With the incredible amount of information on the Internet, many of you perceive the library as a resource for students and senior citizens. I hope to change that perception today!
If you haven’t been to your local library in a while, you may not be aware of the plethora of resources available to help grow your business. Many of those resources are online, and your library card is your gateway to many expensive databases… at no cost to you! In these economic times, we’re all looking for ways to grow our business that won’t cost us a fortune.
First, if you don’t have a library card, you can find your local library’s website by visiting www.publiclibraries.com. If you discover that your community library doesn’t offer the databases you’re seeking, you may find that the state level does indeed offer you access via their portal. For example, in New Jersey, they have the New Jersey Knowledge Initiative, funded in large part by tax dollars. NJKI enables you to sign up online for a library card, too. So, no more excuses… it’s time to get your own card and max out the value of that bar code on the back!
What can you access with your card?
ReferenceUSA enables you to search for business contacts within the industries or geographic regions of interest to you. If business-to-business contacts are important for your own business growth, then you’ll definitely want to access this resource. The ReferenceUSA database contains detailed information on more than 14 million U.S. businesses; 210 million U.S. residents; 855,000 U.S. health care providers; 1.5 million Canadian businesses; and 12 million Canadian households. This information will allow you to make “informed warm calls” vs. “cold calls.”
The Encyclopedia of Associations lists nationwide organizations you may want to target for networking events, education, and speaking opportunities. Here you may find many allied professionals for cross-referral business opportunities, too. Simply search by keyword and a complete nationwide list appears with full contact information and website links. Via this website, you can see if there is a statewide affiliate that may be of interest to you. Also, make sure you are asking your candidates and clients what associations they support. Associations must keep their members informed of trends, which is why these sites are so valuable.
Marquis Who’s Who chronicles the lives of America’s most noteworthy men and women. The biographies are supplied by these noteworthy Americans themselves, providing you with a snapshot of family, work, charitable interests, civic ties, and religious and political affiliations. In terms of prospecting for connections in your own community, you can search by city name or zip code, and a full list is provided of these noteworthy Americans. Before you have a telephone conversation or meeting with a corporate decision maker, for instance, why not see if they are listed and get a sense of who they are BEFORE your meeting? It’s important for you to learn as many personal things as possible about your prospects and clients. It helps elevate you from a vendor to trusted advisor.
Newspapers and magazines are archived through EBSCOhost, Infotrac, and Proquest. If you need to stay on top of certain industries or you’re about to embark on business expansion into another market, recent news articles give you the ability to sound like an expert.
The library provides great resources for proactive recruiters! Take advantage of these sites to help you source new clients and candidates, which will, of course, have a positive impact on your level of production and income.