In addition to the downloadable transcript in PDF, the following highlights some of the most popular tweets from the chat:

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that the transcript is in reverse chronological order.

If you weren’t able to join us this week, weigh in on the chat questions below!

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!

The amazing Jennifer Spivak started with us as an intern and continued as a community assistant – her energy and drive have truly been a constant inspiration! As she continues down her path toward becoming a full-time independent consultant, Jennifer’s decided to share some of the insights she gained as part of our community.

For the last 10 months or so, I’ve worked part-time as a community assistant for the queen of #solopr, Kellye Crane. As we’ll soon be parting ways, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on my experience and share what I’ve learned with all of you, the wonderful independent PR & marketing pros who help keep this thriving community alive:

• Internal deadlines are a must.
• In #solopr, EOD actually (and awesomely) means 11:59 p.m.
• If you’re directing a conference, you’ll probably get sick the day before it begins.
• We DO have collective power!
• And of course, even independent PR practitioners need a vacation sometimes.

But more important than the real-world insight I gained through my work with Kellye and my time at #solopr is the affirmation that working independently is without a doubt what I am meant to do. And the best part? When I do go solo – which I don’t think is more than a year or two away from now – I won’t be starting from scratch, wondering how it’s done and where to turn when I need guidance.

I’ll know to look to Get It In Writing when I approach my first client. I’ll remember that the best way to get an overflow of answers from some seriously smart people is to pop in to a #solopr chat. And I’ll most definitely know that the #solopr community is always there; to encourage me, to inspire me, and to remind me that THIS is what I want to do with the rest of my life.

Though the last time you all heard from me I was still in school, I have since graduated and starting working at a small social media marketing agency while pursuing freelance projects on the side (of which I now have several). I know I’m not there yet, but at some point in the future I’ll be ready to transition these side projects to becoming my only source of income.

The idea of this, I’ll admit, is somewhat terrifying to me. But that fear isn’t something that’s going to stop me. Remember my name, solo PR pros – I’ve got big plans and big dreams, and with a community like this one, I think its safe to say I just might be unstoppable.

I have no doubt that Jennifer is right! The fact that she is planning her entire career with the end goal in mind is a testament to her maturity and self-awareness.

What would you have done early on, if you knew independence was in your future?

This post was originally published on PRSAY, the executive blog of PRSA.

Most PR professionals have done it, whether they admit to it or not: they fantasize about becoming an independent PR consultant. So why haven’t you taken action?

Solo PR Pros have a great life, and I firmly believe that more people would go independent if it weren’t for the following myths:

Myth #1: Being an independent PR consultant isn’t a long-term career path – people just do it between jobs or while building an agency

Starting a solo business is indeed an excellent way to jumpstart the building of a larger agency. It can also be useful for those who are between positions to generate some side income.

However, many thousands of people spend most of their career as an independent PR professional. I’m happy to say I’ve worked successfully as a solo PR pro for more than 15 years.

Myth #2: To begin, you need to have significant startup funds to secure a brick-and-mortar office, marketing materials, and more

Though having some basic promotion in place is beneficial, many PR pros start consulting with a budget of… zero dollars. A good reputation and a healthy professional network are the foundations of an independent consultancy – if you have that, you can begin. Obviously, the more money you have in savings the better off you’ll be long-term, but you don’t need to spend a lot of funds up front to get started.

Further, the days when a home-based business was considered small-time are over. Working from home has become so commonplace in business today, no one will bat an eye.

Myth #3: Solo PR pros are at a disadvantage when it comes to winning clients

While we often refer to ourselves as “solo,” this is a misnomer. We operate our businesses independently, but few of us work in isolation.

Through subcontracting agreements among solos, virtual agencies are commonplace, and many clients are completely used to and comfortable with this model of operation. In fact, these arrangements can be a great advantage in attracting new business. Because there are no set, pre-defined teams, each new business proposal can include the most skilled and experienced professionals specifically for each client.

Myth #4: Independent consultants have limited income

In truth, the US Department of Labor reports that “full-time, independent contractors earn more than average traditional workers.” A 2008 survey by the PRSA Independent Practitioners Alliance showed that those who collaborate with other indies via virtual agencies earn well into the six figures.

Myth #5: You need decades of experience to succeed as a solo

This is probably less of an issue than you think. I started my successful PR consulting business after just four years of working in traditional agencies. I even had a brief stint as a low-end PR freelancer after just two years of experience. While your fees will of course vary based on your background, at virtually every step of your career there are opportunities to freelance and consult.

