I just joined the consultants network. I'm glad I joined. I've consulted for twelve different clients and have a couple of comments and I welcome your responses and ideas.
1. Regarding marketing your consulting service - network with people you have worked with and for as an employee. If they liked your work and need a consultant, they already know and trust the quality and quantity of your work.
2. Regarding liability insurance - no client so far has even mentioned the possibility of liability insurance. I have not found it necessary or required so far.

Consultant Network members, a great way to promote and market your services is by advertising with ASQ. We have options available for advertising in print, online, or even in person. You can request a copy of our media kit (it's easy, and there is no cost to review the information) with details about all of the various marketing opportunities that we have available throughout the year. For consultants I would recommend the PSC advertising section in the back of QP magazine. Ads start as low as $66.67 per month. Please contact ASQ Media Sales at mediasales@asq.org for more information.
Best wishes for a very happy and prosperous 2012!

I wish to share the experience we QMS consultants have in India and request others' views.. The third party certification agencies for a long time have been doing the training and informally even consulting which had impacted on the revenue of QMS consultants. They have of late been adopting pressure tactics to dictate to companies whom they should employ as a consultant by questioning the competence of consultants who are already on board.. ISO 9001 is a public propoerty and it is not a proprietary document to Certification agencies. In addition, consultants perform the role of bringing in domain knowledge and experience in implementing the requirements..This role needs protection as otherwise we will have a monopoly of certification agencies driving what is good for the Industry. will it not be a good idea to have ASQ to interact with National accreditation agencies to prevent such unethical practices by evolving a code of conduct which will discourage auditors to interfere in the process of either employment of consultants or iin their performing advisory role in a company? Consulting and auditing could be complementary to each other provide we respect each other professionally.

Your colleague needs to obtain professional liability insurance, which often is called errors and omissions insurance. This insurance protects the consultant in cases where he/she makes a decision or offers assistance that causes real or perceived damage to the client. It is fairly expensive, but it is required by many clients. It should be considered a "cost of doing business" for consultants. Pricing is based on the consultant's experience (a lengthy questionnaire is submitted during the application process, and the number of consultants working at the firm (every employee is covered in the process of obtaining the insurance). Consider it to be the consultant;s equivalent of malpractice insurance.