In Colorado, where I live, we sometimes experience a weather phenomenon called virga. It is precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before it hits the ground. It’s quite a sight. Infopreneurs often encounter the business equivalent of virga when we see ahead of us a stormy and contentious conversation with a client. But we can help evaporate it before we get drenched.
Continue reading Having Difficult Conversations with ClientsCategory: Coach’s Corner
Series by Mary Ellen Bates with tips for building and running an info business
No More “Fake It ‘til You Make It”
I was recently talking with a colleague who commented that there were steps she needed to take to help build her business, but it just felt like too much. She wasn’t the kind of person who reaches out to strangers and asks them for a 15-minute phone conversation; that’s something that phone researchers feel comfortable doing, but not an online researcher like her.
Continue reading No More “Fake It ‘til You Make It”It’s All About Why, not How
When I started my business after having worked in corporate information centers, I was afraid that I would have to replace all the expensive subscription databases I had access to as an employee. I worried that I would not be able to prove my credibility or expertise to my clients without the professional tools I was accustomed to.
Continue reading It’s All About Why, not HowThe DNA of an Infopreneur
What skills are required to be a successful infopreneur? I see this question frequently; in fact, a conversation on AIIP’s Facebook page recently raised this very question. The discussion started with the question of whether it is necessary to have a graduate degree in library science in order to run an information business. While about half of AIIP’s members have a master’s degree in library/information science, that addresses only one aspect of having the necessary skills and background to succeed as an infopreneur.
Continue reading The DNA of an InfopreneurShould You Get Niched?
Mary Ellen Bates
An evergreen conversation among AIIP members compares the relative benefits of being a generalist or specializing in a niche. I have reflected on this distinction and I think it is primarily a matter of how narrow a perspective I take.
Continue reading Should You Get Niched?Making Work Time Count
As some parts of the world are beginning to emerge from the pandemic shutdown and our clients are starting to return to the office, many of us infopreneurs are taking a fresh look at our time management skills. Some of us are pivoting our business focus to new markets; others are finding that our existing clients are starting to spend more on their information needs. And – let’s be honest – those of us who have had some of the covid restrictions lifted are also trying to squeeze more socializing into our schedules.
Continue reading Making Work Time CountHow to Answer “So, what do you do?”
One of the most memorable traditions of AIIP’s annual conference is the chance for all attendees to stand up in the front of the room and introduce themselves and their business in 30 seconds. As I prepare my own virtual introduction for #AIIP21, I am asking myself several questions to ensure my introduction will be heard and remembered—that it will convey an effective message of my value. And yes, I ask myself the same questions whenever I anticipate being asked that dreaded question, “So, what do you do?”
Continue reading How to Answer “So, what do you do?”
Showing, Not Telling, What You Do
AIIP recently hosted a webinar on how to build your word-of-mouth referral network (members may see the recording), and it got me thinking about the importance of finding effective ways to let people know what you do without sounding like a talking billboard.
Continue reading Showing, Not Telling, What You Do