Solo PR Pro | Successful Freelance PR Consulting » Maximizing Efficiencies

Superheroes Don’t Exist

Kellye Crane — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:00:11 +0000

Family emergencies can serve as a reminder that there is much more to life than work – these times can offer an amazing opportunity to pause and reflect on our own priorities.

Unfortunately, even during periods of grief or illness, we tend to measure ourselves against others who appear to have achieved superhero status.

As social media has become a part of our daily lives, we see images of superheroes all around us – their plethora of blog posts, never-ending networking and dizzying schedules are on public display. For the rest of us, those who seem to never slow down (and never fail) often are used as the measuring stick of success.

The Real Deal

Most of us know that when you see someone else’s marriage, you don’t really know what goes on “behind closed doors.” The same is true for professional dynamos – those who seem to have superhero stamina and smarts are actually real people with real problems and real failings.

What’s more, sometimes we assign superhero status to those who would readily admit they are far from it, if asked. Fellow Solo PR Pro, Laura Scholz (whose energy has always been a marvel to me), bravely recounted her struggles on her blog recently.

This is not to say the world isn’t filled with heroes – I’m sure we all have many heroes of the human, mortal variety who inspire us daily and keep life interesting. But superheroes only exist in comic books and movies, and constantly trying to be one will only leave us exhausted, unsatisfied and empty.

I loved it when Stuart Smalley, the old self-help-addicted character on Saturday Night Live, said, “I’m should-ing all over myself.” How often do you catch yourself should-ing? What are your tips for avoiding superhero syndrome?

Image credit: Carla216

Chatting at the Mid-Year Point

Kellye Crane — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:56:41 +0000

As part of the #solopr Twitter chat this week – at the halfway mark in 2010 – we covered a variety of questions/topics submitted by the Solo PR Pro community:

1) Looking for ideas/advice when announcing new client relationships. Get permission? Make a big splash? Keep quiet?

2) How do solos choose which Webinars/conferences to attend, considering the
abundance?

3) We’re half way through 2010 (hard to believe, I know). Where are you in
relation to your #solopr goals? Any tweaks?

4) Ever been asked to be a one-off “hired gun” (example – write one press release, do media outreach for existing announcement)? Do you do it?

Download the transcript to read the full discussion and learn helpful insights from the many experienced independent PR pros who participated.

If you weren’t able to join us, what are your thoughts on these questions? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

New Business, PR Timing, and More

Kellye Crane — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:55:19 +0000

As part of this week’s #solopr Twitter chat, pros in PR consulting offered insights on a wide-range of topics, addressing the following questions:

1. When in between projects and working to gain new business, what are the best practices?

2. I graduated in December and am thinking of doing solo PR offering social media and other PR services. Good idea in this economy?

3. What’s the best way to space out PR communications (like press release etc.) to have all year coverage?

4. How often do you like to see posts on your favorite blogs? Is there such a thing as too much content?

Be sure to check out the transcript inPDF for tons more wisdom. What do you think — how would you weigh in on this discussion?

Sharing and Support

Kellye Crane — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:12:13 +0000

In addition to offering the usual practical tips, during this week’s #solopr Twitter chat participants shared some of their personal stories about why they became Solo PR Pros, and what keeps them inspired to stay independent. Both new and long-term solos drew inspiration by sharing our individual motives.

This week’s questions were:

1. @mdbarber recently shared her reasons for going solo at http://bit.ly/cfyYkO – what is important to you?

2. Should surveys be performed in-house (polldaddy) or contracted? Experiences?

3. Have you ever had to move (your home and/or your office)? How do you maintain uninterrupted service for your clients?

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the excellent insights and advice shared by some of the top pros nationwide. And let us know what you think in the comments!

Handling Sticky Situations with Journalists

Kellye Crane — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:29:50 +0000

Each week the #solopr Twitter chat – held Wednesdays from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – addresses topics and questions submitted by the community of Solo PR Pros. Though the chats attract primarily independent PR consultants and those interested in learning more, information shared during this week’s discussion is relevant to anyone in public relations or related fields.

The questions included:

1) Have you ever been burned by a journalist, as in promised to write but didn’t, screwed up the piece, made you look bad, etc?

2) How do you handle these disappointments with clients?

3) How do you get in the creative zone when you are feeling anything but, and deadline looms?

Because our transcripts come from What the Hashtag, and that service likes to keep life interesting (as in, buggy), this week’s transcript is in two parts. There is great info in both the main, chronological transcript in PDF, as well as the middle 20 minutes PDF (from 1:30-1:49 p.m. ET) which is in reverse chronological order. Apologies for the technical snafu, but I think you’ll find both documents worth saving.

Have you ever encountered difficulties with a journalist’s follow through? How did you handle? Let us know in the comments!