Resource list to support readers of Business Matters
This Resource List is provided in addition to the links provided in Business Matters. The list is updated regularly by the author. The information in this list is provided on an “as is” basis, without warranty. While every effort has been taken by the author and XML Press in the preparation of this list, the author and XML Press shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained herein.
This list contains links to third-party web sites that are not under the control of the author or XML Press. The author and XML Press are not responsible for the content of any linked site. Inclusion of a link in this book does not imply that the author or XML Press endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content of that third-party site.
If you have resources to add to this list, please contact Elizabeth (Bette) Frick: efrick@textdoctor.com
General resources
Consulting and Independent Contracting Special Interest Group (CIC SIG) Resources and Links: http://www.stcsig.org/cic/pages/links.htm
Creative Business: www.creativebusiness.com
Entrepreneur: http://www.entrepreneur.com/
Open Directory List of Useful Associations for Technical Writers (and many others): http://www.dmoz.org/Arts/Writers_Resources/Non-Fiction/Technical_Writing/Associations/
Professional Organizations, some not listed on Open Directory (navigate to Professional Organizations heading): http://www.stcsig.org/cic/pages/links.htm#OnlineBook
Section 1: Introduction
Chapter 1: Could You, Should You Go Independent?
2012 Freelance Industry Report by Ed Gandia: http://www.internationalfreelancersday.com/2012report/#
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(R) tool: https://www.mbtionline.com
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307352153
StrengthsFinder2.0: http://www.strengthsfinder.com/home.aspx
Small Business Administration: http://www.smbiz.com/
Chapter 2: Independents’ Success Depends on Business Skills
SCORE: (www.score.org)
Financial planners (obtain a list of planners in your area): www.cfp.net
Freelancers’ FAQ: http://www.stcrmc.org/archive/jobs_freelance/freefaq.htm
Freelance resources: http://www.stcrmc.org/archive/jobs_freelance/freelance.htm
State resources for businesses: http://www.isquare.com/states/states.cfm
Consulting and Independent Contracting SIG Resources and Links:
- http://www.stcsig.org/cic/pages/links.htm
- http://www.stcsig.org/cic/OnlineBook/contents.htm
- http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Careers/Freelance
SBA: www.sba.gov (Go here before you buy any small business books.)
Freelancers’ FAQ: http://www.stcrmc.org/archive/jobs_freelance/freefaq.htm
Chapter 3: Business Plans Build Good Business
Websites:
- Microsoft Office Templates (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/results.aspx?qu=business%20plan&ex=2&av=all)
- Bizplans.com (www.bizplans.com)
- Bplans.com (www.bplans.com)
- Nolo http://www.nolo.com/
Organizations that could help you with your Business Plan:
- Certified Financial Planner website www.cfp.net
- SCORE (www.score.org)
- The Small Business Administration (www.sba.gov)
- The SBA offers great free information on business plans, specifically a helpful article at www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
- The Center for Business Planning (www.businessplans.org)
Books that you might read:
Amazon business planning books http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=business%20plans
Classes that might help you:
Consider asking a business school at your local university if it has programs that reach out to small-business owners. In the University of Minnesota’s Management Assistance Program, for example, graduate students volunteer to help small businesses in return for a $35 fee.
The business sections of most newspapers list events and classes for professionals and small businesses. One recent weekend, my local paper listed three business plan classes, all for under $50 (one was free). Or check your community college public offerings.
Finally, other consultants may assist you in writing your plan. If you can’t pay, perhaps you could team with another independent to write each other’s plans.
Section 2: Business Strategy
Chapter 4: Attracting Perfect Customers: Developing Your Strategic Plan
Attracting Perfect Customers: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1576751244
Chapter 5: Prospecting for Your Perfect Customer
Letting Go of the Words (several excellent discussions about personas that might help you visualize your perfect customer) http://www.amazon.com/dp/0123859301
North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/
ReferenceUSA(R): Find a library near you where you can access ReferenceUSA http://referenceusa.com/Static/LibraryLocator
Warming Up to Cold Calls http://www.inc.com/magazine/20041101/sales.html
Chapter 6: Are You a Generalist or a Specialist? Focusing Your Business
Liz Willis web page: http://www.lizwillis.com/
StrengthsFinder 2.0: http://www.strengthsfinder.com/home.aspx
Freelance Folder: http://freelancefolder.com/
Do You Need to Specialize to Succeed? http://freelancefolder.com/freelance-specialist-vs-generalist/
How to Start a Home-based Writing Business 5th Edition: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0762744014
StrengthsFinder2.0: http://www.amazon.com/dp/159562015X
The Wealthy Freelancer: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592579671
Chapter 7: Telescoping for survival
No resources identified yet: Share yours with Elizabeth (Bette Frick) efrick@textdoctor.com.
Chapter 8: Medical Writing and Editing Opportunities for Freelancers
AMWA www.AMWA.org
BELS www.bels.org
Health Career Web http://www.healthcareerweb.com/
Chapter 9: The Best Job I Never Took
Attracting Perfect Customers: The Power of Strategic Synchronicity http://www.amazon.com/dp/1576751244
Chapter 10: Consulting for Your Local Government
ReferenceUSA: http://referenceusa.com/Static/LibraryLocator
Chapter 11: Could You, Should You Move Your Business?
