How to Start Speaking the Consulting Language| For Current and Aspiring Public Health Consultants

Resources Mentioned: Free Translation Guide — Translates your public health skills into consulting language for nonprofits, health systems, and private organizations. Free inside The Public Health Club: Public Health Consulting 101 — Free live workshop, June 16 + June 17.

Register at Subcontracting to Six Figures (S26F) — Dr. Des's six-week course for landing your first contract.

Learn more at The fastest way to lose a consulting contract before it starts? Walk in talking like you're applying for a job.

In this episode — kicking off Public Health Consulting Week — Dr. Des breaks down the language shift every new public health consultant needs to make, why your grant-writing instincts will backfire with nonprofits, and how two S26F students translated their skills into a $67,000 contract for a library.

In This Episode, You'll Learn Why switching from "I" to "we" is the first move you need to make as a consultant How to translate public health terminology into language your clients actually use Why writing proposals like a federal grant will get you rejected by smaller clients The two paths to landing contracts — and which one Dr. Des shifted toward after burning out on RFPs How public health skills like strategic planning and facilitation transfer to non-traditional sectors What Dr.

Des's first three contracts looked like — $40K, $7K, $85K — all while fully employed Frequently Asked Questions How do you start speaking the consulting language as a public health professional? Shift from "I" to "we." Refer to your business by name — "Strickland Health Consulting provides..." — even as a solo consultant.

It positions you as a business, not a job applicant. Exception: when a client specifically requests a solo contractor.

Why do public health consultants struggle to win contracts with nonprofits? Most PH professionals are trained to write long federal grants.

Smaller nonprofits can't absorb a 50-page proposal — and academic language signals a mismatch. Write shorter, outcome-focused proposals and translate your terminology. "Impact reporting" lands; "evaluation" often doesn't.

Do I need to leave my full-time job to start consulting? No.

Dr. Des's first contract — $40,000 — came while she was fully employed.

Her second was $7,000, her third was $85,000, all alongside a full-time job. The best time to start is while your salary still covers the bills.