Customer Reviews

Private Investigation: How to Be Successful!

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Having been in the field of public service and law enforcement for 16 years, I thought that I had the knowledge and hands-on experience to easily migrate into the field of Private Investigation as I anticipate retiring the law enforcement badge in four years. NOT.

The 16 years of experience and training in interview techniques, courtroom testimony, and forensics, is only the cornerstone for the unique insight and guidance provided by Mr. Bill Copelend in his book, PRIVATE INVESTIGATION - HOW TO BE $UCCESSFUL.

Copeland teaches the reader all of the areas important to serving, first - the client, then the P.I. Areas often taken for granted by the cop on the beat or even the P.I. employed by an agency. Bill tells the reader how to be $uccessful - as he has for himself, in the rewarding field of private investigations. Training, licensure, fees, growth of the business, associates, and business office are areas that usually don't enter the "employee's" daily thoughts. Copeland brings these to light in an informative and enlightening style.

This entertaining, personal account by Bill Copeland is an easy to read, step by step guide for the serious P.I. His personal triumphs and losses, and unique sence of humor (HEY!) are shared with the reader as if you were visting in his living room.

Bill Copeland's book, ABSOLUTELY ZERO LOSS (for the retailer) is a compliment to PRIVATE INVESTIGATION and should also be read.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATION - HOW TO BE $UCCESSFUL is a must for P.I. Agency or training facility book shelf.

After completing 25 years in law enforcement, the natural choice for my second career was private investigation. I looked at every single book on the market, most of which were either for beginners or those who seem to want to keep track of their next door neighbors. I bought Private Investigation How To Be Successful! and it made a world of difference for me.

I knew little about the profession of private investigation. This guide started me out with plenty of business savvy and helped me get through the process of getting started in my own business. I would have thought that starting out for someone with my background would be easy...not so! I needed this book.

I have seen many of my peers start and not do well in private investigation. The book pushed me in the right direction. Like the title says...how to be successful.

From licensing (a serious adventure...don't underestimate it) through all the rest of setting up my business, this book was there for me. Fortunately I read it just before I left the department, then I didn't have to re-do what I'm sure I would have done wrong.

The book is very easy to read. It's very positive (you can tell that Mr. Copeland enjoys his work and respects the field). And, it tells it like it really is. I found this out from experience.

I needed every chapter. I'm especially glad I didn't set up a home office. The book gave me all the details I needed (and wouldn't have thought about) to open my business and get clients.

I wish this book had been in the department's library for me to read. I bought another copy for that purpose! Yes, it is that good and that professional.

I highly recommend Private Investigation How To Be Successful! to anyone coming out of law enforcement...it's full of material we just haven't ever been exposed to from a business standpoint.

I was always given an office, supplies, and a telephone. I took it for granted, until I read this book.

I can investigate with the best, but I sure needed the business advice in Mr. Copeland's great book. Thanks, from a grateful PI.

I finally found a PI book that makes perfect sense written by an author who has been down the road I want to travel. No doubt here that my planned business will be far better than if I had missed this opportunity and not read "Successful!"

Why? Because it takes the time to detail every step of the process of envisioning my PI business through developing it, through opening it, through operating it. It is a great study in exactly how to proceed and how to think like a winner.

Few books give you the details and give you the confidence to succeed. This is such a book. It covers all possible necessary elements of getting into this profession and staying in it on top, which is precisely where I want to be.

A great book makes a difference. This is a great book.

In anticipation of securing my own PI license, I invested in a general business book, an accounting book, and Private Investigation How To Be Successful! Without these books I'd be lost, so I'm recommending anyone going into their own business to get these books, in reverse order. Definately start with this PI book, then read both the others. Setting up my business was a lot harder than I ever could have imagined. The books helped simplify the process and keep me out of harm's way.

This is a terrific book for the professional. It covered every aspect of setting up my PI business, and then some. It's well worth the investment as every chapter is worth its weight in gold if you're serious about your future.

I highly recommend this book to every aspiring PI, even if you "think" you have a handle on everything. Great advice. Interesting reading. You can tell immediately that the information comes from deep experience. I appreciate that.

What I didn't know about private investigation could fill a book. And here it is!

"So this is what it's all about" was my thought when I finished. The street never prepared me for this, and neither did six years as a detective.

This book pushed me to take the exam seriously. I passed. This book helped me prepare to open my business...totally. It worked. This book told me how to get clients and set my fees. Today I'm in business.

Literally hundreds of suggestions to get up and running, then hundreds more to make money. Things I would have never thought about.

Read this fine book through once, then take it chapter by chapter. It's all in order and it all makes sense, especially when I finished the process.

This book changed my business plans. I was wrong. The book was right.

It's an upbeat book. I found it thoroughly readable. I found I really needed it. Definately the best by far.

After over 20 years in Corporate Security, here I am "downsized." I'm not taking another chance on that happening again, so I decide to start my own investigation business where I'm the person-most-in-charge, especially of my own fate.

I looked at the available career books and came upon Private Investigation How To Be Successful! It helped my transition tremendously. Yes, I could start my own business, and here was exactly how to do it, step by step in a very positive guide.

Did I need this book? Candidly, yes. Too many pitfalls out there to try this on your own. I couldn't afford to just "try" this out; I needed to succeed big-time.

And I did. Bill Copeland knows what he's writing about. The perfect book for anyone in transition. Most highly recommended.

The author has put all the relevant information in the book in a manner to please every one.
The book is easy to read and understand.
Recommended for the Industry!!!!

I bought three how to detective books and this one was the most expensive and totally lame. If you are interested in a 1950-ish Polly Annish commercial on the exciting world of being a private detective, then this is the book for you. Repetitive and dull presentation of the most obvious and mundane facts that are basically useless. If it had presented the real business issues around being a detective, pros and cons, options for dealing with such matters that would be one thing. Instead this book is akin to the most gung-ho military recruiter who will only speak in the most glowing and simplistic of terms. A total waste of time and money. Just say no! Outstanding books instead are Be Your Own Detective and the amazingly thorough Get the Facts on Anyone. The former has more about the nature of the business, the latter an incredible compendium of investigative techniques.

This book was written for those clueless people who have no conception of how any business works. It is perhaps the most useless book I read (or tried to read).

I learned more about the PI business from one short conversation then from this entire book.

This book is vague and very basic common sense knowledge. It has no real inspiration on how to get started or make your private investigation business better. I was very disappointed.