Is There Room For You?

Top 2. Jun 6, 2000 3:10 PM

» Indexlady - re: Is There Room for You?

I'm very happy that you are working on business plan. It will help you identify weak areas that you need to work on. We all have weak areas, but until we formally look at them, we don't always realize exactly what they are.

In response to your questions:

(1) One way to determine what type of indexes might be required for any niche is to go to the library or book store, and start checking out the indexes to books that are already published.

There are differences between niches, so at the very least, you should be comfortable creating that type of index.

I'm not referring to whether the index is run-in or indented, or other stylistic formatting.

What I'm referencing is the difference between legal material and general trade books, between medical books and teacher's editions, and the like.

Check out indexes in your favorite areas, and see which one you would be most comfortable *beginning* with. Later on, you can include the others.

(2) The closest breakdown of how many indexers specialize in a niche can be found in the Indexer Locator available from ASI. But, this is a very slanted picture. You see, there are many members who are not in it. In addition, there are many active indexers who are not members of ASI. So, you can see the information in it really won't help you too much.

That's not how I recommend finding out if there's room for you. Look at it this way. There may be 500 indexers listed who do technical material. There may only really be a need for 1,500 indexers in this niche. Conversely, there may be only 30 indexers in another niche, but that may be overcrowding that niche even though there are so few.

You really need to make informational calls (Step 3 (discover how many potential clients you have).

You see, identifying your clients is more than just seeing who indexes in what niche. Are you hi-tech? Then the low-tech indexer is not your competition. And vice-versa. You may both index in skunk material, but you will be targeting different clients.

Hanging out on the various listservs and paying attention to what is said, what is not said (reading between the lines), reading sig lines, checking out indexers web sites, and the like will tell you more about who your competition is.

Then, when this information is coupled with other information, such as the Indexer Locator, you will have a better picture.

(3) I don't personally feel this is anything you learn from the "Basic Indexing" course by the USDA. I can't speak for the "Applied Indexing" course, nor for any other indexing class or course taught by individuals.

The focus of the USDA "Basic Indexing" course is really "indexing*. Not running a business or marketing.

But, you might get those topics in other courses. I simply haven't taken other courses.

This is a business, a career choice. We should sit down and solidly examine this as much as we would if we were going to college and spending thousands of dollars getting educated as a medical doctor, and then getting involved with setting up a private practice.

Too often, the decision to get into indexing just a spur of the moment thing borne of frustration at our jobs, wishing we could have the glamourous life of working from home. It may start out as spur of the moment decision, but we should move into a more serious approach if we want to be successful.

Hope this helps. As always, it's always just my own opinion based on my own experiences. Others may have different experiences. Weigh all opinions in light of what works best for you and your situation.

Dawn

-- posted by Indexlady

Top 3. Jun 6, 2000 4:24 PM

» Pddf - Wow!

You have helped alot! I guess I am concerned about trying to figure out a business plan for something that I really don't know how to do yet.
And I haven't really been sure how to accomplish that without more knowledge. I've ordered several books interlibrary loan and that should help. In the meantime, I'll concentrate on my business plan and those 80 productive things to do!

I have joined the listservs and am slowly visiting every indexer's website I can find.

Since I already work from home I am well aware of just how unglamorous it can be. Though I would love to jump right into this I think I'll take your advice to heart. I intend to go carefully into indexing with a business plan.

By the way, I've decided to try my hand at the 1981 award winning index by Delight Ansley in "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan. It's the only one I have within easy reach! Shouldn't take me more than, oh, a year or so. (smile)

Paula

-- posted by Pddf

Top 4. Jun 6, 2000 4:47 PM

» Indexlady - re: Is There Room for You

How you feel about business plans is quite normal. It's also why many others don't pull one together.

Those 80 things to do are a very basic outline of a business plan--just not sorted out into the topics of a business plan.

Business plans should never be static, even after you are established. They should always be changing as your business grows.

So, with that thought in mind, start committing your business thoughts to paper, and as you grow your business, make revisions.

And don't feel you need to start at the beginning of a business plan. Jump in wherever you feel like it, whether that's in marketing, determining competition, or wherever. The rest comes naturally, albeit over time.

Good luck!
Dawn

-- posted by Indexlady