PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS FROM THE BUSINESS END 101

First and foremost, you have to remember that being a PI is first and foremost a business.  If you want to be successful at this over the long haul, you have to focus on this from a business standpoint.  There are many outstanding police detectives who become PI’s and ultimately fail at it.  They get a Private Investigator’s license, get some business cards and a letterhead printed, and get a business phone.  Then they can’t understand when the phone isn’t ringing why they aren’t getting any business.  I always counsel other police officers who are thinking of going into PI work that you have to learn the business end to be successful.  You need to know marketing, advertising, how much to charge, where to I get information, and most important, how do you get work to come to you.  One of the biggest problems I have found with retired officers is that they charge too little.  This is a business that is strictly result oriented.  The client doesn’t care if you have a fancy office, drive a fancy car, or wear expensive suits.  Clients are motivated by one thing, RESULTS!  If you get results, you’ll get repeat business.