Myth #6: Independent consultants don’t get to work on exciting projects or contracts

In fact, it’s usually just the opposite. Being an independent consultant means I’m able to seek out the most interesting and challenging projects for me at any given time. I don’t have to worry about boredom or ethical dilemmas, because I have the ability to build my business as I see fit. It also means that I get to work with a large variety of clients and people, which keeps things fresh.

Myth #7: Independents are all competing for the same business – only a handful are successful

This one may seem puzzling to those who aren’t part of the indie ranks, but solo PR pros typically do not view each other as competition. In fact, we offer each other a helping hand on a regular basis. We refer business to each other based on our areas of expertise, and we also provide important moral support. Even for those of us who’ve been doing this a while, there are always new skills to learn and innovative tools to try.

The Solo PR Pro community is one example of this camaraderie. Just reach out to those who have more – or different – experience than your own, and a wealth of knowledge will be opened to you

For many of us, nothing can replace the fun and satisfaction of being your own boss and controlling your own destiny. The key to remember is that Solo PR Pros are not born, they’re made. If you’re interested in this career path, don’t let the myths dissuade you!

If you’re a veteran independent consultant, what are some of the myths you’ve encountered?

Photo credit: victuallers2

This week’s #solopr Twitter chat addressed some of the top issues facing independent PR consultants, ranging from when to raise rates, to when to hire employees. We covered the following questions:

1. How do you know when your fees are too low?

2. When it comes to your retainer, do you reduce it for smaller clients or stay with what you’re charging larger ones?

3. How do you know when to add an employee?

4. What’s the best book you’ve read lately and why? Who/what do you want to read down the road?

Be sure to download the full transcript in PDF for some key insights on these critical topics.

If you were unable to join us, how would you weigh in on these issues?

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!

1. How much credibility do you place in recommended “PR blog” lists (are they popularity contests)?

2.  How far does your geographical reach extend, either professionally or personally?

3.  Have you had any clients asking about mobile or geo-location strategies? Are they seeing you as a resource for this?

4.  What conferences will you be at this fall?

5. How important is what you wear when you’re in public (w/clients or networking)? Any tips re: a #solopr wardrobe?

Definitely download the chat transcript in PDF to find out what your colleagues are saying, and let us know your thoughts 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!

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!

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!

For those of you who are active on Twitter, @PRCog needs no introduction. One of the few examples of social media anonymity done right, PR Cog expresses – with trademark humor – many of the frustrations that exist for a mid-level PR pro. These generalized beefs can be with both clients and upper management, and many of his tweets are now on behalf of other annoyed PR tweeters, submitted anonymously to him by Direct Message.

I was happy to electronically interview this popular Twitter character turned blogger, who shares his insights on both PR Cog’s Gear Grindings and PRBreakfastclub (where he serves as Editor and Publisher). But little did I know I was about to be given a worldwide exclusive to the Cog-related story of the year!  Read on…

1. Being a PR Cog sure sounds tough — how’d you come to such a fate?

Well, I became a Cog in a small professional services based shop about 5 years ago after leaving the professional services space.  I became @PRCog on a bad working day almost 18 months ago. I made the account, tweeted a bit, followed some journalists and pros (not in the Law & Order sense) and forgot about it.  I returned a few weeks later to discover I had been re-followed by more than I expected.  I fully expected backlash and have only been told by one person that they know of someone who doesn’t like what I’m doing.  The person who doesn’t like it has yet to grow the brass ones to tell me. More details can be found in Valerie Simon’s interview from a few months back.  But it’s been a very enlightening experience since I started.

2. What’s the most difficult thing about your current state of affairs?

Let’s come back to this one…

3. Do you ever long to escape the grind and become a Solo PR Pro?

Well, this is the first time I’m putting this out there publicly — I already have.  A few months back my old agency and I parted ways.  I wasn’t growing as a professional any longer and had filled all the possible positions / done all the tasks at that agency (we were VERY specialized).  It was all very amicable – I still try to refer them business and they send me work occasionally.

