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Index
Foreword, by Amelia Kassel
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Section One: Getting Started
Chapter 1—What’s an Independent Info Pro?
What’s This Business All About?
So What Do You Do, Anyway?
Focus, Focus, Focus
Where Will I Find My Clients?
Real-Life Examples
Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter 2—A Day in the Life of an Independent Info Pro
My Typical Day
Your Typical Day
Issues We All Face
Chapter 3—The Joys and Frustrations of Being an Independent Info Pro
The Thrills of Being an Independent Info Pro
The Chills of Being an Independent Info Pro
Chapter 4—Are You a Potential Independent Info Pro?
The People Skills
The Entrepreneurial Skills
The Business Skills
The Information Skills
Where Can You Get Help?
The Imposter Syndrome
Chapter 5—Who You Are and What You Do
Who Needs You?
Offering What the Client Needs
Think Globally, Not Locally
Chapter 6—Understanding Your Competition
Who Am I Up Against?
Working With Your Competition
Looking for Competition
Making Yourself Competition-Proof
Chapter 7—Structuring Your Business
Incorporating or Keeping It Simple
Should You Partner With Your Partner or Your Pal?
What Kind of Entity Are You?
Hired Help or Ad Hoc Subcontracting
Chapter 8—Before You Launch
Business Plans and Other Pipe Dreams
Who Are Your Clients?
What About My Steady Paycheck?
Just Do It!
Chapter 9—Setting Up Your Business
What’s Your Name?
Are You My Employer?
Where Am I?
Office Equipment Checklist
Your Phone Number
Your URL
Paying Your Dues
Chapter 10—You.com
What’s the Purpose of a Website?
Choosing a Domain Name
Creating Your Website
What About the Content?
Other Web “Homes”
Chapter 11—Business Apps for Info-Entrepreneurs
The Basics
The Nice-to-Haves
Other Cool Tools
Chapter 12—Work and the Rest of Your Life
Living Abundantly
Time Management, or “I Think I’ll Take a Little Break Now”
“The Info Pro Is In” … or Not
Creating a Good Office Environment
Going on Vacation
Business Coaches: Help, I Need Somebody
Section Two: Running the Business
Chapter 13—Managing Your Clients
Monogamy Versus Playing the Field
Is Any Client Too Small?
Let’s Not Do Lunch
Handling RFPs
The Art of Proposal Writing
Get It in Writing?
When to Say “No”
Do You Like Me? Really?
The Project From Hell
How to Fire a Client
Chapter 14—Money, Money, Money
Financing Your Business
Accounting 101
Billing and Collections
Cash Flow
Paying Yourself
Paying the Tax Man
Chapter 15—Setting Rates and Fees
Setting an Hourly Rate
Hourly Rate or Flat Fee?
Estimating a Project
Can You Get the Money Up Front?
Recalibrating Rates
Chapter 16—Subcontracting, or I’ll Scratch Your Back If You Scratch Mine
How Does Subcontracting Work, and Why Should I Share?
The Challenges of Subcontracting
Following the Golden Rule
Chapter 17—Ethics and Legalities
IANAL
Ethical Quandaries
Handling Conflicts
Client Confidentiality
Reading the Fine Print
Contracts and Agreements
Keeping Your Word
Copyright Perils
Recycling Results
Legal Collections
Chapter 18—Professional Development
AIIP: Your Secret Weapon
Associations Galore
Staying Sharp
The Invisible Network
Chapter 19—Strategic Planning
Getting a Yearly Check-Up
What More Can I Do for My Clients?
Learning From Your First Year
Taking Time to Think
Building a Brain Trust
Expanding Your (and Your Clients’) Vision
Finding a Sounding Board
Chapter 20—Your Next Five Years
Warning: Sharp Curves Ahead
Questions to Ponder
Moving to the Next Level
Rootbound Versus Bonsai
Section Three: Marketing
Chapter 21—Marketing Dos and Don’ts
You’re Always “On”
“Can You Do This for Me?”
Ten Mistakes New Independent Info Pros Make
Chapter 22—Your Marketing Plan
What Are Your Goals?
What Info Pro Marketing Entails
Writing Your Marketing Plan
22 Ways to Kick-Start Your Marketing
Chapter 23—Your Business Image
You in Print
Your Web Image
Answering Your Phone
Chapter 24—Marketing on the Web
Where Can You Live Online?
Marketing With Your Website
Blogging Your Business
Participating in Electronic Discussions
Other Options to Consider
Chapter 25—Print and Eprint Marketing
Starting Your Mailing List
Direct Mail: Directly to the Wastebasket?
Targeted Mailings
Client Newsletters and Postcards
Directories
Print Advertising
Chapter 26—Marketing by Writing and Speaking
Author, Author!
Speaking Your Piece
Chapter 27—Starting the Word of Mouth
“What Does Your Company Do?”
“How Did You Hear About Me?”
Working the Associations
Moving Beyond the Chamber of Commerce
Leads and Networking Clubs
Asking for Referrals
Chapter 28—Public Relations
Doing Something Newsworthy
Writing a Press Release
Getting Noticed
Becoming a Certified Expert
Building a Press Kit
Giving Good Sound Bites
Section Four: Researching
Chapter 29—The Reference Interview
Steps in a Reference Interview
Sources of Ambiguity
Chapter 30—Thinking Like a Researcher
Ready, Fire, Aim
Seeing Horizons and Setting Limits
Mapping Out a Large Project
Tutorials on Research Techniques
Chapter 31—Online Research Basics
It’s All on the Web for Free, Right?
What’s Missing?
Free Versus Fee
Boolean Basics
Adjacency, Truncation, and Other Power Tools
Chapter 32—Web Research 101
How Search Engines Work
Getting the Most From Search Engines
Web Directories and Guides
The Invisible Web
Searching the Social Web
Discussion Forums and Lists
Chapter 33—Specialized Web Databases
Pay-As-You-Go Options
Public Libraries
Open Access Publications
Government Databases
Chapter 34—Professional Online Services
“This Costs How Much?!?”
Cheaper by the Dozen?
The Big Three (Plus a Few)
Power Tools
Controlling Searches With Controlled Vocabulary
Tracking Your Costs
When in Doubt, Subcontract Out
Chapter 35—Telephone Research
What’s Involved in Phone Research?
Characteristics of a Good Phone Researcher
Challenges of Telephone Research
Successful Telephone Interviews
Telephone Research Ethics
Chapter 36—Public Records Research
What Does a Public Records Researcher Do?
Is a Public Records Researcher a PI?
Learning How to Research Public Records
Challenges of Public Records Research
Ethical and Legal Issues
Getting Started as a Public Records Researcher
Public Records Databases
Chapter 37—Deliverables
No Added Value = No Perceived Value
Less Is More
Are You Professional or Strategic?
Branding and “Sealing” Your Results
Archiving Search Results
Chapter 38—Other Services You Can Offer
Training, Workshops, and Seminars
Podcasts, Webinars, and Other Web-Based Products
Outsourced Library Services
Consulting Services
Appendix A—The Association of Independent Information Professionals
Appendix B—Websites Mentioned in This Book
Appendix C—People Quoted in This Book
About the Author
Index
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