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