talk to another expert in the same network, I have to get approval from a network administrator.  How can I collaborate with colleagues and construct solutions for clients if we require outside approval to have a conversation?

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A representative from KnowledgeBid contacted me this evening to explain how their platform works.  This is one the best explanations I have come across for a expert network site.  They have a great multimedia presentation on “How it Works” and “Navigating the Site“.  The representative who contacted me said, “Generally the most successful consultants on our site and other expert networks out there consult the investment community about industries they are intimately familiar with”.  He suggested that I look at their recent listings to get a better understand what type of consultants participate in these platforms.

While I like KnowledgeBid’s layout, I have difficulty believing that one could make a living participating in expert networks like this.  If you have a specific area of expertise, wouldn’t you make more money working directly for an investment bank or industry group?  And if you were working with for a group that was making use of your expertise, wouldn’t sharing that knowledge with an outside investment firm be a conflict of interest?   With these limitations, it seems that only a very specific group of consultants could participate in these networks.

I am not trying to be difficult; I am just trying to get a better understanding of how these expert networks work.  My goal is to be a central resource for consultants and help them use these networks to their advantage.  Please help me do that through our comments section or by either contacting me directly.

While researching a post for my Calling All Consultants blog, I was surprised by the number of networks of experts there are online.  I understand that these websites are very useful for clients who might need specialized services or work that crosses disciplines.  However, I was never able to find out why so many consultants join these groups.

I can understand that one would join a network of experts if one isn’t a full time consultant, like a professor or researcher.  This type of consultant does not have the marketing expertise or infrastructure to bill clients.  Companies like the Gerson Lehrman Group could provide that marketing and infrastructure.  Otherwise, for everyone else, it just seems like free advertising that might generate an additional lead or two.

I cannot imagine that one could generate enough business from one of these websites around which one could build a successful practice.  Am I mistaken?  Are there ways to build a successful practice using these websites?

Let me know about your experience using these websites by adding your thoughts in our comments section.