by Cynthia Hetherington

“Future-ready” in my business means work in the pipeline. As a business owner and private investigator, I spend a lot of time nurturing my clients and waiting for their calls. As much of our work is reactive, we have to be ever-ready. To prepare for this, my team and I are always updating and re-sharpening our skills. Like first responders, when you don’t see us working on active caseloads, we are strengthening our skills by practicing on our search tactics and reviewing new vendors. This is not unlike the librarian, who is in a constant state of learning. However, applying these librarian principals to the private investigative industry is a new and unique approach.

There’s the rub! Being unique in your area of expertise is truly future-ready. That uniqueness will always allow for you to stand apart from the competition and, thereby, make you a more attractive resource. For example, when I’m in librarian circles I tend to emphasize my security and investigations work. Conversely, when I’m with law enforcement or investigative groups I remind them of my library background. Simple as that. I’m always remembered by those with whom I come into contact.

Once you’ve pinpointed your unique feature, it must be marketed as such. Get out from behind your computer and meet, in person, with clients at conferences, luncheons, and other networking events. Meeting in person once is worth a thousand tweets!

Future-ready has to be made to happen, so start building your brand and marketing your unique self.

Cynthia Hetherington, MLS, MSM, has been coaching, training, and working alongside private investigators, security specialists, and law enforcement professionals for nearly twenty years. She  has found a niche in the investigative industry, assisting in online and Internet research. A widely-published author, she has written Business Background Investigations and The Manual to Online Public Records. Cynthia founded Hetherington Group, a firm dedicated to private, corporate, and government investigation and security, utilizing the industry’s most highly-regarded and nationally known investigative experts.  It also publishes the Data2know.com: Internet & Online Intelligence Newsletter for investigators and security professionals, and provides one of the industry’s most trusted private investigative services, geared toward the private business sector.