Conference – Page 5 – AIIP Connections Blog

Listening for opportunity: Doing what comes un-naturally

At AIIP 2019, three AIIP members shared their top 10 ways to look for new opportunities to get new clients. Janel Kinlaw from Refining Workflow reports on important top 10 tips shared by AIIP members.

The Listening for opportunity: Doing what comes un-naturally session was a conversation between three AIIP members sharing ways to find new project opportunities as well as expanding your business.

Aligning with clients: Changing business focus

At AIIP 2019, Eddie Ajaeb, Nighthawk Strategies and Connie Crosby, Crosby Consulting Group shared their experiences on how they identified and responded to changing client needs and market disruptions to unlock new business potential.

Jan Sykes, Principal at Information Management Services reports on the tips shared by the panel speakers on how to evolve as an independent information professional to meet your clients’ changing needs.

Snap talk: Learning by doing – Training on the job

At the AIIP19 Conference, AIIP Past President, Cindy Shamel presented a snap talk on learning by doing. Birgit Bauer, Bauer Business Research reports on training on the job tips.

Many of us – AIIPs members and attendees of the conference – are solopreneurs. Solo. No people, no colleagues. No corporate structure. Nobody to send us to courses. Listening to her talk we were encouraged to learn by doing.

Snap Talk: Successful project work – The ‘Secret Sauce’ to keeping a client happy

Marilyn Harmacek, reports on the AIIP 2019 Conference snap talk by Rhonda Kleiman on The Secret Sauce to Keeping a Client Happy.

Rhonda Kleiman, President of Rhonda Kleiman Group stepped up to the microphone with several tips on how to keep clients happy. The ‘secret sauce” turns out to be managing expectations on both sides of the equation.

Announcing the AIIP19 Award winners

The Awards Committee is proud to announce that we honored the following AIIP members at the April 2019 AIIP Annual Conference in Philadelphia. Congratulations to Andrea Carrero, Carol Compton, Kelly Berry, and Birgit Bauer.

Marilyn Levine AIIP President’s Award

Andrea Carrero, Word Technologies Inc.

The AIIP President has the honor each year of selecting the recipient of the Marilyn M. Levine President’s Award. Marilyn was AIIP’s first president, and the award is given in recognition of any person or institution that has demonstrated extraordinary support of the objectives of the association.

Andrea has been a long-time supporter of AIIP through her contributions to the public relations, conference planning, and, most recently, AIIP-L committees. When asked about her service to AIIP Andrea said, “AIIP gave me the skills I needed to run a successful business and always serves as a resource.”

This exemplifies the mission of the association, and it is a pleasure to recognize Andrea for her support of AIIP.

Sue Rugge Memorial Award

Carol Compton, INDIECLEAR

The Sue Rugge Memorial Award is given to a member who has significantly helped another member through formal or informal mentoring.

Carol received this award in recognition of the training in script clearance work she provided to three AIIP members, including 15 hours of video training, group video conference calls, and one-on-one feedback on script projects. Her nominee wrote “To me, that shows an incredible dedication to the craft of script clearance and is a measure of the investment she made to the training process.”

Carol’s training is also noteworthy because she has helped three AIIP members gain the necessary skills in this highly-specialized area and expand their businesses.

AIIP Connections Writer’s Award

Kelly Berry, ResourceAbility, LLC

“Strategic Planning for Small Business,” AIIP Connections 32(4), Dec 2018

In April 2019, we presented the AIIP Connections Writer’s Award for the last time. AIIP Connections, our quarterly publication, has been enjoyed by members since it first appeared in 1991. The award was designed to encourage original contributions by members of AIIP and has been presented each year to the author of the best original article published in AIIP Connections.

This year produced a strong field of contenders for the award. Because of her engaging writing on a topic of value to members, Kelly Berry received the 2018 AIIP Connections Writer’s Award for “Strategic Planning for Small Business,” which appeared in the December 2018 issue.

The award includes a cash prize sponsored by a group of former AIIP Connections editors: Crystal Sharp, Sharp Information Services (2001–2002); Heather Carine, Carine Research (2009–2011); Joann Wleklinski, Wleklinski Information Services (2005–2007; 2011–2015); and Phyllis Smith, ITK Vector Inc. (2015–2019).

Roger Summit Conference Sponsorship

Birgit Bauer, Bauer Business Research e.U.

