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© 2009 60 Second Online University, a division of BKV, Inc.
By Jamie Turner, CEO, 60 Second Communications
Information Professionals, also known as Researchers or Info Pros, are a valuable resource to anyone that needs to find accurate, relevant and current information. Sometimes the info pro is in-house, sometimes they are independent businesses, sometimes they’re a small business with
little or no staff. In this case, size doesn’t matter because of the specialized skills and access to
information the info pro brings to a project.
When in need of information that you can’t find, don’t know how to find, or simply don’t want
to bother trying to find, a good information professional can be the answer. These skilled
hunters can be instrumental in helping you with your quest for information.
Why You Need an Information Professional
1. Get the Accurate Info You Need: Finding the right information can be difficult, if not
impossible, for most business people. Using the internet and search engines like Google, Yahoo!
and Bing generates unreliable information from unreliable sources. An info pro has the search
skills and ability to search online using over 100 search engines; in addition, they have access to
premium databases that cite reliable sources for material available. And they are skilled in not
only obtaining the information but analyzing and evaluating it as well.
2. Get Quality Research: Skilled info pros are making a difference every day in the accuracy and
relevance of research projects that meet business, industry, government, non-profit and other
needs. Some examples of the people who use an information professional include:
Salespeople or Sales Departments needing verified contact information
Marketing Directors needing market research for a product launch
Product Development Directors needing technical documentation on existing products
CEOs wanting competitive intelligence
COOs wanting business intelligence in an industry
Research Scientist needing current technical data
National Speaker needing background information about companies they want to target
Human Resource Recruiters wanting passive and active candidate resumes and contact
information
Business Owners needing current market trends for use in forecasting
In-House Research Departments needing an extra hand or two on a project
Non-Profits wanting pre-qualified donor names
Small Business Owner needing a verified mailing/telephone list of prospective
customers
Business strategists needing current statistical data
3. Stay Competitive and Informed: And the list goes on. Why? Because today’s business and
industry executives need to stay competitive and informed. An information professional
provides strong data as the basis for making good decisions.
4. Let the Professionals do their Jobs: The skills an information professional has to offer can
save the company time and money by allowing business and industry executives and
professionals to focus on running the organization, making sales, and creating products.
How to Choose an Information Professional
Finding an info pro is not that difficult. Some are independent, some are employed with a small
or large research company, and some come from backgrounds as varied as military intelligence,
private investigation, and direct marketing. I can highly recommend any member of AiiP
(Association for Independent Information Professionals) located at http://www.aiip.org. Once
you have a few names it’s time to delve a little deeper to determine with whom you want to
work with.
Some questions to ask yourself, and the info pro, are:
1. What is the educational background of the info pro? If your project requires analysis
of cell protein structures and comparisons of eco-systems, then you’ll need someone
with a Ph.D. in Chemistry. If your project needs current market trends or product uses,
then an info pro with experience in business or access to premium databases is a good
fit. Ask if the info pro has attended any courses or seminars lately, indicative of the info
pro’s intention to maintain and improve their research skills.
2. Is specialized knowledge required? Consider hiring a specialist when the subject is
technical, if the jargon used is every day for the industry, or if industry context is
important to the results. For example, patent searches are technical and you should
look for a specialist. Medicine is highly specialized and the wrong answers might prove
serious.
3. What online resources does the info pro use? Ask if the info pro subscribes to
premium databases. A few database vendors include Dialog, LexisNexus, Factiva,
Hoover’s. Few, if any, info pros will have memberships to all available databases. But,
when asked, the info pro should be knowledgeable of at least these few. Getting a blank
stare, a long silence on the phone or worse, being told that Google and Boolean
searches are enough, warrants moving on to the next name.
4. Is the info pro open and realistic with you? Be wary of anyone telling you that they
can get anything you need; some information simply doesn’t exist. And some
information is so deeply buried that the cost of obtaining it that it exceeds its value.
5. What and how will you be charged for the service? Some info pros bill hourly, others
bill on a project basis. Ask about the info pro’s business practices and ask for an
estimate for the project.
6. Is the info pro asking you questions, too? Finally, a good information professional will
not take your request and produce an estimate within minutes of a phone call. Expect to
be questioned further about your needs and expectations. Expect to be engaged in
conversation about the project – if you’re not, then you need to look elsewhere.
A skilled info pro can be instrumental in finding the information you need to make business
decisions, so be prepared to conduct an interview with each info pro you contact. Ask yourself if
you’re comfortable with them. Engage in a conversation and determine if they’re a fit with you
and your project. And, if all goes well, keep them in mind for the next time you’re in need of an
information professional.
++++++
Charlene Burke is Owner of Burke Research Services, providing research and online marketing
expertise to businesses. For more information go to www.burkeresearchservices.com, or
contact Charlene by e-mail cburke@burkeresearchservices.com or telephone 812-951-3177.
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