Do any of you outsource your research for copywriting projects?

I'm wanting to have someone dig up the dirt on a given topic and deliver it to me in a nice little package.

Little known stuff...

Proof items from well-known media...

Startling facts and statistics...

QUESTIONS:

Who do you use?
How did you find them (if you won't reveal your own person)?
What sort of instructions do you give them?
How much do you pay them and how do you structure the compensation?

Thanks...

Hey buddy, I got 2 words for you...

Google Answers


The Google Answers team is a group of research specialists
who do nothing but research.

You can get some amazingly cheap and good research work
done for as little as $20.

However, spending a bit more is advisable in my opinion so
you are assured of some serious research.

Another cool thing is to search through Google Answers to
see past questions someone has asked.

Just maybe someone has already had the same questions as you
and the Google Answers team may have already answered it.

If this is the case, you pay nothing as all answers and questions
are available for the public to see.

Just make sure you use a alias when asking questions. Guys
like myself stalk other marketers who don't shield themselves
very well.

I have someone who does research in depth. I've used Google Answers
for specific questions but they don't do much in depth stuff.

PM me for his contact info.

Law students work cheap for the experience on their resumes...here's the beauty of it.

They have free access to vast research databases. The companies give them free access hoping that they become hooked and pay for the services as lawyers. The databases include all sorts of stuff, including news stories, journal publications, company profiles, etc. that one won't find on Google.

Find them by contacting the job placement (career services) office of any decent local law school. The students with a fire in their bellies are always checking there for part-time jobs or projects. Of course, the job description given to the placement office is "research," i.e. broad and vague.

Instructions given in a one-page written memorandum that clearly states it is an independent contractor arrangement ... usually by e-mail.
I prefer flat fee but sometimes $X per hour subject to a cap. The smart ones will bill it 10-20% under the cap even if it took longer to do the work because they want more projects. The carrot of a positive recommendation is also a good incentive.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

-Mike

PM'd you Doc...


That's helpful...

Can you "narrow" the $X per hour for me a bit more?

Thanks for that Mike, that's great advice!

$13-20 hour depending on who I'm selecting. If a first-year student (1L), then the $13 range. If a third-year (3L), then toward the $20 hour range. A bargain if they're doing online research and providing raw data. Even complex research rarely requires more than 5-10 hours. That's typically hundreds of pages of relevant raw data that I can use. They become less cost effective if you ask them to write memos summarizing the data. Brevity isn't part of the training.

-Mike

Glad to help, Ricky.

-Mike

Thanks a million, Mike!!!

Hi JP,

you know it's possible that your local library might be a good first point of call. Librarians are good at finding information. Plus, it's free.

Source: BusinessWeek Magazine: The Library: Next Best Thing to an MBA.

I know it sounds so obvious, but they're trained in this sort of thing.

Also, I believe you can access a lot of library services remotely and even get access to library researchers themselves.

For example see HillResearch.org
I've used librarians before and I've found them very useful.

A few resources are listed hear:
ResourceShelf » Resources of the Week: Taking Care of Business

Best Wishes,

Tom

P.S. I belive Dan Kennedy has extolled the virtues of using a library for research.