Since then, in addition to looking for new opportunities at an agency and in-house (because we all like the stability of a paycheck, and I’m the first to admit I’ve got plenty to learn – I know if I don’t pursue other opportunities simultaneously I’ll wonder what’s out there), I’ve setup my own shop and have been living the solo life (living room office, kids asking for juice during biz calls, etc. – the whole kit’n'kaboodle).  I’ve worked a few contracts/consultations and am continuing to seek out new business.

4. Is being an independent PR consultant the best way to find freedom? What’s a Cog like you dream of doing?

Unless you can find that perfect agency/company and love everyone you work with (i.e., if PRBC were to form their own agency – xo Cats & Kittens ), it would appear to be.  The experience has been very liberating.

During a recent potential client meeting, who in addition to my normal skillset I discovered was also looking for skills and experience outside my comfort zone, I was able to actually say, “Yes, we can do these things, realize though this part of it isn’t where my background is and it’ll be a learning experience for both of us.”  I disclaimed that if needed we could knock down the tab or I’d bring someone in short term to teach me a few things.  I’m happy to sell myself to the best of my abilities, not make promises I then expect my “staff” to fulfill.

Could it have cost me the contract? Maybe, but that’s better than having a dissatisfied client and not being true to what I can and can’t do. Particularly early on – some of the best clients at my former company came from satisfied client referrals – don’t want to start off on the wrong foot.

So, returning to question 2 — the biggest issue now is the social media side.  Inevitably the question comes up, “Do you have any social media experience?” It’s quite a dance trying to reference my blogging, PRBC activities, and Twitter use without specifically referencing PRCog. Returning back to a normal twitter account will be difficult given the number of people that have actually seen me IRL (most of whom I trust, but there’s too many to depend on it being kept a secret).  Thankfully, I’m having more conversations than snark, so even if I have to go there I can.  Potential clients have no interest in outing me.  Most of the current venom has been archival or ghost tweets (tweets sent on behalf of others [as therapy] that they can’t send because their bosses or clients are following them).

5. Any extra tidbits you can tell us about the man behind the mask?

Oh goodness.  Well, next big projects include an interesting PRBC project and for this summer — Masquertweet, of course .

I’m still the same snark filled, fun loving, optimistic (ok, that one’s only partially true) me.

Actually there are a few odd observations — One of the biggest things that surprises me is the number of people I’ve never tweeted with before whose first question in a dm is ‘What agency are you at?”  I don’t assume everyone in the PR world knows who I am (goodness, I would hope not), but if I was really going to randomly disclose that info wouldn’t I have it in my bio?  Or a real name? Or…something else indicating I want to tie my real self to this identity?  This may be an indication of one of the biggest SM/PR problems — not researching (or reading) before engaging.

The lack of identity seems to put a number of people at ease online – I’ve had numerous people tell me things in confidence I wouldn’t tell others that I do know IRL.  Perhaps there’s a belief (which is true) that I have no incentive to ruin anyone (at least anyone that hasn’t given me reason to), and the credibility of an anonymous person is in question so the risk is minimal.  Maybe others are just more trusting than I am (a definite possibility).

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So, there’s the bombshell. I had intended to interview a Cog on how he longed to break free – only to find out he already had! Fellow PR pros, do you agree that becoming an independent consultant is the best way to escape life-long Cog status? What advice would you offer to our newly-solo PRCog?

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1) Do you take credit cards or some sort of online payment vehicle?

2) Have you ever relocated your biz to another city/state? How did that work? Did you keep clients?

3) How do you justify retainers over $2k/mo, and/or how do you explain your hourly rate?

4) What are some of your biggest “lessons learned” (the hard way, or otherwise)?

One of my favorite quotes came from Kristie Aylett, aka @krisTK:

Lesson learned: more clients and more money do not equal more happiness or career satisfaction.

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for more insights on these important issues.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned as an independent PR pro? 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!

This is a guest post from Kevin Dinino, Founder & CEO, KCD Public Relations Inc.

I started out like many in the PR field, as a generalist Account Executive at a mid-size PR agency pre-Internet bubble.  Once the sky started to fall and clients such as Neopets.com disappeared overnight, I was moved to start supporting large financial firms involved in venture capital and leveraged buyouts.

It was a rewarding job, working with these masters of the universe and becoming immersed in the financial media and learning how no news  sometimes was a good thing. Two years later, I was lured to the wonderful world of Wall Street, working in PR for a large brokerage firm, promoting financial advisors in their local markets. It was great to travel across the country and drive media interest in local markets help build their brand.