Business Move Checklist: http://www.hughesmarino.com/resources/business-move-checklist/
Craigslist: www.craigslist.org
Does a physical move make fiscal sense? http://business.time.com/2013/07/31/does-a-physical-move-make-fiscal-sense/
How do I move a business to a new address? http://smallbusiness.chron.com/move-business-new-address-2098.html
How to move a sole proprietorship business from one state to another http://smallbusiness.chron.com/move-sole-proprietorship-business-one-state-another-10611.html
How to move your Business, LLC, or corporation to another state http://www.bizfilings.com/learn/moving-business.aspx
Small Business Administration offers advice on moving your business: http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/how-move-your-sole-proprietorship-llc-or-corporation-new-state
Chapter 12: The Goal is to Get it Right, Not to Be Right (Admitting Our Mistakes)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addiction_recovery_groups
The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1483907252
Chapter 13: The Zen of Craigslist
Craigslist: www.craigslist.org
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craigslist
Using Craigslist and about Craigslist: http://www.craigslist.org/about/
Craigslist for Fun and Profit (A Practical Guide to Buying and Selling on Craigslist): http://www.amazon.com/dp/1483907252
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Making Money with Craigslist: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592579493
What to Charge: Pricing Strategies for Freelancers and Consultants: http://www.amazon.com/dp/143276764X
Chapter 14: Reframing to Save our Sanity
Cognitive Reframing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reframing
Reframing defined: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Reframing
The Reframing Matrix: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_05.htm
Chapter 15: The Power of Certification for Independents
AMWA (American Medical Writers Association): http://www.amwa.org/amwa_wks_certs
IABC (International Association of Business Communicators): http://www.iabc.com/abc/
Professional certification: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_certification
STC (Society for Technical Commmunication): http://www.stc.org/education/certification/certification-main
Chapter 16: Are You a Craftsperson or an Entrepreneur?
How to make a mind map with FreeMind: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Mindmapping&FORM=VIRE4#view=detail&mid=0E2255C93FC8C26D650F0E2255C93FC8C26D650F
How to make a mind map with Tony Buzan: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-mind-map-with-tony-buzan
Mindmapping: FreeMind: http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
The E-Myth Revisited: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0887307280
Chapter 17: The Power of Groups to Support the Freelancer
This Emotional Life: http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/
Section 3: Marketing
Chapter 18: Building a Marketing Plan
Duct Tape Marketing: The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1595554653
Guerilla Marketing website: http://www.gmarketing.com/
Guerilla Marketing: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits From Your Small Business: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0618785914
Jill Konrath, Sales Strategist: newsletter http://www.jillkonrath.com/, http://www.jillkonrath.com/selling-to-big-companies/
Marketing calendars: http://search.about.com/?q=marketing+calendars
Marketing templates from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/products/office/templates/sales-and-marketing.htm
Sales and Marketing Pro by PaloAlto Software: http://www.paloalto.com/sales_and_marketing_plan_software/
Small Business Administration: Developing a Marketing Plan: http://www.sba.gov/content/developing-marketing-plan
Small Business Marketing Kit For Dummies: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1118311833
Tips for Finding Clients: http://www.stcsig.org/cic/pages/FindingClients.htm
Chapter 19: Flexing Your Marketing Muscles: Tactics for the Reluctant Marketer
Paul and Sarah Edwards―books http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Paul%20and%20Sarah%20Edwards
Paul and Sarah Edwards (30 recent stories) http://www.entrepreneur.com/author/paul-and-sarah-edwards/4
Guerilla Marketing website: http://www.gmarketing.com/
Guerilla Marketing: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits From Your Small Business: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0618785914
Well-Fed Writer website (Peter Bowerman) http://www.wellfedwriter.com/
Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency As a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less (book): http://www.amazon.com/dp/0967059844
Chapter 20: Marketing 101: Learning from Other Independents
STC Consulting and Independent Contracting Special Interest Group archives: http://www.stcsig.org/cic/OnlineBook/contents.htm
Warming Up to Cold Calls: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20041101/sales.html
Chapter 21: Networking for Independents
How to Network: 12 Tips for Shy People: http://passivepanda.com/networking-tips
Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1892123924
Nonstop Networking: Relationship Selling for Personal Success: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1933102896
Passive Panda networking tips: http://passivepanda.com/networking-tips
Pat O’Donnell networking tips: http://blog.odonnellexecutivestrategies.com/category/business-skills/networking/
Freelancers.net: http://www.freelancers.net/
Chapter 22: Independents and the “F” Word
2013 Compare Best Money Software: http://money-software-review.toptenreviews.com
Best Money Management Software: http://www.onemoneydesign.com/best-money-management-software/
IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center: http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Small-Business-and-Self-Employed-Tax-Center-1
IRS Forms and Publications: http://www.irs.gov/Forms-&-Pubs
Quickbooks(R): http://quickbooks.intuit.com
Quicken(R): http://quicken.intuit.com
SCORE: www.score.org
Small Business Taxes & Management: http://www.smbiz.com/
Chapter 23: The Freelancer’s Biggest Worry–Am I Losing Money When I Bid?
What to Charge: Pricing Strategies for Freelancers and Consultants: http://www.amazon.com/dp/143276764X
Laurie Lewis home page: http://laurielewis.naiwe.com/my-book-what-to-charge/
Chapter 24: Time Flies! Time-Tracking Software for Independent Freelancers
2013 Test Time-Tracking & Management Comparisons: http://time-tracking-management-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
Comparison of time-tracking software: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_time_tracking_software
Five Best Time-Tracking Applications: http://lifehacker.com/5362829/five-best-time+tracking-applications
Chapter 25: Time Matters
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0142000280
Getting Things Done: David Allen Company: http://www.davidco.com/
Managing Your Schedule by Geoff Hart: (CIC CIG) http://www.stcsig.org/cic/pdfs/Scheduling.pdf
David Allen Company: www.davidco.com
Videos for Getting Things Done: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Getting+Things+Done&qpvt=Getting+Things+Done&FORM=VDRE
Chapter 26: A Room With a Window
43 Folders (finding the time and attention to do your best creative work): http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/08/getting-started-with-getting-things-done