As I’m wrapping up my sixth year as a licensed private investigator and small business owner, I feel like I’m really starting to hit my stride. I’m not a newbie anymore. I’ve established myself as an investigator to be taken seriously. My name is out there in several PI circles. I love, love, LOVE what I do. I’m here to stay.
If you’re just starting out or you’re simply ready to buckle down with the intention of becoming really good at what you do, I’ve created some practical steps you can take to make it happen. Some of these are so simple, they may surprise you:
Research other killer private investigators. Take note of what they do and how they do it. How do they make themselves stand out? Why are they so highly regarded? Don’t copy them. But do learn from them.
After you’ve researched other successful private investigators, approach them. Ask questions. Connect with them on social media. Comment on their posts. Seek them out at conferences. Ask one or more of them to mentor you.
Don’t try to be a jack of all trades (and master of none). Choose one or a few areas of specialty and then dig deep into them. Soak up all the classes, conferences, books, blogs, podcasts, and courses you possibly can. Become a lifelong student of your specialty. And all the while, learn by doing.
It seems silly (and sad) to say, but return emails and phone calls in a timely manner. And once you’ve “hooked” a client and you are working for them, don’t let up on your responsiveness. Be reliable. Be communicative. Be timely. If you become the guy or gal that everyone has a hard time getting ahold of, you’ll never be a killer private investigator no matter how great your investigative skills are.
Don’t underestimate the power of being honest, kind, approachable, and empathetic. Your character bleeds into every facet of your business.
Put yourself out there. Clients won’t find you if they don’t know you exist. Create a website. Establish yourself and your business both online and in your city in as many places as possible. Interact within the PI community. Write blogs or a book. Host a podcast. Speak at a conference. Always accept invitations to be a guest writer, speaker, or otherwise.
Establish an intake process for prospective clients. Streamline any process that can be streamlined. It will save you so much time and also make a good impression on prospective clients.
Look outside of the profession of private investigations for ways to expand your knowledge, investigative capabilities, and business practices. Remain forever open to change, improvement, and constructive criticism.
I know a lot of killer private investigators who could make this a more robust blog by adding steps of their own in the comments. :)