A move across country to sunny San Diego allowed me to head the PR department for a similar brokerage and help craft PR campaigns with some of the larger and reputable independent financial advisors in the country. No one expected the great financial collapse of 2008 and before I knew it, my position had been jettisoned.

Eager to continue my love affair with the financial media, my former employer and I agreed that I would hang out my own shingle and offer my PR services to their clients. I was always an entrepreneur at heart and slowly started the process of founding my new firm, KCD Public Relations.

What I learned early on was that I had a very unique network of contacts and a former employer that was willing to market my business. These factors led me to the easy decision to position my firm as a specialty shop, working directly with financial services firms (and financial advisors) on PR campaigns, leveraging my 10+ years of industry experience.  I have found that clients want to work with a specialist vs. a generalist – so every marketing piece for my agency (Web site, social media, brochures, etc) is geared to appeal to a financial services firm.

The results have been tremendous – KCD PR has grown from two initial clients to close to 10 and I’ve been able to leverage more industry expertise to work on behalf of the firm. In some ways it might sound counterintuitive that the more you specialize the more success you find, but that’s certainly been my experience. Find what you do best and then reap the rewards.

What have you found in your own business? Are the benefits of specializing worth the perceived risks?

The question resurfaced this week as a high-profile panel was held in Boston during a meeting of the Web Innovators Group on “An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Bootstrapping PR.” Excellent re-caps from those present at the discussion are available, but the gist is that the panel – sans a public relations representative – equated PR with media relations, and suggested that startups can do it just as well on their own.

Of course, PR professionals of all stripes bristle at this notion, but Solo PR Pros have a unique take. During Wednesday’s #solopr Twitter chat, a group of seasoned and successful independent PR consultants shared their thoughts about the role of PR, and the especially advantageous relationship that can exist between an independent PR counselor and a new business.

We first focused on the role PR plays for startups. Keeping in mind that Twitter’s 140 character limit, some highlights:

• krisTK: We advise startups to think about who they need to reach to be successful. Publicity is but one way to reach key audiences
• LuAnnGlowacz: I’m not a publicist. No offense to publicists. A message should be honed by PR before publicity or media relations take place
• akenn: Important PR service to startups=helping to articulate the startup’s value to various audiences & differentiate from competitors
• kelleylynnk: hey –anyone can buy a Cision/Vocus license. PR value is counsel, approach, strategy
• mdbarber: I always start with helping the biz figure out what their goals, targets are. Then, the plan comes…
• SunRiseCom: We provide realistic counsel and should help set expectations along with overall strategy of the new biz
• susanditz: With startups, often we have to begin with basic biz plan, identifying market, audience, differentiators, messaging B4 creating communications plan
• BettyEllis: To really add value, we must be like management consultants but with a PR-directed focus

The chat participants then discussed the special role that we, as independent consultants, can play for entrepreneurs:

• krisTK: PR consultants develop strong ties to clients, share their enthusiasm about the venture, attuned to needs, understand challenges
• mdbarber: As entrepreneurs ourselves, we’re better able to understand their needs. We come from same place
• kelleylynnk: There was a comment [during the panel] that agencies don’t get out of bed for less than $4k a month – good reason to opt for solo folks!
• LScribner: With a #solopr, startups get more senior level attn and guidance. Agencies usually pull the bait/switch and put very junior team on the acct
• KellyeCrane: Independent consultants (w/lower overhead) can be more flexible – scaling up and down as needs warrant.
• LScribner: #solopr consultants become more in tune with the company, similar to in-house, stronger relationships are built
• mdbarber: Our virtual networks can be an advantage – we put together individualized teams for each client rather than cookie cutter.
• SarahDawley: Along w/realistic counsel, I think consultants provide a more relational & inspirational outlook for a new biz than a big agency
• kelleylynnk: solo folks can work w/companies they want, as opposed to having to take a client for the $$ to pay existing staff
• KellyeCrane: Independents tend to only work w/companies they’re passionate about- huge advantage for clients
• cherissef: I also know that we can become advocates for startups. I love that I become part of their team.

These are just a few nuggets from an especially lively #solopr chat – read the full transcript here. Do you agree with the assertion that cash-strapped startups should consider PR entrepreneurs, rather than go it alone? What considerations would you add?

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Join us each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern time on Twitter for the #solopr chat. If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to Solo PR Pro, either by e-mail or RSS Reader. It’s free!