The purpose of the Roger Summit Conference Sponsorship is to facilitate awareness of the benefits of attending AIIP annual conferences and to support a member who has not previously attended. It provides a cash stipend and free conference registration.

This year the sponsorship went to Birgit Bauer of Bauer Business Research, based in Vienna, Austria. Birgit has been an active European member of AIIP and a regular at the annual Internet Librarian International Conference in London, where she helps out on the AIIP stand.

Birgit had never attended an AIIP annual conference, since the cost of travel from Austria to the USA is a significant expense, and winning the Conference Sponsorship made it possible for her to take advantage of this valuable experience.

Snap talk: Infopros can open doors through the gentle art of schmoozing

Troy Wason, Principal & Chief Research Officer at Axxess Point Inc, shared his transformational journey from self-professed introvert to natural-born extrovert or ‘schmoozer’ in a snap talk at the AIIP 2019 Annual Conference. Ellen Naylor from Business Intelligence Source reports on Troy’s snap talk session.

Schmoozing often has a negative connotation in politics. Troy Wason’s definition of schmoozing is making social connections with friendly, non-aggressive chat. So, what’s the difference between networking and schmoozing? About 2 glasses of wine.

Snap talk: Need help? Phone a friend

Monica McCann, Medical Writer and Prospect Researcher, Chesapeake Medical Communications reports on the 2019 AIIP Conference Snap Talk: “Need Help? Phone a Friend.”

Do you frequently find yourself with more work than you can handle? Well, subcontracting may be a business strategy to consider. AIIP members Karen Klein and Michelle Rawl shared their insights during the 2019 AIIP Conference Snap Talk: “Need Help? Phone a Friend.”

Karen Klein and Michelle Rawl discussed how they have developed a successful sub-contractual relationship and leveraged the unique capabilities of AIIP members.

When is it helpful to hire subcontractors?

You have a quick-turnaround project
You do not have the full skill set required of a project
You have competing work and family priorities
You are not yet able to absorb the overhead of hiring an employee

How do AIIP members find a subcontractor who can make you shine?

Conduct a key term search in the AIIP membership directory.
Network with as many people as you can at AIIP conferences.
Don’t be shy about expressing a desire to work with other AIIP colleagues. Share with other members information about what you enjoy and what you’re good at; this makes an impression that could lead to opportunities down the road.
Volunteer with an AIIP committee. Volunteering is an opportunity to give back to the organization and show off your current skills, while potentially learning a new skill set, observing how your colleagues work, and identifying whom you “click” with and how you can complement each other’s work style.
Look for someone who is the best fit, who will make your work easier, and whose experience and skills strengthen your client proposals.

What are some tips to successfully hire a subcontractor?

Slow down and be clear about your expectations.
Agree on payment options before getting started.
Create templates and set deadlines.
Provide written terms of the agreement outlining the task(s), deliverables, deadlines and what and when subcontractor will get paid
Start with a small, low-risk project to help build trust in the relationship.
At the onset of the project, have the subcontractor sign a non-disclosure agreement and, if necessary, a non-compete agreement. (Samples are available on the AIIP website.)
Involve the subcontractor in the project planning process.
Conduct periodic check-ins with the subcontractor to ensure expectations are being met.

Subcontractor point-of -view:

How can subcontractors facilitate a good working relationship?

Be professional: Treat the relationship and the work with respect, as you would any other client
Give your best effort: Be proud of the work you are delivering to the person hiring you
Ask questions: If you don’t understand the task you are being asked to do, call to get clarity as soon as possible
Schedule check-ins: Share your progress at regular intervals to be sure you are on the right path. If something has gone wrong, the work can still be corrected or salvaged if the problem is identified early enough.

What do you do when the arrangement is not going well?

Have a “graceful exit” ready!

“Thank you for all the work you’ve done, my schedule is freeing up and I’ll be able to handle the project from here.”

If you find yourself needing extra help during a busy project season, or if a new opportunity arises that requires a different set of skills that complement your own, consider reaching out to your AIIP colleagues. You just might create a long-term, effective working relationship that can help you grow your business.

Thank you to Fulcrum Information Resources and Rawl Research for sponsoring the Snap Talk.

Productivity as a solopreneur: Tools for smartly running your business – don’t let it run you!

Jennifer E. Burke, President of IntelliCraft Research, presented at the AIIP 2019 Conference on Productivity Tools for running your business. Chris Cochran, AIIP member, reports on Jennifer’s Conference session