Welcome to the wonderful world of info-entrepreneurship. We are people who run our own (often one-person) information businesses. As a profession, we provide a wide range of services to our clients – looking for information on the web and in fee-based online services, searching public records, conducting interviews, providing information management services, giving workshops on advanced web search techniques, among other things.

Even if you are still enjoying the tedium of a regular pay check, every two weeks (where’s your spirit of adventure, of risk?), the tips in this report probably apply to you, too. Most information professionals within organisations are, in essence, running a small research business within a larger organisation. You, too, have to market your services, analyse your competition, and develop products or services tailored to each of your client bases.

Use the dozen techniques in this report to build the profile your information services within your client base, whether you are a new info-entrepreneur, someone who has been in business for several years, or even someone who is working within an information centre and needs to promote your services within your organisation.

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To see a sample (table of contents, sample page) view the Sample PDF (requires Adobe Acrobat).

Testimonials

"Yes, I thought the report was a value for the money. I will keep it and refer to it again in the future. The two websites listed (Paper Direct and Paper Access) were especially helpful to me. I appreciated being able to get the paper instantly in pdf" Coordinator of Information Services, UK

"The report was very useful (as all other Ms. Bates' information tips). The report is essential for Info-Entrepreneur beginners."

About the Author

Mary Ellen Bates is the owner of Bates Information Services Inc., providing business research to business professionals and consulting services to the information industry. She founded her business in 1991, after having worked in specialised libraries and research centres for over a decade. Her clients range from one-person businesses to Fortune 100 companies.

Mary Ellen is the 2004-2005 President of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (www.aiip.org). Note that this report does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AIIP. She received the first Sue Rugge Memorial Award from AIIP for significantly helping other AIIP members through mentoring. She also received the 2002 Professional Award from the Special Libraries Association for her significant contributions to the association and the information profession as an innovator, contributor and teacher throughout her career.

She has written six books on the information industry: Building and Running a Successful Research Business: a guide for the independent information professional (2003); Super Searchers Cover the World: the online secrets of international business researchers (2001); Mining For Gold on the Internet: how to find investment and financial information on the Internet (2000); Researching Online For Dummies, 2nd edition, co-author, with Reva Basch (2000); Super Searchers Do Business: the online secrets of top business researchers (1999); and The Online Deskbook: ONLINE Magazine's essential desk reference for online and Internet searchers (1996). She is also a columnist for ONLINE and EContent magazines and the contributing editor of The Information Advisor newsletter.

She is a frequent keynote speaker on the information industry and profession, and has given workshops and presentations in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Czech Republic, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the US.

Mary Ellen writes two free email newsletters, Search Tip of the Month and Info-Entrepreneur Tip of the Month. To subscribe to either newsletter, go to www.BatesInfo.com/subscribe.html.

Table of Contents

An introduction to the topic can be found in the article appearing FreePint No.159, Marketing for the Info-Entrepreneur.